Israel Innovation 2.0

During the week of May 2, 2010, it was revealed that Gemini invested in the fashion social network Sense of Fashion for an undisclosed amount.  The industry was busy with conferences including Techonomy, SeedCamp and TheMarker’s COM.vention. During Techonomy, last year’s winner, Face.com presented about what it’s been up to the past year, which has included expanding its technology beyond Facebook. Meanwhile, Israel Innovation 2.0 got a long-awaited redesign and added the Facebook Like button! What do you think?

Cleantech

1. Can drip irrigation break Africa’s hunger cycles?

2. SolarEdge Launches Its Solar Power Harvesting System in Italy, in Partnership with Albatech

3. C.E.S. Thinks Inside the Box to Save Energy

Investment
4. Exclusive: Gemini Invests in Sense of Fashion

5. Li Ka-shing May Tap Israel for Oil-Sands Technology (Update1)

Information Technology
6. Face.com takes its face-recognition technology beyond Facebook

7. How healthy is your online brand? (Peer39)

8. Interlude.fm: The future of entertainment and savior of MySpace?

Miscellaneous
9. Imagine a world where technology helps solve tough problems

10. ‘Chutzpah contributes to innovation’

11. Interview with Yossi Vardi

12. How To Do Business With A Large American Company

During the week of February 28, 2010, it was confirmed that Kampyle, a user feedback analytics platform maker, closed a round of funding in 2009 in addition to it increasing its customer base by 25,000 to 35,000. Check Point introduced a new USB stick with VPN and SolarEdge signed a partnership agreement with Flextronics. For these stories and more, see this week’s headlines below.

Cleantech
1. Tech lessons from Israel on how it conserves and manages its water

2. SolarEdge Signs Manufacturing Partnership Agreement with Flextronics

Information Technology
3. Microsoft OneAlbum: Fusing Facial Recognition and Social Networks – The Future of Windows Live Photos?

4. Security key to unlocking cloud potential

5. Kampyle Confirms Funding, Kicks Off Beta Test For Application Feedback Product

6. Check Point puts VPN in USB stick

Miscellaneous
7. Hello My Name is…The Case for a Jewish Meetup.com

8. Israel and France to hold conference for young scientists in Jerusalem

9. ‘Start-Up Nation’ Author: Mentor Networks Key to Luring Israeli Startups

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

A few weeks ago Maurice Picow of Green Prophet posted about the Jewish Response to the Energy Challenge (JREC) conference in San Francisco. The conference, which was organized by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and took place this Sunday, brought together Jewish leaders in the clean tech and environmental fields to discuss ending oil-dependency for Israeli national security and the importance of future cleantech projects between the US and Israel.

The conference included a Jerusalem satellite event in which Isaac Berzin, the Director of the Institute for Renewable Energy Policy and one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People of 2008, spoke about his vision for alternative liquid fuel, specifically algae. Berzin made the point that Israel will be more secure when countries such as China and India turn to alternative fuels and stop buying oil from Iran which funds terrorism.

Berzin’s keynote (which can be viewed above) was followed by a diverse panel that discussed viable alternative energy solutions to oil and the own challenges they hold from the political, environmental and health perspectives. In addition, the panel discussed the importance of US-Israel partnerships for funding start-ups.

Making up the panel were Berzin; Hezi Kugler, Israeli Clean Energy Alliance; Astorre Modena, General Partner at Terra Venture Partners; Dr. Gal Loft, Executive Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security; Richard Laster, Professor of Environmental Law at Hebrew University. The discussion was moderated by Z’ev Gross, Head of Infrastructure Resources Management Division in the Ministry of National Infrastructures.

Perhaps the most interesting discussion of the evening took place during the Q&A session at the end when suggestions for Israel going green were passionately discussed among audience members and panelists. When it comes to how to get more Israelis to embrace alternative energy and the use of money to get people to become energy efficient, several members of the audience disagreed with the panelists and explained that a carbon tax like the one France recently implemented is the only viable option.

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

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

During the week of July 12, 2009, Status Search, a web tool that enables users to search Facebook and Twitter statuses, was covered by TechCrunch. How Israel can lead clean tech was explained while Israel and China completed a solar plant in southern Israel. VC fund, Pitango is looking for a partner in China to create a fund jointly and Actimize’s software is now helping a Top-5 bank in the US fight against fraud in real time. For these stories and more, check out this week’s 10 Israel-related headlines below.

