Israel Active

The Israel Securities Authority (ISA) selected five companies for their "Data Sandbox" project to help modernize Israel’s stock market. They are (AI risk factors), Scanovate, (Identity provider), Correlate Capital (liquidity engine), FINTICA and WizSoft (data-mining tools).

One of the most important resources that farmers in Israel’s Negev desert have is the Ramat haNegev Desert AgroResearch Center (RNDARC). It helps them solve problems of water conservation, irrigation, soil erosion, seed selection, crop rotation, harvesting and more.

Israel’s TuneFork creates a personal audio profile for an individual. A 5-minute test with the app using earphones produces a unique “earprint” for integrating and optimizing all audio content. It is designed to improve the listening experience, overcome hearing impairments and prevent further damage.

Lipifai is one of Israel’s “AI for Good” accelerator startups.  Lipifai translates speech into text by automatically using deep learning technology. Text is generated and displayed in real time to help the deaf and hard of hearing. It even works in noisy environments.

Microsoft and Israeli NGO “Tech for Good” have launched a new accelerator “AI for Good”.  It has selected 14 Israeli startups for its first cycle considered to be the most interesting cases combining artificial intelligence and social impact. Each will receive expert training alongside an average of $500,000 in funding.

Israel’s Brenmiller Energy (reported previously) is piloting a new water heating system to save 36,000 liters of diesel and reduce pollutant emissions at Israeli army outposts. Residual heat from the base’s power generators is stored in crushed rocks and discharged when hot water is required.

Israel’s Ofertex manufactures personal protective equipment made from recycled materials. It has just launched the EcoMask - an antibacterial and antimicrobial facemask with an inner filter made from recycled textiles and embedded with antimicrobial copper nanoparticles.

Israel has inaugurated its first production line for N95 masks, with the expectation that it will produce as many as two million per month.  The factory is situated in the southern city of Sderot, close to the Gaza strip and is one of only a few production lines of its kind in the world.

Israel’s Innovation Authority is funding NIS 150 million for three new R&D consortia. Andromeda Consortium will target autonomous vehicles; Quantum communications consortium will develop quantum encryption and Advanced Materials Processing Consortium will focus on high-power lasers.

The US-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) has approved grants of $7.3 million for 22 joint Israeli - US research projects. They include projects involving agriculture-engineering, animal health, animal and crop production, water and renewables.