August 16, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev doctoral student Omer Linkovski recently received a National Network of Excellence in Neuroscience Grant from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Together with eleven other Israeli students, Linkovski received the grant for his research into the treatment of depression. The “National Network of Excellence in Neuroscience” is a grant program established by Teva in 2013 that seeks to discover novel therapeutic approaches to some of today’s most common diseases and conditions. The program aims at maintaining Israel’s status as a world leader in neuroscientific research, with the country ranked fifth for neuroscience research publications globally.
News Briefs
August 16, 2015
BGU Student Awarded Neuroscience Grant
August 16, 2015
Israel Ranks 3rd In Global Competitiveness Report
August 16, 2015 | According to the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Competitiveness Report, Israel ranks third in terms of innovation for 2014-2015. Israel tagged behind Finland, which ranked first, and Switzerland ranking second, followed by Japan in fourth and the United States in fifth. The Global Competitiveness Report is an annual report that evaluates 144 economies according to a number of innovative measures, including the quality of scientific research and R&D spending.
August 16, 2015
Hebrew U Ranked 67th Globally
August 16, 2015 | In the 2015 Academic Ranking of World Universities, Hebrew University of Jerusalem was ranked 67th overall, making it the highest ranking Israeli institution. Following in second was the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, which ranked 70th, and the Weizmann Institute of Science that was ranked in the 101-150 category. The ranking is conducted on an annual basis by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. The researchers look at six factors to measure the rankings: the number of Nobel Prizes and Field Medals, the number of cited researchers, the number of published articles, and per capita performance, along with other factors. Hebrew University was ranked 70th on the 2014 ranking, moving up three places.
August 16, 2015
Payoneer Raises $50M In Series E Funding
August 16, 2015 | The online payments company Payoneer announced that it raised $50 million in Series E funding in a round led by Wellington Management Company. Existing investor Susquehanna Growth Equity also participated in the round. Shares were purchased from existing investors, though all major shareholders in the company retained their holdings. Payoneer was founded in 2005 by Ben Yaniv Chechik and Yuval Tal.
August 16, 2015
Chinese Students Head To Israel For Smart-Up Camp
August 16, 2015 | Chinese students who won a prestigious science competition will visit Israel as their prize, participating in a ten-day workshop hosted by the Weizmann Institute of Science. The teenagers will attend together with teachers, journalists and government officials from Beijing. The winners of the competition will attend the Smart-Up Science Youth Camp, a collaboration effort between Weizmann and Shirat Enterprises, supporting joint ventures between Israeli and Chinese companies. As part of the program, the participants will also meet with Israeli Nobel Laureate Prof. Ada Yonath.
August 16, 2015
IDC To Host First Fullbright Scholar
August 16, 2015 | Andrew Pilecki, a UC Santa Cruz Ph.D. graduate received the first Fullbright Scholarship to conduct 20 months of research at Israel’s Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. Pilecki’s research examines how groups justify violence on moral terms. Pilecki is the first Fullbright Scholar to study at the at Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. Pilecki will be working with Eran Halperin at the IDC.
August 16, 2015
Report: Macrocure To Move Headquarters To New Jersey
August 16, 2015 | The Israeli biopharmaceutical company Macrocure is reportedly considering moving its headquarters to New Jersey. The Economic Development Authority (EDA) awarded Macrocure Grow NJ tax credits worth up to $3.2 million over the next ten years to encourage Macrocure to establish their headquarters in New Jersey. If the deal goes through, Macrocure will establish its offices in the EDA’s Technology Center of New Jersey in North Brunswick. Macrocure was founded in 2008 and is currently headquartered in Petah Tikvah, Israel.
August 16, 2015
Report: Dubai-Based Travelauto To Offer Services In Israel
August 16, 2015 | The Dubai-based company TravelAuto.com said that it would begin to offer its services in Israel. An online marketplace for renting cars, representatives from TravelAuto.com will visit Israel to set up deals with local car rental companies to be offered through the company’s website. According to reports, the company will not open an official office in Israel.
