Israel Active

Michel Combes, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent announced that Lucent’s Bell Labs is to open a branch in Tel Aviv this summer. Bell Labs has been innovating for nearly a century. Combes said its arrival in Israel is a clear confirmation of the confidence Alcatel-Lucent has in Israeli technology.

Israeli startup Corephotonics has developed a dual-lens phone camera that can produce crystal-clear images on a smartphone even when the zoom function is used. It uses two 13-megapixel lenses with their own sensors, thus improving low-light performance and producing cleaner images.

Israel’s Bluesphere is to construct a 5.2-megawatt power plant in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the fuel for the plant coming from organic waste from the city’s landfill site.

Pupils from Ilan Ramon Youth Physics Center in Beer-Sheva have won their 45th prize in the "First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics" competition. Israel has won the most prizes since the US-based competition began in 2007 – more than the USA, Russia, South Korea etc.

(Thanks to elderofzyion.com) Israel’s largest private cyber-security software company, CyberArk, has been selected as “Best advanced persistent threat protection” at the SC Awards Europe 2014. It was also ranked “highly commended” in the identity-management category.

Intel Corporation has purchased the personal assistant and advanced computing and artificial intelligence part of Israel’s Ginger Software along with 16 staff. Ginger’s platform allows third parties to create custom personal assistants. Ginger’s English language training business remains independent of Intel.

The Haredi Hi-Tech Forum was founded in 2012 to assist haredim develop their own business initiatives. Nine start-ups and groups participate currently in courses run by the forum, with sixty more applying for new courses in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak.

(Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s CommonSensor wireless smart water filter registers how much water is in the soil, rather than measuring pressure or humidity. It then controls irrigation when the plant needs it without any human intervention. Distributors are sought for the new version.

Israel’s SceneNet, with funding from the European Commission, is developing technology that combines video footage of events such as sports matches and rock concerts to make a three dimensional film. It also lets you pick the location to view from, such as behind the stage.

Tel Aviv’s TLV1 Radio has broadcast Israel21c’s first ever radio program. Gil Canaani, founder of Start-up Stadium and Amos Avner, Education Director at Start-TAU join Viva Sarah Press to discuss what that drives Israeli entrepreneurs to make the impossible, possible.