POSTS2020-10-19T16:06:44+00:00

Cyber 10101

By |March 22nd, 2021|

Why is cyber important? To understand this, one must understand who uses cyber and for what purpose. In short, everyone

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Year in Review

By |January 26th, 2021|

The past twelve months were by far the best to date for startups receiving funding within Start-Up Nation. Total investment

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Israel Innovation Authority selected “Finsec Lab” corporation, owned by MasterCard Group and Enel X, to establish a Fintech-Cyber innovation lab in Beer Sheva with NIS 13 Million funding for a period of 3 years

By |May 6th, 2020|

Congrats to Mastercard and EnelX which received a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority to establish this Fintech lab. This

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White House Introduces Israeli Incubator to Solve California’s Water Crisis

By |April 6th, 2016|

The White House approved a total of 30 new projects. In Los Angeles, an Israeli cleantech incubator was approved as one of few internationally born projects. Ten Israeli companies will be introduced to to the U.S. market to develop solutions to combat California's water crisis. That project, announced earlier this month at a summit on water solutions, “builds on California and Israel’s March 2014 memorandum of understanding to cooperate on developing water and green technology solutions,” the White House said in a statement.

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Israeli #EdTech Roadshow in Manhattan (wrap-up)

By |March 25th, 2016|

Israeli #EdTech Roadshow in Manhattan (wrap-up)

edtech

On March 15, four Israeli companies with solutions for the education technology space visited New York for a full day of networking and business development activities.  The roadshow was organized by the Israel Economic Mission in NYC and MindCET.  The companies were:

The full day of meetings started out with an intimate investors’ breakfast in midtown, where the delegation met with angels and VCs.  The program consisted of brief pitches by the companies followed by networking.

Following breakfast, the delegation headed uptown to the 92nd Street Y, where they presented their technologies to the departments involved with education and STEM initiatives throughout the city.

The third leg of the afternoon took the group across town to the Jewish Education Project, where they met with JEP’s Chief Innovation Officer and his team.  JEP is a network of 400+ American Jewish day schools.  All the companies were added to the JEP “resource portal” for teachers, and may see their solutions implemented soon in Jewish day schools. 

To close out the business day, the group headed over to the Sesame Workshop, the group that produces Sesame Street.  At Sesame, they met with head of the organization VC arm in addition to a senior representative from their technology partnership team.

After a full day of private meetings, the group attended a very impressive event in the evening titled “Israel Meets Shark Tank EDU,” co-hosted with the NYC Department of Education.  At the event, each company delivered a 7-minute demo to six public school teachers from around the five boroughs.  Following each presentation was a 15-minute Q+A with the panel of teachers.

Feedback from the companies was extremely positive, who, despite the packed schedule, were very happy with the access and quality of the meetings.

For more information about this activity and EdTech from Israel, contact Erik Blumberg.

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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BIRD Energy Call for Proposals

By |March 31st, 2016|

BIRD Energy Call for Proposals

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This week BIRD (Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research & Development Fund) announced its upcoming Call for Proposals for BIRD Energy deadline for Executive Summaries will be June 29, 2016.

BIRD Energy is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Israel Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources, and BIRD Foundation.

To be considered, a project proposal should include:

  • R&D cooperation between two companies or cooperation between a company and a university/research institution (one from the U.S. and one from Israel).
  • Innovation in areas such as: Solar Power, Alternative Fuels, Advanced Vehicle Technologies, Smart Grid, Water-Energy Nexus, Wind Energy or any other Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency technology.
  • Significant commercial potential; the project outcome should lead to commercialization.

Deadlines
Executive Summary - June 29, 2016
Final Proposal - August 11, 2016
Decisions -  October 24, 2016

For more information, please contact Jordan Miller at jordan.miller@israeltrade.gov.il.

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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U.S. and Israeli Energy Ministers Sign New Energy Agreement

By |April 12th, 2016|

U.S. and Israeli Energy Ministers Sign New Energy Agreement

An Interesting article about Strengthening the cooperation between Israel and the U.S In the energy sector, which will contribute production, and distribution technologies for fossil and alternative fuels, research and development for natural gas, cyber protection

Israel Commercial Mission, Embassy of Israel

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Pushing limits, challenging boundaries and getting the job done. We are Israelis.

By |April 4th, 2016|

Pushing limits, challenging boundaries and getting the job done. We are Israelis.

ivp

We were born a million ideas ago, and ever since, we keep evolving,/ specializing in the Unheard-Of, seeking the Never-Done-Before, and intrigued by the Unthinkable.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQVDsJYDKZc[/youtube]

A competitive nation of entrepreneurs,/ where everyone knows better/ and nobody cares to listen.

A place where brains and energy are ubiquitous and breakthroughs regularly shine.

We're curious, independent, impatient, and, well, we have a reputation of being somewhat indelicate.  People who like to push the limits and challenge boundaries.  People who love shortcuts and hate each second.  People who are totally focused on Getting the Job Done.

From automotive to aerospace. From communication to pharma. We're the pulse of everything that is regarded as truly new.

We're what Bill Gates, Carlos Slim, Mark Cuban, and Warren Buffet all have in common. A lucrative opportunity.  A worthwhile investment.  And apart from everything, we're far from being modest.  After all, we are Israelis. 

For more information about investment opportunities in Israel, contact Josh at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC or visit InvestinIsrael.gov.il

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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“Internet of Things” tech from Israel on display at 2016 Dealmakers Summit

By |April 5th, 2016|

“Internet of Things” tech from Israel on display at 2016 Dealmakers Summit

dealmakers 2013 banner cropped

dealmakers 2016

On March 29, the Israel Economic Missions in NYC and San Francisco teamed up to host a delegation of Israeli “Internet of Things” companies. The eight companies had developed mostly consumer facing solutions, including a smart devices for tracking your family, cyber protection for your home, and technologies to help customers and citizens interact with their environment.

