Nielsen has announced the launch of ‘Nielsen Innovate‘, a $25M Israeli fund dedicated to early stage investments in web, media, research, measurement, and advertising startups. The fund is co-owned with Partam High Tech.

Nielsen has announced the launch of ‘Nielsen Innovate‘, a $25M Israeli fund dedicated to early stage investments in web, media, research, measurement, and advertising startups. The fund is co-owned with Partam High Tech. Located in the Caesarea Industrial, Nielsen Innovate is a Chief Scientist incubator company. This means that for every dollar it invests, the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist will invest $5 alongside. Nielsen intends to support the portfolio with follow-on investments, as well as business development assistance.

China Everbright Ltd., the investment arm of state-owned China Everbright Corp., plans to initiate $100-200 million in investment activity in Israel’s technology sector. 

China Everbright Ltd., the investment arm of state-owned China Everbright Corp., plans to initiate $100-200 million in investment activity in Israel’s technology sector.   The company is close to signing its initial investment deal with Israeli companies and also seeks to encourage joint ventures between both countries’ tech sectors.  Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, China Everbright Ltd. has $10 billion under its management.

International fashion brand McGregor, which manufactures luxury casual wear, opened its first Israeli flagship store in March at Tel Aviv's Azrieli Mall.

International fashion brand McGregor, which manufactures luxury casual wear, opened its first Israeli flagship store in March at Tel Aviv's Azrieli Mall.  The new store will stretch over 170 square meters (1,830 square feet).  The plan is to open 10 McGregor stores in Israel in the next five years.  McGregor will be one of the first international brands to arrive in Israel since American Eagle Outfitters entered the market last year.  The new brand offers premium fashion for women, men and children, accessories, bags and shoes.

Germany's Adva Optical Networking has acquired LTE technologies developer Biran High Tech Advisors for some millions of dollars in shares. 

Germany's Adva Optical Networking has acquired LTE technologies developer Biran High Tech Advisors for some millions of dollars in shares.  Biran High Tech Advisors provides outsourcing of R&D in streamlining mobile network operations, with a focus on LTE 4G networks.  Adva Optical’s interest in Israel is based on Biran's expertise in mobile backhaul solutions between mobile network antennas and the network core, and network congestion solutions.

Singapore Telecommunications and Amdocs Israel have opened a development center in Israel as part of SingTel's investment in new technology.  SingTel said its initial focus will be on voice and facial recognition as well as systems that enable mobile and Wi-Fi networks to work more efficiently. 

Singapore Telecommunications and Amdocs Israel have opened a development center in Israel as part of SingTel's investment in new technology.  SingTel said its initial focus will be on voice and facial recognition as well as systems that enable mobile and Wi-Fi networks to work more efficiently.  This will be SingTel's third so-called "LifeLabs" in addition to similar centers in Singapore and Boston.  SingTel has a corporate venture fund of $161 million and part of this will be dedicated to Israel.  SingTel has already invested in two Israeli start-ups and last year acquired mobile advertising company Amobee, which has a technology center in Israel.

US Company Allscripts announced recently that it had purchased Hod Hasharon-based dbMotion for $235m.

US Company Allscripts announced recently that it had purchased Hod Hasharon-based dbMotion for $235m.  This follows Allscripts and dbMotion’s 2009 strategic partnership along with a 2011 equity investment in the company.   Allscripts, which sells systems that enable hospitals and physicians to share patient records electronically, has a market value of $2.15 billion and is traded on the NASDAQ.  dbMotion's information-sharing system allows medical staff secured access to patients' medical records through any of the sites on the institution’s network. 

Researchers at Hadassah Medical Center have developed a test that can predict if healthy women are at a significant risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.

