Israel Active

Israel’s NT-Tao is engineering compact and scalable nuclear fusion energy technology. It says its proprietary ultra-fast plasma heating method will enable it to reach 1000 times higher density than other fusion reactors, thereby making its fusion reaction 1 million times more effective. It has just raised $22 million.

Israel’s Deep Optics (see previously) is clearly moving ahead with its adaptive optics technology. A layer of liquid crystal allows standard sunglasses to switch into reading glasses with a swipe along the arm of the frame. The next version will allow switching from reading glasses to distance lenses.

The Rothschild-Technion Program for Excellence is an academic study program for a bachelor’s degree, geared to make the most of the students’ curiosity and creativity, and to expand their horizons. The program is designed for students who are capable and interested in learning “differently”.

Israel21c has listed 8 top Israeli innovation sites to visit. I personally can recommend Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, Weizmann Institute, Ramat Negev agriculture R&D, and Vidor Center. The Technion, Ashlam, and Salad Trail look fascinating too.

Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks (see previously) has won a multimillion-dollar contract for the expansion of satellite communications capabilities on trains in Asia-Pacific. Gilat’s ER7000 SATCOM On-The-Move antennas will provide continuous internet access to passengers.

Companies are gradually realizing that most customer queries can be answered by a chatbot – an intelligent robot answering service, rather than a human operator. Israel’s CommBox offers both – passing complex queries seamlessly from chatbot to human and then back again.

Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have developed polymers that heat up or change their physical properties (e.g., from flexible to rigid) when exposed to LED light. The practical implications are wide-ranging, including housing in off-grid environments.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Yaakov Nahmias is the founder of Believer Meats (formerly Future Meat Technologies) – see previously. He explains how his Jerusalem-based startup is Israel’s most advanced developer of cultured meat.

Israel’s GreenOnyx (see previously) has opened an indoor breeding farm to grow and produce its Wanna Greens duckweed-based lentil greens - no agricultural land, autonomous, all-year-round. GreenOnyx markets its fresh, affordable, ready-to-eat, water-based superfood on-line.

Israel’s Technion Institute is investing $20 million in establishing the Sustainable Protein Research Center (SPRC). It will partner the international non-profit Good Food Institute to accelerate alternative protein innovation. Israel is second only to the USA for investments in sustainable proteins.