"Internet of Things" delegation from Israel:
  • BreezoMeter: World's leading real-time air quality analytics provider.
  • Dojo Labs: Privacy solutions for all IoT devices in a connected home.
  • GetAlert: Smart security to home monitoring and surveillance.
  • hereO: End-to-end family location sharing ecosystem with both app-to-app and app-to-device.
  • Kwik: Platform connecting retailers, brands and service providers to their customers.
  • Salient Eye: Turns any smartphone/tablet into a portable and remote home alarm system.
  • Say: Wearable social platform that provides the missing link between the physical self-expression and social media.
  • Treek: Monitor, control and provide automated professional care for indoor potted houseplants.

The Israeli IoT “conference” was a special activity adjacent to the concurrent Israel Dealmakers Summit, an annual gathering organized by Landmark Ventures and the Israeli Ministry of Economy. The Israeli IoT companies benefited from over 99 one-on-one meetings with relevant investors and strategic partners during a 3.5 hour period, 70-80% of which were booked in advance. During the conference, our Israeltech companies were solidly booked and pre-occupied with their meetings, with barely time for breaks. They met with a variety of investors, from angels to corporate VCs.

dealmakers 2016 2

The 2016 Israel Dealmakers Summit, which took place concurrently with our IoT conference, was held in San Francisco after several years in New York. The west coast version of Dealmakers was considerably smaller than the NYC events, though in a way, more focused. Unsuprisingly, the audience in attendance had a heavier representation from the technology world, specifically in corporate development, R&D and investment. One highlight at the summit was phenomenal panel featuring Israeli GMs of multinational companies, speaking to the strengths, weaknesses and challenges of working with Startup Nation talent and innovation. In general, there was a “great energy and noticeable buzz” in the air with serious business and dealmaking.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/161622767[/vimeo]

In attendance was a considerable delegation from the Israeli Ministry of Economy, and Director General Amit Lang was among the presenters. Among the many sessions at the summit was a panel on how the Israeli government is sponsoring programs to support investment and innovation. Overall, we’d like to congratulate Landmark Ventures on another phenomenal event.

For more information about investing in Israel or about our IoT delegation, contact Erik Blumberg.

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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Motorola Solutions Plans New Israel Innovation Center

By |April 18th, 2016|

Motorola Solutions Plans New Israel Innovation Center

Motorola Solutions

Last week, Chicago based Motorola Solutions Chairman and CEO Greg Brown visited Israel and announced a new innovation center for Motorola in Israel.  The innovation center will focus on development of technologies related to big data, cyber security, mobile technology and the Internet of Things.  The announcement was heralded by Prime Minister Netanyahu who said to Motorola: "You're in the right place, in the right country, in the right business."

Motorola has a long history in Israel as one of the first multinationals to open an R&D center in Israel back in 1964, and worked hand in hand with Israeli researchers on the development of mobile technology.

To learn more, click here to a Times of Israel Story.  In addition, contact our office to learn more about the innovations Motorola is targeting in Israel.

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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Series A Israeltech Demo Night with JFE in NYC

By |March 20th, 2016|

Series A Israeltech Demo Night with JFE in NYC

jfe

On the evening of March 9, the Israel Economic Mission teamed up with JFE to host six Israeli companies at a Series A demo night.  The public event took place at WorkBench, a VC and coworking space in New York, and was attended by over 100 people.  

The Israeli companies were:

  • Avanan: One-click security for your SaaS applications.
  • Contguard: Delivering real-time cargo control across the world.
  • DBS-H:  Releasing data access bottlenecks with continuous big data integration.
  • EZBZ: A local honest marketplace connecting customers with reputable businesses.
  • Moburst: Innovating in the world of mobile product optimization and marketing.
  • Semperis: Optimizing active directory uptime through insight.

The Israeli companies, with mostly enterprise solutions, pitched to five early-stage VCs active in the mobile, software and enterprise solution space.  The VCs were:

  1. Workbench
  2. Bessemer
  3. Lou Kerner (Flight VC)
  4. Fintech Collective
  5. Whitestar Capital

The event featured dinner and light refreshments, and the Israeli companies played to a packed house.

JFE stands for “Jews For Entrepreneurship,” an accelerator program out of San Francisco that is investing in Jewish founded companies.  Recently, they are working quite a bit and being more active and involved with Israeli companies and entrepreneurs.  
Contact Erik Blumberg for more information.   

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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Israeli Healthcare IT Companies at HIMSS

By |March 15th, 2016|

Israeli Healthcare IT Companies at HIMSS

HIMSS

Earlier this month, 11 Israeli healthcare IT companies participating in the first mHealth Israel Pavilion at HIMSS in Las Vegas.  With nearly 50,000 attendees from around the U.S. and world, HIMSS is the largest gathering of healthcare IT professionals in the U.S.  The mHealth Israel Pavilion was featured inside HX360 Innovation Pavilion, an area of the HIMSS conference devoted to innovative technology in the healthcare field.  To learn more about the Israeli companies, click here, or contact Daniel Blumenthal.

