Israel Innovation 2.0

Back in January, I posted that the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (which I’m active in) held in conjunction with several organizations a “Greening of Jerusalem” event. The event featured presentations from Jerusalem municipality members including environmentalist/Deputy Mayor Naomi Tsur and from 10 promising Jerusalem-based cleantech companies. One of the companies, Cequesta, which also presented to the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (JBNF) last summer, spoke about its wasterwater management technology that it was still developing.

In a piece on Cequesta on ISRAEL21c.org last week, it mentions that Cequesta is now “open for business”. The company, a wastewater treatment solutions provider, has solutions  that clean up wastewater from most  types of industrial and agricultural operations, ranging from hotels to cowsheds to automotive plants.

According to the article, “Cequesta is now forging ahead in a number of environmentally friendly directions by creating complete units that can, for example, recycle 70 percent of a building’s wastewater.” It has also “developed a water treatement solution for a Toyota plant in America.” 

Accompanying the article is this video of Waimann’s presentation that I took on my cell phone in January. 

In addition to this event, Waimann also presented Cequesta and discussed cleantech in general last summer during another cleantech-focused event that the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum organized. These videos along with others are located on the Israel Innovation 2.0 YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/IsraelInnovation20

Over 120 people attended the “Greening of Jerusalem,” cleantech forum that took place at the Jewish Agency yesterday. The event was sponsored by the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (which I’m a co-organizer of), the CleanIsrael Network, the Renewable Energy Association, the Movement for Strengthening Jerusalem and the Ministry of Industry and Trade and featured presentations by local government officials, including Naomi Tsur, and representatives from Jerusalem-based cleantech companies, including The Patent Factory and 3G Solar.

The event came at the suggestion of David Waimann, Founder and CEO of Cequesta Water, a wasterwater company, and was intended to build momentum among government officials and the general public to be more active in reviving Jerusalem’s business environment through cleantech and to inspire Jerusalemites to take a more active role in practicing cleantech to make it the cleantech center.

Naomi Tsur and panel

Speaking after the government representatives and before the cleantech comanies was Glen Schwaber, Partner at Israel Cleantech Ventures. Schwaber gave an overview of Israel’s cleantech history (dating back to early agricultural innovations after the State was established) and mentioned some of the most successful companies to date as well as company funding from the VC point of view. 

The event was partially in Hebrew and partially in English.

In this video David Waimann explains his company, Cequesta Water’s technology:

I am starting a new section where once a month on a Friday Israel Innovation 2.0 will cover Israel’s thriving cleantech industry. To kick it off, I will be covering this week a cleantech initiative that the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (JBNF), a group I’m a co-organizer of, is organizing.

In the past 5 years, Israel has experienced a revival in cleantech initiatives that is slowly leading it to become the top country in the field, regarding both innovating and practicing it. In 2008, a total of $247 million was raised by Israeli companies, primarily in the solar industry. During this time the interest in the field among technology professionals also became apparent through the rise of Israeli cleantech networking groups and cleantech blogs focused on Israel.

While over the years most cleachtech companies have been founded in the center of Israel near Tel Aviv, a smaller group of companies have been founded in Jerusalem also. In an effort to increase activity in Jerusalem further and get the public involved, the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (JBNF), a group that helps facilitate networking online and offline among Jerusalem business professionals, will be holding a special forum later this week in conjunction with the CleanIsrael Network, the Renewable Energy Association, the Movement for Strengthening Jerusalem and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The forum will feature presentations from renewable energy projects that companies around Jerusalem, including Phoebus Energy and 3G Solar, are working on as well as from representatives from Jerusalem’s government, including Jerusalem Council Member & Responsible for Environment, Naomi Tsur. The event is free and open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend.

• What: Greening of Jerusalem
• Date: Thursday, January 15, 2009
• Time: 6 PM
• Location: Weitzman Hall at the Jewish Agency’s offices on 45 King George Street, Jerusalem
• Language: English and Hebrew

To RSVP and for additional info please visit the JBNF’s event page.