CTECH – Israel’s Latest Technology and Innovation News
Thousands of Israelis risk being blackmailed after network of sexual meetup sites is breached. Shady websites offering dating and hookup services leaked personal, financial, and in some cases security-related information. Read more
Peregrine Ventures launches $300 million life science fund. The venture capital group raised the large sum to finance late stage life science companies, predicts more investments in the sector. Read more
As McDonald’s debut’s ‘McPlant’, here’s a look at the Israeli competition. As the U.S. fast food giant announces its plant-based patties, we take a look at some of the Israeli companies revolutionizing the Foodtech space. Read more
Lightico raises $13 million to accelerate adoption of customer interaction SaaS platform. The Israeli company equips B2C businesses with an easily customizable, and mobile-first platform that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. Read more
Israeli mental health startup awarded $2.7 million EU grant for AI solution. The grant aims to support further clinical research and development of the company’s mental health platform. Read more
Israel’s Kameleon partnering with chip giant Xilinx to create first proactive security processor. Xilinx, acquired by AMD for $35 billion last month, will begin selling the collaborative ProSPU next year, with Kameleon planning to launch its own chip in 2022. Read more
Noam Bardin steps down as Waze CEO, says time for new leadership.
Bardin joined the mobile navigation app developer 12 years ago and led it through Google’s $1.1 billion acquisition of the company in 2013. Read more
Israel’s CloudAlly acquired by Zix in a $30 million deal. CloudAlly to enhance Zix’s suite of solutions and provide its customers with tools to drive cloud adoption. Read more
Israel hosts 3-day virtual bootcamp for female Italian entrepreneurs.
The 3-day event, hosted by UniCredit Bank, was held remotely and served to assist Italian companies with their global efforts. Read more
Ronen Nir sets sights on becoming the next CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nir of Viola Ventures has been a vocal voice on social media regarding the effects of the crisis on the local tech industry and entrepreneurs. Read more
Tal Barnoach’s newly launched Disruptive AI to focus on investments in early stage startups. “Reports of a severe shortage of investment in young companies are extremely worrying and our new fund will try to fill in the gap,” he said. Read more
The biggest IPO in Israeli history? IronSource sets sights on $8 billion offering. IronSource’s annual profit is estimated at $170 million and CVC paid $450 million for a 25.7% stake in the company just last October. Read more
Israel cybersecurity company ReSec raises $4 million in series A. The round, led by QBN Capital and HDI Group, will help expand the operations on a more global scale. Read more
Working from home is resulting in widespread anxiety, says psychiatrist. Typically, employees bring their strengths to work and leave their weaknesses at home, but in the work from home era that simply isn’t possible. Read more
Teva holds Bio-Mix competition to inspire innovative health solutions. Winning prize goes to student at Tel Aviv University who developed a way to digitally treat hearing problems. Read more
Israeli transportation company Dan issues tender for more electric buses. The company plans to buy 86 electric buses, and another 40 articulated buses worth NIS 150 million with an option to purchase an additional 200 buses and 200 articulated. Read more
Cellwize raises $32 million to expand 5G market. The Israeli company has developed a smart RAN automation and orchestration platform that can help accelerate deployment of 5G networks. Read more
Tech in your toilet: OutSense raises $2.2 million for device that tests poo for health risks. Attaching its IoT device to a toilet bowl, bathroom visitors can help catch cancers and other diseases, company aims to create the world’s largest database of human waste. Read more
Analysis | Post-U.S. elections – what can high-tech companies expect? What Biden’s administration might do, and what the Trump administration will never get to finish. Read more
Interview | Indian Ambassador says strategic partnership with Israel is crucial to coping with fundamental disruptions. Former Advisor to PM Modi highlights cybersecurity, fintech, health, defense, water, and agriculture as areas for major tech collaboration. Read more
How did Viber keep its ‘vibe’ during Covid-19? The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic caused practically all companies to work from home, HR director Gali Newman tells CTech how the software company kept its groove. Read more
Interview | “Now I don’t waste time flying to meetings, everything is done over Zoom.” Yevgeny Dibrov, CEO and co-founder of cyber company Armis Security speaks about his transition from flying all over the world to holding endless video calls. Read more
Analysis | Too Big to Care: FANMAG stocks experienced a huge spike despite unprecedented political disruption. Neither Trump nor Biden can put a dent in big tech’s green wave, which like the Covid-19 pandemic which supports it, isn’t impacted by politics. Read more
The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is looking for Israeli technology companies. A webinar presented a new option to Israeli companies: an IPO on the relatively new Scale segment of the German stock market, which offers reduced regulation – adapted for small growth companies. Read more
Check Point’s real estate revolution is getting underway. Company launches competition for architects to propose new, modular office space designs. Read more
Analysis | Teva Pharmaceuticals is bogged down by legal issues, fails to kick-start growth. CEO Kare Schultz managed over the past three years to keep the boat steady and lessen its debt, but slow growth won’t satisfy investors. Read more
Kenshoo closing on purchase of Signals Analytics in marketing sector merger. The acquisition sees a merger of two veteran Israeli ad-tech players to offer a comprehensive data-extraction, analysis and placement solution for advertisers. Read more
Israel’s ElectReon to install wireless electric road system in Italy.
