• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Carrar, superior thermal management for electric vehicles
• FoodTech takes center stage at OurCrowd Summit
• Global media spotlights OurCrowd Summit
• Kando helps Bedouin communities stem health hazards
• BlueGreen Water launches clean water program for underprivileged communities
• Florida hospital inaugurates Insightec Alzheimer’s treatment
• UAE-based Pegasus Intelligence FZCO, Cyabra provide disinformation analysis for GCC security agencies
• Tovala unveils new smart oven
• More than 3,700 high-tech jobs

Carrar: Superior thermal management for electric vehicles

The auto industry is rapidly moving toward adopting and mass-producing electric vehicles (EVs), but battery efficiency, safety and lifetime remain significant obstacles. Israeli startup Carrar has created a novel thermal management solution to significantly increase the lifespan and efficiency of EV batteries, enabling better acceleration and driving range. Based on a patented immersion two-phase technology, the system provides complete thermal management for all the EV components that require cooling, dissipating heat twice as fast as any other available solution. Carrar’s system keeps the EV battery at a steady, optimal temperature, prolonging its life by up to 100% while enabling ultrafast charging and reducing the risk of thermal events. By prolonging battery life, Carrar also lowers the total cost of EV ownership and enables an EV aftermarket. Carrar has ongoing projects with some of the world’s top automakers and Tier-1 companies in the US, Sweden, Germany, Italy and Japan, and is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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FoodTech takes center stage at OurCrowd Summit

Global media spotlights OurCrowd Summit

From Reuters to the BBC, the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit has generated nearly 100 stories, TV reports and podcasts so far – with more scheduled to appear each day. Fintech.TV, which reports daily from the New York Stock Exchange, set up a virtual studio next to the main auditorium, broadcasting live updates and interviews with D-ID, Phantom Auto, Mermade Seafoods, JumpCloud and Ori Sobovitz, Head of Government Relations at OurCrowd. CNBC went into the field to speak to the Fresh Start incubator, in addition to an onsite interview with me at the Summit itself. Forbes reported on how the Summit showcased the promise of Startup Nation, while the Jerusalem Post featured our popular Top Ten Tech Trends session. The Australian Financial Review focused on a new fund targeting fields that are important to Australia’s sovereign capabilities, and The National, based in Abu Dhabi, reported on the visible impact of the Abraham Accords. Follow OurCrowd on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram to keep updated on all these stories and more. Summit also received extensive coverage in the Israeli media including interviews I conducted in Hebrew with three of the major television stations, Channels 12, 13 and 14. Kudos to Eric Brand, OurCrowd’s Summit mastermind, his deputy Avital Lapian, and the entire OurCrowd Events team for making this our biggest Summit ever. Thanks also to Leah Stern, OurCrowd’s Partner, Global Communications, for leading the outreach to the world media and to Uri Meirovitch, OurCrowd’s Israel media head, for his local efforts.

Kando helps Bedouin communities stem health hazards 

Technology from our currently funding company Kando that analyzes wastewater for disease is helping Israel’s Bedouin communities, NoCamels reports. As many as 150,000 Bedouin live with inadequate sewage systems in the southern city of Rahat and in many off-grid towns and villages across the Negev desert. Portable smart samplers developed by Kando are lowered into manholes to test their wastewater and provide early warnings for outbreaks of diarrhea, dysentery, polio, flu, norovirus and Covid. The information is quickly passed on to health authorities to take appropriate action. “The laboratory analysis is basically something that everyone can do. But analyzing the locations to sample, and then translating this data into actionable insights that can be implemented by officials or health officials, is the holy grail,” says Hila Korach Rechtman, Kando’s Head of Research. Planet First Partners is leading Kando’s Series C round, available for a limited time on the OurCrowd platform. 

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Top Tech News

BlueGreen Water launches clean water program for underprivileged communities

Our portfolio company BlueGreen Water Technologies will help underprivileged communities access clean and healthy water with a new pro bono initiative. The company’s Clean Water Program will rid water bodies in disadvantaged communities of toxic algal blooms that harm aquatic ecosystems, jeopardize human health, and can render drinking water supplies unsafe. “We are committed to creating a world in which water is safe and accessible, regardless of one’s socioeconomic standing,” says Moshe Harel, Founder and CSO of BlueGreen, which is now taking applications for the program that will provide lake remediation services to water bodies of up to 250 acres.

Florida hospital inaugurates Insightec Alzheimer’s treatment

Florida’s Delray Medical Center is using non-invasive focused ultrasound technology from our portfolio company Insightec to treat an Alzheimer’s disease patient as part of a groundbreaking study. Alzheimer’s may be caused by a buildup of certain proteins in the brain. Precisely guided by magnetic resonance imaging, Insightec’s ultrasound waves are directed at specific areas of the patient’s brain to create a temporary opening in the blood-brain barrier where the protein buildup may be reduced. “The study will help determine whether the use of this non-invasive focused ultrasound technology can lead to cognitive improvement in patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. Lloyd Zucker, medical director of neurosurgery at Delray Medical Center.

UAE-based Pegasus Intelligence FZCO, Cyabra provide disinformation analysis for GCC security agencies

UAE-based Pegasus Intelligence FZCO is teaming up with our portfolio company Cyabra to equip public sector organizations in the GCC with systems designed to curb online security threats. The partnership was designed to integrate Cyabra’s sophisticated AI-powered social search engine into the commercial offering of clients in the Gulf region. “Our team has a keen focus on the fact that the future of warfare will focus less on firepower and more on the power of information. As it is the world’s leading OSINT tool focusing on sentiment analysis and the identification of fake accounts and bad actors, Cyabra is an obvious partner for us. Together we are able to provide our governmental clients with assurances in their information warfare battles,” says Andrew Grunstein, CEO of Pegasus Intelligence FZCO.

Tovala unveils new smart oven

Tovala has a new way to cook up its fresh, pre-packaged meals. The company introduced the Smart Oven Air Fryer which features max-power, a dual-speed fan, and “can beat out any standalone or multi-function air fryer oven, while offering up more convenience, versatility, and deliciousness thanks to the oven’s incredibly smart tech,” says CEO and Co-founder David Rabie. The oven scans the meal’s QR code and automatically cooks the food to perfection. Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Esquire, and Consumer Reports have all recommended Tovala.

More than 3,700 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Medical Director for CytoReason (Tel Aviv)
• Recruitment Specialist for Freightos (Barcelona)
• Operations Analyst for Locusview (Chicago)

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The post Newsletter: FoodTech takes center stage + Aiding Israel’s Bedouin communities appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• OurCrowd Global Investor Summit roars back
• Global guests address urgent issues
• Flash Forest: One million trees in two months
• Surgical Theater: Life-saving startup
• Azerbaijan invests $1M in Largix
• Segula Technologies partners with C2A Security
• IDF rescue hospital in Turkey uses Sight Diagnostics device
• UMass Chan Medical School and AEYE Health to launch $800K pilot
• Morphisec warns ChatGPT could create super malware
• More than 3,700 high-tech jobs

OurCrowd Global Investor Summit roars back

The 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem smashed its own records for attendance, content and inspiration, sweeping away any concerns that the current economic and political situation might be a damper. On Summit Day, more than 9,000 investors, entrepreneurs, sponsors and VCs from 81 countries accepted our invitation to learn how startups are taking a big bite out of greenhouse gasses, heard a senior official from Abu Dhabi talk about his personal journey to Jerusalem, and were inspired to witness how one man’s OurCrowd-backed startup saved his young son’s life. The Summit attracted worldwide coverage from the BBC, Reuters, PitchBook, The National, CNBC, Alarabiya and more. I hope those who attended feel the way I do about this memorable gathering of the startup world. For those who couldn’t make it, you can already save the date for our next get-together in Jerusalem: February 28, 2024.

Watch the Livestream

Global guests address urgent issues

Flash Forest: One million trees in two months

Among the standout OurCrowd startups featured at the Summit were several dedicated to reversing the devastating effects of climate change. Flash Forest is doing just that as Canada’s largest drone reforestation company, aiming to replenish the world’s forests. “Over the next two months, Flash Forest will plant over one million trees in remote forests in North America,” said Cameron Jones, the company’s Founder and COO. “We are actually going to be breaking some world records for the largest number of trees ever planted by drone, and we are going to redefine how reforestation is done over the next century,” he said as he displayed his company’s drone technology on Summit’s center stage. OurCrowd has an allocation in Flash Forest’s current funding round.

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Surgical Theater: Life-saving startup 

OurCrowd’s MedTech startups play an important role in many people’s lives, but none more so than Surgical Theater. President and COO Alon Zuckerman who used his company’s technology, which adapts flight simulator technology to complex medical procedures, to save his son’s life. Itai Zuckerman fell victim to Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that forms from a kind of cell in bone or soft tissue. “Yes, I’m the President of Surgical Theater. But this is not just a job I do. It’s saving lives, my son’s included,” Alon Zuckerman said as he kissed Itai, who burst onto the stage dribbling a soccer ball in what participants hailed as the emotional highlight of Summit. Watch the unforgettable moment here. Surgical Theater is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Azerbaijan invests $1M in Largix

The Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) is investing $1M in our 3D printing pioneer Largix. The funding is a result of the MOU OurCrowd and AIC signed in July 2022 to invest in leading technologies relevant to the needs of Azerbaijan’s economy. Largix’s giant-format Additive Production System can 3D print room-size objects using common polymers, cutting costs and helping industries overcome the growing shortage of skilled production workers. OurCrowd has an allocation in Largix’s current funding round.

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Segula Technologies partners with C2A Security

French automotive engineering giant Segula Technologies will work with our mobility cybersecurity pioneer C2A Security to provide vehicle makers with a new range of cybersecurity services. The platform will enable manufacturers to test their vehicles’ resistance to cyber threats and meet new automotive security regulations and standards. Segula and C2A will deploy the strategic offering across Segula’s 30 countries of operation, incorporating a full range of cyber risk assessment and remediation analysis solutions. “We have identified at C2A Security a capacity to respond with rigor and agility to the most demanding requests of all the players in the automotive sector, whether they are manufacturers, equipment suppliers or suppliers,” says Emmanuel Ifrah, Israel Director of Segula. C2A Security is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

IDF rescue hospital in Turkey uses Sight Diagnostics device

The innovative blood test diagnosis device from our portfolio company Sight Diagnostics was used in the Israel Defense Forces field hospital helping victims of the disastrous earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, Israel21C reports. The OLO analyzer uses AI algorithms and only needs two drops of blood to perform a complete blood count, delivering test results in just 10 minutes. The fast and accurate diagnosis of survivors can speed up the provision of appropriate medical treatment. The 150+ Israeli medical experts returned to Israel on Wednesday after a week of treating about 470 victims, including 150 children in Turkey, the Times of Israel reports.

UMass Chan Medical School and AEYE Health to launch $800K pilot 

UMass Chan Medical School is working with our portfolio company AEYE Health on a study testing its handheld, AI-assisted retinal camera to improve screening for diabetic retinopathy in a primary care setting. The study will allow diabetics visiting their family doctor or nurse at UMass Memorial Health to be screened for retinopathy using an AEYE Health camera, instead of making a separate appointment with a specialist for a test. UMass Chan and AEYE Health received an $800K grant from the Israeli-US Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation for the study, which will launch in April and include some 500 patients.

Morphisec warns ChatGPT could create super malware

ChatGPT has made a splash in the tech world since its launch last November, but malicious actors have taken notice, too. Created by OpenAI, the chatbot uses a huge data collection and natural language processing to “converse” with users in a way that feels like normal human conversation. Oren Dvoskin from our pioneering cybersecurity company Morphisec writes on the Israel Defense website that there is a danger ChatGPT could be used to create advanced malware. Security researchers have already discovered cybercriminals abusing it, with hackers trying to bypass IP, payment card and phone number safeguards. They are also exploiting ChatGPT’s capabilities to improve phishing emails and mimic legitimate websites to improve their chances of success.

More than 3,700 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Head of People for wefox (Tel Aviv)
• Quality and Reliability Engineer for Qauntum Machines (Tel Aviv)
• IT Program Manager for teradata (California)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd Summit: Israel’s President, UAE, Fauda take center stage appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Global OurCrowd community gathers in Jerusalem
• Startup of the Week: Flash Forest, tech-driven reforesting
• NT-Tao to join Israel’s nuclear fusion institute
• OurCrowd investors see upturn by 2024
• Norwegian government grant for Wind Catching Systems
• MagniLearn AI to teach English to Arabic speakers in East Jerusalem
• NCSOFT taps Workspot, Google Cloud to enhance gaming experience
• Plenty to build $20M vertical farming research center
• More than 3,700 high-tech jobs

Global OurCrowd community gathers in Jerusalem
Join the Summit Livestream

OurCrowd’s global community will gather in Jerusalem this week for the 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit. In the three years since our last Summit in February 2020, the world has changed. A global pandemic, a supply-chain crisis, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a global recession have all contributed to jitters about the future. But as I told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble this week, venture investors must take a long view and remain optimistic. We need the kind of technology and innovation that will be on display at the Summit this week more than ever to help solve the challenges that face the planet. We need to bring together the smartest founders, entrepreneurs, investors and multinational partners to discuss the problems and build solutions together. I am excited to welcome thousands of our friends and colleagues from around the world and look forward to meeting you in person. If you can’t make it to Jerusalem, join the livestream by logging onto the OurCrowd platform.

Startup of the Week
Flash Forest: Tech-driven reforesting

NT-Tao to join Israel’s nuclear fusion institute

Alternative energy pioneer NT-Tao will join Israel’s leading universities in forming the national nuclear fusion institute, Israel21C reports. The Israel Energy Ministry has pledged $11.5M for the institute, where the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Technion and Tel Aviv University will work alongside NT-Tao, which is developing a compact system for nuclear fusion. NT-Tao will be presenting its groundbreaking technology at the OurCrowd Summit on Feb. 15. The company raised a $22M Series A round led by Delek US, with participation from OurCrowd investors. There is a remaining allocation in the round, available for a limited time only. 

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OurCrowd investors see upturn by 2024

The public markets will pick up again by the end of 2024, ending the downturn that has ravaged tech stocks worldwide and plunged many countries into the worst recession in 50 years. That’s the belief of the vast majority of investors on the OurCrowd global investment platform surveyed in January. More than 85% of respondents said the next bull market would begin before the end of next year, with more than 48% suggesting the upswing would start as early as 2023.

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Top Tech News

Norwegian government grant for Wind Catching Systems

Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment awarded our portfolio company Wind Catching Systems a second grant for its floating offshore wind technology. The $900K award was given to the company through ENOVA, the ministry’s alternative energy unit. “This is the second grant Wind Catching Systems has received from ENOVA. The support from ENOVA is a strong validation of both our technology and our team. We are now fully focused on maturing our technology towards our first offshore installation,” says Ole Heggheim, CEO of Wind Catching Systems 

MagniLearn AI to teach English to Arabic speakers in East Jerusalem

AI-powered technology from MagniLearn will help teach Arabic-speaking East Jerusalem residents English as a second language, the Jerusalem Post reports. Nurtured at the Labs02 incubator, MagniLearn has developed a “linguistic engine” that is tailored specifically to Arabic speakers. It understands where students are struggling and adapts the lessons to match their individual needs. The Jerusalem Municipality greenlighted the online program, which the company hopes will eventually be used by Arabic-speaking students throughout Israel.

NCSOFT taps Workspot, Google Cloud to enhance gaming experience

South Korean gaming giant NCSOFT is working with Google Cloud and our portfolio company Workspot to enhance its multiplayer online role-playing games. The two companies provide NCSOFT with a Cloud PC platform that monitors the gaming environment, optimizes performance, and takes action in real time to mitigate a disruption. “Our collaboration with Workspot adds an additional layer that takes the quality of our services to new heights, all aimed at delighting our customers,” says Youngmin Noh, Executive Director of NCSOFT Platform Center, which operates Guild Wars, Throne and Liberty and other popular games in 60 countries.

Plenty to build $20M vertical farming research center

,The state of Wyoming awarded our portfolio company Plenty a $20M grant to build the world’s largest vertical farming research center in the city of Laramie. The company’s indoor, vertical farming technology eliminates growing difficulties stemming from weather, location, pests and climate while producing higher yields of crops and using 95% less water than traditional farming. Construction of the 60,000-square-foot facility will begin in 2025.

More than 3,700 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Customer Success Manager for TechSee (New York)
• Software Engineer – ATE Group (Tel Aviv-Yafo) 
• Senior Legal Advisor for Wefox (Milan)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd Summit: In person and online appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Gulf partners join OurCrowd Summit
• Startup of the Week: Surgical Theater, leading extended reality healthcare
• NT-Tao raises $22M Series A
• CropX acquires US precision irrigation pioneer Tule
• OurCrowd investors see glimmers of recovery
• Meet the world at the OurCrowd Summit
• FAA approval greenlights expansion of Flytrex drone deliveries across US
• Cigna to cover Insightec treatments for essential tremor
• Anne Hathaway invests in The Every Company
• More than 3,800 high-tech jobs

Gulf partners join OurCrowd Summit

Senior officials from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) will participate in the 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit on Feb. 15, where they will host The Abu Dhabi Pavilion showcasing business opportunities in the emirate. ADGM and ADIO officials will participate in Summit discussions, including a special session on “What’s Next for the Middle East?” A sizable number of investors, entrepreneurs and other business leaders from the UAE and other MENA countries have registered to attend the Summit in Jerusalem. Time is running out to enjoy a 10% pre-Summit discount, and tickets are going fast. The 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit is just over a week away, and I look forward to seeing you in Jerusalem.

Register Now

Startup of the Week
Surgical Theater: Leading extended reality healthcare

NT-Tao raises $22M Series A

Alternative energy pioneer NT-Tao raised a $22M Series A round for its nuclear fusion technology. The company is developing a high-density, compact fusion reactor to provide a clean and sustainable energy source. The round was led by Delek US and NextGear Ventures, with participation from Honda, OurCrowd and the Grantham Foundation, the lead investor in the company’s seed round. “Clean energy sources are an inherent and imperative component of securing a sustainable future. The compact, modular approach pioneered by NT-Tao stands out in a competitive marketplace, and represents a game changer in how humanity will harness and democratize energy and revolutionize the world for generations to come,” says Dr. Tal Cohen, Managing Partner at Next Gear Ventures. OurCrowd has some remaining allocation in the round, available for a limited time only.