Environment
1. Israeli-made Light Energy Controller saves power around the world

2. Can Israel lead in clean tech?

3. It’s a knockout

4. Lots of Sunshine Power in the Holy Land as China and Israel Complete Solar Plant

Investment
5. Pitango eyes $100-200 mln China fund -sources

6. Kontera raises $15.5 million for in-text ad service

Information Technology
7. SafeNet Announces Launch of New eSafe® SmartSuite™ Web and Mail Security Gateway

8. Actimize Helps U.S. Bank Fight Fraud In Real-Time

Miscellaneous
9. Meet the kids at the heart of Israel’s high-tech future

10. Status Search: A Search Engine For What Your Friends Are Saying Online

During the week of June 28, 2009, news surfaced that Toyota is mulling investing in Israeli hi-tech companies that can help make its cars cleaner, while it seems that clean technology investments are increasing again. Indicating that virtualization is still a hot investment, Neebula, which develops management tools for virtual computer environments and was founded earlier this year, raised $5 million. In security, Israeli researchers have created a deep zoom application for videos making idenitifcation in them easier. For these stories and more, see this week’s 12 Israel-related headlines below.

Cleantech
1. Toyota considering Israeli high-tech investments

2. No More Crying Over Spilt Milk With AfiMilk

3. Israeli researchers desalinating sewage for agricultural use

Investment
4. Clean Technology Investment Rebounds

5. Why Israeli Stocks and Currency Should Outperform Now

Information Technology
6. Israeli Experts Create Deep Zoom Tool for Videos

7. Touch in Windows 7: Just for show?

8. Cyber-security looms large for ATC

9. Virtualization co Neebula raises $5 million

Miscellaneous
10. Young Jewish leaders gather for global summit

11. Netanya aims to be Middle East’s Ibiza

12. LIFE in Israel in 1948 – Part 1

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

Much attention in the news was paid to Israel’s operation in Gaza during the week of December 28, 2009, including to online technology related to it. Different Israeli government branches, from the IDF to Israeli Consulates in the U.S., began to leverage popular social media tools, such as blogs, YouTube and Twitter, to explain the purpose of Israel’s operation and its objectives, while supporters around the world used the same mediums and others, such as Facebook, to show their support for Israel and its troops. During the week it also became clear that the conflict wouldn’t be bound to physical operations as several Israeli sites became the targets of cyberterrorism.

Despite the conflict, there was plenty of news of unrelated innovations coming from Israel. Funds were raised and contracts were signed in Israel’s IT and cleantech sectors and announcements of foreign companies opening R&D offices were made. Not all the news that wasn’t related to the conflict was good though. For all these stories and more, check out this week’s special edition of Israel-related headlines from the week of December 28, 2008 below.

Israel-Hamas Conflict (Technology side)

1. Israeli news site down, blames cyber attack

2. Muslim hackers attack Israeli websites as Gaza strikes continue

3. Israel Backed by Army of Cyber-Soldiers

4. War sickens me, but I stand with Israel (HelpUsWin*)

5. The Big War You Never Hear Much About

6. Israeli Consulate to tweet about Gaza war

Cleantech

7. Israel’s SolarEdge Raises $23M to Crush Shady Solar

8. BrightSource Energy signs contract with Siemens for solar-powered generator

Investments and deals

9. 2009: Year of the survival of the fittest

10. Bluephoenix Announces Multi-Million Dollar Modernization Contract With a Large Scandinavian Bank

11. Intrinsyc Signs Soleus Licensing Agreement With ODM for Industrial PDA and LBS Phone
12. Oy Vey! Israeli VCs Exceptionally Gloomy on 2009

Information Technology

13. HCL opens office in Israel

14. Invention: Software research assistant

15. EMC continues to move forward

Miscellaneous

16. The American Idol for blogging superstars

17. One to Watch: Tvinci

18. Israeli’s documentary is drawing wide acclaim

19. MyHeritage Makes Family History Research Easier With Launch Of Family Tree Builder 3

20. Crude oil rises after Israeli attacks on Gaza roil Middle East

Israel Innovation 2.0 content related to Israel-Hamas conflict

21. Direct from the streets of Gaza… and Israel. How TechCrunch UK’s post could have read regarding UGC

22. Cyberterrorism against Israeli and American sites: How to Stay Secure

Video from IDF Spokeperson’s Unit TouTube Channel (Capt. Benjamin Rutland on the ground forces entering Gaza on 3 Jan. 2009)

*HelpUsWin is an online grassroots campaign helping to ensure that international coverage of the Campaign Against Hamas is balanced. To learn more about it or how you can become involved, please check out the HelpUsWin website.