IKEA has chosen Israel’s Flying SpArk, an insect protein company, to join the nine other startups in its Swedish training course; archaeologists in the Jordan Valley found the earliest evidence of ritual food storage; there are 73 international R&D centers in Tel Aviv, nearly doubling in five years, providing over 6,200 jobs, and much more!
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IKEA selects insect protein company
IKEA has chosen Israel’s Flying SpArk to join the nine other startups in its Swedish training course. Flying SpArk produces a high-quality protein powder from fruit fly larvae for human consumption as a healthier and sustainable alternative to animal protein.
https://www.theflyingspark.com/
http://ikeabootcamp.rainmaking.io/the-10-startups/
Unearthing one of the first cities
Archaeologists at prehistoric Tel Tsaf in Israel’s Jordan Valley have found a unique 7,200-year-old clay silo model, the earliest evidence of ritual food storage. They also excavated well-preserved mudbrick architecture, the region’s earliest metal item, and evidence of long-distance trade.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/find-of-7200-year-old-clay-silo-forces-rethink-of-when-we-began-storing-food/
Tel Aviv is an R&D hub for corporates
There are 73 international R&D centers in Tel Aviv, nearly doubling in five years, providing over 6,200 jobs. The latest, Visa, joins Amazon, AOL, Apple, Barclays, Bosch, Citibank, Coca Cola, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, MasterCard, Microsoft, Paypal, Renault, Samsung, Siemens, Yahoo and more. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/235060
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-tel-aviv-enhances-status-as-intl-rd-center-1001203837
Innovate Israel 2017
Innovate Israel returns to London on 12th Sept co-sponsored by OurCrowd in partnership with The Institution of Engineering and Technology. Over 20 leaders of Israeli companies will discuss the most exciting innovations coming from scale-up nation.
https://ukisrael.biz/event/innovate-israel-2017/
Detecting light from a single bacteria cell
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have created a nanophotonic chip system using lasers and bacteria to observe fluorescence emitted from a single bacterial cell. The breakthrough technology will enhance efforts to build mobile “lab on chip” devices.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/35606
GM unveils prototype of driverless car
General Motors’ (GM) R&D center in Herzliya has revealed the company’s first prototype of an autonomous vehicle. Based on the electric-only Chevrolet Bolt, the car has an advanced array of Israeli-developed sensors and processors to enable it to travel without a driver.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-gm-israel-unveils-autonomous-car-prototype-1001192500
Hyundai teams with Technion on smart cars
Car maker Hyundai has signed an agreement with Israel’s Technion Institute and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) to conduct joint research on future mobility technologies. Hyundai will fund a multi-million-dollar Technion-KAIST R&D center.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-hyundai-teams-with-technion-on-smart-cars-1001204147
http://www.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Hyundai-to-invest-millions-at-Technion-for-building-driverless-cars-504521
Technology for digital bank guarantees
Israel’s Bank Hapoalim and software giant Microsoft are working together to set up a platform to create digital bank guarantees, based on the latest Blockchain technology. The “pioneering project” will help make the process of signing up guarantors a simple and quicker process.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bank-hapoalim-microsoft-join-forces-on-blockchain-technology/
Israel’s biggest tech conference
10,000 high-tech professionals descended upon Tel Aviv for the city’s 5th annual DLD (Digital Life Design) Conference. 100 events were planned – including a new focus on food tech in which Israel has over 500 startups. DLD ended with a closing party on the beach.
https://www.israel21c.org/thousands-attend-startup-nations-biggest-tech-conference/
https://israelbetweenthelines.com/2017/09/07/tel-aviv-ignites-with-innovation-fair/
Protecting Indian crops from fruit flies
I reported previously (Apr 2016) about Israel’s BioFeed which developed a solution that killed the Ziko virus-carrying mosquito without having to spray crops. Now BioFeed’s no-spray fruit-fly solution is helping protect Indian mango farmers against the devastating pest.
https://www.israel21c.org/fruit-fly-iron-dome-for-the-farmers-of-india/
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