5 min and 8 Israel-related Headlines, Week of December 27, 2009
Filed under: Cleantech, Company Briefs, Environment, Industry pulse, Uncategorized, VC, Web2.0
During the week of December 27, 2009, Israel’s airport security method was looked upon as a better solution to the current system used at airports in the States. Viewfinity announced that it had raised $8.6 million in funding and 5min was selected Best Startup at the TechAviv Peer Awards. For these stories and more, see this week’s 8 headlines below.
Cleantech
1. Shimon Tal: Facts and Personal Opinions on Water from Israel’s Former Water Commissioner
2. Sunshine year for cleantech
Investment
3. Viewfinity raises $8.6 million in Series B round of funding
4. Can Public-Funded Entrepreneurship Work? A Q&A With the Author of Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Information Technology
5. 5min Wins Top Spot in TechAviv’s Peer Awards
6. Web content under the microscope
Miscellaneous
7. What Israel can teach us about security
8. Israel set to become major golf destination
PicScout and 11 Israel-related Headlines, Week of October 25, 2009
During the week of October 25, 2009, Deloitte named its Fast 50 for the Israel region, listing PicScout #4 with a growth rate the past year of 3277%. 15 UK-Israeli science projects received research grants from The British Council totaling £365,000 and cyber crimes, which have become a national priority for Israel, the U.S. and the U.K. among other, will likely target mobile devices in 2010. For these stories and more, check out this week’s technology headlines below.
Cleantech
1. 7 Solar Innovators From Israel That Could Fuel Our Planet
2. Eilat-Eilot region seeks to become center for renewable energy
3. ‘Going Green’ would boost economy – environment minister
Investments
4. International venture capital investment recovers after second quarter slump
5. 15 UK-Israeli Science Projects Get Funded by The British Council
Information Technology
6. PicScout Recognized Among Fastest Growing Companies
7. Cyber criminals to target mobile devices
8. Secure computers aren’t so secure
9. Digital World: The hackers of tomorrow – today
Miscellaneous
10. Chief Scientist: Israel leads in research investment
11. Red Bend sues Google over patent dispute
Google Android and 11 Israel-related Headlines, Week of August 16, 2009
Filed under: Cleantech, Company Briefs, Information Technology, VC, Web2.0, virtualization
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
Company to watch in 2009: WorkLight, Inc
Filed under: Business Intelligence, Information Technology, Internet Security, Uncategorized, Web2.0
I meant to write about WorkLight last month but got caught up with things. As what happens every few weeks though, my attention has quickly been drawn back to the company again. In Jon Brodkin’s post on Network World earlier today, he listed the “Secure Web 2.0 for Business” Enterprise 2.0 company as one of 10 startups to watch in 2009. I couldn’t agree more.
WorkLight, Inc. seemed to have a stellar year in 2008, and as Web 2.0 in the enterprise continues to grow in 2009 despite the economic downturn, there’s no reason not to think that it won’t repeat it, and more. Since the company first showed up on my radar as one of two Israeli demonstrators at the 2007 DemoGermany conference in Munich, the company has raised an impressive round of funding, been chosen as one of the top 10 web startups in Israel’s version of the TechCrunch and Demo conferences and just last month, and partnered with NetVibes to develop secure widgets for the enterprise among other news about the company.
The company’s software is customized for specific industries and, as such, has helped simplify and accelerate the embracing and integration of Web 2.0 in the enterprise. On its website, the company explains itself and its offerings as follows:
“WorkLight® Inc. develops server software products that help businesses reach customers, channels, employees, and partners securely in the places they frequent online, such as iGoogle, Windows Live, desktop widgets, RSS readers, Facebook, even the Apple iPhone. Through WorkLight, people effortlessly get valuable information they desire, such as account status, product availability, or updates about their latest transactions. They can then take actions, for example order products or services, respond to promotions or offers, and consult with colleagues, without having to log into a portal or corporate web site. As such, WorkLight transforms consumer interfaces into enterprise-grade business tools that directly increase revenue.”
Here is an image from the site of how its products work.
Additionally, I’ve created a timeline of some of the WorkLight news that caught my attention in 2008
Company Facts
Founded in 2006.
Based in New York and Yakum, Israel.
Shahar Kaminitz, CEO and Co-Founder.
Doron Somer, Vice President of R&D.
Products: WorkBook, WorkLight for SAP, WorkLight for Technology Companies and WorkLight for Business Services.
Competitors include: Awareness Inc. and NewsGator Technologies Inc.
Customer industries: financial services, retail banking, manufacturing, book publishing, technology and IT services and utilities
Website: myworklight.com
Cyberterrorism against Israeli and American sites: How to Stay Secure
Filed under: Industry pulse, Information Technology, Internet Security, Israeli Websites, Risk Management, Uncategorized, data security, security
Since Israel began its operation in Gaza a week ago, over 300 sites have fallen victim to cyberattacks. Large Israeli company sites, such as Israel Discount Bank, Ynetnews and Israel’s largest domain registration site along with small Jewish community sites, including several religious ones in the US have been targeted. The main group behind several of these attacks, though far from the only one, is the infamous Moroccan group, TeamEvil, which also hacked some of the 750-plus Israeli websites before and during the Lebanon war in 2006.
