Israel Active

Israeli startup GamEffective offers firms exciting ways to get staff to achieve better results. The technique, known as Gamification, refers to the incentivizing component of game-playing – awarding points, badges and other rewards for good performance.

The Oxford University Press (OUP) has signed deals with three Israeli digital book start-ups - TinyTap, Kidoz, and Total Boox, to help OUP digitize and distribute its content. The OUP wishes to develop products and services that improve the lives of teachers and learners globally.

Greece’s largest airline Aegean Airways has increased its schedule to Israel to 20 flights per week. They include 3 more to Athens and 4 more to Larnaca, Cyprus.

Marcella Rosen’s non-profit organization Untold News has launched a new advertising campaign promoting Israeli inventions. “Israel Is On It” aims “to raise mass-market awareness of one tiny country whose citizens are curing cancer, making the ocean drinkable, freezing cancer tumors, preventing hospital infections, stopping airport terrorism, and changing all our lives for the better.”

International finance giant BlackRock has launched an exchange-traded-fund (ETF) that allows European investors to invest directly in Israel’s top 25 listed companies. The iShares TA-25 Israel UCITS ETF (TASE) allows global investors to invest in the Israeli economy.

Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources is offering grants of NIS 1 million ($250,000) for the building of each one of a network of 30 to 40 compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling stations. It is a key stage of Israel’s transition to cleaner energy.

Credit ratings agency Moody's has reported that Israel’s fiscal performance was improving "beyond expectations." It also said that Israel is the only high-rated country (A3 or more) to have seen a consistent decline in its debt burden. Also S&P has maintained Israel’s A+ rating.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) biannual report on Israel is chock full of mostly good news. Increasing GDP, well-stimulated economy, high employment, low unemployment, rising wages, stable banks, high quality of life and long life expectancy.

The OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem brought together technology leaders and innovators from around the world to see some of Israel’s hottest start-ups. This article features Engie, BIRD, freeD, HIL Applied Medical and UpNRide, who were among the many presenters at the packed event.

Domestic Israeli travel has been enhanced with the inaugural flight from Rosh Pina airport to Eilat. Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation Ayoub Kara is planning a 34 million Shekel ($8.6 million) program to develop the Rosh Pina airport and turn it into a regional hub for local flights.