Israel Active

The Israeli finance and economy ministries have approved a plan by Intel to invest $6 billion in upgrading its chip-manufacturing plant in Israel, marking the largest-ever single international investment in the Jewish state.  Intel will hire 1000 more workers at its Kiryat Gat factory. =

The DLD Tel Aviv Conference included a panel of the Israeli heads of IBM, General Motors, Qualcomm, Deutsch Telekom and Google. All agreed that Israel’s superb engineering talent is due to strong academic institutions, entrepreneurial and creative spirit, hard working and a “can-do” attitude.

Pricense won the MasterCard Israel Technology $25,000 first prize for its use of “big data analysis” to set prices for on-line retailers. Its system raises or lowers prices automatically to maximize revenue, based on traffic, historical data, consumer behavior and other factors.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s Camtek has received $3 million worth of new orders from one of the world's largest OSATs (Outsourced Semi-conductor Assembly and Test organizations).  These orders are for 2D and 3D inspection and metrology for Advanced Packaging semiconductor applications.

Takwin (Arabic for Genesis or start) is a unique incubator for start-ups in the Arab-Israeli community.  Takwin Labs raised $4.5 million from Israeli (Jewish and Arab) and US investors.  It will invest hundreds of thousands of dollars per venture in 4-6 start-up companies.

Low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced that due to increased demand, it has added one weekly flight on each its services from Tel Aviv to Budapest and Bucharest. It has also reinstated its Tel Aviv-Warsaw service earlier than planned.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI)  Aberdeen Harbor is the NW Europe’s center of activity for the offshore oil and gas industry's marine support operations.  It selected Israel’s Siklu to deliver a next generation security network of traffic including streaming HD video images from the latest IP cameras.  Siklu also implemented free Wi-Fi to cover the start of the 21st stage of the Tour de France, in Leeds UK.

Electronics giant Ericsson is buying Israel’s Fabrix for $95 million.  Fabrix specializes in cloud storage and computing and network-based video delivery.  Cablevision Systems uses Fabrix to help power its network-based Multi-Room DVR product that allows customers to simultaneously record 15 shows.

The share price of Israeli exoskeleton developers ReWalk Robotics more than doubled on the day of its Wall Street Initial Public Offering (IPO).  The 3 million shares, offered at $12 per share, reached $25.6 per share at close of business. By day 2, the price was $37.15.

Four Israeli universities are in the top 50 rankings of institutions for budding entrepreneurs to study for an MBA.  Tel Aviv University (at number 11) produced 50 graduates who went on to establish 56 start-ups.  Bar Ilan, Technion and Hebrew University of Jerusalem also featured highly.