Israel Innovation 2.0

During the week of August 23, 2009, Chevron and BrightSource announced the groundbreaking for a solar-steam project that will power one of Chevron’s oil fields in California. News continued to spread about Web application delivery provider, Crescendo Networks’ planned move to California while Israel’s IT market is expected to reach about $6.3 billion in 2013. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, check below.

Cleantech
1. Chevron taps solar-powered steam to get more oil

2. Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch and Elysium partner to offer climate change consulting services

Investment
3. Siemens buys 40% stake in Arava Power

4. Stellar Start-Ups: The network’s the thing for hi-tech deals

5. Israel Information Technology Market Is Projected To Grow At A Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) Of 6% Over The Forecast Period To Reach Around US$6.3bn In 2013

Information Technology
6. Mass SQL injection attacks still scaling up

7. Research: 80% of Web users running unpatched versions of Flash/Acrobat

8. Web app delivery vendor Crescendo comes to US

Miscellaneous
9. Israel Moves Toward Energy Independence

10. Incredimail Cracks the $10 Barrier: Where to from Here?

DroidSecurity launched last week its DroidSecurity Internet Security Suite, the first antivirus security suite for devices using Google’s Android operating system.

The antivirus application features:

- VirusFree & VirusFree Pro: Inspects and cleans Android smartphones from malware, viruses, SMS spam and suspect applications to secure device integrity.

- FindR: Tracks and locates lost/stolen phones, enables remote memory clearing to protect data privacy.

- CheckMate: Manages the security rating of Android and issues warnings on suspect security profiles.

Though there is only one known threat to Android devices, the company is expecting  (as is the head of Google Android’s security team) that as the Android platform becomes more popular and widely-used, it will become more of a target for attacks and threats.

It also expects that though Android isn’t ready for the enterprise yet, eventually the enterprise will push using Android and is currently working on an enterprise version to be released in 2010 that will include “the ability to centrally manage and update company smartphones and devices.”

The suite, which was downloaded over 100,000 times during its beta trial and takes advantage of Java Virtual Machine (JVM) technology,  is available for download on the company’s site for $4.99 a year.

Company Facts

Founded in 2009

Located in Tel Aviv, Israel

Eran Pfeffer, CEO, co-founder

Dror Shalev, CTO, co-founder and former Check Point security researcher

Omri Sigelman, VP of Marketing, co-founder

Applications: VirusFree Pro, VirusFree, FindR, CheckMate

DroidSecurity is currently looking for funding

According to The New York Times environment blog,

“BrightSource Energy has broken ground on a 29-megawatt solar steam plant at a Chevron oil field in Coalinga, Calif.”

The move is a great for both companies. For Chevron, which, along with competitors BP and StatoilHydro, is an investor,

“a solar power plant builder based in Oakland, Calif., and solar-powered oil extraction offers the oil giant an opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint while gaining a hedge against volatile natural gas prices.”

While, BrightSource, which has signed other significant contracts in California this year, will have the chance “to scale up its technology” and “explore new applications for its technology.”

It’s important to note that the field won’t be powered by solar steam exclusively. As it only works when the sun is out, the field will still use rely on previous sources for  power at other times.

During the Week of August 16, 2009, DroidSecurity was revealed to be developing consumer and enterprise security software for Android phones and netbooks. Wanova raised $13 million for its new breed of desktop virtualization software and Israeli researchers demonstrated how DNA evidence can be fabricated. For these stories and more, check below for this week’s 11 Israel-related headlines.

Cleantech
1. The Taga Hybrid Bike-Stroller Goes from Road to Whole Foods Shopping in 30s Flat

2. A Mighty Hot Wind for Solar

Investing
3. Wanova raises $13 M for a new breed of desktop virtualization software

4. Oracle Invests in Israeli Startup ComAbility

Information Technology
5. Start-up DroidSecurity tackles Google Android security

6. Bsafe Adds AIX Support to Auditing and SIEM Product

7. eSafe SmartSuite offers intelligent inspection of all inbound and outbound Web and mail traffic

Miscellaneous
8. Figures show fewer jobless, but even fewer jobs

9. DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Research Says

10. Modu going touchscreen, confirmed for UK 2010

11. Real-Time Navigation a Reality with Waze

Last week Crescendo Networks announced that it raised $5 million in funding. The company, which provides software that enhances the Web application delivery process, will use the money to “further fuel sales expansion” and to move its corporate headquarters to Menlo Park in California, though engineering and some operations will remain in Tel Aviv.