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CropX acquires US precision irrigation pioneer Tule 

Our visionary AgTech startup CropX has acquired Tule Technologies, a precision irrigation company based in California. The acquisition brings new data-capture technologies to CropX’s Agronomic Farm Management System, which helps farmers reduce energy consumption, fertilizer, manpower and water usage, while cutting costs and increasing harvest yields. It also expands the company’s market into California’s drip-irrigated specialty crops. Tule is CropX’s fourth acquisition since 2020 and the second based in the US. “At Tule, we’ve admired CropX for their agronomic expertise, engineering excellence and global ambition,” says Dr. Tom Shapland, Tule Technologies CEO. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to join the CropX team.” OurCrowd has an allocation in CropX’s Series C funding round led by Aliaxis Ventures.

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OurCrowd investors see glimmers of recovery

In a survey of accredited investors registered on the OurCrowd platform, more than 85% of respondents said they expect the next bull market to begin before the end of 2024, with more than 48% suggesting the upswing will start this year. That chimes with an IMF report last week that forecast a renewal of global economic growth in 2024, much earlier than previously predicted. The last three years we have been on an investment roller coaster, but I believe we are emerging from the dark tunnel of recession and swinging up toward a brighter future. Read more in my latest ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Meet the world at the OurCrowd Summit

The 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit is just over a week away. Step into pavilions showcasing business and investment opportunities from Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Hong Kong and Italy. Meet investors, entrepreneurs and multinational executives from more than 70 countries. Hear more than 100 speakers from around the world and meet the founders behind more than 200 OurCrowd portfolio companies. Sample the alternative proteins and sustainable fuels that could help feed and power the future without wrecking the planet. Watch drones that plant trees by the hundreds, private aircraft that can land on your lawn, and virtual reality that can save lives in surgery. Time is running out to enjoy a 10% pre-Summit discount, and tickets are going fast.

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Top Tech News

FAA approval greenlights expansion of Flytrex drone deliveries across US 

The FAA set our portfolio company Flytrex on track to expand its drone delivery service across the US by granting Flytrex’s partner, Causey Aviation Unmanned, Standard Part 135 Air Carrier Certification allowing “small drones to carry the property of another for compensation beyond visual line of sight,” Fast Company reports. Flytrex will now be able to complete long-range commercial drone deliveries across the US and expand its delivery service to all eligible yards nationwide. Flytrex is only the fifth company to receive this certification, joining Amazon/Prime Air, Google/Wing, UPS and Zipline.

Cigna to cover Insightec treatments for essential tremor

US insurance giant Cigna will cover the focused ultrasound treatments for medication-refractory essential tremor created by our portfolio company Insightec. Essential tremor, a movement disorder that causes uncontrollable shaking, affects an estimated 10 million Americans. Cigna is the fourth national US payor to cover the treatment after Anthem, Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. It is also covered by Medicare in all 50 states.

Anne Hathaway invests in The Every Company

Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway is investing in our FoodTech pioneer The Every Company, which produces alternative egg proteins using a proprietary fermentation process. Hathaway — who was drawn to impact investing after reducing her consumption of meat and single-use plastics, and embracing a zero-waste approach — credits Every’s impact, technology and nutrition advantages as key drivers in her interest in the company. “The need to transform our food system has never been clearer or more urgent,” Hathaway says. “An important piece of the puzzle is in nature-equivalent animal proteins, such as Every has been developing. I’m proud to back this vision of a better future.”

More than 3,800 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Validation Engineer for Syqe Medical (Tel Aviv)
• Sales Account Manager for BioCatch (India)
• Sales Director for Stellar Cyber (USA/Remote)

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The post Newsletter: Gulf partners join OurCrowd Summit + Extended reality surgery appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Lano, run payroll anywhere
• Freightos shares start trading on NASDAQ
• OurCrowd Summit: SpaceIL, Mobileye, Fauda and more
• Pigmentum raises $6M for milk proteins from lettuce
• NTT picks C2A Security for first Auto Security Center project
• AWS: CropX platform helps reduce climate impact
• DailyPay secures $260M in funding
• BetterSeeds edits protein-rich cowpea gene
• Sanofi extends drug discovery deal with CytoReason
• More than 3,900 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Lano: Run payroll anywhere

Freightos shares start trading on NASDAQ

Congratulations to our portfolio company Freightos (NASDAQ: CRGO), which began trading on the Nasdaq on Thursday. CEO Zvi Schreiber and his team were in New York to ring the opening bell. They were joined by OurCrowd’s own Ilana Odess, Partner and Managing Director, IR. Trading of the company’s shares and warrants began after the closing of its business combination with Gesher I Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, as reported in Bloomberg, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and other global media. Freightos’ digital platform connects hundreds of airlines, ocean liners, and trucking companies, thousands of freight forwarders and over 10K importers/exporters, allowing for real-time global freight rate comparison, booking, payment, and shipment management. OurCrowd was one of the founding investors in Freightos and we have supported the company closely ever since.

OurCrowd Summit Feb 15: SpaceIL, Mobileye, Fauda and more

The OurCrowd Global Investor Summit is less than three weeks away on Feb. 15 and is shaping up into the premier business event on Israel’s calendar, with more than 100 speakers, over 100 startups and thousands of investors. Among the speakers announced so far:

• Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel
• Amnon Shashua, founder of Mobileye and One Zero Bank
• Thomas R. Nides, US Ambassador to Israel
• Morris Kahn, Co-founder of Amdocs and Chairman of SpaceIL
• Anil Soni, CEO, WHO Foundation
• Zvi Schreiber, CEO and Founder, Freightos
• Ami Appelbaum, Chief Scientist and Chairman, Israel Innovation Authority
• Saul Singer, co-author, “Start-Up Nation”
• Michal Ansky, MasterChef judge and Farmers’ Market entrepreneur
• Jared Heyman, Managing Partner, Rebel Fund
• Christina Karapataki, Partner, Breakthrough Energy Ventures
• Lara Ramdin, Chief Innovation Officer, Dole Foods
• Karin Noy, Emerging Science & Innovation Lead, Pfizer
• Melissa Drew, Digital Transformation Executive Advisor, IBM
• Lior Raz, star and creator of “Fauda.”

OurCrowd investors register for free. Places are limited and going fast. Reserve your ticket today. 15% discount until Jan 31 with promo code OCSUMMIT15.

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Pigmentum raises $6M for milk proteins from lettuce 

FoodTech startup Pigmentum, which uses gene-modified plant-based technology to create milk proteins from lettuce, raised $6M in seed funds, The Times of Israel reports. A Fresh Start incubator portfolio company, Pigmentum genetically modifies greenhouse lettuce by adding a special fertilizer to the irrigation system that yields milk protein that can be used to create cheese and other dairy products. “The potential is not only in changing the face of the dairy industry but impacting climate change by reducing deforestation and pollution of raising livestock,” says Tal Lutzky, CEO of Pigmentum.

NTT picks C2A Security for first Auto Security Center project 

Japanese IT powerhouse NTT picked our portfolio company C2A Security as the first project for its new Global Automotive Security Test Center, the Jerusalem Post reports. The Italy-based center will run security tests on connected vehicles to protect their systems from cyber attacks. C2A’s DevSecOps platform automates cybersecurity for electric vehicles and their infrastructure. They will be joined on the project by Marelli, an Italian automotive component developer and manufacturer. “We’re thrilled to offer NTT customers a seamless and automated system-level validation tool in order to find ahead of time critical bugs and vulnerabilities,” says Roy Fridman, CEO of C2A Security, which is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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AWS: CropX platform helps reduce climate impact

AWS says farmers seeking to supply food to the world’s population without exacerbating climate change should use the advanced farm management platform from our portfolio company CropX. The platform analyzes millions of data points every day to help farmers optimize resources, save water, cut fertilizer use and keep costs down. CropX captures data from the company’s in-soil sensors, weather-related data and satellite imagery, and sends it to a centralized platform running on hundreds of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud instances. CropX also relies on AWS technology to support rising traffic from web and mobile devices, and to transfer messages between services. “Thanks to AWS’ cloud and tools, we successfully built a hyper-scalable, DIY, global infrastructure and are now winning channels and customers, positioning ourselves as the world’s leading agronomic farm management platform solution,” says Matan Rahav, Vice President of Business Development at CropX, which is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

DailyPay secures $260M in funding 

FinTech powerhouse and OurCrowd portfolio company DailyPay secured $260M in fresh capital to support its industry-leading on-demand pay platform. The funds will be used to help the company expand in the US and internationally, while developing new product options. “On-demand pay has proven to be a transformational financial wellness benefit for employers and their employees, and DailyPay is the proven market-leader. Now, our opportunity lies in capturing more of the market, which is overwhelmingly vast green space,” says Kevin Coop, CEO of DailyPay.

BetterSeeds edits protein-rich cowpea gene

OurCrowd’s AgTech pioneer BetterSeeds is the first company to successfully edit the cowpea gene. Also known as black-eyed peas, cowpea is rich in plant-based proteins and considered the oldest crop farmed by man. The company used its CRISPR genome-editing technology to change the gene, allowing the plant to be grown at scale and harvested mechanically. BetterSeeds plans to enhance the crop even further to make it herbicide resistant. It will be field tested in the US later this year.

Sanofi extends drug discovery deal with CytoReason 

French pharma giant Sanofi is using the AI-powered disease model platform developed by our portfolio company CytoReason to find new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), The Times of Israel reports. Sanofi will pay CytoReason a multimillion-dollar amount to use the technology to help predict patients’ responses to IBD drugs. “By harnessing our game-changing AI capabilities, we hope to help Sanofi’s scientists identify novel and personalized targets in IBD, and to prioritize targets in their pipeline,” says David Harel, CEO and Co-founder of CytoReason.

More than 3,900 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Project Administrator for Teradata (California)
• Data Scientist for Diagnostic Robotics (Tel Aviv)
• Data Analyst for JumpCloud (Mexico City)

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The post Newsletter: Freightos lists on Nasdaq + Lior Raz of ‘Fauda’ joins OurCrowd Summit appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: CropX, the future of farming 
• Quantum Machines raises $20M as adoption grows
• OurCrowd Summit: Enter a world of angels and unicorns
• Microsoft Sentinel taps Cyfirma for cybersecurity boost
• OurCrowd hosts Spanish innovation officials
• General Mills launches cream cheese with Remilk
• Tetra Pak signs deal with Fresh Start incubator
• Freightos: Record transactions and bookings in 2022
• CNN: Insightec’s ultrasound surgery safely targets faulty brain circuits
• More than 3,900 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
CropX: The future of farming

Quantum Machines raises $20M as adoption grows

Where there is quantum computing, you’re likely to find technology from our portfolio company Quantum Machines, which just added $20M to its $50M Series B raise, TechCrunch reports. More than 280 facilities in 20 countries worldwide use the company’s control solutions, which speed up the workload of quantum computers when they are integrated into existing hardware. Its client list includes Harvard, Weizmann Institute of Science, Seoul National University, ENS Lyon, USC and other top research centers. Quantum Machines has raised $100M since it was founded in 2018.

OurCrowd Summit: Enter a world of angels and unicorns

Enter a magical world of angels and unicorns at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem on Feb. 15. Israel’s innovation nation is the birthplace of thousands of young high-tech startups created by brilliant entrepreneurs. Every startup hopes to become a unicorn – a private company valued at more than a billion dollars. But young businesses cannot thrive without resources. Angel investors provide the finance that fuels these innovative enterprises, helping the entrepreneurs of the future deliver tomorrow’s technology today. Hear from some of the world’s leading investment and business experts, and watch the latest technology in action. See, taste, wear and feel groundbreaking products from OurCrowd’s global portfolio. Listen to the newest startup CEOs present their elevator pitches. Places are limited and going fast. Reserve your ticket today. 15% discount until Jan 31 with promo code OCSUMMIT15.

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Microsoft Sentinel taps Cyfirma for cybersecurity boost

Cyfirma is adding its expansive cyber threat detection capabilities to Microsoft’s Sentinel platform. Sentinel is integrating Cyfirma’s DeCYFIR system, allowing security practitioners to manage the entire lifecycle from threat detection, investigation, and triage to prioritization and remediation without leaving the Microsoft console. “With the Cyfirma and Microsoft Sentinel integration, customers will now have an easy way to import high fidelity threat intelligence produced by Cyfirma into Microsoft Sentinel. This threat intelligence will then be available in Microsoft Sentinel for investigation/hunting and can also be disseminated to other security controls of the organization,” says Eric Burkholder, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Sentinel, at Microsoft Corp. Cyfirma is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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OurCrowd hosts Spanish innovation officials 

A delegation of innovation, economic and education officials from across Spain visited OurCrowd in Jerusalem to hear about the Israeli tech ecosystem. Representatives of regional governments from five Spanish states came to examine the possibilities of future collaboration with Israeli companies and agencies, courtesy of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israel’s Embassy in Madrid. 

Top Tech News

General Mills launches cream cheese with Remilk 

General Mills, one of the largest food companies in the world, is using milk proteins from our portfolio company Remilk to make a new vegan cream cheese, Vegconomist reports. Created through precision fermentation, Remilk’s proteins are identical to those produced by cows on farms, but without the use of animals. Currently available only in Plain flavor, two more, Onion & Chive and Strawberry, will be hitting the market soon. The product line marks the company’s first commercial collaboration. In June 2022, Remilk received FDA approval to sell its proteins in the US.

Tetra Pak signs deal with Fresh Start incubator

European food and packaging giant Tetra Pak is teaming up with Fresh Start, our trailblazing FoodTech incubator situated in northern Israel, Food Navigator reports. Tetra Pak will share its knowledge in a joint effort to develop new food innovations, while Fresh Start startups will have access to Tetra Pak’s product development and R&D centers. “By working together and combining Tetra Pak’s decades of industry experience and expertise with the breakthrough innovations of food incubators such as Fresh Start, we can accelerate new food solutions that create novel avenues for addressing the challenges of the modern food systems,” says Rodrigo Godoi, Vice President Processing Portfolio Management, at Tetra Pak.

Freightos: Record transactions and bookings in 2022

2022 was a banner year for our portfolio company Freightos. The company reported a record 211K transactions, booked primarily on its WebCargo air freight platform in Q4 2022, up from 97K in Q4 2021 and 22K in Q4 2020. This brought the total freight transactions booked in 2022 to 668K, a 154% increase compared to 2021. The growth was spurred by an increase in demand – users booking across the platform – and supply – the number of international carriers offering their services on the platform, which has now topped 30.

CNN: Insightec’s ultrasound surgery safely targets faulty brain circuits

More than 25M people around the world suffer from essential tremor, a neurological condition that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. While some sufferers respond to drugs, a focused ultrasound procedure using the equipment from our portfolio company Insightec can rid a patient of this disorder with an incisionless operation that safely targets the faulty brain circuits, CNN reports. Insightec’s FDA approved platform is now undergoing trials in top medical centers including the Mayo Clinic and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

More than 3,900 high-tech jobs worldwide

• System Architect for CytoReason (Tel Aviv)
• Loan Processor for Orchard (Houston)
• Staff Product Manager for Ro (New York/Remote)

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The post Newsletter: The future of farming + Angels and unicorns appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Edgybees, Real-time video intelligence
• Taste the future at the OurCrowd Summit on Feb. 15
• IonQ acquires assets of Entangled Networks 
• Surviving the dreaded down round
• Start-Up Nation Central: OurCrowd is Israel’s most active VC by far
• Divilo adopts ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform
• Remitly completes acquisition of Rewire
• Greenlight launches financial education game for kids
• Yale New Haven Health deploys DreaMed Diabetes digital support system
• More than 4,000 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Edgybees: Real-time video intelligence 

Taste the future at the OurCrowd Summit on Feb. 15

The future tastes good. Try it for yourself at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit on Feb. 15 in Jerusalem, where you will find some of the world’s top FoodTech startups. You will be able to sample pastries and desserts made with Incredo, the wonder sugar from DouxMatok; fresh orange juice from BlueTree Technologies with half the sugar and all the taste; superfood yogurt and creams from Maolac; and fruit and vegetables kept fresher for longer by Sufresca’s invisible, tasteless, odorless technology. Meet Noga Sela Shalev, CEO of Israel’s Fresh Start FoodTech Incubator, and Dr. Lara Ramdin, Chief Innovation Officer of the Dole Sunshine Company. Chat to the people behind Remilk, Ripple, Mermade Seafoods, CropX, Taranis and more groundbreaking food and agricultural technology companies. Places are limited and tickets are going fast. OurCrowd investors register free. Non-investors can enjoy a 15% discount until Jan. 31 by clicking the button below and using the promo code OCSUMMIT15.

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IonQ acquires assets of Entangled Networks

Quantum computing pioneer IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), announced its acquisition of the operating assets of our portfolio company Entangled Networks, which focuses on enabling computation across multiple distributed quantum processors. IonQ’s own quantum networking hardware is currently under development, and it expects to demonstrate an early version of a quantum network between two quantum computers in 2023. “In acquiring the Entangled Networks assets, IonQ will benefit from not only some of the top experts in quantum architecture, but also from software tools that we intend to use to drive substantial speed-ups in our system performance,” says Peter Chapman, President and CEO of IonQ.

Surviving the dreaded down round

In this challenging economic climate, we are now seeing startup funding rounds where some companies that raised money a year or two ago are raising new investment at half their prior valuation or lower. I believe that sometimes a down round can not only help a company to survive, but ultimately to succeed. Investors can prosper and take advantage of what ultimately can turn out to be very good deals indeed. Read more in my latest ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Start-Up Nation Central: OurCrowd is Israel’s most active VC by far 

The 2022 Ecosystem Report from the Start-Up Nation Policy Institute and Start-Up Nation names OurCrowd as Israel’s most active VC investor, with 84 Israeli startup investments last year. OurCrowd’s model of democratizing the venture capital world continues to attract growing numbers of accredited investors to fund our innovative portfolio companies.  

Top Tech News

Divilo adopts ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform

Spanish FinTech platform Divilo will be using the AI-powered transaction monitoring systems from our portfolio company ThetaRay to boost its fraud protection, FinTech Global reports. Divilo supplies SMBs with financial products, including cards, transfers and mobile-managed payments, so it needs to keep these services free of money laundering, sanctions violations and other financial crimes. “Using ThetaRay’s AML solution, we will be able to grow our network of relationships and increase business internationally with the assurance that next-generation AI detection will provide enhanced coverage and highly accurate alerts to allow businesses to focus on what really matters,” says Juan Guruceta, Founder and CEO of Divilo.

Remitly completes acquisition of Rewire

Remitly Global Inc. (NASDAQ: RELY), a leading digital financial services provider for immigrants and their families in over 170 countries around the world, successfully completed its previously announced acquisition of Rewire, an Israel-based remittance and financial services platform for migrant workers. “We are thrilled for the Rewire team to join Remitly, bringing with them a strong, account-based remittance product in complementary geographies, and a track record of product innovation and execution,” says Matt Oppenheimer, Co-founder and CEO, Remitly. “Our combined expertise and strategic alignment will serve us well as we continue executing on our vision to transform the lives of immigrants and their families by providing the most trusted financial services on the planet.”