The potential value of the entire project with Brebemi is estimated at around $97.5 million. Read more
Pollution clogging up the oceans? Plastic-eating enzymes to the rescue. “We still have time to save the world,” says Prof. John McGeehan, who discovered a super-enzyme capable of breaking down plastic waste at garbage dumps. Read more
Opinion | 20 years on, the ISS remains a shining beacon of human unity. On a week like this, it’s better to look to the skies for inspiration than to dwell on our earthly divides. Read more
CTech’s Book Review | How Netflix reinvented people management on its way to becoming a media giant. Sompo Digital Lab Tel Aviv’s CEO, Yinnon Dolev, discusses his insights after reading “No Rules Rules” by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer. Read more
Interview | Chip Wars: With significant Chinese investment in Israeli chip tech, the US could begin to question loyalties. Expert on China relations warns that Israel must do everything it can to avoid being seen as a risk to America’s national security. Read more
Covid-19 was a conference killer. How did Bizzabo survive it? How does a company, whose technology is used for events and conferences, carry on during a pandemic? CTech spoke to Tami Lev-Golan to find out. Read more
Apple Pay arrives in Israel to shakeup its payment infrastructure.
Even though Israel is a leading fintech ecosystem, citizens have long relied on outdated legacy payment systems for their everyday transactions. Read more
Analysis | Intellectual property left in a vulnerable position in Israel-UAE peace accords. Israeli companies that are interested in protecting their intellectual property, trademarks, and patents should quell their excitement as long as there are still no embassies established in both countries. Read more
Oren Zeev leads $2.5 million seed round in podcast company Riverside.fm. Popular customers who use the software include Hillary Clinton, Spotify, Disney, Marvel, BBC and Verizon Media. Read more
Logz.io study finds 56% of DevOps teams use cloud services for at least half their projects. Its DevOps Pulse 2020 study had a sample of more than 1,000 engineers, making it the largest survey in the company’s history. Read more
JFrog eyes continued growth after posting 40% revenue increase in first quarter following Nasdaq IPO. Israeli DevOps technology company reported better-than-expected results, displaying accelerated growth by posting $38.9 million in revenue for the quarter. Read more
Round B| Battling boredom: What’s a CEO at an early-stage startup supposed to do. Shaul Olmert shares his frustrations about days of inaction and the importance of being part of a team. Read more
Cnvrg develops a service for managing, speeding up, and scaling data science workflows, enabling clients to quickly develop, test, deploy, and refine machine learning models. Read more
Waldman to leave Mellanox two decades after founding unicorn. Waldman led the Israeli supplier of computer networking products to a Nasdaq IPO in 2007, as well as the $6.9 billion sale to Nvidia Corp. last year. Read more
Tel Aviv University students to send nanosatellite into space. The small satellite, which was designed and constructed in Israel, will measure cosmic radiation around the Earth. Read more
I see a lot more movement of human capital between our countries, says WBAF exec in Dubai. Speaking at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s “Economic Opportunities in the UAE” online conference, Lucy Chow from the World Business Angels Investors Forum discusses the role of human capital and female entrepreneurs in the UAE workforce. Watch full video
BGN Technologies announces collaboration with ECOIBÉRIA for plastic biodegradation. The research hopes to change the way the textile, food, and beverage industries adopt single-use plastics. Read more
“Any company can set up business here,” says Chairman of Emirati Entrepreneur Association. Speaking at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s “Economic Opportunities in the UAE” online conference, Sanad El Meqbaly tells Sophie Shulman what the UAE is looking for in an Israeli business partner. Watch full video
IAI privatization back on track after a ministerial power struggle.
Israel’s largest aerospace and defense company is aiming for a $12 billion issuance. Read more
Public transit fare payment apps set to start operating in Israel by the end of 2020. The new payment method will allow users to pay for rides using their phones, with the system automatically applying all relevant discounts as well as a maximum daily cap, without requiring a physical bus pass. Read more
