Israel Active

A delegation of 30 senior Israeli representatives has set off for Japan aiming to deepen economic ties between the two countries.  It will present Israeli technology to large Japanese corporations, in an effort for greater cooperation timed ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Israel-based website building tool provider Wix.com is acquiring OpenRest, another Israeli start-up that specializes in on-line ordering and mobile solutions for restaurants.  The move will help smaller restaurants attract hungry customers without paying hefty fees to third parties.

Eleven Israeli startup companies are in Philadelphia, attending Philadelphia's first Israel Technology Conference, hosted by Drexel University.  Philadelphia is a perfect gateway for Israeli companies, thanks to its abundance of higher education and healthcare institutions.

Hundreds of European and Asian investors looked to Israel for business partnerships at the twelfth annual Go4Europe/Go4Israel conference in Tel Aviv's Hilton Hotel.  This year's conference focused specifically on strengthening ties between Israel and China.

Investment in Israel startups during the 3rd quarter of 2014 was 6% higher than the same period in 2013.  Over $700 million of funding capital was invested in Israeli hi-tech from Jul-Sep 2014.

Israel-based ancestry research company MyHeritage has joined up with 23andMe, the biotech company that sells personal DNA kits, to enable people to discover their heritage based on genetics testing and documented family history.

(Thanks to NoCamels.com) Israel startup Beepi is transforming the buying and selling of used cars by providing inspection, financing and delivery, all through its digital platform.  It sounds too good to be true, but it has raised $60 million from investors who like the idea.   

The Olympic Committee and the agencies managing the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympiad have selected Israeli security company ISDS to provide security for the world's biggest sporting event.  ISDS will be the systems and security integrator at the various Olympic Games sites.

For Summer 2015, due to growing demand, British Airways is raising the seat capacity on the London-Tel Aviv route by about 50%. Six weekly flights will be added, raising the total number to 20.  Also, schedule changes will help passengers connect to North American destinations.

The California Israel Chamber of Commerce will hold the first annual California Israel International Business Summit at the Microsoft Campus in California on Oct 22nd and 23rd.  The summit is a hub for Israeli and California-based firms to explore new joint business opportunities.