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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Uriel reports: Israeli technology at #MWC2016 and cyber at #RSA2016

By |March 10th, 2016|

Uriel reports: Israeli technology at #MWC2016 and cyber at #RSA2016

MWC-2010-300x225

Uriel Dukan, who is working on high-tech, mobile telecom and cyber technologies at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC, recently accompanies Israeli technology delegations to both Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and also to the RSA cyber security show in San Francisco.  He reports:

"MWC in Barcelona is the biggest trade show in the world dealing with mobile technology and it is expanding to the vast world or iot. About 100,000 people attended the show..! The Iem together with the IEI put up an Israel Pavilion with 65 companies offering a wide range of solutions in all sectors covered by the trade show. Trade officers from around the globe managed to pre-schedule 2300 meetings between Israeli companies and foreign entities. On the spot even more business opportunities were created. Undoubtedly the Israel Pavilion was one of the busiest one attracting interest from all the players in Barcelona.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tWhP0-Rp1U[/youtube]

The RSA Conference in SF attracts each year about 65,000 people. The brightest minds are exhibiting their cyber security solutions to the world and the Iem together with the IEI helped 35 Israelis companies gain exposure and create hundreds of meetings with potential partners, clients or investors. Officials and representatives from the biggest companies in the world stopped by the Israel Pavilion and met with Israeli companies to discuss the best way to stay protected from cyber attacks. A day before the show, the 35 Israeli companies meeting potential business partners or investors at the W hotel in a more intimate settings."

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKhpr7QC3nA[/youtube]

For more information about mobile/telecom technology ir cyber security solutions from Israel, contact Uriel from the Israel Economic Mission. 

 

Israel Trade & Economic Office

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Winter 2016 Shekel: Economic and financial trends in Israel, edited by the Ministry of Finance

By |March 8th, 2016|

Winter 2016 Shekel: Economic and financial trends in Israel, edited by the Ministry of Finance

10shek

10shek

Last week, our friends at the Israel Ministry of Finance in NYC published the Winter 2016 edition of SHEKEL, their quarterly economic newsletter. SHEKEL is edited by Avi Braf, chief of the finance mission, Beth Belkin, Director of Communications, and the staff of the Israel Economic/ Finance Mission in NYC.  A few tidbits about the Israeli economy from  this recent  issue that caught our attention:

  • Israel's  growth continued to outpace that of the OECD in 2015, as it has done more than a decade.
  • Israel's debt-to-GDP ration declined from 66.9 percent in 2014 to 64.9 percent in 2015.
  • The labor force participation rate in Israel in 2015 was at an all-time high of 64.5 percent; unemployment fell to 5.2 percent.
  • Israel's budget deficit in 2015 was 2.15 percent, well below the limit of 2.9 percent that the government had set for itself.
  • Israel has been a pioneer in the rise of Fintech companies and continues to develop into a hub for international financial institutions in search of innovative solutions.
  • KamaTech discusses its strategy for integrating more ultra-Orthodox Israelis into the high tech sector, with more than 4,000 currently benefiting from its activities.
  • Seeking creative and entrepreneurial talent, as well as diverse language skills, CGS turned to Israel.

CLICK HERE to read Winter 2016 Shekel.  To receive a physical copy of SHEKEL, or to speak with an editor, please contact Josh at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC.

Winter 2016 Shekel

Related:

     

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Fortune: Israeli tech companies finding a place for religious women (via @JaclynTrop)

    By |March 5th, 2016|

    Fortune: Israeli tech companies finding a place for religious women (via @JaclynTrop)

    fortune

    Who says technology and tradition can’t coexist?

    (Original article by Jaclyn Trop, and appeared on Fortune.com on March 2, 2016)
    For women living in Israel’s handful of ultra-religious communities, career options are limited. Following the traditional path means marrying young and supporting large families. With little connection to people outside their community and scant knowledge of the Internet, Orthodox Jewish women have traditionally worked as teachers and secretaries.
    But tech companies are beginning to offer them options more lucrative than childcare and administrative work. From industry giants like Cisco and Intel to boutique firms, Israel’s tech players are starting to offer amenities such as single-sex offices, kosher food and flexible hours that cater to stringent Haredi guidelines.

    “At Cisco, we focus a lot on inclusion and collaboration and value diversity,” says Shani Ginat, human resources manager at Cisco’s Jerusalem office. The company is one of Israel’s largest employers of Haredi women and men, whom it employs in roles ranging from project management to software engineering. “Our hiring strategy is to bring variety of people from different cultures, gender and backgrounds. This way, we build more diverse teams, bring new way of thinking into the company and promote creativity and innovation,” she explains.

    Cisco offers flexible hours, part-time positions and kosher food to cater to Haredi employees. Outside of work, the company leverages its cultural diversity through activities such as biblical club, where religious and secular employees gather to learn and discuss Torah portions together from a variety of historical, philosophical and religious points of view, Ginat says.

    Integrating tradition and technology is not always smooth, however.  Not all companies can offer the flexibility Haredi women need to care for their families, and integrating Haredi workers can be challenging. “Most of the Haredi women have a lot of kids so long hours are difficult for them,” says Moshe Friedman, co-founder of KamaTech, a non-profit that helps place Haredi men and women at Israeli offices of established companies such as Google and Microsoft. “Most Haredi women don’t want to work in a secular environment, and secular companies don’t always have an open mind to recruit Haredi women,” he adds.

    Still, KamaTech has managed to place more than 100 Haredi women in jobs at tech companies throughout Israel. “We want to create the role model and the success stories for those who are interested in this direction and pave the way for them,” Friedman said.

    READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ON FORTUNE.COM

     

     

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Guestpost: Israeli flavor at “Innovation Clusters Conference” at @NYUEngelberg

    By |March 4th, 2016|

    Guestpost: Israeli flavor at “Innovation Clusters Conference” at @NYUEngelberg

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    Innovation Clusters Conference at NYU School of Law

    Guestpost by Anne Hasset, Engelberg Center at NYU Law; Fred Rein and Rivka Jungreis contributing.

