Skoda opens Israeli tech office
Car maker Skoda is to open an Israeli Digilab office, to search for advanced smart car technologies and investment opportunities that can be included in the brand's technological systems. Skoda said its Israeli presence will give it direct access to innovative projects, high-tech startups, and IT talents.
More Israeli driverless car news
Car maker Fiat Chrysler is joining the self-driving car consortium led by BMW, Intel and its Mobileye (Israeli) subsidiary that aims to develop fully driverless vehicles by 2021. And Renault-Nissan is opening a smart-car incubator in Tel Aviv.
Direct flights to Buenos Aires
The national airlines of Israel and Argentina, El Al and Aerolíneas Argentinas are to begin scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires, possibly as early as Sept 2017.
Milk and Honey goes up for auction
The first 100 bottles of Israel’s first single malt whisky, called Milk and Honey, is being auctioned on the Scottish website whiskyauctioneer.com. Experts say that the Tel Aviv distillery produced a mature and complex whisky for its young age, thanks to aging in the warm Israeli climate.
New Jerusalem start-up incubator
An innovation technology incubator has been set-up to support growth of early stage startups in Jerusalem. It is an initiative of Israel’s OurCrowd, Motorola Solutions and Reliance Industries. A key participant is Yissum, the commercialization arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
1000 Jewish businesswomen
One thousand Jewish women attended the 8th annual Temech Conference at the Jerusalem International Conference Center. Temech was founded to help educate Charedi-orthodox women so they can get better paid jobs. The focus these days is to help grow existing businesses.
The largest exit of an Israeli healthcare company
I reported previously on Israel’s Neuroderm and its innovative treatments for Parkinson’s sufferers. Neuroderm has just been bought by Japan’s Mitsubishi Tanabe for $1.1 billion – a record for an Israeli life-science company. It should bring products to market faster.
New Intel factory
Intel Israel has announced that it will open a new microprocessor manufacturing plant in Kiryat Gat that will employ 1,500 workers. Production at the new plant is expected to begin by 2018.
Tel Aviv to Rome by Ryanair
Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier, is to launch a daily Tel Aviv-Rome route from October 29 with fares starting from €17 in each direction. Ryanair CEO David O’Brien praised Israel’s transport and tourism ministers for opening the skies and for promoting Israel as a tourist destination.
Cheaper shoes
Israel’s Finance Ministry has canceled the 12% customs duty imposed on shoes. Its aim is to reduce the gap in prices between Israel and abroad without hurting domestic industries.