Since 2002, when the company was founded, it has raised $45 million and attracted customers ranging from Forbes.com to Aeropostale to Fujitsu. As more business processes become based online and virtualization, SaaS and cloud computing matures, Crscendo Networks’s line of AppBeat products will continue to offer any size business with the necessary solutions to accelerate application delivery, cut data center costs and boost capacity for business growth.

As Peter van Oppen of Trilogy Equity Partners, one of the investors in the round, stated,

“As the IT world experiences a paradigm shift in the way applications are delivered, data centers are incorporating cloud computing, SaaS and virtualization as part of modern web application infrastructures. We believe Crescendo Networks’ application delivery solutions are perfectly poised to capitalize on these expanding market opportunities.”

Crescendo’s products include, AppBeat DC, AppBeat SC and Maestro Platform.

During the week of August 9, 2009, Crescendo Networks, which enhances the Web application delivery process, announced that it raised $5 million in funding and will move it’s headquarters to Menlo Park.  SiSense announced the release of PrismCubed, it’s new business intelligence product aimed at small businesses, and MyHeritage, the free family genealogy Website, released its latest version of Family Tree Builder. For more on these and the rest of this week’s 10 Israel-related headlines, check below.

Cleantech
1. Shai Agassi, Israel’s Homegrown Electric Car Pioneer: On the Road to Oil Independence

2. Tigo Energy finalist in two US gov’t tenders

Investment
3. Getting R&D together

4. Crescendo Networks raises $5M, moves HQ to Menlo Park

Information Technology
5. Who Needs Graphics? Create Charts in SQL

6. GamaSec Announced Zero Day Project To Fight Explosion in Web Attacks

7. SiSense Beefs Up SMB BI Tool

Miscellaneous
8. Globalization of Technology Ventures: Lessons from Israel

9. MyHeritage Releases New Version of Family Tree Builder

10. Israeli rocker Asaf Avidan signs on with Sony Columbia records

During the week of August 2, 2009, it was announced that Shari Arison’s group Shikun u’Binui Real Estate Ltd. will install solar energy panels on the roofs of its projects under construction. VC investment is at it’s lowest in a decade and Panaya is providing software service for automating on-premise SAP upgrade. For these stories and more, check out this week’s 10 headlines below.

Cleantech
1. Israel’s Clean Tech Industry: A Broad Brush Overview

2. Arison unit to install solar panels on new projects

3. eSolar Shows Off Its Solar Thermal Tower

Investment
4. MoneyTree: VC investment lowest in decade

5. WeFi’s Directory Nearly 30 Million WiFi Hotspots Strong, Raises More Funding

Information Technology
6. Researchers hijack computer software update process

7. Panaya’s SaaS Helps On-Premise SAP

8. Waze: social navigation app for your phone

Miscellaneous
9. Employees’ Faith in a Company Can Boost Productivity

10. The ‘other Israel’

During the week of July 26, 2009, FRX Polymers announced that it raised funds to develop green plastics. Reality television is getting “high-tech” with “Exit ’09″, while uTest is relying on the crowds to shorten software testing time. The Western Wall is now accepting tweets and the Israeli public might soon be forced to accept biometric cards. For more on these stories and the rest of this weekk’s 11 Israel-related technology headlines, see below.

Cleantech
1. Letting the sunshine in

2. FRX Polymers raises $6MM from Israel Cleantech Ventures and Capricorn Venture Partners to develop green plastics

Investment and Economy
3. Stellar Start-Ups: Hi-tech ‘reality’ show to give away $250,000

4. How To Raise Money: Israel’s 5Min Raised $7.5 Million

5. ‘Israel is on the right track’

Information Technology
6. Personalization helps companies get most from Web

7. Crowdsourcing slashes software testing time

8. Using software updates to spread malware

Miscellaneous
9. Western Wall gets prayers via Twitter, technology

10. Knesset to vote on biometric database bill during recess

11. ‘Waltz With Bashir’ Fuels Growth in Israel’s Animation Industry