    Why are some places in the world so much more advanced as centers of innovation than others? What does it take for a region to become a hub for innovation? These questions were the subject of discussion at a conference held at NYU School of Law on February 26, 2016. Jointly sponsored by the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy at NYU Law School and the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the conference gathered experts from around the world to consider how regional clusters of innovation develop and mature.

    The academic and entrepreneurial experts at the conference agreed that since the 1990s Israel has evolved into a prime example of a successful regional cluster with an increasingly global reach. Among the factors recognized as contributing to Israel’s success as "Start-up Nation" are proactive government policies as well as cultural attitudes, like openness to criticism and the notion that “no is not an option,” coupled with the inherent tendency of Israelis to network. As noted by Professor Zur Shapira, NYU Stern School of Business, there are few degrees of separation among citizens of that small country: nearly everyone knows someone in common, fostering an environment conducive for sharing information and mentoring, two factors which nurture an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

    Israel Shamay, representing the Office of the Chief Scientist at Israel's Ministry of Economy, observed how over time the Israeli government has became adept at knowing when to implement policies to favor R&D and the growth of start-ups and when to step back and let the dynamics between entrepreneurs and the market take the lead. The Technion's Adam Shwartz described how that technological institute, in partnership with Cornell University, is exporting its entrepreneurial expertise to New York City, helping to transform the "Big Apple" into an urban center of innovation.

    Finally, Amir Orad, a successful Israeli entrepreneur and CEO of Sisense, explained how Israelis are now currently scaling up their companies to become global entities while endeavoring to maintain Israeli ownership and management.

    MORE PHOTOS HERE

    Fiona Murray (Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management) gave the conference keynote address. Other speakers include Dan Breznitz (Professor, Munk School of Global Affairs, U. Toronto); Philip Budden (Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Management);
    Bhaven Sampat, (Professor, Columbia Univ. and NYU Wagner School of Public Service (visiting)); Jeffrey Dachis (Founder, ONE DROP; Co-Founder & former CEO, Razorfish); Michael Burstein (Professor, Cardozo School of Law); Frank Rimalovski (Executive Director, NYU Entrepreneurial Institute); and David Rose (CEO, Gust, Rose Tech Ventures).

    Teva Pharmaceuticals was the lead conference sponsor. Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP and Goodwin Procter LLP also were sponsors.

     

    Anne Hasset is the Executive Director of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy, NYU School of Law.

    She can be reached at annemarie.hassett@nyu.edu

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    SCRA and Israel’s Chief Scientist extend S.C.-Israel R&D application deadline

    By |March 3rd, 2016|

    SCRA and Israel’s Chief Scientist extend S.C.-Israel R&D application deadline

    Flag-map_of_South_Carolina

    Project applications accepted until April 1

    Summerville, SC - SCRA and the Israeli Industry Center for R&D (MATIMOP) have jointly released a formal extension to the deadline for submitting applications for projects to be funded under the South Carolina – Israel Industry R&D program in 2016. In order to allow for the largest number of potential applicants to have their project proposals evaluated during the current proposal cycle, we are extending the deadline for submitting the required “Bilateral Cooperation Form” until April 1, 2016.

    The application is the first step in the process under the Request for Proposals (RFP) in support of the collaborative industrial research and development program established in an agreement between the Government of the State of South Carolina and the Government of the State of Israel and managed by SCRA. The industry R&D program is designed to promote collaboration opportunities for South Carolina and Israeli partners. SCRA and MATIMOP will review proposals approximately twice per year.  The full text of the call for proposals is available on the SCRA website at http://www.scra.org/sc_israel_rfp.html

    Consistent with the initial call for proposals, the focus of this call will be on the following technology domains:

    1. Biomedical/ Life Sciences;
    2. Advanced materials;
    3. Sustainable energy/ Water/ Agriculture systems;
    4. Transportation (Aerospace/ Automotive);
    5. Defense/ Homeland security;
    6. Insurance/ Health IT.

    Any South Carolina-based company that is interested in identifying one or more potential partners in Israel for a collaborative R&D project is encouraged to complete a short company profile on the SCRA website and email it to Russ Keller at russ.keller@scra.org.

    About

    The South Carolina – Israel Industrial R&D Program seeks to stimulate generation and development of new or significantly improved products or processes for commercialization in global markets. The program is being managed by SCRA on behalf of the state of South Carolina under a contract with the State Department of Commerce, and by MATIMOP on behalf of the state of Israel. To date, the Program has funded two projects in the fall of 2014 and a third project in the fall of 2015.

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Israeli Experts headline Terrorism Training for Law Enforcement (Southlake, Texas; March 7-9)

    By |February 23rd, 2016|

    Israeli Experts headline Terrorism Training for Law Enforcement (Southlake, Texas; March 7-9)

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    The New Jihadist and ISIS Challenge

    Training provided by Terrogence and Law Enforcement, hosted by Government Advisors.  Southlake Department of Public Safety. March 7-9.

    This course will be taught by instructors from Israel who are experts on jihadist terrorism and ISIS. In light of the severe deterioration in the security environment around the globe, resulting from the revival of jihadist groups promoting new goals and modus operandi, LE-GOV and Terrogence offers a unique and comprehensive seminar which provides knowledge and tools for government agencies to identify AQ and ISIS activity, and mitigate potential threats.

    Featuring:

    • Waleed Rikab:  Veteran of the IDF Intelligence Corps; 12 years’ experience in counter-terrorism monitoring and assessment. Led specialized departments in the IDF SIGINT Unit. Expertise in tracking and researching the evolution of jihadist organizations within political, sociological and technological frameworks. Mr. Rikab is the Head of the Strategic Research Department at Terrogence.

    And a special lecture:

    • ISIS & DEVICES presented by Michael Cardash:   Mr. Cardash is Chief Superintendent (Ret.) at the Israel Police Bomb Disposal Division and a Terrogence Senior CIED analyst.

