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A startup that’s working on lettuce milk as the latest non-dairy alternative has announced $6 million in early-stage funding. Pigmentum is developing technology that uses “plants as factories” to produce much-needed flavors, colors and proteins for the food, cosmetics and other industries. It grows GM lettuce in hi-tech greenhouses, which it then squeezes into a […]

Israel has the best value internet access in the world, according to a new study comparing price and speed across 117 countries. Singapore came second, followed by Denmark, France and Australia. The USA was ranked eighth. Bottom of the list was Yemen, followed by Zimbabwe, Uganda and Cameroon. The Global Internet Value Index was produced […]

An AI startup that uses voice and image recognition to streamline inspection processes in food and pharmaceutical factories has completed a $25 million finding round. Aiola, a business intelligence company based in Herzliya, central Israel, says it is making AI accessible to everyone in industry. It uses NLU (Natural Language Understanding) technology, to capture data […]

The global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company has acquired Tel Aviv-based AI and machine learning startup Iguazio. It is McKinsey’s first acquisition in Israel. The cost was not disclosed but has been estimated at $50 million. Iguazio has reportedly attracted $72 million of investment in three funding rounds. McKinsey said it chose the company […]

Israel leads the world in researching and prescribing medical cannabis. Doctors have been legally offering it to patients since 1999 and Israel now imports more cannabis for medical use than any country in the world. But there are still barely 100 doctors who are licensed to prescribe it – out of around 30,000 – and […]

Phone-blocking technology has been fitted in food delivery trucks operated by Shufersal, the Israeli supermarket chain. The system, developed by SaverOne, based in Petach Tikva, central Israel, identifies the driver’s phone and disables non-essential apps while they’re moving. It’s been installed in 19 out of a fleet of 150 large trucks on trial basis and […]

Researchers have identified a protein in our brain that keeps us young by preventing the breakdown of our DNA. They believe the decay of that protein, called SIRT6, is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and the rare neurological disease ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Dr. Debra Toiber and her team at Ben-Gurion University of the […]

Hundreds of thousands of driverless robotaxis will be on the roads of major cities across the world by the end of the decade, says Mobileye boss Amnon Shashua. His company pioneered driver assistance technology, was bought by Intel in 2017 for $15.3 billion, and is now developing autonomous cars. Shashua, who is Professor of Computer […]

An app that brings order to your chaotic collection of smartphone pictures is being developed by an Israeli startup. GoodOnes uses machine learning to sift out bad photos and recommend the good ones. The user can then swipe left or right to save or delete. “We focused on building a fun and easy-to-use platform to […]

Saying “It’s fine, I don’t mind,” when deciding on a meal or a movie is the worst possible answer, say researchers. You may think you’re being easy-going and cooperative, but the truth is that others will be convinced you do have a preference. You just won’t say what it is. They assume your preferred meal […]

A robot has been developed with a biological sensor as a “nose” that is 10,000 times more sensitive than existing devices. Researchers at Tel Aviv University say it could be used in the future to identify explosives, drugs, and diseases. They describe their achievement as a “technological-biological breakthrough” – the first time a robot has […]

I’m writing this story with a little help from my new AI friend. It will be offering suggestions as I type – in case I get stuck or need a fresh idea. There’s an icon floating at the side of the page, ready to offer help with any of the following: Explain, Emphasize, Expand on, […]

Reichman University has raised $30 million in just five months to help its students and graduates with promising startups. The newly-established venture capital fund, RUNI Ventures, will offer around $500,000 to each promising startup in the pre-seed stage. Successful candidates will also be provided with workspace in Herzliya, guidance from academics and industry experts, and […]

Startup breeding billions of high-protein Black Soldier Flies for livestock

Doctors could soon prescribe electric devices instead of drugs