Israel Active

Infarm, led by Israelis Osnat Michaeli, Erez and Guy Galonska, distributed their 25sqm “vertical crop farm on a platform” to hundreds of supermarkets across Europe. Each can grow over 65 kinds of herbs and vegetables and said to be more than 400 times more efficient than land-based agriculture.   

Built in the 1990s and branded as “the city of the future,” Modi’in is ranked 10th in Israel on StartupBlink’s Start-up Ecosystem list, and 627 worldwide, for tech ecosystem size, quality, and ease of doing business. Advantages include location, transport links and young English-speaking residents.

Israel’s Energy Ministry is giving grants worth NIS 20 million for 16 projects to develop energy storage prototypes. They include 11 lithium battery projects and two hydrogen initiatives. One project is a combined solar panel and storage system for Bedouin farmers.

Dr. Shlomi Kotler of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is one of the winners of UK Institute of Physics’ “Physics World’s 2021 Breakthrough of the Year Award”. The work of Dr Kotler’s team advances the development of quantum networks – the future of computation and communication.

One of the key events in Jerusalem during Chanukah was the first Improvate International Innovation Forum on Nov 29 - the anniversary of the 1947 UN vote that led to the establishment of the State of Israel. The Forum showcased Israeli future technology to hundreds of world finance leaders.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to "touch the sun". The probe has successfully flown through the sun's corona, or upper atmosphere. It is carrying the CMOS imagers developed by Israel’s TowerJazz, used to capture high-resolution images of the sun’s atmosphere.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professors Shlomo Magdassi and Daniel Mandler have helped the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore develop a nano coating for windows that blocks up to 70% of infrared radiation while allowing in up to 90% of the sunlight.

Israel’s hiSky (see previously) provides satellite Internet of Things (IoT) networks and solutions. Its Smartellite™ Dynamic is a cost-effective solution for on the move satellite IoT connectivity.

Israel’s National Water company Mekorot has developed technology to use its system of water pipes as a conduit for fiber optic cables. It has sold the use of the pipes to (Bezeq, Hot, Partner, Unlimited and other communications companies to help connect Israelis to fast Internet services.

Israel’s AI21 Labs (see previously) has launched “Wordtune Read,” an artificial intelligence-based reading companion designed to summarize documents and allow readers to get the information 75% faster. It aims to end work-related “reading fatigue” and save time for workers and students.