Israel Active

Israel-based Mobileye has announced plans to deploy its systems on self-driving electric vehicles in the US during 2024. Mobileye and its partners Germany’s Benteler EV Systems and Florida’s Beep will launch driverless on-demand 12-14 seater shuttles, with no steering wheel or pedal.

Israel’s Aurora Labs (see previously) use machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity to improve car software quality, safety, and security. Its products Auto Detect, Auto Validate, and Auto Update are able to reduce the numbers of vehicle recalls and lower production costs.

Israel’s Zero Networks has developed a scalable method to prevent unauthorized access to computer assets.  Each piece of equipment is protected with Multi-Factor Authentication that makes them impervious to ransomware attacks.

Israel’s Salvador Technologies markets a product that provides a 30-second recovery from cyber-attacks (e.g., ransomware) or IT failures. The innovative patented technology, designed for critical systems, is based on sophisticated data corruption detection and “air-gapped” protected storage.  

The automated modified atmosphere packaging solutions from Israel’s StePac (see previously) are bringing major benefits to farmers in Chile. They require less manual labor, use less plastic, reduce food waste, lower shipping costs, and increase the shelf-life of the cherries.

Israeli-Dutch startup Future Crops (see previously) is commercially producing high-yielding, long-lasting basil crop at its vertical farm in Westland, Netherlands. The proprietary seeds were developed at Israel’s Volcani Agricultural Research Organization near Tel Aviv.

Israeli charity KKL-JNF has launched a program “Forester of the Future” that is training young adults (mostly women) in ecosystem management and then putting them in the field. They learn the use of modern tools to prevent, detect fires, and assess and repair damage to the vegetation.

The ATLAS wildlife reverse GPS telemetry system tracks animals as small as 15g to help reduce conflicts with humans and protect endangered species. ATLAS was jointly developed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Professor Ran Nathan and Tel Aviv University’s Professor Sivan Toledo.

Four times a year, Israel’s AION Labs (see previously) invites teams of scientists to Rehovot to solve a treatment development challenge. The winning team gets 4 years of funding to set up a startup, plus mentoring. Israelis living abroad are finding this an attractive reason to return home.

The Friends of the IDF and the Zalik Foundation have raised $1 million to fund a new program that integrates young women into IDF cyber units. The IDF Mamriot (taking off) program aims to increase the number of women in IDF tech units and in Israel’s tech sector overall.