Security analysts predict that American company websites will also be attacked in the next few weeks. For an article on the topic that appeared in SC Magazine last week, Dan Kaplan interviewed Gary Warner, director of research in computer forensics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and John Kindervag, a senior analyst with Forrester Research who both made suggestions for preventing cyberattacks:
“Warner said website operators must secure common entryways for hackers, including vulnerable programming language, forum or blog software, image programs and utilities, such as website statistic applications. In addition, they must prevent the theft of FTP credentials, which are used to access sites and load content.
John Kindervag, a senior analyst with Forrester Research, said most websites are not built with security in mind. As a result, site owners should conduct a vulnerability assessment and, if they need immediate action, install a web application firewall, which can detect anomalous behavior.”
For more on the topic and to make sure your secure, you can check out the following sites:
10 Ways to Prevent Cyberterrorism
International Cooperation Needed To Prevent Cyberterrorism
Cyber Terrorism Threat Increasing – How To Prevent A Digital 9/11
Actimize and IBM minimize risk further with expanded risk management software partnership
Filed under: Information Technology, Risk Management, Software, data security
Actimize, a transactional risk management software company under NICE Systems, announced last week that it has embedded IBM’s InfoSphere Global Name Recognition (GNR) technology within the Actimize enterprise risk management platform “to enhance its analytical capabilities.”
According to the announcement,
GNR is an enterprise tool designed to help organizations understand, analyze and process multi-cultural names to provide name processing and matching capabilities for mission critical and corporate wide applications… [that] will help Actimize’s sophisticated analytical models focus more closely on the names of different customers, citizens, criminals and other individuals by examining and comparing them to different known names of good and bad entities.
Actimize’s risk management platform will mainly function by analyzing name order, multiple titles or prefixes, cultural spelling variations, possible transposition errors. Upon identifying a match when a transaction is made, the Actimize solution is able to then determine whether to approve, block or forward it.
Company Facts
Founded in 1999.
Headquartered in New York. R&D in Petach Tikva, Israel.
David Sosna, Co-Founder and CEO.
David Govrin, Co-Founder & General Manager, Israel.
Boaz Pe’er, Co-Founder & CTO.
Technology: Actimize risk management platform.
Website: www.actimize.com.
16 Israel-related technology headlines from the week of November 16, 2008
Filed under: Cleantech, Company Briefs, Environment, Information Technology, Partnerships
Featured during the week of November 16, 2008 were news of Michigan’s governor signing a water technology partnership agreement with Israel and news that Israel’s current drought is the worst its been in over 100 years. Security firm, Finjan announced that it raised $22 million and AOMi partnered with Cordys. Contradicting stories on the state of the Israel’s hi-tech sector from the Jerusalem Post and BusinessWeek also made the headlines. For these stories and more check out the headlines below.
Cleantech and Environment
1. Israel Facing Worst Water Crisis in More Than 100 Years
2. Mich. governor signs water technologies agreement
3. A Better Place In The San Francisco Bay Area
Investments and deals
4. AOMi Partners with Cordys to Enhance SaaS Business Model
5. ColdSpark Integrates Commtouch Messaging Security Suite into Mail Platform for Large Enterprises
6. Security firm Finjan raises $22 million
8. Taboola Funded for Video Recommendation Engine
Information Technology
9. Voltaire Powers World’s Largest Windows Supercomputer
10. HP and N-trig Deliver Innovative Hands-On Computing
11. WorkLight Helps Retail Banks Gain Edge by Embracing Secure Web 2.0
Miscellaneous
12. MSN Israel reborn
13. Infima Tech Introduces JPACK Compression Solution
14. Hard Times Hit Israel’s Tech Sector
15. US to lower Israeli airport’s safety ranking
16. Despite the tough times, Israel’s high-tech sector thrives
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.
*About the Weekly Headlines image: The Star of David in the image was found on Flickr and is used under the Creative Commons license. It was originally uploaded by Flickr member,zeevveez. The overall Weekly Headlines image was designed by Lisa Damast.
AlgoSec unveils new firewall analyzer product suite
Major IT media sources seem to be missing this, Firewall Operations and Security Risk Management solutions provider, AlgoSec Inc., unveiled its new AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer (AFA) product suite today.
According to the press release, which the company sent me,
“The
new suite, which improves the overall security and efficiency of
enterprise firewalls, is built on three distinct software modules, each
focused on addressing a specific set of technical requirements within
the enterprise: Firewall Operations Management, Policy Optimization and
Risk Management. Customers may purchase combinations of these modules
in four pre-bundled license editions according to their specific needs.
The four new editions of the AFA Product Suite are: the AFA Operations
Management Edition, the AFA Optimization Edition, the AFA Risk
Management Edition and the AFA Enterprise Edition.“
The suite also now includes new features
“for automated PCI and SOX compliance reports plus Intelligent Rule Re-Ordering recommendations for improved firewall performance.”
AlgoSec prides itself on its offering IT security and operations professionals
“unparalleled visibility and guidance to ensure their firewall policies
are secure and comply with corporate and government-mandated policies
while adhering to industry best practices.“
Company Facts
Founded in 2003.
Yuval Baron, CEO and Co-Founder.
Avishai Wool, CTO and Co-Founder.
Product: AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer (AFA)
Website: www.AlgoSec.com
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.
Companies in brief: Week of November 18th
During the week of November 18th, Israel’s technology sector saw cleantech and security companies gain more traction and Internet TV media management company, TVinci ink a deal with MTV Israel. It also saw the oldest pharmaceutical company, Merck, invest in R&D in Israel. For a full overview of the latest in technology news from Israel this past week, watch the slideshow below.
Share/Subscribe to II2
