Global Cities Summit attracts 68 cities
Hundreds of start-ups, investors and multinationals attended the 3rd Digital Life Design Festival in Tel Aviv. The event included the Global Cities Summit, a policy forum that addresses issues like urban living, ways of coping with growth and better methods of transportation.
Israel joins EU satellite project
Israeli academics and companies have been given security clearance to work on the Galileo project that will launch 30 satellites and become Europe’s alternative to the US GPS system.
Pentagon uses Israeli robots to climb stairs
The US Department of Defense is fast-tracking its deployment of stair-climbing Israeli developed micro-robots with US Army Special Forces. The robots, called the Micro Tactical Ground Robot (MTGR), were designed by Tel Aviv-based start-up Roboteam Ltd.
Calculating the best prices
Tel Aviv-based Feedvisor has developed the world's first fully algorithmic re-pricing platform for online retailers to keep their prices competitive and maximize profitability. Forbes rated Feedvisor among the most innovative and promising startups in Israel in 2012 and has just raised $1.7 million.
Technion builds a winning racing car
Buckle up your seat belt and watch a team of 25 Israel Technion Institute students build a Formula SAE racecar and compete in Italy. The team won first place worldwide out of all newcomer teams. Part of the "New Product Design" course in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
A passion for taste and health
Israel’s Frutarom is truly a global innovator. It develops and sells flavors and ingredients for food, beverage, supplement and pharma health industries in 140 countries. Its 31 R&D labs include eco-friendly Wedenswil in Switzerland where its biogas equipment has been upgraded to produce 2,600,000 kWh of energy per year.
Biofuels conference
Dozens of senior representatives of the international biofuel industry are visiting Israel this week for the first international biological fuels conference, the Agro-Energy Nexus Summit, in Herzlyia. Israeli companies are already leading this growing market in several areas.
See Israeli 3D prints in London
(Thanks to Israel21c) Hundreds of 3D models printed by Stratasys, the Israeli-American manufacturer of 3D printers, are being displayed in a free exhibition, “3D: Printing the Future.” at London’s Science museum.
Mobile solar energy
Israel’s Nova Lumos has devised a pay-as-you-go mobile-based solar energy program for developing countries that produces clean electricity for less than it costs to purchase kerosene. Nova Lumos just won The Pitch contest for new start-ups at the "Globes"-Ernst & Young Journey Conference in Tel Aviv.
Return of the Judean Date Palm
(Thanks to Charlie) Latest news on the progress of the oldest known tree seed ever to germinate originally reported in my newsletter in Nov 2012. Dr Elaine Solowey of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is working hard to revive other age-old trees from their long dormancy.