Israel Innovation 2.0

During the week of July 13, 2008, SAP announced its plans to open an R&D center in Israel, following in the footsteps of corporations such as Microsoft, IBM and Intel. Microsoft’s purchase of data management company, Zoomix was officially announced and Magic Software signed a deal with Blat-Lapidot, a leading Salesforce.com Partner. Shopflick raised $7 million in funding while it was announced that Israeli startups, combined, raised over  $1 billion in the first half of 2008 (the highest since 2001). What happened in cleantech this past week? Not much in relation to Israeli companies. There were however other headlines. For those and the previous stories, check below for the full list of the 17 Israel-related technology headlines from the week of July 17, 2008.

M&A and Partnerships
Magic Software Signs up Blat-Lapidot – a Leading Salesforce.com Partner

Mobile location tech co Destinator bought by Intinsync

Nextlink to develop technology with Israeli partner through $1M grant

Alvarion, Ceragon and ECI in Danish WiMAX project

Microsoft Bolsters Data Management With Zoomix Purchase

Investments
Israeli start-ups raise over $1 billion

Israel to invest NIS 400m in alternative energy

Leon Recanati invests in Whitewater

Shopflick Closes $7 Million in Funding Led by Panorama Capital and Venrock

More investment for Israeli start-ups

Information Technology
SAP to open R&D center in Israel

Bill Gates, Microsoft Endorse PNMSoft Business Process Management BPM Software

Slovak Telekom Expands its Relationship with Amdocs

Tech Watch: Major US utility selects NICE Systems

Miscellaneous
The Economic Impact of Global Warming is Beginning to Show: IDE Starts Marketing Snowmakers for the Global Ski Industry

Tech budget cut, but engineers lacking

Playtech, Paramount Pictures Deal Announced

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership
Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or
inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be
directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Compared to previous weeks, the week of June 8th was lacking a little in the major headlines coming from Israel. Perhaps the biggest story from the past week was Intel’s announcement that it will be closing its Yokne’am R&D center as part of its overall refocus. Most employees will be relocated to the company’s Haifa center instead. Also, recent headlines on the Internet show much skepticism of a mass-produced, main stream electric car in the near future, indirectly (and directly) giving a blow to Project Better Place. Other headlines included Metacafe’s downsizing, Continuity Software offering new features in its disaster recovery and data protection software and 800 members of Israel’s hi-tech community (including yours truly) coming together at Mashable’s MashBash Tel Aviv. Alas, check out these stories and the rest of this week’s 12 Israel-related technology headlines through the links below:

Cleantech
Japanese firms cast doubt on electric car

‘Israeli technology may offer cheap solar power’

Pics: Solar Thermal Demo Plant Rises in Israeli Desert

Israeli expertise to shape global water standards

Information Technology
Yokne’am R&D center victim of Intel’s refocus

Consultancy co Comsec wins information security contract

Business intelligence co HighView completes IAI project

Startup Continuity Software Now Checks Virtualization DR

Miscellaneous
Metacafe downsizes

Israeli company develops radar system that sees through walls

Mobile broadcaster Flixwagon hitches to iPhone

MashBash Tel Aviv – The Official Jewneric.com Report

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership
Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or
inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be
directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.