More Israeli companies than ever appear on the new Forbes list of top 2000 global companies. While last year Israel boasted 10 names, this year, 13 firms made the cut. Not bad in a period of economic slowdown.
According to Globes, the new companies on the list are: “Four new companies made the list - Bezeq The Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ), Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL; Pink Sheets:AFIVY), Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP), and Gazit-Globe Ltd. (TASE: GLOB) - while Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL) was relegated off it.”
Congrats to all, and keep up the good work.
While israel suffers through a major water shortage, it’s good to know that israeli companies continue to develop cutting edge water technology to help solve the problems of other countries around the world. The Israeli firm Netafim won a $22 million tender to install water irrigation systems for Peru.
According to Ynet: “Netafim, jointly owned by Kibbutz Hatzerim, Kibbutz Yiftach, Kibbutz Magal, Markstone Capital Group, and Tene Capital, signed the deal valued at $22 million, good news in light of the economic crisis, which has affected agricultural companies, mainly because of dried up credit sources for financing large-scale agricultural projects. Netafim themselves recently laid off more than 200 employees following a decrease in orders. The deal, signed with Peruvian company Maple Energy, stipulates that Netafim will provide engineering, planning, procurement, and building services, while also being the exclusive supplier of irrigation equipment for the sugar cane project. Maple Energy produces energy for industrial clients from oil, gas, and ethanol and is headed by CEO Rex Canon. The project will be spread over some 20,000 acres in southern Peru, which will be used to grow sugar cane used to produce ethanol and electricity. Infrastructure building is scheduled to be finished in 2010.”
This is a big win for Netafim, and an even bigger win for israeli water technology as a whole.
Project Better Place continues to build momentum, as the maker of electric cars, has signed up 19 Israeli companies to test the suitability of running their car fleets with electric cars.
According to Globes: “The participating companies cover the gamut of Israeli industry, from high tech to telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, finance, manufacturing, agriculture, and juice. They include Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO), which has invested heavily in the venture, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA), Pelephone Communications Ltd., Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR), Matrix IT Ltd. (TASE:MTRX), Direct Insurance - Financial Investments Ltd. (TASE: DIFI), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Netafim Ltd., Keter Plastics Ltd., Orbotech Ltd. (Nasdaq: ORBK), juice maker Jafora Tabori Ltd., Manpower Israel Ltd., SQlink Ltd., Nike Israel Ltd., and Glasshouse Technologies Ltd. Better Place will begin designing the recharging points for the companies’ electric cars and install them at the companies’ parking lots and employees’ homes. It will also work with the companies’ managers and employees in the design and deployment of the infrastructure in order to optimize and customize them to the needs of each company.
Even if it works, the question still remains whether consumers are going to spend more money on an electric car? Also without massive government subsidies, how high will the price of these cars go?
TEL AVIV/ ATLANTA, February 22, 2009 – Dozens of emerging Israeli healthcare technology companies will meet in Atlanta, Georgia, this week to participate in a groundbreaking conference focused on harnessing the latest TeleHealth technologies.
The first ever U.S. - Israel TeleHealth Business Exchange (www.usisraelexchange.com), to be held February 24-25, will present an unparalleled opportunity for emerging TeleHealth technology companies in Israel to present their innovations to leading companies in North America and participate in pre-arranged and pre-qualified meetings with the aims of furthering joint venture R&D, investment and marketing alliances.
“Georgia, a leader in the field of TeleHealth, has recognized the great potential that Israeli technology brings to this growing industry,” said Sherwin Pomerantz, Georgia’s Trade and Investment Representative in Israel. “This unique event will provide Israeli companies with the opportunity to interact with America’s top healthcare providers, the first step toward entry into the U.S. market.”
Featured technologies will include those used by patients and/or their families to improve the management of chronic disease in the home, such as patient-centric information systems, remote monitoring, patient education, and patient-provider interaction. Israeli companies invited to participate in the event include MediTouch, Vaica Medical, OrSense, Aerotel, ETView and 2P2D Solutions.
In addition to its unique meeting and networking environment, the TeleHealth Exchange boasts top industry speakers such as Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the founder of the Center for Health Transformation, and John Oxendine, Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner and founder of the Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth. Other speakers include Mikael Ohman, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development of McKesson Technology Solutions, and Rhonda Chetney, Director of Clinical Support Services of Intel Health.
“Israel is one of the world’s most dynamic sources for high tech companies with original and cutting edge technologies, particularly in the field of medical devices and information technology,” said Rick Litzky, event chairman and President of Medical Director Solutions, LLC. ”The challenge is that while many of them have created extremely innovative technologies and services, it is often difficult for them to get noticed by the market here. We created this event to help Israeli companies navigate the US market, to bring the latest technologies to key players in North America, and out of a desire to better serve the critical healthcare challenges in our country.”
The event, organized by the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region (AICC), will be hosted by Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Georgia at its headquarters in Atlanta. For full event details, please visit http://www.usisraelexchange.com.
Georgia is home to the world-class healthcare institutions and innovators, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the premier public health institute in the world, as well as CARE, the Carter Center, the American Cancer Society and the Arthritis Foundation.
