Survey reveals Israeli hourly wage for freelancers is nearly double that of their counterparts worldwide; Netanyahu, Johnson discuss free-trade zone; 50 startups head for Berlin; and much more!

By Michael Ordman

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israeli freelancers earn double the global average

A survey by Israeli-founded Payoneer reveals that the $42 average hourly wage of Israeli freelance workers is nearly double that of their counterparts in other countries. 7,000 freelance workers in 150 countries were surveyed.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3791854,00.html

UK and Israel discuss free-trade zone

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his British counterpart Boris Johnson have agreed to begin talks on establishing a free trade zone between Israel and the UK. Israel was the first country in the world to sign a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK (see here).
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-uk-to-begin-talks-on-establishing-post-brexit-free-trade-zone-pm-says/

Fifty startups head for Berlin

WeTech Berlin 2020 (Feb 26 – 27) is an exclusive innovation conference hosted by CTech and Calcalist. Fifty Israeli startups will showcase technologies and meet with local investors and strategic partners in European and German corporations. (All 50 startups are listed in the following link)
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3791891,00.html

Axis Tel Aviv Conference

Conferences do not have to be big to be successful. Axis Tel Aviv is limited to 250 decision makers and international investors – many visiting Israel for the first time. Israeli startups pitching to investors include in the fields of mobility, media and telecommunications, fintech, insurtech, and commerce.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3784832,00.html
https://www.telaviv.axisinnovation.com/

Maryland delegation seeks Israeli entrepreneurs

Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford recently visited Israel as the head of a delegation of state employees and Maryland-based businesses. His aim was to encourage Israeli companies and entrepreneurs looking to enter the US market, that Maryland is the ideal partner.
https://www.jpost.com/Jpost-Tech/Maryland-Lt-Gov-recruiting-Israeli-hi-tech-companies-to-his-state-616149

Sisense becomes a Unicorn

Israeli business intelligence company Sisense (reported here previously) has just raised $100 million from US-based VC and private equity firm Insight Partners. It gives Sisense a valuation of $1.1 billion dollars – joining the “club” of over 20 other Israel companies with “Unicorn” financial status.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3791531,00.html

Forescout exits for $1.9 billion

Israeli-founded cybersecurity company ForeScout was reported here in Nov 2018 when it paid $113 for a US-Dutch security company. Now Forescout itself has been bought by US-based Advent International for $1.9 billion, eclipsing the $1.1 billion (see here) that Insight paid for Israel’s Armis.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3790590,00.html

Milan Fashion Week for 21-year-old

Israel’s Maya Reik, fashion designer and founder of Marei1998 is debuting her Faux Fur at Milan’s fashion week – at the age of 21.  Maya left school at 14 and studied fashion. Entrepreneurial skills run in her family. Her father sold his shipping business to DHL for $100 million.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/275803

Brewing up a secure partnership

The world’s largest beer company AB InBev has signed a partnership agreement with Israeli cybersecurity startup foundry Team8, which will liaise between Israeli cyber companies and AB InBev. In June, AB InBev established a cybersecurity-focused hub in Tel Aviv.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3792151,00.html  https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-ab-inbev-israel-cyber/worlds-largest-brewer-opens-israeli-cybersecurity-unit-as-attacks-mount-idUKKCN1TE112

Innoviz partners Shaanxi for autonomous trucks

As part of the global expansion of Israel’s Innoviz and its all-seeing LiDAR sensors (reported here previously) , it has now partnered with China truck manufacturer Shaanxi to deploy up to 600 autonomous trucks in Xi’an, one of the biggest ports in China.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3792713,00.html

For this week’s Good News from Israel archive, click HERE.

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