Researchers at Hadassah Medical Center have developed a test that can predict if healthy women are at a significant risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Using a blood test, the researchers were able to identify the presence of a harmful mutation, which may trigger those types of cancers in women. Up until now, the only means of detecting such mutations was by doing gene sequencing. However, that process is expensive and not always conclusive. The research was led by Dr. Asher Salmon, then Senior Oncologist at Hadassah.

Apple Inc. is opening a new development center in Israel. The new Apple development center in the Ra'anana Industrial Zone will be the company's third in Israel after it opened a development center in Haifa last year and acquired flash memory developer Anobit in Herzliya.

Apple Inc. is opening a new development center in Israel. The new Apple development center in the Ra'anana Industrial Zone will be the company's third in Israel after it opened a development center in Haifa last year and acquired flash memory developer Anobit in Herzliya. Many of the staff members were former employees of Texas Instruments Israel development center.

For the first time, Europe’s Aster Capital venture fund is investing in an Israeli company, Israel’s Atlantium Technologies, giving $3 million to the company to continue its development of new products. Atlantium develops ultraviolet technology for water disinfection.

For the first time, Europe’s Aster Capital venture fund is investing in an Israeli company, Israel’s Atlantium Technologies, giving $3 million to the company to continue its development of new products. Atlantium develops ultraviolet technology for water disinfection. The investment is part of a $9 million financing round which includes Aeris Capital A.G. along with the current investor Benjamin Kahn. Aster Capital, sponsored by European companies Solvay, Alstom, Schneider Electric, and the European Investment Fund, focuses on innovative cleantech investments, and recently opened an office in Israel.

Waze Ltd. won the Best Overall Mobile App by the GSM Association in the 2013 Global Mobile Awards at the Barcelona World Mobile Congress in late February. Now in its 18th year, the Global Mobile Awards recognizes the latest and best innovations across the mobile ecosystem. Waze competed for the honor against four of the world’s most famous applications: The Dropbox file hosting service, the Flipboard technology news application, the Sky Sports F1 software and the Square electronic payment service.

Sprint Nextel will be opening a research lab in Tel Aviv later this year in collaboration with the Israel Mobile & Media Association (IMA) and using equipment provided by Alcatel-Lucent.

Sprint Nextel will be opening a research lab in Tel Aviv later this year in collaboration with the Israel Mobile & Media Association (IMA) and using equipment provided by Alcatel-Lucent. The facility, an acceleration lab for the company's fast-growing LTE technology, will allow Israeli start-ups access to platforms needed to test their products right in their own backyard, eliminating the need for expensive travel abroad. 

Bloomberg news recently issued a ranking of the world’s most innovative countries based on seven of quantitative parameters.  In the area of R&D intensity Israel ranked 1st in the world and 7th in the world in high-tech density. 

Bloomberg news recently issued a ranking of the world’s most innovative countries based on seven of quantitative parameters.  In the area of R&D intensity Israel ranked 1st in the world and 7th in the world in high-tech density.  Overall the country ranked 32nd with the first five countries being the US, South Korea, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

US seed giant Monsanto has closed the acquisition of Israel's Rosetta Green, which makes engineered seeds for farmers. Monsanto paid $35 million for Rosetta, roughly double the company's market value.

US seed giant Monsanto has closed the acquisition of Israel's Rosetta Green, which makes engineered seeds for farmers. Monsanto paid $35 million for Rosetta, roughly double the company's market value.  Rosetta Green locates and develops unique plant genes in order to develop seed strains for crops suitable as biofuels and food.

South Korea’s Samsung announced in early February that they are launching a $100m venture capital fund to invest in early stage high tech start-ups located in just three places worldwide, Israel, Massachusetts and California’s Silicon Valley. 

South Korea’s Samsung announced in early February that they are launching a $100m venture capital fund to invest in early stage high tech start-ups located in just three places worldwide, Israel, Massachusetts and California’s Silicon Valley.  The Samsung Catalyst Fund will operate out of the company’s R&D centers in these three locations to create new business, undertake strategic investments, engage in strategic cooperation and buy companies.  It will also help start-ups by giving them access to Samsung’s R&D capabilities.

