Israel Active

Israel Railway’s electrification project has advanced with a deal to buy 62 locomotives from Canada’s Bombardier for NIS 1 billion. The NIS 13.7 billion project involves converting 420 kilometers of track over to electric operation.

Wired describes 10 of Israel’s startups with most potential in its magazine featuring the 100 hottest European startups. They include Consumer Physics, Playbuzz, StoreDot, Winward, Moovit, SimilarWeb, Zebra Medical, AppsFlyer, Adallom and FeeX (Pontera).

The government of Victoria State, Australia has agreed to restart the Victoria–Israel Science Innovation and Technology Scheme (VISITS) after an 8-month closure. The $AUS 2 million innovation partnership supports jobs, innovation and bi-lateral trade.

Israeli startup Keeprz has developed a sophisticated app that offers customers a variety of loyalty incentives. Keeprz’s customers include Burger King, Coca Cola, BMW and Cafe Joe. Keeprz has just been acquired by another Israeli company – Como – for around $50 million.

A record $1.12 billion poured into Israel’s high-tech ecosystem in the second quarter of 2015, according to the Israel Venture Capital (IVC) Research Center. Also, the increased volume of funds from foreign private equity investors is a sign of maturity for the Israeli tech economy.

Tourist arrivals in Israel over the past 10 years have tripled to 3.3 million.  Christians accounted for 56% of last year's tourist arrivals, up from 33% a decade ago.

Israel’s foreign currency reserves hit another all-time record in July of $88.424 billion, including $7.41 billion in the reserve due to the natural gas purchase program.

Israeli app Shopnfly informs travelers on where to get the lowest prices on duty free shopping. At the airport, on the plane or duty paid in the local supermarket. Shopnfly is in use in nearly 50 airports and has just partnered with El Al.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has launched HUJiconnect.com. It provides more than 30,000 HUJ alumni with their own exclusive place to professionally and socially connect with one another in order to find training and employment opportunities. 4,000 alumni have already signed up

Israel’s Frutarom has made its 9th acquisition of the year by purchasing Florida’s Scandia Citrus for $6 million. Scandia Citrus specializes in R&D, manufacture, sales and marketing of specialty products in the field of citrus.