Greenlight launches financial education game for kids

Our portfolio company Greenlight is making financial education fun with a new game designed for kids, FinTech Global reports. Level Up teaches them about earning, spending, saving, credit management and taxes, using challenges and awards presented throughout the game. “Greenlight’s mission has always been focused on empowering kids and teens to learn about money. Level Up advances our mission even further with an engaging, gamified curriculum that teaches financial literacy in a fun and relatable way,” says Jennifer Seitz, Director of Education at Greenlight.

Yale New Haven Health deploys DreaMed Diabetes digital support system

Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) Center for Health Care Innovation successfully deployed DreaMed Diabetes’ endo.digital clinical decision support system in the electronic medical records workflow at Northeast Medical Group, YNHHS’ not-for-profit, multispecialty medical foundation. This marks the first time in the industry that a diabetes clinical decision support system has been deployed as an integrated component of patients’ records, allowing all providers in the patients’ care continuum to provide expert-level diabetes care. “This new technology will not only improve clinical operations but reduce the need for multiple integrations and installations by the IT team,” says Lisa Stump, SVP, Chief Information and Digital Transformation Officer, YNHHS.

More than 4,000 high-tech jobs worldwide

• DevOps Leader for Morphisec (Israel)
• React Developer for Freightos (Barcelona)
• Account Manager for Apploi (New York)

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The post Newsletter: SpaceTech lifts off + Surviving the down round appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Air EV, private airborne vehicle takes off
• Valeo taps C2A Security to enhance cybersecurity products
• Meet WHO Foundation CEO Anil Soni at OurCrowd Summit
• What does 2023 hold in store for Israeli tech?
• PA health network offers Theranica device for migraine treatment
• McDonald’s launches Double McPlant with Beyond Meat patties
• Daimler’s Torc Robotics signs multi-year deal with Foretellix
• Ÿnsect embarks on $200M expansion in North America
• BeetleSat launches satellite on SpaceX rocket
• More than 4,000 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Air EV: Private airborne vehicle takes off 

Valeo taps C2A Security to enhance cybersecurity products

French automotive supplies giant Valeo enlisted our portfolio company C2A Security to enhance its cybersecurity products. Security is a top priority as cars become more software-centric and new automotive cyber regulations emerge. C2A Security’s flagship product EVSec is a cybersecurity DevOps platform that helps automotive companies manage software at scale. “C2A is the future of cybersecurity, and with their technologies to automate security, together we will go further in monitoring, preventing risk, identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities,” says Geoffrey Bouquot, Group Chief Technology Officer & Senior Vice President Strategy at Valeo, which has over 180 production sites in more than 30 countries. More information about C2A Security’s current funding round is available under NDA.

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Meet WHO Foundation CEO Anil Soni at OurCrowd Summit

In September, I joined Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation, at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York to announce the creation of a $200M Global Health Equity Fund, triggering a tsunami of press coverage from Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Reuters, CNBC TV Africa, TechCrunch, The Times of Israel and many more. Meet Anil Soni and other VIP international guests speaking at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit on Feb. 15th in Jerusalem, and learn what it takes to drive a global healthcare transformation. OurCrowd investors register free. Enjoy a 15% discount until Jan. 31st by clicking the button below and using the promo code OCSUMMIT15.

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What does 2023 hold in store for Israeli tech?

The Times of Israel asked me and other leaders of the Israel tech community to look ahead to what 2023 holds in store for investors and entrepreneurs. After the stratospheric results of 2021 and the challenges of 2022, I predict this will be a year in which investors focus on the fundamentals in their portfolio, with interesting opportunities still there for those who know what to look for.

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PA health network offers Theranica device for migraine treatment 

Neurologists at Allegheny Health Network’s Headache Center in Pennsylvania are offering migraine sufferers Theranica’s novel therapy for relief. The FDA-approved Nerivio device is worn on the upper arm and triggers remote electrical neuromodulation that allows the body to abort or alleviate migraine headaches without the use of drugs. “Nerivio is an excellent treatment option for our patients with migraine, especially those who do not respond to medications, or cannot tolerate their side effects,” says Dr. Andrea Synowiec, System Vice Chair, Department of Neurology, Associate Professor of Neurology and Assistant Director of the headache center of the Allegheny Health Network, which operates 14 hospitals and has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff. Theranica’s current funding round is open to OurCrowd investors.

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McDonald’s launches Double McPlant with Beyond Meat patties

McDonald’s launched the Double McPlant in the UK and Ireland, featuring a pair of alternative meat patties from our portfolio company Beyond Meat, Fox Business reports. The rollout comes about a year after the fast food chain made its McPlant Burger featuring a single patty widely available in both countries. The burger, which costs about $5.80, also comes with a vegan sesame bun and optional vegan cheese in addition to other toppings.

Top Tech News

Daimler’s Torc Robotics signs multi-year deal with Foretellix

Torc Robotics, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, signed a multi-year deal with our portfolio company Foretellix as the Virginia-based truck company moves to deploy vehicles capable of driving fully autonomously without the assistance or intervention of a human driver, Calcalist reports. Foretellix’s safety-driven verification and validation (V&V) platforms for automated driving systems will help Torc test millions of driving scenarios required to get the trucks on the road. “Our collaboration with Foretellix is in line with Torc’s safety mission. It provides Torc with V&V tools to add to our current toolset, based on industry standards, to conduct the massive scale testing and validation we need to ensure the safety of our systems,” says Axel Gern, Torc SVP of Engineering and Managing Director of Torc EU.

Ÿnsect embarks on $200M expansion in North America

Our portfolio company Ÿnsect has signed two deals to build insect ingredient production sites in North America, Reuters reports. Ÿnsect aims to help feed the world’s burgeoning population by sustainably breeding mealworms that provide high-performance natural proteins for aquaculture, livestock, pet food, fertilizers and human nutrition. The company signed an agreement with Ardent Mills, a US flour milling company, to build a factory in the Midwest by the end of 2023. In Mexico, Ÿnsect will work with Corporativo Kosmos, a food and general services provider, to build a plant near Mexico City. The two new sites will cost at least $100M each, with output eventually reaching about 200,000 tons of insect-based ingredients per year.

BeetleSat launches satellite on SpaceX rocket

A nanosatellite from our portfolio company BeetleSat, formerly known as NSLComm, was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Sat News reports. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) unit will provide BeetleSat’s public sector customers with very high throughput satellite communication services. This is the company’s second launch as it focuses on becoming one of the world’s leading satellite service operators with a LEO constellation that will enable secure, low-latency, high-throughput, and cost-effective point-to-point communications from anywhere on Earth.

More than 4,000 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Junior System Integrator for Shield (Tel Aviv)
• Associate Director for Alloy Therapeutics (Athens)
• Application Test Engineer for Icon (Austin)

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• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Magdent, empowering successful dental implants
• Wanted: More investment in breakthrough climate tech
• Grab a December Discount for Summit until Jan. 5
• Air EV completes successful test voyage
• Theranica: Drug-free migraine relief
• Insightec receives FDA approval, patients enrolled for Mayo Clinic trial
• Dubai’s NOW Money taps ThetaRay for financial crime prevention
• Japan’s largest cargo carrier joins Freightos platform
• Cybersixgill: Cost of cyberattacks to reach $10.5T by 2025
• More than 4,000 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Magdent: Empowering successful dental implants

Wanted: More investment in breakthrough climate tech

The fusion breakthrough in California last month highlights a significant problem we currently see with impact investing. Of more than $33T assets under management forecast to be focused on ESG investments by 2026, only about $260B have been invested in climate tech so far, according to PwC. Most of the money is being spent on existing energy companies and multinationals, and new solar and wind farms. All this is important, but equally important are startup technologies that break new barriers and provide new solutions. OurCrowd is investing alongside top VCs in two fusion startups. One is a renowned US-based project backed by the world’s leading investors with a $1.8B funding round. The other is an Israel-based, early-stage startup developing a container-size clean energy nuclear fusion generator that can produce enough power for a small city. Read more in my latest column.

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Grab a December Discount for Summit until Jan. 5

Our 20% December Discount for the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit expired for the general public on Dec. 31st, but readers of this Newsletter can exclusively take advantage of this special offer until Jan. 5 by using the special promo code XTRA20. OurCrowd investors and partners are eligible for free tickets but spaces are limited. Apply now using the link below.

Summit 20% offer

Air EV completes successful test voyage

An electric vehicle designed to fly commuters on short trips far above congested streets made its maiden unmanned flight over the skies of southern Israel, Reuters reports. The two-seater Air ONE produced by the Israeli startup Air EV can fly at an altitude of 1,200 feet and as far as 100 miles on a single charge. The company will charge around $150K – the price of a high-end luxury car – for the vehicle, which it hopes will hit the market at the end of 2024. Air EV is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Theranica: Drug-free migraine relief

At least 37M people in the US, and some 1B worldwide suffer from migraine. Many standard pharmaceutical treatments have unfavorable side effects, leaving some patients without a remedy to this often-debilitating condition. Israeli startup Theranica has created Nerivio, the first drug-free wearable device cleared by the FDA to treat migraine, Matthew Kalman writes in the Times of Israel. Worn on the patient’s arm, the device emits electric stimulation that triggers a pain-killing response from the central nervous system to the neural pathways of migraine symptoms in the brain. Nerivio was selected as one of Time magazine’s 100 best inventions for 2019. Theranica has raised $45M in its Series C funding round, which is still open on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Insightec receives FDA approval, patients enrolled for Mayo Clinic trial

Groundbreaking acoustic-energy based medical care from our portfolio company Insightec reached two major milestones. The company received an additional FDA approval for treatment of essential tremor using its Exablate Neuro platform. Essential tremor commonly affects both sides of the body, and the FDA approval will allow patients to have their second side treated at least nine months after the first. Meanwhile, the first patients have been enrolled in a pivotal clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic and Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to help diagnose and monitor malignant brain tumors in adults.

Dubai’s NOW Money taps ThetaRay for financial crime prevention

Dubai-based mobile financial services pioneer NOW Money will use the cloud-based anti-money laundering platform from our portfolio company ThetaRay to help prevent financial crimes on its payments systems. NOW Money is the Gulf Cooperation Council’s first mobile banking provider, servicing workers of all income levels with credit and cross-border money transfer options. “ThetaRay’s AI technology using advanced machine learning will enable NOW Money to process unlimited volumes of transactions, expand business into high-risk areas, and gain trust of financial partners and regulators worldwide,” says Noel Connolly, CEO of NOW Money.

Japan’s largest cargo carrier joins Freightos platform     

SANA Cargo, Japan’s largest cargo carrier, will add its capacity to WebCargo, the online booking platform created by our portfolio company Freightos, Air Cargo News reports. ANA Cargo has a fleet of over 200 aircraft that service more than 130 routes across five continents. “ANA Cargo continues to improve customer experience with the implementation of digital technology. The expansion of our e-booking network through WebCargo’s platform is a large step that moves us forward to this goal,” says Kenichi Wakiya, Executive Vice President of ANA Cargo, which is expected to join the over 30 international carriers on WebCargo in Q1 2023.

Cybersixgill: Cost of cyberattacks to reach $10.5T by 2025

Our portfolio company Cybersixgill says damage from cyberattacks will amount to a whopping $10.5T annually by 2025 at the current growth rate, IoT World reports. A new report from the company on threats the cybersecurity sector will encounter in the coming year says AI will play an increasingly important role for both offensive and defensive purposes as it becomes more accessible and easy to use. It also expects the e-payment space to become a major source of data breaches as online payment platforms proliferate, accelerated by the rise in online shopping during the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 4,000 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Senior Machine Learning Engineer for Perception Point (Tel Aviv)
• Product Manager – Insurance Distribution Portal for wefox (Barcelona)
• Territory Sales Manager for CropX (Indiana)

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The post Newsletter: Drug-free migraine relief + Better dental implants appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Flash Forest targets reforesting 1 billion trees
• Fusion breakthrough brings clean energy closer
• Meet the newsmakers at the OurCrowd Summit
• Face to face with medical holographic imaging
• When the going gets tough, OurCrowd gets going
• US Dept of Energy lab picks Xage for clean energy cybersecurity program
• India’s Tech Mahindra signs MoU with IQM for quantum research
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud integrates ByondXR platform
• Zoomcar launches electric car initiative in Egypt
• Martha Stewart, Esquire, Consumer Reports recommend Tovala
• More than 4,100 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Flash Forest targets reforesting 1 billion trees

Fusion breakthrough brings clean energy closer

OurCrowd is investing alongside top VCs in an Israel-based, early-stage startup developing a container-size clean energy nuclear fusion generator that can produce enough power for a small city. The historic breakthrough of achieving fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility in California last week could mark the turning point for startups developing fusion energy technology. For the first time, researchers produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it. This advance “will help us solve humanity’s most complex and pressing problems, like providing clean power to combat climate change,” says US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm, who announced the historic milestone. See coverage of the US breakthrough and its business implications in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg and CNBC. Click below to sign an NDA and learn more about this investment opportunity in the clean energy of the future.

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Meet the newsmakers at the OurCrowd Summit

OurCrowd’s growing portfolio of startups make headlines almost every day of the year. At the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem on Feb. 15, you’ll meet many of the CEOs, entrepreneurs and investors behind the success stories featured on the business pages. This is your opportunity to meet more than 100 startup executives raising multimillion-dollar rounds in tough market conditions, developing breakthrough technology that’s improving our world, and bringing innovation to new global markets. Alongside Daniel Schreiber, CEO of Lemonade, seen above on Bloomberg TV, you’ll encounter must-watch entrepreneurs including Shai Magzimoff, CEO & Founder, Phantom Auto; Dr Gilly Regev, CEO & Co-founder SaNOtize; Zvi Schreiber, CEO, Freightos; Rajat Bhargava, CEO & Co-founder, JumpCloud; Gil Perry, CEO & Co-founder, D-ID; and David Maman, CEO, Binah.ai plus many, many more. If you are an OurCrowd investor, apply now for your free ticket using the personal invitation you received via email. If you are not yet an investor, grab a 20% December Discount until Dec. 31 by applying the promo code OCSUMMIT20.

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Face to face with medical holographic imaging

I got a chance to try out the HOLOSCOPE-i holographic system from our portfolio company RealView Imaging at the ICI 2022 conference in Tel Aviv. It’s the first FDA-cleared and CE-approved holographic imaging system that allows doctors to interact with dynamic holograms of the patient’s true anatomy, floating in free space at your fingertips, prior to and during operations. The long line waiting to try this amazing demonstration for themselves included many leading cardiologists. A prototype for the HOLOSCOPE-i is already in use at the Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Israel.

When the going gets tough, OurCrowd gets going

After the stratospheric levels of VC investing in 2021, Russia’s war in Ukraine and other global economic challenges have affected both public and private markets in 2022. It’s been a tough year, but we are still seeing investment levels above 2020, and being part of the OurCrowd community means we are there to help our companies through difficult times. As I told JD Alois at Crowdfund Insider, OurCrowd does more follow-on rounds than just about anyone else. The number of times we come back and invest is astounding. Our model has us take an active role in companies, helping them with their businesses. 

Top Tech News

US Dept of Energy lab picks Xage for clean energy cybersecurity program

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory chose our portfolio company Xage Security to join its Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator program, designed to propose solutions for securing renewable energy systems. Xage’s underlying tech, the Xage Fabric, was built specifically for difficult-to-secure operational technology environments, and to protect applications such as renewable energy. “Xage provides solutions to help operators secure complex, distributed operational environments. We’re proud to be part of this program and work to meet the needs of the next generation of energy systems,” says Duncan Greatwood, Xage CEO.

India’s Tech Mahindra signs MoU with IQM for quantum research

India’s digital transformation giant Tech Mahindra signed an MoU with our portfolio company IQM for research in quantum computing and to explore synergies in mutually beneficial areas of quantum computing, cryptography and communication technologies. The companies plan to jointly develop new quantum offerings for various industries including healthcare, cyber security and banking. “We have collaborated with IQM Computers with an aim to set new standards in the research and development of commercially viable use cases (of quantum computing) across industries,” says Nikhil Malhotra, Global Head of Makers Lab at Tech Mahindra, which services over 1,200 customers, including Fortune 500 companies, across 90 countries.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud integrates ByondXR platform   

Salesforce Commerce Cloud users can now build their own virtual stores using ByondXR’s platform, which is now integrated on the site. The ByondXR virtual store platform acts as an extension of an existing e-commerce site, creating a photorealistic, interactive 3D view of the store or showroom where end users can visit, engage, enjoy and shop. “With ByondXR and Commerce Cloud, companies will be able to create personalized, omnichannel experiences for customers by having products from the ByondXR platform automatically uploaded to the hosting site,” says Scot Gillespie, EVP & GM, Salesforce Commerce Cloud.

Zoomcar launches electric car initiative in Egypt 

Global car-sharing marketplace Zoomcar launched a program designed to encourage the use of electric cars in Egypt, Ahram reports. The company is investing $2M in the “Zoomcar Green” initiative, scheduled to get underway in Q2 2023. “The program contributes to building an integrated and sustainable ecosystem, and promoting the green economy. This comes as part of our commitment to improve the quality of life for future generations, in line with COP27 recommendations to transform towards using electric cars,” says Hany Olma, Vice President and Country Manager of Zoomcar Egypt.

Martha Stewart, Esquire, Consumer Reports recommend Tovala

As we approach the holiday season, Martha Stewart recommends our portfolio company Tovala as the Best Vegetarian Meal Delivery Service for busy foodies. The company offers the full package for people on the go with its pre-packaged, freshly prepared gourmet meals, which are cooked after being scanned by its smart oven. The good word about Tovala is spreading: It was among the winners of Esquire’s 2022 Gadget Awards and received a glowing review from Consumer Reports.   