    For more information, and to reserve your spot, contact Shani Naor of Terrogence.  

    Shani Shmueli Naor
    Operations Manager, Terrogence

    Mobile +972-54-520-8335
    Tel +972-9-7482180
    Fax +972-9-7482179
    PO Box 8551 Hamachshev 1, 4250711 Netanya, Israel
    www.terrogence.com

     

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Axis Innovation

    By |February 16th, 2016|

    Axis Innovation

    axis

    Axis Innovation, based in Tel Aviv, is a boutique advisory firm that connects corporate and private investors with emerging technology companies. Their core strengths lie in technology scouting and leveraging global networks to create deal-flow opportunities by organizing intimate and focused conferences around the world.

    The upcomping event Axis Tel Aviv on March 15-16th, 2016 at the Peres Peace Center will gather 25 top Israeli digital startups have been selected and coached by Axis, about a hundred of international investors.  This is an opportunity to discuss innovations as well as engage with the Israeli startup ecosystem in Tel Aviv.

    [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s7Kw_HLBXA[/youtube]

    The lineup promises an extraordinary day of discussion and insight with startups that will cover the most relevant topics in innovation today (Mobile, IT, Big Data and cloud, e-commerce, Fintech, Cybersecurity and Connectivity) and will also feature industry luminaries, round table discussions, pitches from 25 selected startups and one on one meetings.
    DCM (Dixon Doll), Intel, SEB, Vegas Tech Fund, 500 Startups, Tyco, Klarna, SGVC, Naspers, the NYSE and many others have already confirmed their participation.

    Come to meet the most disruptive Israeli companies in Tel Aviv. Feel free to contact Deborah Rosenberg for more information or you can register HERE.

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Medved: Expect more billion dollar Israeli unicorns (via Bloomberg @Business)

    By |February 9th, 2016|

    Medved: Expect more billion dollar Israeli unicorns (via Bloomberg @Business)

    ourcrowd

    (Via Bloomberg Business)

    • OurCrowd CEO sees more exits topping $1 billion in Israel
    • High-tech companies raised record $4.43 billion in 2015

    Jon Medved, CEO of Jerusalem-based crowdfunding platform OurCrowd that more than doubled its investments in the past year to $200 million, expects Israel to see more "startup unicorns"and larger exits as its entrepreneurs form their second and third companies.

     Israel has already seen several exits of more than a billion dollars, including Mobileye NV, the Jerusalem-based maker of software for driverless cars that closed at a valuation of $6.5 billion in New York on Friday.

    “We hope to have some Mobileyes ourselves,” Medved said in an interview at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit this week. “This ability to harness the power of a crowd won’t just get us up the value chain quicker, it will actually generate much bigger exits.”

    Israeli high technology companies in 2015 raised $4.43 billion, the highest ever and 30 percent more than the previous year, IVC Research Center said. It attributed much of the increase to higher venture capital-backed financing rounds, that jumped to $8 million from $5.9 million in 2014.

    IVC Chief Executive Officer Koby Simana said the trend reflects a change in Israel’s startup industry over all, which is seeing a growing number of medium-size companies with substantial annual revenue, which means more taxes for the government, more employment, and more funds.

    “A few years ago it was very hard to find too many Israeli companies that had revenue in the tens of millions and now you see many of those,” said Avi Hasson, head of the Economy Ministry’s Office of the Chief Scientist. “We are seeing the Israeli high-tech industry maturing and we will see bigger and bigger exits.”

    Read the entire article, and see more great Startup Nation content, at Bloomberg Business

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    NY Governor Cuomo Announces $5B Clean Energy Fund (via @NYGovCuomo)

    By |February 4th, 2016|

    NY Governor Cuomo Announces $5B Clean Energy Fund (via @NYGovCuomo)

    New_York_quarter,_reverse_side,_2001

    (Via Governor.Gov.NY) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the New York State Public Service Commission's approval of a 10-year, $5 billion Clean Energy Fund to accelerate the growth of New York's clean energy economy, address climate change, strengthen resiliency in the face of extreme weather and lower energy bills for New Yorkers starting this year.

    Photo via AP

    The $5 billion Clean Energy Fund, to be administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, builds on the progress the state is already making in developing a robust clean tech sector. The fund is projected to result in more than $39 billion in customer bill savings over the next 10 years through innovative projects and private-public partnerships focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making energy more affordable through energy efficiency and renewable energy, and mobilizing private-sector capital.

    The fund will operate four major portfolios:

    • Market Development ($2.7 billion): NYSERDA will undertake a variety of activities to stimulate consumer demand for clean energy alternatives, energy efficiency while helping to build clean energy supply chains to meet that growing customer demand. At least $234.5 million must be invested in initiatives that benefit low-to-moderate income New Yorkers during the first three years of the fund;
    • NY-Sun ($961 million): The fund finalizes the funding and confirms the long-term commitment for NY-Sun and for the growing solar electric market and industry in New York State, by supporting rapid and continued cost reduction. This will continue to make solar energy more affordable and accessible for residential and commercial solar customers, and will drive the growth of the solar industry in New York, which currently employs more than 7,000 people across 538 solar companies in the state;
    • NY Green Bank ($782 million): To leverage private sector investment, expand the availability of capital and increase confidence in lending for clean energy projects, the fund will complete the capitalization of the innovative NY Green Bank. The fund will increase NY Green Bank's total investment to $1 billion and will leverage an estimated $8 billion in private investment;
    • Innovation and Research ($717 million): As New York State moves to a cleaner, more efficient, and more widely distributed energy system, the Clean Energy Fund will help spur innovations through research and technology development that will drive clean-tech business growth and job creation while providing more energy choices to residential and business customers.

