Israel Active

Despite SpaceIL’s Beresheet lunar module crashing on the moon, the Israeli company was awarded a $1 million Google Lunar XPRIZE for its efforts. Beresheet is to be the model for the Firefly lunar lander, chosen by NASA. And the crash site is now on National Geographic’s Moon map.

Israel’s Aleph Farms recently produced cultivated slaughter-free beefsteak aboard the International Space Station.

The Galil Mountain Winery on Israel’s border with Lebanon requires no irrigation as the roots of the vine are very deep. Wastewater is treated and recycled. It uses solar energy for power, sustainable packaging and microbiology to generate healthy soil. It even has a green “living” roof.

Israeli startup Else Nutrition develops an almond and buckwheat-based baby formula designed to serve as another alternative to the familiar cow milk and soy-based formulas.

Tired of hauling a heavy regular fuel & oil jetski to the beach, Israeli Amir Shahar designed and produced an all-electric jetski. His Skivolt prototype runs on a lithium battery, reaches speeds of 70km/hour and fits into the boot of a standard car.

Four projects involving companies from both Israel and Brazil will receive a total investment of $7.5 million from the countries’ innovation agencies. The projects involve crop substrates, thermal energy, power sensors and vehicle analytics.

The private research University of Tulsa in Oklahoma and Israeli cybersecurity foundry Team8 have partnered to a joint 4-year PhD program focusing on cyber research and development. The course will accept 10 students a year, funded by the University and Tulsa’s George Kaiser Family Foundation.

The Arava region of Southern Israel (including Eilat) is on target by 2020 to be 100% powered by solar energy during daylight hours. And at $0.06 per kilowatt, the cost of solar energy is less than the cost of natural gas. The challenge now is to extend this to the whole of Israel.

One of the Israeli startups exhibiting at Tel Aviv’s FoodTechIL was Zero Egg, with its plant-based alternative for eggs. It tastes, looks and functions like a real egg. It can be used to make omelets, “scrambled egg”, cakes, pasta and sauces without using eggs.  

Israeli startup MeaTech 3D is developing technology for bioprinting meat using stem cells. It expects to achieve a viable prototype within a year. Meanwhile, MeaTech 3D has merged with Israel’s Ophectra Real Estate & Investments.