More than 4,100 high-tech jobs worldwide

• ATE Production Engineer for TytoCare (Netnaya)
• Sr. Director, Strategy for Teradata (Boston)
• Asscociate Business Development for Klook (Taiwan)

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The post Newsletter: Fusion energy breakthrough + Plant a billion trees appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: DayTwo’s precision nutrition combats diabetes, chronic diseases
• NeuReality raises $35M Series A co-led by OurCrowd
• Kando to service 22 French municipalities
• Meeting again, for real
• OurCrowd meets Great Neck mayor, investors
• NASA awards ICON $57.2M contract as lunar land rush begins
• Sealed Air Corporation invests $8M in Highcon
• Google Cloud Marketplace offers Oriient’s indoor location services
• Perception Point: Cyber attacks cost over $1K per employee a year
• More than 4,100 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
DayTwo’s precision nutrition combats diabetes, chronic diseases

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NeuReality raises $35M Series A co-led by OurCrowd

AI-powered chip maker NeuReality raised $35M in a Series A funding round co-led by OurCrowd, Samsung Ventures, Cardumen Capital, XT Hi-Tech and Varana Capital, TechCrunch reports. The raise comes as the demand for AI inferencing chips, which automatically generate text, images and other outputs, continues to grow. The company is working with IBM, Lenovo and AMD, along with cloud solution providers, system integrators, deep learning accelerator vendors and “inference-consuming” enterprises on deployments. “Our belief in NeuReality’s mission couldn’t be stronger,” says Ezra Gardner, Co-founder of Varana Capital and a NeuReality Board Member. “Demands for AI inference are growing exponentially and there is a global need for the NeuReality solution, which lowers the cost and power consumption of scaling these applications.”

Kando to service 22 French municipalities 

Kando’s wastewater analysis platform will soon be deployed across the southeast of France. The company has signed an agreement with Communauté d’Agglomération des Portes de l’Isère (CAPI), a French urban community serving 22 municipalities and more than 100K inhabitants. Kando will provide data intelligence for CAPI’s three wastewater plants to generate data-driven insights in support of environmental protection initiatives and ensuring compliance with regulation. “Kando’s solution has demonstrated its ability to analyze events in full, tracking event details such as content, duration and frequency,” says Stéphanie Guillermard, Head of Expertise and Studies at CAPI. “This granular analysis, combined with knowledge of our networks, will enable us to go back to the source to investigate events and find the most relevant treatment solutions.” Kando is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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We meet again, and this time it’s for real

Relationships, both personal and professional, flourish when they happen face to face, when people are moved, when lives can be changed. There is no comparison, no substitute, to hugging our friends and feeling the warmth and physical connection that makes us people. That’s why we are bringing the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit back to Jerusalem on Feb. 15th, 2023, after a three-year break caused by the pandemic. After so many months of Zooms, Skypes and FaceTimes, it feels like a necessity. The Summit is where business gets done, where deals are struck, where checks for millions of dollars change hands – and where people also have fun, as I explain in my latest ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column. If you are an active OurCrowd investor, register now for your free ticket. Otherwise, apply now for our 20% December Discount by applying the promo code LINKEDIN20 on your registration before Dec. 31st.

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OurCrowd meets Great Neck mayor, investors

I met with a delegation from the US led by Dr. Pedram Bral, the Mayor of Great Neck, NY. He was joined by investors and fellow residents of the Long Island region, including Omid Farokhpour, Moris Lavi and Daniel Rahmani to discuss the current investment climate, Israeli innovation and solving global challenges through technology. The meeting was facilitated by Gedaliah Blum and Yonathan Ben Yisrael of the Heartland Initiative.

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NASA awards ICON $57.2M contract as lunar land rush begins 

NASA has awarded our portfolio company ICON a $57.2M contract to develop 3D-printing technology to build elements necessary for living on the Moon, TechCrunch reports. The company will work with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to create its Olympus system, designed to construct roads, launchpads and homes that will be part of a lunar base. “In order to explore other worlds, we need innovative new technologies adapted to those environments and our exploration needs,” says Niki Werkheiser, Director of Technology Maturation in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “Pushing this development forward with our commercial partners will create the capabilities we need for future missions.”

Sealed Air Corporation invests $8M in Highcon

Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) is investing $8M in our portfolio company Highcon. SEE, which deals in digital and smart packaging, will use Highcon’s advanced Beam 2C digital cutting and creasing system to develop new product offerings and expand into new markets. “Highcon’s technology and capabilities represent a meaningful opportunity for SEE,” says Sergio Pupkin, SVP and Chief Growth & Strategy Officer of SEE. “Highcon’s sustainability value proposition aligns with and can help us advance our vision and plans. The roadmap we are developing together is exciting, and our investment in Highcon is a natural first step in this context.”

Google Cloud Marketplace offers Oriient’s indoor location services

Google Cloud Marketplace is now offering the software-only indoor GPS created by our portfolio company Oriient. The system helps retailers improve the in-store shopping experience by giving customers hyper-accurate, in-store location data utilizing smartphone sensors. “Retailers are increasingly seeking out cloud technologies that help provide enhanced in-store shopping experiences,” says Dai Vu, Managing Director, Marketplace & ISV GTM Programs at Google Cloud. “By bringing its platform to Google Cloud Marketplace, Oriient is making it easy for retailers to gain deeper insights about their in-store experiences and ecommerce efforts so they can continue to improve experiences for customers at scale.”

Perception Point: Cyber attacks cost over $1K per employee a year

New data from Perception Point reveals the hidden cost of cyber attacks to organizations. A report issued by the company and Osterman Research shows every business pays $1,197 per employee to address cyber incidents across email services, cloud collaboration apps or services, and web browsers, VentureBeat reports. That figure does not take into account additional expenses such as business losses, compliance fines or mitigation costs. The report comes as more organizations struggle to keep up with the complex threat landscape, with the number of data breaches increasing by 70% during Q3 2022 compared to the previous quarter.

More than 4,100 high-tech jobs worldwide

• People Generalist for Plenty (Remote)
• Director of Product Marketing for Tabnine (Tel Aviv)
• Strategic Business Development Lead for WeFox (Paris)

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The post Newsletter: Lunar land rush begins appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: SynergyMed, transforming surgery with 3D printing and visualization
• Women tech leaders in the spotlight at OurCrowd Summit
• OurCrowd in UAE: Why AI? Why Abu Dhabi?
• Bionaut Labs raises $43.2M Series B
• UBS joins Shield investors in $20M Series B 
• C2A Security brings full lifecycle EV protection to Asian market
• OurCrowd hosts German business executives
• Teampay raises $47M, expands partnership with MasterCard
• UK’s Poolbeg Pharma uses CytoReason’s AI-model to identify new flu drugs
• UK’s ClearBank adopts ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform
• Top wineries use Trellis’ AI to boost efficiency, sustainability
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
SynergyMed: Transforming surgery with 3D printing and visualization

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Women tech leaders in the spotlight at OurCrowd Summit

Some of the tech world’s most inspiring women leaders will take center stage at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit on Feb. 15^th, 2023. Melissa Drew, Digital Transformation Executive Advisor at IBM, is a world expert on procurement and supply chain issues. She is also a founding member of Women Leaders in Data. Dr. Gilly Regev is the CEO and Co-founder of SaNOtize, creators of the anti-viral nasal spray proven effective against Covid. Lara Ramdin, Chief Innovation Officer at Dole Foods, will talk about new directions in alternative proteins. Also addressing the future of FoodTech are Noga Sela Shalev, CEO of the FreshStart Food Incubator, Maya Ashkenazi Otmazgin, CEO and Co-founder of Maolac, and Efrat Boker Ferri, CEO of Sufresca. Tickets for the Summit in Jerusalem are limited. To reserve your place, register now.

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OurCrowd in UAE: Why AI? Why Abu Dhabi?

In November, we announced the establishment of Integrated Data Intelligence Ltd., OurCrowd’s first R&D center outside Israel. This new company, based in Abu Dhabi, will develop artificial intelligence for business. It is the result of a $60M joint commitment by OurCrowd and the Innovation Programme of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). Why artificial intelligence, and why Abu Dhabi? I explain the thinking behind this new initiative in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Bionaut Labs raises $43.2M Series B

MedTech pioneer Bionaut Labs raised $43.2M in Series B funding, TechCrunch reports. The company’s magnetically driven micro robots deliver therapeutics directly to the midbrain, unlike standard drugs that are delivered mostly intravenously or orally. Bionaut targets several debilitating conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Dandy-Walker Syndrome, Huntington’s disease and certain types of malignant brain tumors. OurCrowd participated alongside lead investor Khosla Ventures. “We are extremely excited about the transformative potential Bionaut presents in treating debilitating neurological disorders,” says Vinod Khosla, Founder of Khosla Ventures. “Anatomically precise treatment will make traditionally used methods seem archaic, and Bionaut is at the forefront of this movement.”

UBS joins Shield investors in $20M Series B  

Our portfolio company Shield raised $20M for its AI-powered workplace intelligence platform, VentureBeat reports. Shield enables financial institutions to detect market abuse and automate surveillance over all employee communication channels, saving operational and compliance costs. Through its venture and innovation unit UBS Next, UBS joined OurCrowd, Mindset Ventures and lead investor Macquarie Capital in the Series B round. “We strongly believe in the value Shield can bring to financial organizations, and Macquarie is pleased to continue supporting Shield as it delivers real benefit to an increasing range of customers,” says David Standen, Global Co-head of Macquarie Capital.

C2A Security brings full lifecycle EV protection to Asian market

As more countries look to adopt more electric vehicles (EVs), the danger of cyberattacks grows, with the entire infrastructure susceptible to hackers. Our portfolio company C2A Security created EVSec, a comprehensive cybersecurity management system that protects the vehicle, charging station, grid and the communication protocols among them, DigiTimes Asia reports. Israel-based C2A is focusing on the Asian market, partnering with Chinese OS giant ThunderSoft. The companies will offer tools for OEMs and suppliers in China to identify and respond to cyberattacks. “I think the key to successful penetration into Asia is having a more significant local presence and making sure that the solution is customized for the Asian market,” says Roy Fridman, CEO of C2A. The number of EV charging stations in China is growing steadily as the country expands adoption of electric and connected vehicles. C2A Security is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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OurCrowd hosts German business executives

OurCrowd hosted a delegation from German Trade and Invest, a government-sponsored initiative, and Berlin Partner, which promotes international technology collaboration. The German business leaders and academics learned about the latest advances in additive and smart manufacturing and 3D printing from our portfolio companies Largix and MultiVu.

Top Tech News

Teampay raises $47M, expands partnership with MasterCard 

All-in-one-purchasing platform and OurCrowd portfolio company Teampay raised $47M in Series B funding led by existing investor Fin Venture Capital, TechCrunch reports. Teampay’s system provides workflows for employees to submit and approve spending. It also allows managers to implement policies that automatically collect approvals or deny expenses that fall into certain categories. It plans on expanding its partnership with Mastercard, which began in 2021 when the two companies launched a digital corporate card integrating key capabilities from Teampay’s platform.

UK’s Poolbeg Pharma uses CytoReason’s AI model to identify new flu drugs

UK-based Poolbeg Pharma is developing new therapeutics to treat flu that will be tested using a computational AI-powered disease model created by CytoReason, Proactive Investors reports. The model analyzes Poolbeg’s human trial data of influenza infection and recovery, allowing it to identify novel drug targets. “CytoReason builds world-class AI disease models, and we look forward with great anticipation to the outputs from their analysis of our unique repository of clinical samples and associated data from influenza human challenge trials,” says Jeremy Skillington PhD, CEO of Poolbeg Pharma.

UK’s ClearBank deploys ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform

UK banking FinTech ClearBank will deploy the anti-money laundering platform from our portfolio company ThetaRay to protect its customers from financial crimes. The cloud-native SONAR system will give ClearBank the flexibility to scale faster and safer processing of increasing transaction volumes on its platform. “The ThetaRay AML system powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning technology will give us the edge that will enable us to win new financial partnerships and unlock the potential of our business model to bring positive and meaningful change for customers in the UK, Europe and beyond,” says Nigel Walder, Chief Operating Officer of ClearBank, which works with over 200 financial institutions and FinTech customers, 13M accounts and £3B in balances.

Top wineries use Trellis’ AI to boost efficiency, sustainability 

When it comes to innovation, the wine industry is famously conservative, but AgTech pioneer Trellis is already changing that, Adam Montefiore reports in the Jerusalem Post. The OurCrowd portfolio company, whose AI-powered system streamlines food production and distribution, works with some of the leading winemakers from California to Bordeaux, including Gallo, the largest winery in the world. With climate change impacting the wine industry worldwide, there is little margin for error in harvesting techniques. Trellis’ platform uses vast amounts of environmental data to help clients optimize the entire length of their supply chain and distribution system, from field to shop counter, increasing efficiency while reducing cost, waste and emissions.

More than 4,200 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Senior Hardware Engineer for Phantom Auto (Colorado)
• Office Mangaer for Morphisec (Be’er Sheva)
• Staff Accountant for Carbon Health (Colombia)

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The post Newsletter: $110M raised by OurCrowd startups appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Neolithics, inspecting produce from the inside out
• Early bird discount for OurCrowd Investor Summit ends Dec. 1
• NTT Data, Marelli tap C2A Security’s platform
• Air EV’s flying car is ready for takeoff
• Tech investment still drives Israeli economy
• mBank delegation visits OurCrowd
• Kessler Foundation, BrainQ launch national trial of stroke recovery device
• Ghana’s Zeepay deploys ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform
• Lindt opens 3D virtual store created by ByondXR
• Baxter Credit Union adopts BioCatch’s anti-fraud platform
• More than 4,300 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Neolithics: Inspecting produce from the inside out

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Early bird discount for OurCrowd Investor Summit ends Dec. 1

If you haven’t registered for the 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit, now is the time. The 25% early bird discount on tickets ends on December 1st. When you join us in Jerusalem on Feb. 15th, you’ll be hearing from Former US National Security Advisor, Lt. Gen. (ret.) H.R. McMaster and other international guests. We will have a large array of tech on display, allowing participants to experience the newest digital health devices, simulating driving a flying electric car, getting a taste of the latest alternative foods and even creating your own NFTs. The OurCrowd team looks forward to welcoming you.

Register By Dec. 1 For Early Bird Discount

NTT Data, Marelli tap C2A Security’s platform

Japanese IT giant NTT Data and Italian auto industry Tier-1 Marelli will use the electric vehicle (EV) security platform created by C2A Security at NTT’s new Global Automotive Security Test Center in Italy. C2A’s EVSec and its system-level security validation module will help the companies develop safety tests on connected cars to protect them from cyberattacks. C2A evaluates cyber threats across the EV supply chain and is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Air EV’s flying car is ready for takeoff

The flying vehicle market is taking off, with the help of companies like Air EV, writes Brian Blum in Israel21c. What just a few years ago was considered science fiction is fast becoming a reality due to the rapid development of electric-powered vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or eVTOLs. Air EV targets the private market and is now accepting pre-orders for its all-electric, two-seater eVTOL, the AIR ONE, which has a range of 110 miles on a single charge at speeds up to 155 miles per hour. Morgan Stanley estimates the flying car market will reach $1.5T by 2040. OurCrowd has an allocation in Air EV’s current funding round.

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Tech investment still drives Israeli economy

High-tech investment has fallen slightly since the staggering $25B we saw pouring into Israeli startups in 2021, but with more than $13B raised so far this year, even though the numbers are down, they are still quite amazing. Venture capital is still the engine driving the Israeli economy and we’re delighted that even with this slowdown, OurCrowd has passed a landmark of $2B in investment commitments, as I told Laura Cellier on i24 News.

mBank delegation visits OurCrowd

A delegation from mBank SA, one of Poland’s largest lenders, visited the OurCrowd office in Jerusalem to discuss data authentication, analytics and RegTech. The group also met our portfolio companies BioCatch and Shield, to learn about their FinTech security and compliance platforms. mBank offers an array of financial services including brokerage operations, corporate management and insurance.

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Kessler Foundation, BrainQ launch national trial of stroke recovery device

Researchers from New Jersey’s Kessler Foundation are enrolling participants in a national trial of a breakthrough device for improving recovery after stroke, created by our portfolio company BrainQ. A total of 20 sites across the US will participate in the EMAGINE Stroke Recovery Trial, which pairs therapeutic exercise with brain stimulation through BrainQ’s wearable technology. “Given the broad impact that stroke has on individuals, families, and caregivers, as well as health care services and our economy, the benefits of improving the outcomes for stroke rehabilitation are substantial,” says Steven Kirshblum MD, Chief Medical Officer of the Kessler Foundation. Strokes affect some 800,000 people in the US every year

Ghana’s Zeepay deploys ThetaRay’s anti-money laundering platform

Zeepay, a fast-growing Ghanian mobile financial services company, will deploy ThetaRay’s SONAR platform to help detect and stop financial crime on its network. It will use the AI-powered, SaaS anti-money laundering system to monitor transactions conducted in 20 countries across Africa. “AI technology with the ability to prevent financial crimes is essential to FinTech companies like Zeepay, and is a growing necessity,” says Andrew Takyi-Appiah, Managing Director of Zeepay. “With its distinctive features and functionalities, ThetaRay’s SONAR is the right choice for our business.”

Lindt opens 3D virtual store created by ByondXR

Swiss chocolatier Lindt opened a 3D virtual store in the US created by our portfolio company ByondXR. The shop features holiday-themed sweets, a luxury gift station and a chocolate fountain, as well as a laboratory where guests can see how a Master Chocolatier creates chocolates. “Here at Lindt USA, we are delighted to offer customers this cutting edge retail experience just in time for the holidays,” says Patrick Diggelmann, Vice President of Retail and e-Commerce at Lindt USA. “While there is no experience quite like entering one of our beautiful Lindt retail stores in person, our virtual store is a close second. We’re truly delighted to show it off.”

Baxter Credit Union adopts BioCatch’s anti-fraud platform

Baxter Credit Union (BCU), is adopting the anti-fraud platform created by our portfolio company BioCatch to protect its customers from identity theft and other financial crimes. BioCatch analyzes a user’s physical and cognitive digital behavior to distinguish between genuine users and cybercriminals. Its behavioral biometric technology continuously monitors for risk throughout every online session, leverages machine learning to deliver a risk score, and alerts the financial institution if fraudulent behavior is detected. “This partnership with BioCatch gives us the tools we need to stop attacks in real time and ensure our members and employees can work together in a safe and secure system,” says Stacy Bausch, Senior Director of the Account Protection Team at BCU, which holds some $5B in assets and serves over 300,000 members in the US and Puerto Rico.