US seed giant Monsanto has closed the acquisition of Israel's Rosetta Green, which makes engineered seeds for farmers. Monsanto paid $35 million for Rosetta, roughly double the company's market value.  Rosetta Green locates and develops unique plant genes in order to develop seed strains for crops suitable as biofuels and food.

Brainsway Ltd. (TASE:BRIN) announced that a trial of its Deep TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) enabled smokers to give up cigarettes. 84% of the participants in the study who received frequent treatments gave up smoking at the end of the six-month course of treatment.

Brainsway Ltd. (TASE:BRIN) announced that a trial of its Deep TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) enabled smokers to give up cigarettes. 84% of the participants in the study who received frequent treatments gave up smoking at the end of the six-month course of treatment. 36% of the people were still not smoking after the six-month post treatment monitoring period. Earlier this month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada approved the Deep TMS device for the treatment of depression in patients who do not respond to drugs.

The British Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (Birax) will grant NIS 25 million (~ US$7 million) over five years for seven joint Israel-UK stem cell research programs.

The British Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (Birax) will grant NIS 25 million (~ US$7 million) over five years for seven joint Israel-UK stem cell research programs.  Under Birax, joint projects have already been established by Cambridge University, Oxford University, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Nottingham in the UK along with Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The projects deal with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and type 1 diabetes, as well as basic research on ways to prevent the immune system from attacking stem cells.

Mobile World Congress Barcelona is coming up on February 25-28. Each year, MWC features the cutting-edge in smart mobile solutions around the world including representation from hundreds of Israeli companies.

Mobile World Congress Barcelona is coming up on February 25-28. Each year, MWC features the cutting-edge in smart mobile solutions around the world including representation from hundreds of Israeli companies. Invest in Israel together with the Export Institute and the Foreign Trade Administration will be on site helping to match investors with the right project. To learn more about setting up a meeting with an Israeli company, visit the site. The Israel Pavillion has been the biggest national pavilion at MWC for several years running.

Israel is in seventh place of 25 countries in the GE Innovation Barometer 2013.This year's survey included more than 3,000 executives.GE publishes its annual barometer ahead of the World Economic Conference in Davos. 

Israel is in seventh place of 25 countries in the GE Innovation Barometer 2013. This year's survey included more than 3,000 executives. GE publishes its annual barometer ahead of the World Economic Conference in Davos. Israel ranked 10th in the 2012 GE Innovation Barometer. The US tops the 2013 GE Innovation Barometer, with 35% of respondents saying that it is the most innovative country. Germany is in second place, cited by 15% of respondents.

Israeli tech startups were bought out for a record total of $5.5 billion in 2012 according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.A report also showed that in 2012 Israel had 50 deals with an average deal size of $111 million, compared with 63 deals with an average size of $81 million in 2011.

Two Israeli applications made the Apple App Store’s “Best of 2012 list”, published at the end of December. recently purchased Israel’s Upstream Peripheral Technologies Ltd. for $5.5 million plus additional payments that depend on revenue, technology transfer and other milestones.

Two Israeli applications made the Apple App Store’s “Best of 2012 list”, published at the end of December. Apple chose Any.Do, an Israeli task-management application, in the Intuitive Touch category. The application, which shares the name of the company that created it, allows users to manage a task list using voice commands or touchscreen technology. GroupShot, a photo-editor created by the Israeli company Macadamia, was also chosen in the Photo & Video Magic category. It allows group photos to be edited so that everyone looks their best.

Colorado Springs, US-based medical laser manufacturer Spectranetics Corp.  recently purchased Israel’s Upstream Peripheral Technologies Ltd. for $5.5 million plus additional payments that depend on revenue, technology transfer and other milestones.

