Miami conference confident in Israeli resilience

The Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami featured a panel of financial experts which expressed its confidence in Israel’s hi-tech resilience. If it survived the war and the pandemic, it can handle anything," see videos of Rinat Zilberstein and Tom Nides.

Growth surprise

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.9% rise in GDP in the 3rd Quarter of 2024 compared with the previous quarter, giving a 3.8% annualized growth figure. In addition, unemployment fell to a new low of 2.5% in October, down from 2.7% in September. 135,000 vacancies is the same as in Sept.

Foreign currency reserves reach new heights

Israel’s foreign exchange reserves at the end of September 2024 stood at a record $220,377 million - an increase of nearly $3 billion from their level at the end of the previous month. The increase was due to a revaluation that shows confidence in Israel’s currency and economy.

Defense system for US tanks

The US has awarded Israel’s Elbit Systems a $127-million follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems (APS) for its Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). General Dynamics will upgrade the US Army’s Bradley M2A4E1 IFVs over a period of 34 months.

Startup investment – to 17/11/24

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Exits, mergers & acquisitions – to 17/11/24

Israeli-founded was acquired by Sweden’s Modern Times Group for up to from Australia’s Aristocrat which bought Plarium in 2017 for around . Finland’s Nokia has Israel’s for an undisclosed sum. Israel’s has Israel’s for several tens of millions of dollars. US-based BitSight has acquired Israel’s for around . US-based Cloudera has acquired Israel’s .

Saving costs for self-insured employers

The cost reduction solution from Israel’s Bluespine helps self-insured employers to lower annual healthcare spending while mitigating financial and legal risks around plan administration. Bluespine’s AI helps identify, recover, and prevent overbilled medical claims.

A biodegradable partnership

Israeli biodegradable packaging startup W-Cycle (see previously) has partnered with Brazil’s Melhoramentos. W-Cycle will help find new sustainable applications for the high-yield pulp fiber that Melhoramentos manufactures. The contract is estimated to be worth $370K.

Successful drone safety trial

Israel’s ParaZero Technologies has received a $187,000 order for its UAV safety systems from a US-based Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company in the aerial vehicle industry. The order is the end of a long-term project with the client and now large-scale manufacturing and deployment can begin.

Israir ends El Al’s USA monopoly

Israeli low-cost airline Israir plans to launch direct flights between Israel and New York this winter. Subject to US regulatory approval, it will operate four flights a week to Newark and will end El Al’s temporary monopoly on direct flights between the two countries.