More than 4,300 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Data Product Manager for DataLoop (Israel)
• Fleet Support Manager for Superpedestrian (Baltimore)
• Associate Practice Lead for Teradata (India)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd Summit: Early bird offer ends Dec. 1 appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• WSJ, CNBC, Wired: OurCrowd signs $60M Abu Dhabi deal
• Startup of the Week: NetOp keeps enterprise networks running
• Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022 highlight four OurCrowd startups
• OurCrowd meets Australian Innovation Trade Mission 
• Dandelion Energy raises $70M Series B1 
• FDA clears AEYE Health’s retinopathy screening platform for diabetics
• Cybersixgill: We can help Twitter with the dark web
• Apploi acquires OnCall to help healthcare employers manage staffing
• More than 4,300 high-tech jobs

WSJ, CNBC, Wired: OurCrowd signs $60M Abu Dhabi deal

Startup of the Week
NetOp keeps enterprise networks running

Some of the world’s largest enterprise networks including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram have been hit hard with outages that cost billions. AI-powered technology created by our portfolio company NetOp automatically monitors the health of managed enterprise networks, predicting and fixing problems as they occur, while automating workflows and simplifying IT and operations. Its SaaS platform already supports over 70% of network devices and can serve on-cloud, on-premise and hybrid networks. Nurtured at OurCrowd’s Labs/02 incubator, NetOp customers and trials include a major global financial institution, Israel’s largest MSP and other US-based MSPs and companies in the education, manufacturing and retail sectors. OurCrowd is leading a SAFE for NetOp.

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Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022 highlight four OurCrowd startups

Four OurCrowd portfolio companies scored high in Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022. The latest innovation from Beyond Meat is Beyond Steak – a steak tip for use in other dishes rather than the main course. Made of faba bean protein and wheat gluten, it has the fibrous texture of real steak with a touch of fattiness, but it is cholesterol-free and healthier than the real thing. The 3D-printed House Zero from ICON could play a big part in solving the world’s housing crisis. The 2,400 square foot, 3-bedroom printed structure can be completed in 10 days, improving energy efficiency while reducing material costs, waste and build time. Partnering with homebuilding giant Lennar, ICON broke ground on the largest 3D printed community in the US, a 100-home project in Austin, Texas. Phantom Auto’s Remote Operation Platform for Logistics helps ease the pain of global labor shortages. It allows drivers of warehouse and manufacturing facility vehicles to do their jobs remotely, sitting behind a computer outfitted with a steering wheel, pedals and a complete 360-degree view. A vehicle inspection application from Ravin AI is used by giants like Hertz and Toyota and is shaking up the automotive, insurance and car rental industries. It works with smartphone cameras and CCTV feeds to scan vehicles and cross-reference them with over 2 billion images to generate a condition report including damage severity and repair estimates.

OurCrowd meets Australian Innovation Trade Mission

I was happy to meet with the Australian Innovation Trade Mission in Jerusalem. The delegation was co-led by Robyn Denholm, Global Chairperson of Tesla, and Jillian Segal AO, President of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in New South Wales. Some 30 senior business executives joined the mission to meet with local business leaders and innovators. The delegation represented a diverse range of industries including banking & finance, insurance, telecommunications and transport.

Top Tech News

Dandelion Energy raises $70M Series B1

Dandelion Energy raised $70M in Series B1 funding to help expand its geothermal heat pump operations in the United States, Coco Liu reports in Bloomberg. OurCrowd investors participated in the round, which was co-led by LENX, the corporate venture arm of Lennar, one of the leading homebuilders in the US, and NGP ETP, the energy transition investing platform of NGP. Dandelion more than tripled its commercial operations in 2022, buoyed by passage of the US government’s Inflation Reduction Act, which provides tax credits and other financial incentives for homeowners adopting heat pump technology.

FDA clears AEYE Health’s retinopathy screening platform for diabetics

The FDA has granted clearance for the retinopathy screening platform for diabetics from our portfolio company AEYE Health, Reuters reports. Using a special desktop camera, the system takes images from each eye and, using AI, captures and analyzes data from the retina that helps diagnose diseases, including diabetes, that could lead to blindness. Testing diabetics for retinopathy, or damaged retinas, has recently become reimbursable in the US, where 35 million diabetics require an annual screening.

Cybersixgill: We can help Twitter with the dark web

Twitter has a problem with fake accounts, and new data from our portfolio company Cybersixgill shows that many of them may have been built with tools and services found on the deep and dark web. A new report from the company shows that scammers are selling bots, spam and hacking tools, and fake Twitter accounts on underground forums and the dark web, leading to more problematic activities on the social media platform. Before acquiring Twitter, Elon Musk enlisted the services of another OurCrowd portfolio company, Cyabra, which discovered that spam and bot accounts made up some 11% of Twitter’s total user base.

Apploi acquires OnCall to help healthcare employers manage staffing

Our portfolio company Apploi purchased OnCall, a shift management tool for scheduling healthcare staff, as part of its mission to help ease the healthcare worker shortage in the US. Apploi helps over 7,000 health centers and communities hire and retain the right personnel. It plans on using OnCall to connect full-time, part-time and agency employees to open shifts. “The vision for Apploi has always been to create the healthcare industry’s truly end-to-end staffing and recruiting platform. We started with recruiting, then we moved to onboarding, credentialing and compliance,” says Adam Lewis, CEO and Founder of Apploi. “The next piece of the puzzle is helping customers optimize scheduling and their staffing. Bringing OnCall into Apploi made total sense, and we are so excited to collaborate on this next chapter together.”

More than 4,300 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Product Designer for Jumpcloud (Miami-Remote)
• Sales Trainer for Tailor Brands (Tel Aviv)
• Solution Architect at Teradata (France)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd signs $60M Abu Dhabi deal appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• OurCrowd celebrates $2B in commitments, 10th anniversary
• Startup of the Week: Cyfirma, leading external threat management platform
• Morocco’s Gaia Energy signs MoU with H2Pro at COP27
• Volatus Infrastructure inks collaboration deal with Air EV
• NetOp keeps business networks up and running
• Hertz picks Ravin AI for AI-powered vehicle inspection pilot
• TytoCare launches Home Smart Clinic for primary care needs
• UAE orders autonomous drones from Airobotics for urban deployment
• Zoom selects People.ai to develop new sales tool
• More than 4,400 high-tech jobs

OurCrowd celebrates $2B in commitments, 10th anniversary

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Startup of the Week
Cyfirma: Leading external threat management platform

While many businesses take measures to defend against cyberattacks, most have little insight on when or how they may be targeted and where they are vulnerable. Singapore-based Cyfirma is the only cybersecurity firm that provides organizations with complete visibility of their external threat landscape with six threat views – attack surface discovery, vulnerability intelligence, brand intelligence, digital risk monitoring and protection, situational awareness and cyber-intelligence – on a single pane of glass. The company’s unique offering has helped it sign 39 of the top 40 Japanese enterprises as customers, including Mitsubishi, NEC and Toshiba. Cyfirma recently signed a strategic agreement with FinTech Alliance Philippines to help bolster cybersecurity in the country’s digital financial firms. OurCrowd has an allocation in the company’s current funding round, which Cyfirma will use to help expand its operations to the US and beyond.

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Morocco’s Gaia Energy signs MoU with H2Pro at COP27

Moroccan renewable energy developer Gaia Energy signed an MoU with our portfolio company H2Pro, which produces green hydrogen energy from water, during the UN COP27 climate conference in Egypt, Morocco World News reports. Under the agreement, Gaia will use a range of H2Pro’s green hydrogen electrolyzer technologies for a demo project at a renewable energy site in Morocco. Simultaneously, it will explore the technologies’ use for a larger commercial site currently under development. Gaia Energy is a large-scale renewable energy developer in Africa working with national grid operators and governments in over 10 countries.

Volatus Infrastructure inks collaboration deal with Air EV

The promise of private electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles took a step forward with an agreement between Volatus Infrastructure and our currently funding company Air EV. Volatus’ vertiports will be used by Air customers when they begin to fly the company’s AIR ONE eVTOL vehicle. Air will also be overseeing business development for Volatus in Israel to help establish the local eVTOL infrastructure ecosystem. “Working with a vehicle manufacturer such as Air that has the same vision for the foundation of this industry really allows us to continue our actionable plan of bringing eVTOL transportation into today’s market,” says Grant Fisk, Co-founder of Volatus Infrastructure. Air has over 200 preorders for its AIR ONE vehicle in the United States. More information about its current funding round is available under NDA.

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NetOp keeps business networks up and running

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Oculus and most recently WhatsApp have all been victims of outages that cost billions. As more businesses transition to cloud computing, the task of keeping networks safe is becoming even more complicated. Technology from our portfolio company NetOp is changing the way networks are managed by applying true artificial intelligence to monitor the health of managed networks, automate workflows, and simplify IT and network operations, Tal Benjamin reports in the Times of Israel. The tools provided by the company can help prevent the next crash before it happens. NetOp is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Hertz picks Ravin AI for AI-powered vehicle inspection pilot

Car rental giant Hertz is testing the automated, AI-powered vehicle inspection platform developed by our portfolio company Ravin AI. The pilot is running in Sweden and Norway, and is designed to improve inspection efficiency, objectivity and standardization across Hertz’s operations, while enhancing customer experience. Ravin AI’s technology uses mobile phone cameras and CCTV footage to create a highly accurate 360-degree scan of a vehicle, using deep learning algorithms and car model data to assess its condition. “We’ve tested different technologies that focus on automation and vehicle inspection, and Ravin AI has proven to be a very competent system in the inspection scope. We are very excited and hope to be able to roll out this new technology for our customers in the future,” says Daniel Edman, Project Lead at Hertz Sweden.

TytoCare launches Home Smart Clinic for primary care needs

Telehealth pioneer and Qure portfolio company TytoCare launched its Home Smart Clinic kit, which aims to keep people from having to go to a doctor’s office for primary care needs. The kit, which lets patients perform guided medical exams with a healthcare provider, reduces the total cost of care for health plans by 10% on average. It also delivers 59% more accurate diagnoses than traditional telehealth solutions, and resolves 98% of visits without the need for an in-person appointment. “We are facing a pivotal moment in healthcare. After almost three years of dealing with Covid-19, it’s become clear that traditional telehealth offerings face real challenges in delivering expected ROI and outcomes, but our solution changes that,” says Dedi Gilad, CEO and Co-founder of TytoCare. “We believe this next step with the Home Smart Clinic will massively impact the world of virtual primary care and create a new standard across the industry.”

UAE orders autonomous drones from Airobotics for urban deployment

A UAE government entity has ordered a fleet of smart drones from our portfolio company Airbotics that will be deployed in urban environments. The primary function of the deployed Urban Drone Infrastructure is to shorten response times of security and rescue forces to emergency situations, supporting law enforcement and homeland security activities, and streamlining diverse municipal services. Airobotics is also examining drone package delivery and other smart city applications to be provided by the infrastructure.

Zoom selects People.ai to develop new sales tool

Zoom selected our portfolio company People.ai to develop a new product to help sales and customer success professionals. People.ai will bring its enterprise revenue intelligence to the Zoom IQ for Sales platform to provide customer-facing teams with a more comprehensive view of each sales prospect. “We’re excited to soon offer our mutual clients the conversation insights and stakeholder info to be more effective as sellers and customer success professionals alike,” says Kenny Scannell, Global Head of Sales for Zoom IQ. “This key partnership will allow our clients to win more, win faster, and add time back in their day to drive more sales activity.”

More than 4,400 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Senior Director of Sales for Clinch (NY)
• AI Developer for Taranis (Tel Aviv)
• Project Manager at Teradata (Saudi Arabia)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd passes $2B milestone appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Merck’s VC arm takes lead in Genopore investment
• 5 reasons a startup might snap up its neighbor
• What does Netanyahu’s return mean for Israeli high tech?
• Nov. 9 Online: Labs/02 Startup Demo Day II
• OurCrowd hosts Italian delegation led by Intesa Sanpaolo Group
• Dataloop raises $33M Series B
• WWD: ByondXR pioneers course at Fashion Institute of Technology
• Onsemi picks Ride Vision for motorcycle safety features
• Wefox CEO on CNBC: Huge opportunity in $5.2T pre-digital insurance industry
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Merck’s VC arm takes lead in Genopore investment

Photo: http://www.meller-lab.net

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5 reasons a startup might snap up its neighbor

One element of the startup toolkit is often overlooked: merging with – or acquiring – another startup. In this challenging climate, more startups are merging with each other. I expect additional consolidation among young companies as a by-product of the current tech re-alignment. Read 5 reasons why this might be the correct path for a young company in my latest ‘Investors on the Frontlines‘ column.

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What does Netanyahu’s return mean for Israeli high tech?

Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to form a new government in Israel after the fifth election in less than four years. But the tech-driven economy has been a constant throughout the political instability the country has experienced, I told Richard Quest on CNN. The financial strength of Startup Nation has kept unemployment and inflation down compared to other major industrial economies. I expect that strength will continue under the new government.

Nov. 9 Online: Labs/02 Startup Demo Day II

Labs/02 – OurCrowd’s early-stage fund and incubator – will hold its next Demo Day on Wednesday, November 9th. Participants will get a sneak peek at innovative and disruptive early-stage startups with game-changing technologies in AdTech, Computer Vision, EdTech, Healthcare, IT and Neuroscience. CEOs from seven companies –  Accutures, MagniLearn, Mirage Dynamics, NetOp, NeuroBrave, Quai.MD, and Urbanico – will be on hand to present their technology, its potential impact and the value proposition for investors.

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OurCrowd hosts Italian delegation led by Intesa Sanpaolo Group

It was a pleasure to host an Italian business delegation at OurCrowd’s Jerusalem headquarters led by nine representatives from Intesa Sanpaolo Group, Italy’s top banking group serving some 13.5M customers. The visitors came from the company’s innovation center and its corporate and investment banking division. They were joined by the CEO of CleanTech company Inewa and senior members from mobility innovator Agrati Group and multi-utility provider Iren.

Top Tech News

Dataloop raises $33M Series B

Our portfolio company Dataloop raised $33M in its Series B funding round, TechCrunch reports, led by Nokia Growth Partners Capital and Alpha Wave Global with participation from OurCrowd. Dataloop uses machine learning to drastically cut down the time needed for data annotation and labeling, a key component for the development of AI programs and applications. The company, which has raised $50M so far, plans to grow its workforce by over 30% by the end of the year.

WWD: ByondXR pioneers course at Fashion Institute of Technology

Our portfolio company ByondXR has opened the Metaverse shopping experience to some of the world’s leading brands including Armani, Calvin Klein and P&G. Now ByondXR is bringing its software to the classroom with a course at New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Women’s Wear Daily reports. The ‘Business of Virtual Merchandising’ class focuses on the changes in retail merchandising for wholesale showrooms, retail visual merchandising and online platforms. “Shopping in the Metaverse helps to encapsulate the consumer fully in the brand experience, which typical websites cannot do,” says Noam Levavi, CEO and Co-founder of ByondXR. “Consumers can not only shop, but they can also learn about a brand’s values, interact with products, play games, watch videos and live feeds, and understand their sustainability measures and social initiatives.”

Onsemi picks Ride Vision for motorcycle safety features

Intelligent sensor tech giant onsemi (Nasdaq: ON) is collaborating with our portfolio company Ride Vision to develop advanced safety systems for motorcyclists. Ride Vision will integrate its AI-powered Collision Aversion Technology with onsemi’s automotive-grade image sensors to provide riders with timely warnings about dangers on the road and prevent accidents. “Motorcycles and riders share the same traffic and weather conditions with other motorists, but they have not yet been able to use the same level of safety mechanisms for protection,” says Chris Adams, onsemi’s VP and General Manager, Automotive Sensing Division. “Our work with Ride Vision on this advanced safety solution changes that by providing motorcycles the same high-performance, high-dynamic range image sensors used in passenger cars.”

Wefox CEO on CNBC: Huge opportunity in $5.2T pre-digital insurance industry

Opportunities for InsurTech companies are huge, says Julian Teicke, CEO and Co-founder of our portfolio company wefox. “Insurance is a $5.2T industry that still operates like in the pre-internet era,” Teicke tells CNBC. Wefox is 100% digital and helps insurance agents service their clients, bringing them added value while lowering costs. The company services over 2M customers in five European countries and expects to reach 3M by the end of the year. It plans to expand to the US and Asia in 2024.

More than 4,500 high-tech jobs worldwide

• SVP of Data at Arcadia (United States)
• Product Design Lead at Tailor Brands (Tel Aviv)
• Software Engineer at Kenna Security (San Jose)

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The post Newsletter: 5 reasons a startup might snap up its neighbor appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Air EV, flying start for private airborne vehicles
• OurCrowd joins Riyadh conference
• Cyfirma: Critical Fortinet bug exploited worldwide
• OurCrowd greets Brazil’s Bossanova Investimentos
• InsideTracker’s special offer to OurCrowd members
• OurCrowd startups at cardio conference
• Convizit: A better way of tracking user experience
• Music and sports stars invest $15M in TetaVi, which rebrands as Yoom
• Zippin reaches 1M shoppers, expands to NBA stores
• Future Family launches benefit plan for employers
• YuLife launches US operations
• AWS: CropX helps 5K farmers around the world
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Air EV: Flying start for private airborne vehicles

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OurCrowd joins Riyadh conference

I had a remarkable week in Saudi Arabia, where I was invited to speak on a panel on venture investing at the Future Investment Initiative conference at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh. This is a sign of things to come, as I told the Wall Street Journal.

Cyfirma: Critical Fortinet bug exploited worldwide

A new report from Cyfirma warns that a critical authentication bug found in products from the security giant Fortinet is being exploited around the world, The Daily Swig reports. Fortinet notified clients and issued a patch for the bug, but many of them have yet to use it, leaving their systems vulnerable. Cyfirma says successful exploitation of the vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to bypass security and gain privileged access to execute unauthorized code or commands. Tens of thousands of attacks have been detected, primarily in the US but also in Canada, Brazil, France, India and other Western countries. Cyfirma is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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OurCrowd greets Brazil’s Bossanova Investimentos

I was delighted to host a delegation from Bossanova Investimentos, Brazil’s most active VC investor, at our Jerusalem headquarters, led by João Kepler, the firm’s CEO and Co-founder. Bossanova is a financial powerhouse that has invested in over 1,500 startups and has the largest VC portfolio in Latin America.

InsideTracker’s special offer to OurCrowd members

InsideTracker wants to help OurCrowd members improve their quality of life with a special offer. The company’s proprietary AI platform analyzes each user’s key aging-related biomarkers and calculates the contribution of each one to their biological age. The next step is providing a customized action plan with nutrition, fitness and lifestyle recommendations that have been proven to improve users’ well-being. The accompanying mobile app also provides personalized expert insights. InsideTracker is offering 30 percent off its popular Ultimate Plan, as well as a free InnerAge 2.0 analysis for a limited time. This offer is available to US residents only.

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OurCrowd startups at cardio conference

OurCrowd MedTech companies will be on hand for the upcoming Innovation in Cardiovascular Interventions Meeting in Tel Aviv on December 4-6. BrainQ Technologies and Sweetch will be presenting at this premier international conference. Registration is still open for a limited time.

