Israel Active

German car giant Volkswagen has invested $300 million in Israel’s Gett.  Gett offers a range of transport and courier services in 60 cities worldwide including New York, London, and Moscow.  Ironically, Gett is a direct competitor to German taxi company Uber.

The 12Angels investment club focuses exclusively on high-tech startups headed by ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) entrepreneurs in the KamaTech accelerator . The club recognizes the growing Haredi participation in Israel’s high-tech ecosystem.

Israel will provide subsidies to airlines that launch new non-stop gateway flights to Israel. To be eligible, the flight must be from an airport located more than 74 miles from an airport that already offers direct flights to Israel.

The Michigan Israel Business Bridge is piloting Michigan Israel Connect to match companies in both countries in order to access new supplier opportunities. One goal is to include business incubators, accelerators and startups, many of which specialize in technology.

The Trans-Tasman Business Circle has organized an Innovation Mission to Israel (May 29 to Jun 1). It will include a record number of over 50 business and academic leaders, including the Chief Science Adviser to the New Zealand Government, Sir Peter Gluckman.

April 2016 marked a historic drop in the Israeli unemployment rate, which sunk to 4.9 percent compared to 5.3 percent in March.  193,000 people were unemployed in April, down from roughly 208,000 in March. =

Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne came to Israel on a five-day trade mission together with 130 government officials, academics, scientists and business leaders.  Two-way trade in 2015 between Israel and Ontario was almost $1 billion, making Israel Ontario’s fifth largest trading partner. Premier Wynne signed 18 new agreements and partnerships valued at $87 million.  

Visitors to my home town can now stay at Accor’s luxurious MGallery by Softel hotel.  Rebranded from the David Tower hotel in King David street, the MGallery has a spa, heated indoor swimming pool, restaurants and bar and beautiful views of the Mediterranean.  Accor also plans to open another Netanya hotel next year.

Chinese tech giant Kuang-Chi is to launch a $300-million global fund and incubator in Israel.  It intends to invest in the best Israeli companies in the fields of biometrics, communications, robotics, and AR, and to take them to the next level commercially and technologically.

The first all-women Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) mission to Israel is led by Lucy Turnbull, Australia’s first lady and a respected company director in her own right.  The 36 participants want to learn about smart cities, Israel’s ecosystem and its innovation culture.