    In today's Clean Energy Fund order, the Commission also allocated $150 million for the development of new Large Scale Renewables power projects in 2016. As the Commission develops a Clean Energy Standard, it will create new incentives for large scale renewables and a new mechanism to prevent the premature retirement of safe, upstate nuclear power plants during this transition.

    In addition, the Commission ruled that the Clean Energy Standard should include non-emitting generation resources, like the nuclear power facilities in upstate New York.

    More information and read the original article HERE.

    For more information about cleantech from Israel and programs in our area, contact  Rebecca at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC.

     

    Israel Trade & Economic Office

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    Zuckerman Scholars program to support American and Israeli STEM education (via @TechnionUSA)

    By |January 25th, 2016|

    Zuckerman Scholars program to support American and Israeli STEM education (via @TechnionUSA)

    technion

    (via ATS.org) American business leader and philanthropist Mortimer Zuckerman announced today the launch of the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program, a transformative initiative designed to support future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering and math in the United States and Israel and, over time, foster greater collaboration between two of the world’s most advanced scientific research centers.

    (L to R) New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, Prof. Daniel Zajfman, Weizmann Institute of Science, Prof. Menachem Ben Sasson, Hebrew University President, Mort Zuckerman, Prof. Peretz Lavie, Technion President, and Prof. Joseph Klafter, Tel Aviv University President

    The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will give the highest-achieving American post-doctoral researchers and graduate students the ability to collaborate with leading researchers at Israel’s top research institutions—Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; Tel Aviv University; and the Weizmann Institute of Science—which are among the world’s most advanced. By providing American graduate students and post-doctoral researchers with exposure to Israel’s renowned cutting-edge research and startup culture, the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will raise a generation of academic, scientific and industry leaders in the United States infused with a unique spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

    The program will simultaneously bolster Israeli research institutions as world-leading centers for cutting edge research by providing Israeli institutions access to large-scale funding needed to develop top-tier research labs, projects and programs.

    The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will, over time, help strengthen the US-Israel partnership as Zuckerman Scholars return to the United States after building long-lasting relationships based in mutual collaboration. Israeli academic leaders returning to research institutions in Israel will similarly advance the overarching collaborative effort in science between the two nations as they continue to build bridges with their American colleagues.

    “At a time when collaboration is essential to advanced scientific research, this program gives the next generations of leading American and Israeli academics the ability to work together on cutting edge research in ways that stand to benefit their fields for years to come,” said Mr. Zuckerman. “The result will help transform not just the work of the scholars involved, but the way the United States and Israel approach collaboration and cooperation across the sciences.”

    Additional information on the program, including how to apply, is available through the program’s website at http://zuckerman-scholars.org .

    Read the entire article HERE.

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    Israeli Company ElMindA with Chicagoland HQ Tackles Concussion Recovery

    By |January 25th, 2016|

    Israeli Company ElMindA with Chicagoland HQ Tackles Concussion Recovery

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    The Israel-based company, ElMindA, was featured in today's Chicago Tribune.  The company has its U.S. headquarters in Glenview, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, and has raised over $30 million to date.  The company has technology to conduct and evaluate data from a non-invasive brain scan with current FDA clearance for evaluating working memory, attention and sensory processing.  The company is partnering with rehabilitation centers and hospitals around the U.S.  For more information about the company, check out the article in today's Chicago Tribune, or visit www.elminda.com.

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    What’s So Special about Israel’s Startup Scene? (by @MarcoGreenberg via Creator)

    By |January 20th, 2016|

    What’s So Special about Israel’s Startup Scene? (by @MarcoGreenberg via Creator)

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    What’s So Special about Israel’s Startup Scene? Meet a Few of My Friends

    (Guestpost by Macro Greenberg, via Creator/WeWork)

    Israel is a small country that pumps out an unbelievable number of startups. This country of just over eight million people boasts more than 5,400 vetted startups and tech companies, according to Start-Up Nation Central.

    The people behind these businesses are not always who you think they are. They aren’t just the young upstarts you’ll find in Silicon Valley and other places. Many weren’t even born here. But they all share some important qualities.

    Take my friend and colleague, David Galper. I met him almost a dozen years ago when he was a twenty-something student at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He had already secured tens of millions of dollars in funding from venture capitalists for Ruckus Network, a college-oriented digital music and entertainment startup he helped to found.

    His company was sold to Total Music, a joint venture between Sony and Universal. After that, he went on to become a go-to advisor for countless startups. He is known for having an eye for diamonds in the rough, such as when he relaunched TinyURL.

    Only arriving a year and half ago, and having never served a day in the vaunted Israeli Defense Forces, where many of today’s business relationships are forged, David has been able to ride the Israeli tech wave with the best of them. He’s currently scouting talent as the country’s lead investor for Flybridge.

    What makes him so successful? It’s his brainpower, natural curiosity, gut instinct, and love of exploration, along with his genuine humility (not always the most common quality in Israeli startups) that make him a perfect poster boy for Startup Nation.

    If you’re in London, Beijing or L.A., what does all this have to do with you?

    I’m not just talking about going global with the next Waze or Teva (two incredibly successful Israeli companies), but learning from, and even tapping into, the Israeli business mentality. It’s a mindset that puts qualities like improvisation, speed, spontaneity, candor, connections, creativity, and the joie de vivre very much in evidence in the Tel Aviv’s cafés and restaurants at any time of the day or night.

    After a recent visit to Israel, I discovered a lot of commonalities among the entrepreneurs I met...

    See the entire article at Creator/WeWork.