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Convizit: A better way of tracking user experience

E-commerce businesses spend billions to map out and understand the user experience (UX), but gathering and analyzing the data associated with it is time consuming and very costly. Israeli startup Convizit automates event tagging, a key part of this process. The company “uses AI to understand user interactions on webpages or applications automatically and track every single interaction, extract the relevant meaning from the webpage, just like a human being does, and structure this data and send it into any tool that you integrate with,” says Daniel Bashari, Convizit’s CEO in a new podcast. Convizit is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Music and sports stars invest $15M in TetaVi, which rebrands as Yoom

Music and sports personalities including Jimmy Iovine, Finneas O’Connell and Maverick Carter are among those investing $15M in our portfolio company TetaVi, now named Yoom. The company, which produces immersive content for Metaverse and Web3 platforms, plans on enabling others to remotely use its technology with a smartphone. “This team and the proprietary technology they’ve built levels the playing field for creatives and widens the space where communities can grow. I’m inspired to help define what the future of entertainment can look like,” says Iovine, Co-founder of Interscope Records, Beats Electronics and other entertainment companies.

Zippin reaches 1M shoppers, expands to NBA stores

Congratulations to our portfolio company Zippin, which reached the milestone of 1M shoppers served in its frictionless, cashier-free stores. Zoom’s technology is used at 73 locations worldwide, operated by top-tier partners such as Aramark Sports and Entertainment, Legends, Levy Restaurants and SSP America. The company is now opening six new venues in NBA arenas, including at the Toyota Center, the home of the Houston Rockets, where Zippin’s one millionth customer was served.

Future Family launches benefit plan for employers

Our portfolio company Future Family is offering employers the option to help workers finance family-building and family care expenses. The benefits program allows employers to extend up to $50K in financial support to employees to cover the cost of expensive treatments and procedures including egg freezing, fertility preservation and IVF, as well as out-of-pocket healthcare and family-related expenses. “Future Family’s employer benefit sets itself apart from the competition as an offering that is democratizing the family-building process,” says Barbara Wachsman, former Managing Director of Benefits at The Walt Disney Company, who helped Future Family design the offering. “The plan is filling in the critical gap that exists in the current healthcare landscape with high out-of-pocket expenditures, and creating financing options for people who have never had the opportunity to pursue family planning or face high-interest rate medical debt.”

YuLife launches US operations

Our InsurTech pioneer YuLife has launched operations in the US, Cover Magazine reports. The move comes on the heels of the firm’s completion of a $120M Series C funding round with participation from OurCrowd. The company sells policies based on rewards and benefits to employees for wellness activities and healthy habit changes, using a gamified app that incorporates artificial intelligence and behavioral analytics. “YuLife’s mission is to turn financial products into a force for good, and we can inspire people across the US to improve their mental, physical and financial well-being by offering products that are accessible, engaging and deliverable,” says Sammy Rubin, YuLife’s Founder and Chief Executive.

AWS: CropX helps 5K farmers around the world

AWS is putting our AgTech pioneer CropX front and center in its push for sustainability using cloud technology. In a new video, AWS highlights CropX’s technology which uses advanced soil sensors coupled with satellite imagery to improve practices for nearly 5K farmers around the world, resulting in a 10 percent increase in yields and a 40 percent cut in water consumption. CropX runs its platform on AWS, allowing it to capture data from thousands of global soil sensors and send it to a centralized location.      

More than 4,500 high-tech jobs worldwide

• Algorithm Developer at CytoReason (Tel Aviv)
• Senior Product Designer at Teampay (Remote)
• Seasonal Part Time Sleep Specialist at Casper (Miami)

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The post Newsletter: Your private air vehicle is here appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: SynergyMed, transforming surgery with 3D printing and visualization
• Norway awards Wind Catching Systems $2.1M grant
• JITO Angel Network partners with OurCrowd
• Kando’s AI-powered wastewater intelligence detects health hazards
• OurCrowd picks travel partners for 2023 Summit
• Zoomcar announces SPAC, receives $10M investment
• Ossio raises $38.5M Series C
• MFS Africa picks ThetaRay to secure hundreds of millions of financial transactions
• BetterSeeds: First Israeli company to export medical cannabis seeds to Canada
• Lemonade launches in UK, partners with Aviva
• T. Rowe Price invests in YuLife’s $120M Series C
• Ÿnsect to open world’s largest insect farm in France
• Rolls-Royce taps Classiq for quantum design algorithms
• Introductions
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
SynergyMed: Transforming surgery with 3D printing and visualization

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Norway awards Wind Catching Systems $2.1M grant 

The Norwegian government awarded alternative energy pioneer Wind Catching Systems a $2.1M grant to develop a prototype of its multi turbine offshore wind structure, which is designed to provide 5X the amount of power than current offshore wind facilities with a much smaller footprint, the Maritime Executive reports. The grant will fund the design, construction and testing for the pilot of the Wind Catcher, which will be tested in 2023. “The government has big ambitions for offshore wind,” says Espen Barth Eide, the Norwegian Climate and Environment Minister. “If we succeed in bringing down the costs of floating offshore wind, it can become an important source of renewable energy and a major industrial opportunity for Norway.” OurCrowd is participating in Wind Catching Systems’ current funding round. More details available under NDA.

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JITO Angel Network partners with OurCrowd

ITO Angel Network (JAN), the only global community-based angel network in India, signed an agreement with OurCrowd to promote mutual investment opportunities. Through the arrangement, JAN members will receive curated access to OurCrowd’s funds and portfolio companies on a deal-by-deal basis. “We are proud to have found a partner in OurCrowd, one of the largest venture capital firms in Israel and the country’s most active startup investor. This deal will empower inventive and ingenious companies in two of the most robust technology ecosystems in the world,” says Rajat Mehta, Chairman, JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation. In September, JAN invested in BetterSeeds, its first investment in an OurCrowd portfolio company.  

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Kando’s AI-powered wastewater intelligence detects health hazards

In the arid Middle East every drop of water counts, making wastewater an important resource to recycle and use for irrigation and other purposes. But the public sewage systems are filled with potential hazards, from diseases to industrial contamination. Israeli startup Kando has created AI-powered technology that can monitor wastewater and issue alerts when a problem is detected, Noa Shapira reports in the Times of Israel. The company helped Israeli health officials track a dangerous polio outbreak and a salt contamination that could have adversely impacted the quality of treated water. Kando is also working with cities in Texas, California and Colorado in the US, and in Italy, France, Germany, the UK and Australia. OurCrowd is participating in Kando’s current funding round.

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OurCrowd picks travel partners for 2023 Summit

Two of Israel’s leading travel companies are offering special rates and facilities for those attending the 2023 OurCrowd Global Investor Summit on Feb. 15th in Jerusalem. Expert advisers from Diesenhaus, the official Flight and Transportation Sponsor, will take care of your flight requests and visa requirements and create the best flight schedule to get you to Israel. For accommodation, Authentic Israel offers Summit attendees preferential rates at select Jerusalem and Tel Aviv hotels. For more travel information, click HERE or the button below. Our partners will also provide tips on nightlife, tours and other attractions during your stay in Israel next February. If you have not yet completed your Summit registration, click HERE.

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Zoomcar announces SPAC, receives $10M investment

Our portfolio company Zoomcar, the world’s largest emerging-market focused car-sharing platform, and Innovative International Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: IOAC), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that will result in Zoomcar becoming a publicly listed company. The transaction values the combined company at an implied pro forma enterprise value of approximately $456M. Upon closing, the company will be renamed Zoomcar Holdings, Inc. and expects to list its common stock on Nasdaq. In addition, and simultaneously with the execution of the merger agreement, Ananda Trust, an affiliate of Innovative International, has invested $10M in Zoomcar.

Top Tech News

Ossio raises $38.5M Series C

Our portfolio company Ossio closed a $38.5M Series C financing round for its intelligent bone regeneration technology, Mass Device reports. The company produces superior implants made from a proprietary mineral fiber matrix held together by a naturally degradable polymer. Orthopedic surgeons have used more than 10K Ossiofiber implants since their introduction in 2019. The round was led by MVM Partners, a MedTech investment firm.  

MFS Africa picks ThetaRay to secure hundreds of millions of financial transactions

MFS Africa, the largest digital payments hub in Africa, has picked our portfolio company ThetaRay to keep its huge network safe from money laundering and fraud, FinTech Finance News reports. ThetaRay’s AI-powered transaction monitoring and sanctions list screening system is designed to identify even the most sophisticated financial crimes. MFS Africa connects over 400M mobile money wallets, more than 200M bank accounts and over 150K agents to enable cross-platform and cross-border payments for remittance companies, mobile network operators, banks, non-bank financial institutions and global merchants.

BetterSeeds: First Israeli company to export medical cannabis seeds to Canada

AgTech pioneer BetterSeeds has shipped Israel’s first-ever batch of medical cannabis seeds to Canada, NoCamels reports. The company uses gene-editing technology to develop new varieties of cannabis and other agricultural seeds. BetterSeed’s shipment contained the first fully stable and uniform cannabis hybrid seeds in the world, with characteristics from various strains. “The seeds that were sent to Canada are unique. We anticipate that they will revolutionize both the process of growing cannabis and the product standards in Canada, as our cannabis seeds are 100% stable and uniform,” says Ido Margalit, CEO of BetterSeeds.

Lemonade launches in UK, partners with Aviva

InsurTech pioneer Lemonade is teaming up with insurance giant Aviva as it launches its services in the UK, TechCrunch reports. In business for over 300 years, Aviva is looking to tap a younger demographic in partnership with Lemonade, which offers renters, homeowners, pet, car and life insurance. “We share a common outlook for how digital, AI and data can transform customer experiences, and the role insurers can play in building stronger communities,” says Adam Winslow, CEO of Aviva UK and Ireland. “In our 325-year history, we have adapted and thrived in a changing world, and our partnership with Lemonade is a marker of our intent to continue just this.”

T. Rowe Price invests in YuLife’s $120M Series C

Global investment management giant T. Rowe Price is investing in our portfolio company YuLife, which focuses on tech-driven financial services designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Its business model allows companies to take out insurance policies that incentivize employees to stay fit through a special app and other programs. “YuLife has distinguished itself from others through its ability to grow rapidly while still keeping up with dynamic market demands, coupled with a customer-centric mentality,” says Zenon Voyiatzis, investment analyst at T. Rowe Price, which joined YuLife’s $120M Series C funding round alongside OurCrowd investors.

Ÿnsect to open world’s largest insect farm in France

OurCrowd portfolio company Ÿnsect is going big on the prospect that bugs can help provide a more sustainable global food chain. The company, based north of Paris, is getting ready to open the world’s largest insect farm in France at the end of the year, Treehugger reports. The facility will use automated systems and vertical farming techniques to raise mealworms for incorporation in animal feed, fertilizers and food. It is expected to produce over 200K tons of insect-based ingredients a year and will join two other Ÿnsect sites already operational in France and the Netherlands.

Rolls-Royce taps Classiq for quantum design algorithms

Rolls-Royce is turning to our portfolio company Classiq for quantum computer-powered algorithms that will help improve the luxury carmaker’s designs. Classiq’s software automatically converts functional models into quantum circuits for use in quantum computers. It can help Rolls-Royce optimize its aerodynamics and thermodynamics, both key components of energy consumption. “Achieving our net zero carbon goals requires ongoing enhancements to the sophistication of design simulations that will continue to stretch the limits of classical supercomputing,” says Leigh Lapworth, Rolls-Royce Fellow and Quantum Computing Lead.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,500 high-tech jobs worldwide

• VP R&D at IXDen (Tel Aviv)
• Data QA Analyst at Dario (India)
• Software Engineer at Hailo (Boston)

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The post Newsletter: Transforming surgery with 3D printing appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Convizit, comprehensive digital experience platform
• Elon Musk gets Twitter bot data from Cyabra
• Startups need to tell their stories, not just their tech
• CEOs join OurCrowd Global Investor Summit lineup
• Australia’s Indue picks BioCatch for cybercrime prevention
• Oriient’s indoor navigation tech expands its reach
• Key US hospital buys Momentis Surgical’s robotic surgical system
• MasterChef winner cooks up special menu for Tovala diners
• IronVest raises $23M seed round for AI biometric security
• Booking.com taps Klook for Asia Pacific travel
• Introductions
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Convizit: Comprehensive digital experience platform

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Elon Musk gets Twitter bot data from Cyabra

Elon Musk commissioned our portfolio company Cyabra to find out the real numbers of Twitter’s spam and bot accounts as he negotiates his on-off acquisition of the social media platform, CNN Business reports. The number of fake accounts is central to the dispute over the $44B deal, with Musk saying Twitter underestimates the problem. Cyabra’s research confirms Musk’s claim, showing that an estimated 11% of its total user base is fake, compared to the 5% of “monetizable daily active users,” claimed by Twitter. “We have a number for all the social media platforms, because that’s our job,” Cyabra CEO Dan Brahmy tells CNN. Cyabra’s machine learning algorithm analyzes hundreds of parameters to determine the authenticity of online profiles.

Startups need to tell their stories, not just their tech

The art of startup storytelling is essential, but many founders fail to realize it. If you are a startup looking for investment and you really want to capture the attention of VCs, potential partners and customers, you need to tell us a story. Startups are often so proud of the cleverness of their technology that they forget to explain how it can change people’s lives or improve their bottom line. More in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Startup CEOs join OurCrowd Summit lineup

CEOs of some of the world’s hottest startups have confirmed their participation at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem on February 15th, 2023. The CEOs of Freightos, JumpCloud, mPrest and SaNOtize will all be on hand to discuss investment opportunities and the global innovation ecosystem. More speakers will be announced soon. Spaces are limited. Click below to apply for your early bird ticket.

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Top Tech News

Australia’s Indue picks BioCatch for cybercrime prevention

Australian finance giant Indue engaged our portfolio company BioCatch to keep its transactions safe and protect customers from cybercrime. “In today’s digital world, detecting and preventing fraud and mitigating the impact of social engineering scams is important as ever, so we are very pleased to be partnering with BioCatch to integrate advanced biometric technology into our payment solutions,” says Jane Hinton, Chief Risk Officer at Indue, which operates a network of financial institutions, retailers, and nonprofits across Australia and New Zealand.

Oriient’s indoor navigation tech expands its reach

Standard navigation technology can guide you around an unfamiliar city but it cannot help you find an item in a supermarket or a store in a mall. Existing technology either do not work or are too expensive, Judith Segaloff reports in The Times of Israel. Our portfolio company Oriient figured out that every location has a unique magnetic field and developed an app that uses geomagnetics to accurately pinpoint indoor locations. It is now used in hundreds of supermarkets in the US and being piloted in stores in the UK and in Germany. The company has signed partnerships with MapsPeople, Google’s official partner for indoor maps, and online shopping platform giant InstaCart. Oriient plans to expand to new markets, helping people find their way around hospitals, airports, universities, and large corporate campuses.

Key US hospital buys Momentis Surgical’s robotic surgical system

HCA Florida Northwest Hospital in Florida purchased the Anovo surgical system from our portfolio company Momentis Surgical. The FDA-authorized surgical robot is used in transvaginal benign gynecological procedures and features artificial shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints designed to mimic human arms and provide human level dexterity. “It is essential for surgeons to use the most advanced tools and technologies to ensure we deliver optimal care to our patients, and this system presents several advantages compared to other available robotic technologies,” says Daniel Gomez, MD, assistant program director of the OBGYN Residency Program at HCA Florida Northwest Hospital.

MasterChef winner cooks up special menu for Tovala diners

Chef Christine Ha is cooking up something special for Tovala diners. The winner of MasterChef Season 3 is preparing a menu that features some of her signature flavors for a limited time, Food Sided reports. Tovala produces and delivers ready-made meals designed to be heated in its smart countertop oven. “All three dishes I’ve made for Tovala evoke a sense of nostalgia for me, and my hope this fall is to bring more people together to connect over these meals I grew up loving, and that continue to inspire my cooking today,” Ha says.

Booking.com taps Klook for Asia Pacific travel

With the global tourism industry bouncing back from pandemic restrictions, Booking.com is teaming up with our portfolio company Klook, Phocus Wire reports. The Hong Kong-based tours and activities platform which primarily focuses on Asia and Oceania destinations, will assist Booking.com in more than 175 cities across 30 markets. “What a time to be partnering with Klook, a well-known, highly respected household name for travel and experiences, particularly in the Asia Pacific, where this new partnership will significantly increase our coverage and offering within the region,” says Matthias Schmid, Senior Vice President of Booking.com’s trips division.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,500 high-tech jobs worldwide

• HVAC Installer at Dandelion (NY)
• Billing Specialist at Skai (Tel Aviv)
• System Tester Engineer at Insightec (Haifa)

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The post Newsletter: Elon Musk gets Twitter bot data from Cyabra appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: ProFuse, lab-grown meat tech hooks expert investors
• Maolac: Will cows give us the next superfood?
• Cyfirma: Russian hackers go phishing disguised as Zoom
• Alloy Therapeutics raises $42M to speed drug discovery
• Superpedestrian e-scooters now available on Google Maps
• Bloomberg: Future Family helps power fertility finance boom
• D-ID powers first US courses taught exclusively by digital humans
• HUB Security hits H1 2022 revenue targets as SPAC deal nears
• Introductions
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
ProFuse: Lab-grown meat tech hooks expert investors

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Maolac: Will cows give us the next superfood?

Could bovine colostrum – the first pre-milk of birthing cows – be the secret ingredient to a longer and healthier life? Our portfolio company Maolac is ready to show the world that it is, writes Brian Blum in Israel21c. Colostrum proteins are 95% biosimilar to human breast milk, considered to be the gold standard for nutrients, proven to strengthen the immune system, balance digestive functions and promote brain and bone development. Maolac takes the colostrum, which is usually thrown away by farmers, and produces a supplement which can be added to everything from ice cream to beauty cream. Maolac has raised $4M so far and plans on launching its first products in 2023. OurCrowd is leading the company’s current investment round.

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Cyfirma: Russian hackers go phishing disguised as Zoom

Cybersecurity vanguard Cyfirma warns that Russian hackers are likely behind a phishing campaign impersonating web download pages from Zoom sent to victims, Infosecurity Magazine reports. The company reports it discovered several fake Zoom download pages, all of them hosted in the Russian Federation. If the victim clicks on the link, the malware downloads a remote-access program and information stealer which can lead to data theft and extortion. OurCrowd has an allocation in Cyfirma’s current funding round.

