June 30, 2015 | The Israeli author Amos Oz has been selected as the winner of Germany’s prestigious International Literary Prize for his novel, “Judas”. Oz will be presented the award, together with the German translator of the novel Mirjam Pressler, on July 8th. The pair will receive prize money of 25,000 and 10,000 euros, respectively. This is the seventh year that the International Literary Prize is being awarded, presented by the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures) in Hamburg, Germany.
News Briefs
June 30, 2015
Amos Oz Wins Prestigious German Literary Prize
June 30, 2015
Kibo Mobile-Tech To Release Apple Version
June 30, 2015 | Kibo Mobile-Tech announced that its brand-name keyboards will now be made available for iPhone and iPad users. A joint effort between WhiteSmoke Software and Apply, Kibo provides customization, brand-generated keyboards for soccer teams, like A.C. Milan, as well as other companies. Kibo will begin marketing its platform for Apple users in the coming weeks.Kibo Mobile-Tech was founded in 2013.
June 30, 2015
Ceragon Signs $13M Deal In Latin America
June 30, 2015 | Ceragon, the Israeli communications equipment company, announced that it signed a $13 million deal with a major Latin American cellular operator. Ceragon reports that the cellular operator has chosen the company to implement its nationwide 4G communications network. Ceragon’s IP-20 platform will be implemented. Ceragon was founded in 1996 under the name Giganet.
June 30, 2015
Emerson Electronics Acquires Spectronics For $99M
June 30, 2015 | The Israeli company inventing fire detection technology Spectronics will be sold to Emerson Electronics for $99 million. Spectronics develops sensors for fire alerts and gas leaks that it develops for the civilian market, as well as systems to detect and contain explosions in military vehicles. Spectronics was founded in 1972.
June 30, 2015
Report: Apple To Open Official Sales Booths In Israel
June 30, 2015 | Apple announced that it plans to open 20 sales points in Israel in the coming months, ‘The Algemeiner’ reports. The first Apple sales booth will be opened in the southern city of Ashdod, but soon sales booths will open in cities across Israel. Apple is reportedly working together with Israeli communications company Partner to set up the stands within Partner’s stores. Apple has yet to open a number of official retailers in Israel and currently markets its products in the country through licensed importers and retailers.
June 30, 2015
Hinoman To Launch Mankai Veggie At IFT 2015
June 30, 2015 | The Israeli agritech company Hinoman announced the official launch of its Mankhai whole-protein vegetable. Mankhai is an aquacultured source of vegetable protein with exceptional nutritional value. The vitamin and mineral-rich Mankhai plant is a native of Southeast Asia, and has been enjoyed in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam for generations. In addition, it is the world’s smallest vegetable with a size of less then 1/5 an inch. Hinoman, which is headed by CEO Ron Salpeter, will launch its protein-filled vegetable at the Institute of Food Technologists conference in Chicago between July 11-14.
June 30, 2015
Microsoft Ventures Accelerator In Israel Closes Its Sixth Batch
June 30, 2015 | Eleven startup have completed the sixth batch of Microsoft Ventures Accelerator program in Israel. The companies, such a Highr, Bontact and Taranis Visual, are developing products in ecommerce, marketing, finance, cybersecurity, agritech, tourism and more. The current batch of Microsoft Ventures Accelerator also saw the launch of an alumni program to provide entrepreneurs with guidance in the years to come. Microsoft Ventures reports that the success of Israeli graduates raising follow-on funding following participation in the program is among the highest in the world.
June 30, 2015
Frutarom Acquires Foote & Jenks For $4M
June 30, 2015 | The Israeli flavors and special ingredients company Frutarom announced that it will acquire US flavors company Foote & Jenks for approx. $4 million. Frutarom, one of the ten largest flavors and specialty ingredients companies in the world, hopes to use the acquisition to expand its product portfolio and to maximize commercial and operational opportunities in the United States. Frutarom was founded in 1933 by Yehuda Araten and Maurice Gerzon.
June 30, 2015
BIRD Approves $8M In Funding For Ten Projects
June 30, 2015 | The Israel-US Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD) approved $8 million in funding for ten new projects between US and Israeli companies. Some of the approved projects include partnerships between Israeli company Life-Beam and American company Under Armour, between Telesofia and the Tribute Content Agency and between Kando and Water Analytics, just to name a few. The ten projects are added to the 910 projects that the BIRD Foundation has approved for grant funding during its 38 year history. The total investment in joint projects from the BIRD Foundation totals $300 million, helping to generate direct and indirect sales of more than $10 billion.
June 29, 2015
Chief Scientist, IDB Sign Cooperation Agreement
June 29, 2015 | The Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Economy Avi Hasson signed a cooperation agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The agreement will seek to open up new business opportunities for Israeli companies in Latin America. IDB is the largest investment authority in Latin America and the Caribbean with 48 member states in the bank, funding projects to the tune of $12 billion annually. The agreement forwards the Ministry’s commitment to cementing business ties in the Americas, an initiative instated two years ago.
June 29, 2015
Drippler Raises $4.5M In Series A Funding
June 29, 2015 | The app recommendation platform for smartphones Drippler announced that it raised $4.5 million in Series A funding in a round led by Titanium Investments. TMT Investments, iAngels, Reuven Agassi, Yanki Margalit, David Assia, Christian Gaiser and other private investors also participated in the round. Drippler was selected to be the ‘Must Have App’ on Google Play in 2015 for its app recommendations as well as the option allowing users to connect with one another. Drippler was founded in 2011 by Matan Talmi, Dotan Galron and Ronen Yacobi.
June 29, 2015
Stockton Group Acquired By Hebang For $90M
June 29, 2015 | An agreement was signed in Beijing to sell 51 percent of Israeli company Stockton Group to the Chinese Hebang Group for $90 million. Hebang is a public Chinese company that is traded on the Shanghai stock market and deals in a number of industrial fields, namely agronomics. This is Hebangs first investment outside of China. Stockton Group is an Israeli company specializing in crop protection that is innovative and eco-friendly. Stockton Group was founded by Peter Tirosh 20 years ago and today is managed by CEO Ziv Tirosh.
June 29, 2015
BGU Student Named IBM PhD Fellow
June 29, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev student Mordechai Guri has been awarded an IBM PhD Fellowship for 2015-2016. Guri, a student in BGU’s Department for Systems Engineering, is researching state-of-the-art challenges in cyber attacks and defense. The IBM PhD fellowship is a competitive worldwide program that honors PhD students solving issues relevant to IBM and its activity. In addition, IBM recently opened a Center of Excellence on BGU’s campus for joint research initiatives.
June 29, 2015
Qlight Nanotech Acquired By Merck
June 29, 2015 | The international healthcare company Merck announced that it will acquire Qlight Nanotech. Though the financial details of the deal were not disclosed, Merck will require the remaining stake in the Jerusalem-based company to control 100 percent of the company. Qlight Nanotech is the developer of semiconductor nanocyrstals and Merck hopes to use their technology to develop liquid crystal displays and OLED technology. The deal was announced at today’s (Monday’s) ‘Made in Germany’ event in Tel Aviv.
June 29, 2015
Light & Strong To Issue $13.3M Wall Street Offering
June 29, 2015 | The Israeli composite materials company Light & Strong submitted a prospectus to raise$13.3 million on Wall Street. Light & Strong serves such Israeli companies as the Israeli Aerospace Industry and Elbit Systems as a subcontractor and provider of composite materials. Light & Strong was founded in 2007 and operates out of the Kannot Industrial Zone.