Cisco Systems has agreed to buy Israel’s Intucell for $475 million. Intucell develops technology for mobile communications companies to help them operate their networks more efficiently and cope with the world’s surging demand for data. 

3M Company, through its corporate venture organization 3M New Ventures, and Israel’s VocalZoom Ltd.

3M Company, through its corporate venture organization 3M New Ventures, and Israel’s VocalZoom Ltd. announced an equity investment that will bring a new class of voice-enabled user interfaces to a broad range of customers. VocalZoom’s mission is to enable the use of speech for communication by developing an optoelectronic microphone that significantly improves the speaker’s understanding in any noisy environment. 3M New Ventures, of Munich, Germany, identifies and invests in highly innovative companies.

HP Indigo, the maker of digital offset printing equipment, has announced plans to expand its Israeli manufacturing workforce by some 300 people, reaching a total of 1,000 over the coming year, according to general manager Alon Bar-Shany. 

HP Indigo, the maker of digital offset printing equipment, has announced plans to expand its Israeli manufacturing workforce by some 300 people, reaching a total of 1,000 over the coming year, according to general manager Alon Bar-Shany.  The manufacturer, a unit of the US’ Hewlett Packard, plans to hire another 400 people in 2014.  Indigo also operates a research and development center in Nes Tziona, which will be retained even as the focus of its R&D operations is moved to Kiryat Gat. Indigo is spending US$37 million to expand production in Israel.

Minneapolis’Stratasys and Israel’s Objet announced the completion of their merger, forming a leading company in 3D printing and direct digital manufacturing.

Minneapolis’Stratasys and Israel’s Objet announced the completion of their merger, forming a leading company in 3D printing and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys boasts an impressive portfolio of 3D printing and direct digital manufacturing solutions, with systems that produce parts with a wide range of capabilities and materials.  Stratasys is maintaining dual headquarters in Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, and is incorporated in Israel.

NCR Corp. has announced the purchase of Israeli software company Retalix for $650 million in a bid to expand its footprint in the retail sector.

NCR Corp. has announced the purchase of Israeli software company Retalix for $650 million in a bid to expand its footprint in the retail sector.  Retalix provides software and services to retailers, including supermarkets, convenience stores, fuel stations, drugstores and department stores.  

US storage technologies giant EMC Corp. has acquired Israeli database and big data performance and monitoring company More IT Resources Ltd. 

Dr. Zohar Komargodski of the Weizmann Institute of Science was awarded the New Horizons in Physics prize in December.

Google inaugurated Campus Tel Aviv, its new startup incubator and R&D center in Israel on December 10th.

Google inaugurated Campus Tel Aviv, its new startup incubator and R&D center in Israel on December 10th. Campus Tel Aviv will occupy a full 1,500-square meter floor in the building, and will be entirely devoted to entrepreneurs, with the goal of encouraging innovation in Israel.  

Philips Healthcare recently announced the establishment of a new development center in Israel that will focus on image processing and analysis, and conduct long-term research in the field.

Philips Healthcare recently announced the establishment of a new development center in Israel that will focus on image processing and analysis, and conduct long-term research in the field.  It will also develop applications for contemporary markets, such as virtual colonoscopy and virtual catheterization applications. Philips Healthcare already has 600 employees at their facility in Haifa specializing in 3D scanners.  

Israeli company Kamada announced positive results of the Phase I/II clinical trial of its Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) protein, the active ingredient in its drug, Glassia, for the treatment of juvenile diabetes.

Israeli company Kamada announced positive results of the Phase I/II clinical trial of its Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) protein, the active ingredient in its drug, Glassia, for the treatment of juvenile diabetes. Analysis of the results found that the AAT protein enables the pancreas beta cells to continue excreting insulin, providing better glucose balance, and thereby lowering or even preventing complications of the disease. Kamada CEO David Tsur said, "This is the first clinical proof that may result in a global breakthrough in the treatment and cure of juvenile diabetes."

