Israel Active

Haier Electronics, China’s largest home appliance maker, has opened its first innovation center in Israel, in Tel Aviv. It will focus on finding Israeli technologies for Haier product lines, specifically sensor technology, materials, chips, Internet of Things (IoT), smart homes, and energy innovation.

The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce (OJC) launched its Israel Division by hosting an Anglo Business Networking Event in Jerusalem. OJC's mission is to help people interact and the program helped business owners in all industries to network.

Harvard and UCLA have chosen experienced Israelis to direct their technology-transfer offices. Universities urgently need to streamline the transfer of inventions from lab bench to market. Israelis generate more revenue from Intellectual Property sales than any other country except the US.

Intel have begun filming its first Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality content using the 360-degree 3D technology from its Israeli subsidiary Replay Technologies. The 25,000 square-foot Intel Studios in Los Angeles features the world’s largest volumetric video capture stage.

The combined value of acquisitions of Israeli-linked technology companies and Israeli-linked technology IPOs totaled at an all-time high of $23 billion in 2017. Numbers of exits decreased, but values increased - the largest being Intel’s $15.3 billion takeover of Mobileye.

Israel’s foreign exchange reserves increased in December to end at $113 billion – $931 million higher than their end Nov 2017 position. They represent 33.2 percent of GDP.

Swedish ready-to-assemble retail furniture chain IKEA will open its fourth store in Israel next month. The new store in Beersheva will join existing Israeli outlets in Rishon Lezion, Netanya and Kiryat Ata, near Haifa.

I reported previously that Chinese car-maker SAIC is opening an R&D center in Israel.  Now it is partnering with Israel’s Mobileye (part of Intel) to develop autonomous (self-driving) vehicles. Meanwhile, Virginia State is to install Mobileye systems all its public transportation vehicles.

70,000 tourists came to Eilat on direct flights last winter. The Tourism Ministry expects 280,000 this winter. The Ministry of Tourism has made agreements with low cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air to bring overseas tourist directly to Eilat.

Low-cost Hungarian airline Wizz is to operate direct flights between Israel and the Austrian capital of Vienna four days a week, starting in June. Wizz Air currently offers 22 routes between Israel and nine countries in Europe.