    Marco Greenberg is the president of Thunder11, the marketing communications boutique based in Manhattan. He’s successfully launched startup ventures for an array of notable entrepreneurs, angel investors, VC firms and Fortune 500 companies.

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    Israeli technology showcased at CES 2016 (wrap-up)

    By |January 15th, 2016|

    Israeli technology showcased at CES 2016 (wrap-up)

    CES-Logo

    CES-Logo

    From January 6-9, the Israel Economic Missions in North America and the Israel Export Institute organized an Israeltech pavilion at CES in Las Vegas.

    Consumer Electronics Show is the largest show if its kind during the year, and is heavily attended by high-ranking executives and decision makers from almost every technology company and brand. At CES, companies and attendees show off both emerging and market-ready technologies and products poised to take the world by storm.  CES last year was attended by  more than 200,000 people, around 60,000 of them coming in from overseas.  This is the second year in a row that the Ministry of Economy and IEI have teamed up to organize an Israeli pavilion.

    See the 16 companies who exhibited at Israel's CES pavilion HERE.

    In the run-up to the conference, Israel Economic Missions around the world succeeded in organizing around 300 pre-scheduled meetings for the Israeli companies in the pavilion. In total, during the show, we helped arrange nearly 600 one-on-one meetings for Israeli companies at CES.

    The night before the event, on the evening of January 5th, the Israel Economic Mission in San Francisco organized a VIP and networking reception in Las Vegas, where attendees and tech executives had a chance to get an intimate view at our companies and technologies.  The VIP reception hosted around 50 people, and the networking reception hosted an estimated 120.

    For more information about the CES pavilion, and about Israeli  technology visiting the  U.S., contact Uriel Dukan at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC.

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    New 3D Technologies From Israel Take Top Prizes at CES 2016

    By |January 12th, 2016|

    New 3D Technologies From Israel Take Top Prizes at CES 2016

    Print

    Our office worked together with Israel Export Institute and the Israel Economic Mission in Chicago to bring 16 Israeli innovative companies to CES 2016. The Israeli Delegation to the show attracted a lot of attention from attendees and media and one of our portfolio companies won the Last Gadget Standing award at the show. product-page5_0321-1024x442

    The VUZE Virtual Reality Camera is the first 360-degree 3D virtual reality camera to hit the market for under $1,000. The technology, which was developed by Israeli startup HumanEyes, combines eight HD cameras in one, capturing 2D and 3D images to create a “canvas” on which users can add special effects or superimposed images. According to HumanEyes, it’s as easy to use as a typical point and shoot camera.

    "It’s no surprise that the two winners of Last Gadget Standing came out of Israel; the country has become a major producer of innovative tech, with a lot of it coming out of Hebrew University. Recently, the university announced the new 3D and Functional Printing Center, which will expand the school’s already prolific work with 3D technology. I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more from them, Landa Ventures, and Israel as a whole at CES in the future."

    Read more about the award and 3D Technologies in the following article by 3DPRINT.COM.

    If you would like to learn more about Israeli technologies in Consumer Electronics please reach out to Efrat Stamler, Director of Business and Trade Development at The Government of Israel Economic Mission to The Midwest.

     

     

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    HARMAN to Acquire Israeli Automotive Cyber Security Company Towersec

    By |January 5th, 2016|

    HARMAN to Acquire Israeli Automotive Cyber Security Company Towersec

    BusinessWire reported today that HARMAN is going to acquire the Israeli automotive cyber security company Towersec. HARMAN is the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, Towersec is an Israeli-based automotive cyber security

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    NanoIsrael 2016 – The international Nanotechnology Conference – the meeting point for innovation and business opportunities

    By |January 4th, 2016|

    NanoIsrael 2016 – The international Nanotechnology Conference – the meeting point for innovation and business opportunities

    Over 1,200 participants from around the world will arrive at Tel-Aviv to take part in the NanoIsrael 2016 – The 5th international Nanotechnology Conference & Exhibition. The participants will experience lectures by leading figures of

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    Internationalization and the virtual phone number (guest post)

    By |December 17th, 2015|

    Internationalization and the virtual phone number (guest post)

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    (By Kevin Clarke, of United World Telecom) Expanding your business operations into foreign markets presents very difficult and often unexpected challenges. Even the most successful startups run into serious roadblocks at the internationalization of their business. Globalization has promising opportunities with untapped markets of consumers, but if not done properly it can mean the end of your business.

    A physical expansion into a new territory can be an extremely straining feat for a company. Most of the time, it requires taking out a business loan and putting the company in serious debt. Many businesses take this risk and very few come out alive. Why take all that risk when there is a less expensive, more practical route?

    Luckily, in today’s interconnected world economy, businesses need not make that physical move to new markets. Instead of taking that dangerous risk, businesses can make a bold presence in a new market through the use of telecommunications and online marketing.

    Businesses That Use International Virtual Phone Numbers
    Modern telecommunications allow any business to reach customers anywhere across the globe. Relative to a full expansion into a new market, opening a virtual office is essentially free. Furthermore, businesses can connect to employees from around the world through call forwarding. More and more often businesses use international virtual phone numbers to present a local, domestic profile in a foreign market when really they have no actual boots on the ground there. These tactics are used by companies ranging from producers & wholesalers, to service based businesses, and more.

    The idea is simple, smart, and inexpensive. You will need to purchase a local or toll free phone number (about $7.95) in your destination country to receive calls from customers in that area. The calls are then forwarded to your business’ phone lines in your home country. Once the connection is made, your customer service, sales, technical help, etc. personnel are now doing business with people in a new market. A market that you have no tangible investment in!

    Some examples of businesses that utilize this effective tactic:
    Conversify, an international “virtual” company of home-based offices operates off of one main number and a number of different home phone numbers. Customers call the company’s main number and are greeted by a virtual receptionist who forwards them to the appropriate extension.