August 16, 2015
U Haifa, Kent Join Forces On Cyber Security Research
August 16, 2015 | The University of Haifa in Israel and the University of Kent in England are cooperating to address the global threat to cyber security. The universities signed a £1.2 million (approx. $1.87 million) for a joint cyber security research program, announced by the Cabinet Office in the UK. The effort will consist of three bilateral groups that will deal with topics of research, identity management, regulation, privacy and more. Dr. Orr Dunkelman, who is leading the team at the University Haifa, stated of the effort, “Our project is about estimating the level of security offered by biometric systems, while concentrating on face-based systems.”
August 13, 2015
Ten Israeli Gaming Cos. Attend Casual Connect
August 13, 2015 | A delegation of ten Israeli companies will take part in the world’s leading gaming expo in San Francisco, California this week, Casual Connect. The Israeli companies to attend the conference will meet with potential buyers and business partners such as Apple, Zynga, Amazon Gaming and more. The Israeli gaming companies attending the conference include: Adience, Optimove, Planet of the Apps, Tactisift, and the Idolls, among others. The delegation was organized by the Israeli Ministry of the Economy’s Foreign Trade Administration in San Francisco and GAMEIS.
August 13, 2015
BGU Establishes Center Of Digital Health
August 13, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev announced that it has established a non-profit research center to promote and develop digital medicine in Israel. The Center of Digital Innovation will be located at the Gav Yam Advanced Technologies Park in Beer Sheva. The Israeli entrepreneurs involved in the project include: Ziv Ofek, Sharon Sasportas and Boaz Gur-Lavie. The non-profit center is expected to serve as a crossroads that will combine the cutting edge of scientific research in medicine, along with entrepreneurial ecosystem approach that characterizes Israel.
August 13, 2015
Reactful Raises $1M
August 13, 2015 | The Israeli startup Reactful announced that it raised $1 million in its first round of funding. Reactful is part of AOL’s Nautilus Accelerator, raising the funds in a round led by Shaked Ventures. AOL and Inspiration Ventures of Silicon Valley also participated in the round. This is Inspiration Ventures’ first investment in an Israeli company. Reactful, a marketing technology company, was founded in 2013 by Aaron Hakim and Jonathan Friedman.
August 13, 2015
Hebrew U, Hadassah Establish Autism Center
August 13, 2015 | The Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center announced the establishment of the first interdisciplinary autism center in the Middle East. The center is a collaboration between Hadassah Medical Center and the Medical School at the Hebrew University to educate parents and professionals in how to support those with autism. In addition, the Autism Center will conduct research into autism and society, as well as clinical services for autistic patients. Prof. David Lichtstean of the Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine stated: “Our goal in establishing the Autism Center is to lead Israel and the Middle East in research, training, clinical services and community engagement for the benefit of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families.”
August 13, 2015
Teva’s Huntington’s Drug Application Approved By FDA
August 13, 2015 | Teva Pharmaceutical Industry’s new drug application for Huntington’s Disease medication was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration. The drug, SD-809, was approved for the treatment of chorea, a neurological disorder associated with Huntington’s Disease. The trial drug SD-809 was added to Teva’s portfolio after the pharmaceutical company acquired Auspex for $3.2 billion in May 2015. Teva was founded in 1901 and is headed by CEO Erez Vigodman.
August 13, 2015
Israeli Cyber Security Cos. Head To Atlanta
August 13, 2015 | Metro Atlanta Chamber will host 10-15 Israeli cyber security companies at the Cybersecurity Forum With Israel and the American South next week. The companies are being invited in order to present their technological solutions to the CTOs of some of Atlanta’s largest technology firms. Atlanta hopes that it will be able to attract Israeli companies too establish a presence in Atlanta due to the close proximity to the US National Security Agency in Augusta, Georgia. Israel and India are the two countries that the Metro Atlanta Chamber is pursuing business partnerships through its Gateway program.