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Top Tech News

Alloy Therapeutics raises $42M to speed drug discovery

Our portfolio company Alloy Therapeutics completed a $42M Series D funding round for its technology and business tools designed to make drug discovery faster and more affordable for pharma companies. Alloy’s new subscription offering gives collaborators access to all current and future technology platforms for a flat fee with no milestones or royalties. “Our Innovation Subscription model is available now as an exciting next step in furthering our collaborative mission and unlocking the potential for sharing foundational, pre-competitive drug discovery technologies with the global drug discovery community,” says Errik Anderson, CEO and Founder.

Superpedestrian e-scooters now available on Google Maps

E-scooter riders can now locate the bright yellow shared scooters from our portfolio company Superpedestrian on the Google Maps mobile app, making it easier for riders to plan trips alongside real-time transit and rideshare information. “It’s important to us that our riders are supported with the best tools for planning their trip, and integrating with Google Maps is an obvious necessity to ensure riders can create plans and also change their plans on a whim,” says Jamie Perkins, Superpedestrian Director of Communications. The integration is live in cities across the United States, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Portugal.

Bloomberg: Future Family helps power fertility finance boom

The global fertility services market is expected to reach $47.2B this year, rising to $80B in 2026. Several startups, including our portfolio company Future Family, aim to make treatments more affordable, write Bloomberg’s Anna Irrera and Aisha S. Gani. High costs and lack of insurance coverage are keeping many people from building a family. Some have turned to credit card companies to finance treatments but steep interest rates are an obstacle. Future Family recently launched an interest-free product which allows borrowers to pay back a loan in 12 months for IVF treatments, whose normal financing cost can reach an average of $12K per cycle.

D-ID powers first US courses taught exclusively by digital humans

DeMario and Dawn Nicole McIlwain, the founders of Skilldora, an EdTech startup based in Fort Mill, South Carolina,have announced a partnership with OurCrowd portfolio company D-ID, using its Creative Reality technology to deliver courses exclusively by AI Instructors, also referred to as digitally created humans, Black News reports. Skilldora is the first US company to offer courses completely taught by digital humans. “We believe the world of eLearning is rapidly changing and learners want more interactive learning experiences, consistency in content quality and compact courses they can take over a lunch break,” say DeMario and Dawn Nicole McIlwain

HUB Security hits H1 2022 revenue targets as SPAC deal nears

Our portfolio company HUB Security has hit its revenue target of $36M for H1 2022 as the firm awaits the closing of its proposed SPAC merger with Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp., Inside Quantum Technology News reports. The article also indicates that HUB expects to meet its full-year revenue goal of $115M and achieve profitability this year. A submission of an F-4 prospectus to the SEC for the expected SPAC merger and NASDAQ listing at $1.28B market capitalization is expected to close in Q4 2022.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,500 High-Tech Jobs

• Collections Team Lead at Tala (India)
• Growth Marketing Manager at Ro (NY or remote)
• System Tester Engineer at Insightec (Haifa)

Search and filter through 

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Expert investors back lab-grown meat appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Wind Catching Systems, unleashing the power of offshore wind
• Cyfirma exposes Erbium malware-as-a-service
• Forbes: MedAware can prevent medical error
• Dandelion Energy: Underground moon shot
• UAE officials pay historic visit to Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
• OurCrowd startups chosen for COP27
• Emirates, Caribbean Airlines join Freightos air cargo booking platform
• Renault Group EV specialist to expand Connected Energy’s UK reach
• Amex US Open store boosts transactions 79% with Zippin
• D-ID’s new platform creates video with a single image
• Introductions
• More than 4,400 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Wind Catching Systems: Unleashing the power of offshore wind

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Cyfirma exposes Erbium malware-as-a-service

In an effort to keep the business community one step ahead of cyberattacks, Cyfirma is pulling back the curtain on a dangerous new threat called Erbium, Bleeping Computer reports. Cyfirma’s report exposes Erbium as information-stealing malware distributed as fake cracks and cheats for popular video games to steal victims’ credentials and cryptocurrency wallets. The program started appearing on Russian-speaking forums in July. It is being sold to cybercriminals as malware-as-a-service (MaaS) and is growing in popularity with the price rising from $9 a week to $100 a month. Erbium infections have been detected worldwide, including in the US, France, Italy, India, Vietnam and Malaysia. OurCrowd has an allocation in Cyfirma’s current funding round.

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Forbes: MedAware can prevent medical error

When a relative of Michael Millenson MD, author of ‘Demanding Medical Excellence’, received the wrong infusion at a renowned US hospital, he became aware of how a small medication error could have catastrophic results. OurCrowd portfolio company MedAware spots medication issues that humans and conventional tools can miss, as confirmed in a 2020 article in the Joint Commission Journal. “I don’t know the cost of MedAware or similar products, but I’m certain it’s less than the cost of revenue-generating medical devices hospitals are routinely eager to purchase,” Millenson notes in Forbes. MedAware is now funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Dandelion Energy: Underground moon shot

Sometimes, shooting below the Moon – even underground – can pay off. Alphabet’s X innovation lab is home to some of the industry’s biggest moon shots. That’s where Kathy Hannun was working when she came across a relatively untapped opportunity in the US: drilling into the Earth’s crust to access thermal energy for home use. The idea did not enthuse Alphabet, so Hannun left behind the Big Tech support that X provided and spun off Dandelion Energy in 2017. “A lot of homes are still using very dirty, expensive and outdated heating fuels,” Hannun tells Protocol. “The thing that’s really special about geothermal heat pumps is that, because they’re thermally connected to the ground and the ground doesn’t really change temperature over the course of the year, they’re able to deliver heating and cooling more efficiently to the home than any other type of system.”

UAE officials pay historic visit to Tel Aviv Stock Exchange 

Sabah al-Binali, Executive Chairman of OurCrowd Arabia, joined a UAE delegation visiting Israel two years after the signing of the Abraham Accords that normalized relations between the countries, writes the BBC’s Natalie Lisbona. Mohamed Al Khaja, Emirati Ambassador to Israel, and Ahmed Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Global Market, rang the bell at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in a scene unthinkable just a few years ago. “We are witnessing history in the making, seeing the steady development of a long, deep and fruitful relationship between natural Middle East neighbors,” al-Binali says. “There is so much natural synergy between Israeli and Emirati business and technology skills and experience, that I expect the results of our cooperation to be even greater than the sum of the already impressive parts.”

OurCrowd startups chosen for COP27

Two OurCrowd startups were chosen to participate in COP27, the world’s biggest climate conference, in November, the Times of Israel reports. H2Pro and Remilk will head to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to take part in the 27th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. They will be part of a delegation of 10 Israeli companies that will display their technologies and products at the Israel pavilion. The startups’ participation was announced at the 2022 PLANETech Conference in Tel Aviv, where Liat Sverdlov, OurCrowd Investment Partner, participated in a panel that highlighted the importance of government involvement in startup funding.

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Emirates, Caribbean Airlines join Freightos air cargo booking platform

The list of airlines joining WebCargo, the industry’s largest air cargo booking platform run by our portfolio company Freightos, continues to grow. Emirates Sky Cargo began rolling out access to customers in seven countries at the end of September. It plans to make it available across Europe by the end of October, followed by the US and Australia in November, Al Bawaba reports. Caribbean Airlines Cargo is also enabling instant e-bookings across its Caribbean and North American destinations, Air Cargo News reports. More than 30 airlines and over 10,000 freight forwarders are now using the WebCargo platform.

Renault Group EV specialist to expand Connected Energy’s UK reach

In an effort to boost electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the UK, our portfolio company Connected Energy will be working with Mobilize Power Solutions, Renault Group’s EV charging specialist, Energy Manager Magazine reports. The two companies will install second-life battery energy storage systems at EV sites on UK roads, providing energy supply for the increasing number of charge points that will be needed ahead of the country’s internal combustion engine production ban in 2030. “This partnership makes it possible for many more sites to adopt an EV charging station at remote and challenging environments as well as workplace and transport hubs. Our collaboration truly depicts the value of a circular economy and helps meet carbon neutral targets,” says Mark Dickens, Managing Director of Mobilize Power Solutions.

Amex US Open store boosts transactions 79% with Zippin

This year’s US Tennis Open had an off-court winner: checkout-free shopping from our portfolio company Zippin. The American Express store saw a whopping 78.6% increase in the number of transactions compared to its opening in 2021, SportTechie reports. Patrons insert or swipe their Amex credit cards to enter the concession store and then exit without waiting for a cashier. The average time a shopper spent inside the store during this year’s Open was only 66 seconds.

D-ID’s new platform creates video with a single image

D-ID is taking its AI-powered content creation to new heights with the launch of Creative Reality Studio, which allows users to upload a single image and text to generate video, TechCrunch reports. The platform comes with a wide range of facial expressions and supports 119 languages. Built-in safeguards filter out profanity, sexual remarks and other offensive language. Users are also prohibited from using famous people’s faces or creating political videos. The platform’s subscription package targets sectors such as training and education, corporate communications, product marketing, and sales.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,300 High-Tech Jobs

• HR Generalist at Superpedestrian (Phoenix)
• System Engineer at Insightec (Hafia)
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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd startups at COP27 + Malware-as-a-service exposed appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• OurCrowd launches Global Health Equity Fund with WHO Foundation
• Pfizer signs $110M deal with CytoReason, invests $20M
• Startup of the Week: Largix, saving manpower with futuristic autonomous production technology
• OurCrowd hosts Confederation of Indian Industry
• Binah.ai unveils blood count, cholesterol level detection via smartphone
• Leading Spanish health insurer inks nationwide deal with TytoCare
• IMVU taps Spectrum Labs’ AI to identify positive online behavior, raise revenue
• ByondXR builds metaverse storefronts for P&G, YSL and Deutsche Telekom
• Introductions
• More than 4,300 high-tech jobs

OurCrowd launches Global Health Equity Fund with WHO Foundation

On Monday, at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York, I joined Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation, to announce a Global Health Equity Fund launched by the WHO Foundation and OurCrowd, a $200M financial-first impact fund that will focus on breakthrough technology solutions to improve healthcare around the world. It will support the UN’s sustainable development goals, kick-start innovation, and increase investment in the health sector. Its mission is to increase equitable access to medical care while also delivering competitive returns to investors. Companies receiving investment from the Fund will have to agree to an Access Pledge, ensuring that their technology solutions are available, accessible, appropriate, and affordable for populations experiencing inequity, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Our announcement triggered a wave of global news coverage, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Reuters, CNBC TV Africa, TechCrunch and The Times of Israel. I explain our plans in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Pfizer signs $110M deal with CytoReason, invests $20M

Pfizer is upping the ante in its collaboration with CytoReason. The pharma giant is expanding its ongoing strategic collaboration with our portfolio company in a deal that could reach $110M over the next five years, Calcalist reports. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will also make a $20M equity investment, have options to license CytoReason’s technology, and fund supplementary project support. CytoReason’s platform runs disease models, the results of which support Pfizer’s drug development programs. “CytoReason’s biological data allows us to gain deeper insight into the best drug development pathways for patients, resulting in more informed decisions that are timely and cost effective,” says Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer and President. 

Startup of the Week
Largix: Saving manpower with futuristic autonomous production technology

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OurCrowd hosts Confederation of Indian Industry

We were honored to host a delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry at OurCrowd’s headquarters in Jerusalem. They were in Israel as part of a collaboration with the Israeli economic missions in the UAE and New Delhi. We discussed OurCrowd’s activities in the UAE and the enormous potential of the relationship between the UAE, India and Israel.

Top Tech News

Binah.ai unveils blood count, cholesterol level detection via smartphone

Looking at your smartphone camera can reveal more about your health than ever before, thanks to our MedTech pioneer Binah.ai. The company unveiled a new software feature, now in development, which measures a person’s blood count, blood chemistry and cholesterol level simply by looking at their mobile phone camera for 60 seconds. “Without a doubt, this is a groundbreaking milestone for Binah.ai, and might be the first step toward bloodless blood tests,” says David Maman, the company’s Co-founder and CEO. The award-winning tech can measure a wide range of health-related parameters including blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, breathing rate and sympathetic stress.

Leading Spanish health insurer inks nationwide deal with TytoCare

Leading Spanish health care insurer Línea Directa Aseguradora will be integrating remote healthcare kits from Qure portfolio company TytoCare. Through its subsidiary Vivaz, it will make the kits available as part of its primary care offering. “Our clients across Spain stand to benefit from this truly revolutionary new access to high-quality, convenient and digital care in their day-to-day life,” says Olga Moreno, Managing Director of Vivaz. TytoCare’s hand-held examination kit enables users to perform comprehensive physical exams of the heart, skin, ears, throat, abdomen and lungs, and measure heart rate and body temperature.

IMVU taps Spectrum Labs’ AI to identify positive online behavior, raise revenue

The popular metaverse social network IMVU is working with our portfolio company Spectrum Labs to identify healthy online behavior, VentureBeat reports. Spectrum created a natural language AI that can analyze online text for toxic behavior, which is crucial for the gaming industry where 80% of users in the US say they have experienced harassment. IMVU has found that keeping bad users out of its online community pays off. It reports the Average Revenue per Paying User was 12% higher for specific users protected from seeing toxic speech.

ByondXR builds Metaverse storefronts for P&G, YSL and Deutsche Telekom

ByondXR’s immersive technology is helping some of the world’s top brands reach the growing Metaverse shopping community. It has built new virtual storefronts for Yves Saint Laurent Australia and Thailand, as well as for Deutsche Telekom. The company also worked with Southeast Asia’s largest e-commerce platform Shopee to produce a 360-degree gamified virtual home filled with household products from Procter & Gamble. ByondXR was also featured in Deloitte Digital and UST’s Top 100 fastest-growing startups.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

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• Technical Marketing Engineer at Corelight (North America)
• Operations DBA at Teradata (India)
• Full Stack Developer at Taranis (Tel-Aviv)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd & WHO Foundation launch Global Health Equity Fund appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Sotero, protecting all data, anywhere, all the time
• Liquid Instruments raises $28.5M for disruptive electronic testing devices
• New meat industry investors back $2.5M ProFuse raise
• Neolithics roots out the bad apples
• India’s JITO Angel Network invests in BetterSeeds through OurCrowd
• Canada’s NEO Connect offers OC50 fund to clients
• Platinum Auto Finance uses Lightico to cut loan process time by 80%
• InsideTracker raises $15M for healthspan optimization tech
• Shyft raises $16M Series B, appoints new CEO
• Visa, Bancorp Bank and DailyPay launch on-demand pay card, app
• Tattile’s next-gen smart cameras to feature Hailo processors 
• Scopio Labs launches first digital application for bone marrow aspirate imaging
• Oriient’s supermarket challenge comes to Las Vegas 
• Introductions
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Sotero: Protecting all data, anywhere, all the time

Hybrid work practices have become an integral part of the business world since the coronavirus pandemic forced employees to stay at home. But working remotely is a headache when it comes to network security. There is a direct correlation between the rise of cloud computing and instances of data hacking and ransomware attacks. Sotero has created the first cloud-native, data security platform that protects all enterprise data regardless of location in one easy-to-manage environment. Its patented encryption algorithms and proprietary machine learning models query data in their encrypted state and identify malicious access attempts in real time. In June, the company won its first Global InfoSec Award from Cyber Defense magazine. It successfully completed five PoCs for prospects in Finserv, Telco, Pharma and SaaS verticals. Sotero’s $8M extension seed round is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Liquid Instruments raises $28.5M for disruptive electronic testing devices

Liquid Instruments raised $28.5M for technology that upends test and measurement equipment in the electronics industry, TechCrunch reports. The company’s proprietary software, installed in a single, programmable piece of hardware, replaces multiple testing devices, saving clients tens of thousands of dollars. Its sales are up 4X this year and it has a long list of marquee customers including NASA, Google, Qualcomm, Stanford, Duke, and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. OurCrowd investors can still participate in this funding round for a limited time alongside co-investors Lockheed Martin Ventures, ANU Connect Ventures and Moelis Australia’s Growth Capital Fund.

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New meat industry investors back $2.5M ProFuse raise

Three new investors are helping our portfolio company ProFuse realize its vision of producing cost-effective cultured meat, The Spoon reports. Green Circle led the $2.5M round joined by Siddhi Capital, a leader in cultivated meat investments, and Kayma, the investment arm of De-Levie, a meat industry specialist. ProFuse produces a supplement that supercharges cultivated meat production, making it more efficient and financially viable. OurCrowd has secured an allocation in this closed funding round, which is still open to investors for a limited time.

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Neolithics roots out the bad apples

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there’s more than meets the eye. It’s what farmers and stores don’t see that could be the key to saving billions of dollars. The UN estimates that nearly half of the fruits and vegetables produced worldwide are wasted each year. In the US, nearly 30% of all food, worth approximately $48.3B, is thrown away annually. AgTech startup Neolithics uses hyperspectral cameras to inspect produce from every angle, Noa Shapira reports in the Times of Israel. The system then uses AI to compare each scan to a massive trove of images, determining which item meets the standards for firmness, predicted shelf life, color or other properties. This allows retailers to judge which items are closer to spoiling and should be sold first, or at a discount, and which will stay fresh longer. The company has an agreement with Israel’s largest food retailer, and is in negotiations to conduct PoCs with major food giants in the US and Europe. OurCrowd is participating in Neolithics’ current funding round at a 20% discount.

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India’s JITO Angel Network invests in BetterSeeds through OurCrowd

The JITO Angel Network (JAN), the only global community-based Angel network in India, has invested in BetterSeeds via the OurCrowd platform, Entrepreneur India reports. This is JAN’s first AgriTech investment and its third investment in a company outside India. BetterSeeds uses the world’s most advanced gene editing technology to develop seeds that will grow into superior crops that can adapt to climate change, with better nutritional values and bigger yields. “We can’t be prouder to support BetterSeeds’ innovative solution,” says Sunil Kumar Singhvi, Vice Chairman, JITO Angel Network. “The breakthrough CRISPR technology that BetterSeeds uses to naturally edit genome systems could forever alter crop productivity, and be the answer to solving food shortages and caloric deficiency globally.” BetterSeeds’ $7M funding round is still available to OurCrowd investors.