    Automattic, a company with 123 employees, has an impressive take for a virtual office. The company has a headquarters, but employees are able to work from anywhere in the world (Bulgaria, Vietnam, Alabama, San Francisco, etc.) The official location is a hub for all business, but the company enjoys the geographical diversity of customers and employees worldwide. Employees and customers reach each other almost solely through telecommunications and the internet.

    With a system as efficient and cost effective as United World Telecom, a business can easily take on multiple markets simultaneously without any major investments made or debts incurred.

    Low Risk, High Reward
    Operating internationally off of virtual telephone numbers gives you the virtual presence. In other words: Your company is doing business in a foreign country, but you have no real attachments there other than your phone number. In the event of a failed expansion in a foreign country, the business would not have to lay off any employees, there would be no real estate to sell off, there would be no worry about losing any tangible assets there. The business would simply discontinue their telephone service in that country and move onto the next venture.

    Verkehrsschild Global und LokalConversely, if the virtual expansion proves to be a success and the business is making a profit in the foreign country, there are a few new opportunities that are presented. At this point the business may either continue to operate solely through its current telephone system or explore further expansion methods. Once the business is established in the market, it may be fit to purchase real estate there and open a “brick-and-mortar” office. If you decide to go this route, United World Telecom has even more tools and features that can further develop communications throughout your business.

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    United World Telecom is a service provider located in the United States, helping Israeli companies establish virtual offices around the world.

    Advantages of a Virtual Office with United World Telecom
    With United World Telecom’s suite of easy to use features, customers can remotely operate their virtual office anywhere in the world. Here are a few of those features (follow each link to learn more about each feature):
    • Largest selection of toll-free and local numbers worldwide
    • Call Forwarding anywhere in the world
    • Interactive Voice Response (menu) with Custom Greetings
    • Call Recording and Voicemail
    • Simultaneous Ringing
    • Local Ringback
    • Rollover Minutes
    • Select Country Forwarding
    • Application Programming Interface

    With these features and plenty more, your business need not worry about communications. United World Telecom’s got your back!

     

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    Techs in the City: Kamatech demoday at $MSFT in Times Square showcases Haredi innovation

    By |December 11th, 2015|

    Techs in the City: Kamatech demoday at $MSFT in Times Square showcases Haredi innovation

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    On December 3rd, Microsoft Technology Center in Times Square hosted a very special night, featuring companies from Jerusalem's Kamatech accelerator.

    Kamatech is an Israeli accelerator based on the adoption of Haredi innovations by prominent successful secular startups.  The program connects Haredi entrepreneurs to the startup ecosystem, offering them apprenticeships in leading companies and providing supervision  by industry veterans.  It provides access to knowledge and tools, and promotes the development of hi-tech enterprises from the Haredi sector.  Major partners include LiveU, Outbrain, Wix, Plarium, Taboola and Sqream.

    Israel's Ministry of Economy is interested in bringing the economical and societal benefits of the hi-tech revolution to all parts of Israeli society.  In an effort to ensure that Arab and Haredi communities are better represented in  the Startup Nation phenomenon, a number of programs have popped up from the public and private sector.  Jewish and Arab Israelis are initiating programs like Takwin Labs to bring hope and opportunity to Arabic entrepreneurs.  At the same time, programs and accelerators have emerged to leverage hi-tech opportunities in the Haredi communities, such as Ravtech and Kamatech. Kamatech's leadership includes Moshe Friedman, an Haredi entrepreneur, and Zika Abzuk, a veteran of the Israeli hi-tech scene.

    The accelerator also enjoys the support of Dr. Yossi Vardi, one of the Godfathers of Startup Nation.  The exhibiting companies:

    • Bontact Connecting customers to businesses via existing communication platforms.
    • Brillianetor AI system that furnishes computers with socialization skills, to help it interact with a human environment and take care of itself.
    • Cognilyze Psychology based solution that analyzes why shoppers are buying a product, and makes recommendations.
    • Pojo.me Create professional websites with drag and drop platform.
    • Prog-Up Innovative online marketplace for designers.
    • WorkCapital Total e-commerce solution for payments, logistics and POS.
    • English-On Learn a language while you surf the web and read the news.
    • DBA2 Security and peace of mind for database administrators at finance companies.

    For more information about Kamatech and these companies, contact Moshe Friedman.  

    For info about technology innovation in the Haredi and Arab communities in Israel, contact Josh at the Israel Economic Mission in NYC. 

     

     

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    Israel Presents Solar Energy Solutions at UN Climate Change Conference

    By |December 2nd, 2015|

    Israel Presents Solar Energy Solutions at UN Climate Change Conference

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    A delegation of 70 Israelis arrived in Paris on Monday, November 30 for the 11-day United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where UN member countries are encouraged to sign an agreement to keep global warming below an increase of two degrees celcius over the next century.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak at the conference, along with Ron Adam, special envoy for energy and permanent representative of Israel to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In addition, eight Israeli companies in the fields of solar energy and climate change mitigation will be showcased by the Foreign Ministry:

    • SolarEdge: Power optimizer, solar inverter and monitoring solutions for photovoltaic arrays
    • Enstorage: Grid-scale energy storage systems
    • Brenmiller Energy: Thermal energy storage systems
    • Homebiogas: Household biogas systems
    • Ecoppia: Robotic water-free PV cleaning systems
    • Breezometer: Personalized air-pollution monitoring
    • Sologic: Urban solar-panel canopies
    • Phinergy: Zero-emission aluminum-air batteries

    For more information, please contact Jordan Miller at jordan.miller@israeltrade.gov.il.

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