Israel Active

French e-commerce company Akeno has acquired Sigmento, an Israeli startup that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to help online vendors better describe their products. The company plans to keep development in Tel Aviv with Akeno staff relocating to Israel.

Another example of an Israeli company taking over a US firm. Israel’s SemiConductor Devices (SCD) (jointly owned by Elbit and Rafael) has bought Colorado’s Quantum Imaging, makers of short-wave Infra-red cameras. The aim is to strengthen SCD’s US activities.

Hod Hasharon’s Allot Communications is to acquire Tel Aviv’s Netonomy, a developer of software-based cyber security for the connected home.  Allot’s multi-service platforms are deployed by over 500 mobile, fixed and cloud service providers and over 1000 enterprises.

Since acquiring two Israeli companies (Cyvera and LightCyber), Palo Alto Networks Israel has grown to 200 employees. Hence it just moved into new Tel Aviv offices - the only R&D site for Palo Alto Networks outside of its global headquarters in Santa Clara, California.

I’ve reported previously (12 times) about Israeli geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies. Ormat has just acquired US Geothermal for a “cool” $110 million. Acquiring US Geothermal’s projects in Idaho and Oregon significantly broadens and diversifies Ormat’s US operations.  

Israel’s latest sale of $2 billion of government (10-year and 30-year) bonds was over-subscribed by a massive $16 billion. Interest rates were only slightly above the equivalent US government debt, indicating investors' confidence in the Israeli economy.

During his trip to India, Israeli PM Netanyahu signed agreements with Indian PM Modi, on cybersecurity, energy, the film industry, and air transportation. They also launched a $40 million Industrial R&D fund I4F that will finance 50% of tech projects involving startups from both states.

Daniel Krygier summarizes Israel’s 2017. For the first time average GDP per capita ($44,019) exceeded that of Britain, Japan and France. It is 5 times Lebanon’s and 20 times Egypt’s. Krygier recommends The Rise of Israel: A History of the Revolutionary State by Jonathan Adelman.

Start-up Nation Central, PwC Israel and Health Research Institute have jointly set up a digital health toolbox for Israeli startups, to help them navigate the intricate US healthcare system. It includes details of hospitals for trials/pilots, stakeholders, contracts and the FDA process.

Mumbai’s IT and consulting firm Tech Mahindra Ltd. is launching a startup collaboration program in Tel Aviv. Tech Mahindra NxT will invest in twenty Israeli startups in its first year, across the domains of cybersecurity, mobility, artificial intelligence, fintech and data analytics.