EnergyVest, the investment summit before the Eilat-Eilot yearly energy event, took place on November 26.

EnergyVest, the investment summit before the Eilat-Eilot yearly energy event, took place on November 26. After a panel discussion, in which some of the biggest global names in renewable energy investment shared their perspectives, 16 Israeli companies presented their technologies. We saw everything from promising start-ups at the very initial stages to companies who are already showing strong sales such as HelioFocus, Metrolight and Powercom,” said Ophir Gore, Director of the Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuels Department at Israel NewTech. To learn more about the event, read the Israel NewTech blog post.

This month, against the background of Operation Pillar of Defense, the Swiss bank Pictet, one of the top private banks in the world, announced it was expanding its activities in Israel.

 This month, against the background of Operation Pillar of Defense, the Swiss bank Pictet, one of the top private banks in the world, announced it was expanding its activities in Israel. "More and more global companies recognize the fact that Israel is a source of innovation and technological breakthroughs,” said Oded Distel, director of “Invest in Israel,” Israel’s investment promotion center. The center connects international investors with Israeli companies or entrepreneurs and supports them throughout the investment process. To learn more, read “Attracting Investors to Israel,” published on the Ynet site this month. You can read the Hebrew original here.

The Israeli government and U.S. software giant Microsoft have agreed in principle to a strategic collaboration on a number of subjects related to technological innovation, reducing bureaucracy and information security, among others.

The Israeli government and U.S. software giant Microsoft have agreed in principle to a strategic collaboration on a number of subjects related to technological innovation, reducing bureaucracy and information security, among others. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said during his visit to the country in November: "This is my fourth visit to Israel and I am always excited and inspired by the distinctive inventiveness of the public and the entrepreneurs in Israel – which is a central reason why Israel is such an important market for Microsoft. “

U.S.-based data-storage equipment maker EMC Corporation has announced its intent to open an EMC Labs branch in Israel aimed at developing innovative technologies for storage, security and big data.

 U.S.-based data-storage equipment maker EMC Corporation has announced its intent to open an EMC Labs branch in Israel aimed at developing innovative technologies for storage, security and big data. The company opened a similar operation in China last year. In Israel, EMC Labs will primarily be research-oriented and will operate without any product, organizational or regional EMC constrictions. The first project will focus on learning storage behavior as a way of predicting the storage needs of organizations and optimize performance.   

U.S. chip manufacturer Qualcomm announced the acquisition of Israeli startup EPOS, a provider of digital input solutions.

U.S. chip manufacturer Qualcomm announced the acquisition of Israeli startup EPOS, a provider of digital input solutions. EPOS’ technology is integrated into mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops, enabling them to use a pen-stylus. This follows Qualcomm’s earlier acquisition of DesignArt Networks for $140 million in August, and in 2010, iSkoot for $60-$80 million. Qualcomm has a development center in Haifa. According to its own data, the number of Qualcomm employees in Israel increased by 50 percent over the past two years, to 270.

Startup Ecosystem Index’s 2012 report noted that Tel Aviv is the second most supportive place for startup companies in the world, behind only Silicon Valley.

Startup Ecosystem Index’s 2012 report noted that Tel Aviv is the second most supportive place for startup companies in the world, behind only Silicon Valley. The study, released by the Startup Genome project, reveals that the average age of startup company founders in Tel Aviv is 36.2. The study collected data on 50,000 startup companies worldwide, 2,500 of them in Israel.

Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm with $12 billion in capital under management, has entered into an agreement to acquire Ex Libris from its current owner, Leeds Equity Partners for about $300 million.

Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm with $12 billion in capital under management, has entered into an agreement to acquire Ex Libris from its current owner, Leeds Equity Partners for about $300 million. Jerusalem’s Ex Libris is a leading provider of automation solutions for academic, national, and research libraries.  Ex Libris maintains an impressive customer base consisting of thousands of sites in more than 80 countries on six continents.