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Canada’s NEO Connect offers OC50 fund to clients

Clients of the Canadian distribution platform NEO Connect can now invest in the OC50VII fund, OurCrowd’s flagship diversified investment vehicle. The platform is used by institutional investors and brokers, and is part of NEO, a group of established FinTech companies that provide capital markets infrastructure designed for and led by the industry. “OurCrowd’s OC50 campaign on NEO Connect is a convenient way to round out stock picking in private companies while managing risk,” says Erik Sloane, NEO’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Platinum Auto Finance uses Lightico to cut loan process time by 80%

Regional US auto lender Platinum Auto Finance handles hundreds of deals a month but the company’s team is bogged down in paperwork, collecting signatures, driver’s licenses and other documents to process new loans – a week-long process. Platinum turned to the Digital Completion platform from Lightico to simplify its service, speed up deal processes and remain competitive. Lightico’s system uses the customer’s smartphone to compile everything from mobile forms to official documents, all with just a few clicks and swipes. “Since implementing Lightico’s solution, Platinum’s deal time has been slashed by 4 days. This allows the services team to be more efficient and resolve all customer requests immediately,” says Armando Hidalgo, Director of Servicing at Platinum Auto Finance. Lightico is currently funding on the OurCrowd website.

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Top Tech News

InsideTracker raises $15M for healthspan optimization tech

Our portfolio company InsideTracker raised $15M in Series B funding to support its personalized nutrition and healthspan optimization system. The platform analyzes the body’s data from blood, DNA and fitness trackers, giving a clear picture of what is going on inside, along with a science-backed action plan for improving the user’s health. “We were blown away by the robust science, exceptional team and phenomenal traction — with tens of thousands of (repeat) users actively using InsideTracker’s platform,” says Nadav Berger, General Partner and Co-founder at PeakBridge, which led the round

Shyft raises $16M Series B, appoints new CEO

Looking to disrupt the global moving industry, our portfolio company Shyft raised $16M in Series B funding. Both OurCrowd and Munich Re Ventures came into the round as new investors, alongside existing investors Inovia Capital and Blumberg Capital. The company’s FinTech-powered marketplace provides a digital infrastructure for the entire moving industry, which reaches $86B a year in the US alone. The company has facilitated more than 300,000 moves with over 800 moving companies and 220 corporations. Shyft also named veteran go-to-market and growth leader Randal Meske as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Visa, Bancorp Bank and DailyPay launch on-demand pay card, app

Visa, The Bancorp Bank and our portfolio company DailyPay launched Friday, a new general-purpose reloadable prepaid card and app, which unlocks instant, no-fee, on-demand pay transfers for DailyPay users. Friday gives workers access to their earned pay before payday to make in-store and online purchases, with no minimum balance requirement or maintenance fees. “With Friday, DailyPay users have more flexibility and control over their financial futures than ever before,” says Kevin Coop, DailyPay’s CEO.

Tattile’s next-gen smart cameras to feature Hailo processors

Italian automatic number plate recognition specialist Tattile will be using processors made by our portfolio company Hailo to power its next generation of high-end cameras. The SMART+ camera, designed for Intelligent Transport Systems, mobility and smart cities, will have the Hailo-8™ AI processor at its core. LPR cameras remain a popular video analytics application for smart cities as they can be easily deployed on highways, toll booths and parking lots to enable fast vehicle identification, congestion control, automatic fare collection and more. “Hailo’s AI expertise, extensive collaboration from design to integration, and top-notch solutions made them the perfect partner to help power our next-gen LPR camera line,” says Corrado Franchi, Tattile CEO.

Scopio Labs launches first digital application for bone marrow aspirate imaging

After providing the medical community with unparalleled resolution of blood tests, our MedTech pioneer Scopio Labs is expanding its technology to bone marrow analysis. The company launched its Full-Field Bone Marrow Aspirate Application, the first in the world that enables a complete digital workflow to scan and analyze the liquid part of a person’s bone marrow after extraction. The platform also has integrated an AI-powered decision-support system into its remote analysis features, allowing medical professionals to review the aspirate from any location. 

Oriient’s supermarket challenge comes to Las Vegas

On your carts, get set, go! Our portfolio company Oriient is hosting an interactive contest and demo at Groceryshop 2022, September 19-22 in Las Vegas. The company’s in-store location software service helps shoppers find items in no time. Oriient staffers will be showcasing the technology at Booth #733. Sign up here for a live demo.  

Introductions

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• Compliance & RA Analyst at Scopio Labs (Tel Aviv)
• Business Partnership Manager at Treedom (Florence)
• Creative Services Manager at Ro (NY)

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The post Newsletter: OurCrowd companies report $62M funding in a single week appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Liquid Instruments, measuring at a new standard
• Angel investors spread their wings worldwide
• Taranis raises $40M for crop intelligence tech
• Head of Google for Startups Israel at OurCrowd Global Investor Summit
• Mermade’s affordable scallops are on the way
• 7,000 Hilton, Marriott workers to enjoy DailyPay earned wage access
• CNA Network streamlines healthcare hiring with Apploi platform
• Coca-Cola, Dave & Buster’s tap Zippin for first in-restaurant checkout-free store
• Top African FinTech picks ThetaRay’s AML platform to monitor transactions
• Introductions
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Liquid Instruments, measuring at a new standard

The demand for test and measurement equipment in the electronics industry is growing, but it is based on decades-old technology that relies on expensive devices, each designed for a distinct function. Our portfolio company Liquid Instruments is disrupting this $24B market with a single configurable, programmable device that can replace a dozen separate pieces of test equipment. The company’s flagship product, Moku:Pro, provides a suite of nine professional-grade instruments in a single device, saving customers tens of thousands of dollars. Liquid Instruments is projecting strong growth both in 2022 and 2023 and has over 1,000 customers in more than 30 countries, including Apple, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Nvidia and Xilinx, as well as research clients NASA, Harvard, Yale, UCLA and CalTech. OurCrowd has an allocation in the company’s Series B round alongside co-investors Lockheed Martin Ventures, ANU Connect Ventures and Moelis Australia’s Growth Capital Fund.

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Angel investors spread their wings worldwide

Angel investing, in common with other forms of venture capital, has traditionally been hyper local. We are now witnessing the growing globalization of angel venture capital. My latest ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Taranis raises $40M for crop intelligence tech

Our AgriTech pioneer Taranis raised $40M to advance its AI-powered crop intelligence platform, which taps information from over 200 million data points around the world. The system gives farmers leaf-level imagery and data, simplifying harvest management and improving the bottom line. “We see a tremendous need for crop intelligence at scale as growers deal with soaring costs and a constant need to increase productivity and yield,” says Ofir Schlam, Taranis President & Co-founder. The latest round brings the total raised by Taranis to over $100M. OurCrowd investors can still participate in this round for a limited time.

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Head of Google for Startups Israel at OurCrowd Global Investor Summit

Yuval Passov, Head of Google for Startups Israel, is confirmed as a speaker at the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem on February 15th, 2023. He will be part of an all-star lineup of tech leaders who will share their insights on the global innovation ecosystem and developing investment opportunities. Investors tell us they are excited to return to the Summit after a three-year absence resulting from the pandemic. More speakers will be announced soon. Early registration is at an all-time high. Spaces are limited. Click below to apply for your early bird ticket.

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Mermade’s affordable scallops are on the way

Scallops cost a small fortune and are becoming harder to come by due to overfishing and stagnating fish farm growth, but lovers of these protein-rich mollusks might be in luck, thanks to our portfolio company Mermade Seafoods, writes Zachy Hennessey in the Jerusalem Post. The company uses inexpensive, environmentally friendly, circular agriculture technology to produce cultivated scallops. It plans to grow them in laboratory conditions by next year with the support of $3.3M in seed funds raised so far. The company’s oversubscribed round is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Top Tech News

7,000 Hilton, Marriott workers to enjoy DailyPay earned wage access

Some 7,000 employees of Atrium Hospitality, the hotel management group that operates Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties, are now eligible to get earned wage access (EWA) from our portfolio company DailyPay, Employee Benefits News reports. Atrium sees the perk, which gives employees instant access to money they have earned, as a way to attract and retain workers, a problem plaguing the hospitality industry. “We’re diligently working to keep up with the growing demands of the business, and this kind of innovation is one of the ways we’re striving to be a better employer,” says Anneliesse Cooper, SVP of HR at Atrium. EWA eliminates the delays of a standard pay cycle and is especially beneficial for workers living paycheck to paycheck.

CNA Network streamlines healthcare hiring with Apploi platform

Healthcare insurance giant CNA and its network myCNAjobs will be using the hiring platform from our portfolio company Apploi to help reach more job seekers in the healthcare industry. MyCNAjobs is one of the largest direct care worker career networks in the US, representing over 70% of the direct care workforce. “In such a competitive labor market, it’s critical to streamline the hiring process to recruit the best talent,” says Brandi Kurtyka, CEO of myCNAjobs. “Through this integration, employers are able to automate processes and also gain more visibility into return-on-investment and channel performance.”

Coca-Cola, Dave & Buster’s tap Zippin for first in-restaurant checkout-free store

Coca-Cola and US eat-and-play chain Dave & Buster’s have opened the world’s first in-restaurant checkout-free store, powered by technology from our portfolio company Zippin, RTIH reports. The Game & Go store in Hollywood, Florida, lets eager gamers bypass table service to grab a snack without having to go through a cashier. “I think anything that can enhance the guest experience and make it faster and quicker and offering some new products, that’s what makes it important for Dave & Buster’s,” says Tim Murphy, the chain’s Director of Operations.

Top African FinTech picks ThetaRay’s AML platform to monitor transactions

Leading African payment services provider ARCA will start using the anti-money laundering (AML) platform from our portfolio company ThetaRay. The company’s SONAR SaaS AML system uses AI and machine learning to screen and flag suspicious financial transactions, including those related to international sanctions lists. “Our mission is to provide feature-rich financial solutions delivered through an open and flexible digital platform, through the use of cutting-edge technologies. ThetaRay’s SONAR is a perfect fit,” says Alex Umeh, Chief Information Security Officer at ARCA.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,200 High-Tech Jobs

• Bookkeeper at BlueGreen Water Technologies (Tzur Hadassa)
• Senior DevOps Manager at Teredata (Pune)
• Physician – Primary Care at Carbon Health (California)

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The post Newsletter: Angel investors spread their wings appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Neolithics, inspecting produce from the inside out
• Alec Ellison: We’re in the AI-powered Roaring 20s
• ProFuse supercharges cultivated meat production
• Lots of upside in private markets, says Dan Bennett
• OurCrowd FoodTech Fund targets $30M investment
• Mermade aims for lab-grown scallop production in 2023
• OncoHost: Predicting cancer treatments by mapping out 7,000 proteins
• IQM co-inks MoU with Singapore’s National Quantum Office
• Introductions
• More than 4,300 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week
Neolithics: Inspecting produce from the inside out

The global waste of fruits and vegetables is staggering, discarding up to 60% of all produce. Not only is this a huge expense for retailers, but the disposal of the waste triggers an environmentally destructive rise in methane gas emissions. Neolithics, an early-stage Israeli AgTech company, has created an automated, AI-powered platform that can inspect 15,000 items of produce every hour, from the inside out. By detecting levels of ripeness, the customizable system can optimize logistics and storage to mitigate high levels of spoilage, reducing financial losses to sellers. Out of the gate, the company has signed an agreement with Israel’s largest food retailer and is in negotiations to conduct POCs with major food giants in the US and Europe. OurCrowd is participating in this $3M SAFE at a 20% discount.

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Alec Ellison: We’re in the AI-powered Roaring 20s

“I’ve never been more excited about the technology and growth ecosystem globally,” Alec Ellison, Chairman of OurCrowd US, tells the Left Field Investors Podcast How to Achieve Institutional Terms on Venture Capital Investments. Every financial boom is based on economy-changing technology, Ellison says. “The Roaring Twenties of the 1920s may become eclipsed by the Roaring Twenties we believe we are entering now. As those Twenties were driven by the electrification of mechanical industries, artificial intelligence is now transforming every industry and component of digital technology,” he says.

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ProFuse supercharges cultivated meat production

Our FoodTech portfolio company ProFuse supercharges cultivated meat production, making it more efficient and cost effective, Food Navigator reports. The company produces a supplement that encourages muscle stem cells to merge faster, creating long fibers that are at the core of the meat’s texture and nutritional value. Its cell-cultivated meat has up to 2.5X more muscle, 4X-5X more protein, shorter production times and the potential to achieve price parity with conventional meat. ProFuse’s current funding round is still open to OurCrowd investors.    

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Lots of upside in private markets, says Dan Bennett

“There’s a lot of upside and a lot of return available in private markets,” Dan Bennett, Managing Director of OurCrowd Australia, tells Tim McGowen at Finance News Network. “At OurCrowd, we want to make sure that our clients are able to get access where they’re investing alongside the biggest and best funds in the world.” OurCrowd focuses on deep technology, heavy-duty intellectual property-protected companies that are developing systems that will have a major impact in the long term, Bennett says.

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OurCrowd FoodTech fund targets $30M investment

OurCrowd has been investing in FoodTech since 2018, when we backed alternative protein-developer Beyond Meat, which had the world’s most successful stock market launch the following year. Since then, we’ve become Israel’s most active FoodTech investor and the ninth most active globally, with $95M deployed in 17 companies worldwide. The new OurCrowd FoodTech Fund gives investors a diversified taste of the sector’s enormous value proposition. The demand for innovative technology to feed the burgeoning world population will only increase, writes Amy Teibel in the Times of Israel. “According to estimates compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the world will have to produce nearly 60 percent more food by 2050.” The fund is looking to raise $30M that will be invested in 15 to 20 FoodTech startups in various geographical areas and stages. 

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Mermade aims for lab-grown scallop production in 2023

Fresh off its $3.3M seed fund raise, OurCrowd portfolio company Mermade Seafoods is looking to produce its cultivated scallops in a lab by next year, using its cost-slashing and environmentally friendly circular agriculture technology, TechCrunch reports. The company takes biowaste made of water, ammonia and carbon dioxide to feed algae, which is then used as the growth medium to sustain and manufacture the scallops’ cells. Mermade has filed several patent applications for this proprietary technique, which could bring down the costs of cultivated cell production by up to 90%. Through a special arrangement with the company, OurCrowd investors can still participate in Mermade’s closed funding round for a limited time.

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OncoHost: Predicting cancer treatments by mapping out 7,000 proteins

Treatment for cancer patients could be changing, thanks to our portfolio company OncoHost, writes Brian Blum at Israel21C. If doctors usually take a “one size fits all” approach, OncoHost’s AI-powered platform can predict a patient’s response to specific therapeutics by analyzing some 7,000 proteins from a simple blood test. This helps develop a personalized treatment that has a greater chance of success. OncoHost is currently conducting clinical trials at over 35 sites in Israel, Europe, the UK and the US. Some 700 lung cancer patients and 150 with melanoma have participated so far.

IQM co-inks MoU with Singapore’s National Quantum Office

Key players in Finland’s quantum computing sector, including our portfolio company IQM, signed an MoU with Singapore’s National Quantum Office to strengthen quantum technology research cooperation. Under the agreement, the parties will accelerate the development of quantum technology hardware components, algorithms and applications. IQM joined VTT Technical Research Center of Finland and CSC – IT Center for Science (Finland) to ink the MoU. “This announcement provides IQM a launchpad for business development in Asia, to attract talent, collaborate on algorithms and enable technology research,” says Dr. Juha Vartiainen, IQM’s COO and Co-founder.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,300 High-Tech Jobs

• DevOps Team Leader at BioCatch (Tel Aviv-Yafo)
• Senior Project Manager at Tala (Nairobi)
• Creative Services Manager at Ro (NY)

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The post Newsletter: Welcome to the AI-powered Roaring Twenties appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Hong Kong’s wealthiest man invests in SaNOtize
• Genesis Venture Debt II Fund targets $150M raise
• Multinationals line up for OurCrowd Summit
• Hub Security files draft prospectus for $1.28B SPAC merger
• Liquid Instruments: Slashing the cost of lab testing
• Cyfirma: 80K security cameras vulnerable to cyber attack
• Thaicom taps Orbital Insight’s geospatial data in new collaboration
• Israel’s first digital bank One Zero launches with 12K customers
• Zippin tech to power checkout-free stores in Qatar
• Multiverse Computing and IQM to develop quantum application processors
• Introductions
• More than 4,300 high-tech jobs

Hong Kong’s wealthiest man invests in SaNOtize

Li Ka-shing, the wealthiest man in Hong Kong, has invested in our portfolio company SaNOtize through his private investment arm Horizons Ventures, the South China Morning Post reports. Horizons joins OurCrowd in leading SaNOtize’s $24M Series B round, which will help fund the third phase of clinical trials for its nasal spray that treats and prevents Covid-19. “We look forward to expanding our clinical research and working towards regulatory approval in the United States and Canada,” says Gilly Regev, SaNOtize Co-founder and CEO. Agricultural Bank of China International is also participating in the financing round, which is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Genesis Venture Debt II Fund targets $150M raise

Singapore-based Genesis Alternative Ventures is looking to raise $150M for its second venture debt fund to finance startups across Southeast Asia, Bloomberg reports. The demand for loans offered to tech companies continues to grow in the current economic climate. “We are seeing an increasing number of companies coming to venture lenders for debt financing,” says Jeremy Loh, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Genesis. “In the past 24 months, it has been burn, burn, burn to gain market access. Now for many VCs, the path to profitability has become a very high priority. The market reset is a good thing in general.” OurCrowd is backing the Genesis Venture Debt II Fund alongside existing investors Aozora Bank, Korea Development Bank, Mizuho Leasing, Sassoon Investment Corp. and Silverhorn.

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Multinationals line up for OurCrowd Summit

Plans for the OurCrowd Global Investor Summit in Jerusalem on February 15th, 2023, are starting to take shape. If you have never visited Jerusalem before, here is your chance to experience the Startup Nation at its best, with a trip that spans its ancient wonders and modern tech innovation. Early registrations for Summit are double the numbers at this stage for previous years, confirming our hunch that OurCrowd investors are keen to meet again face to face. Some of our early data shows that 71% have attended Summit before, 29% are first timers. 39% of registrants so far are active OurCrowd investors. Multinational corporate executives attending include Pepsico, IBM, Bosch, Toshiba, Emirates Airlines, Huawei, Boeing, Travelers, Sumitomo, Sompo, Sony, Siemens, KPMG, Samsung and Porsche.

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Hub Security files draft prospectus for $1.28B SPAC merger

Our cybersecurity pioneer Hub Security has officially filed a non-confidential draft registration statement on Form F-4 which contains a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for the purpose of completing the merger with the SPAC, the offering of the company’s securities to the shareholders of the SPAC and the start of trading in the company’s securities on Nasdaq. Hub specializes in protecting sensitive commercial and government information. It operates in over 30 countries and has a long list of marquee clients including General Electric, Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon and Visa.

Liquid Instruments: Slashing the cost of lab testing

Our portfolio company Liquid Instruments makes it easier and less expensive for engineers to conduct experiments. Its line of compact, professional-grade hardware and cutting-edge software replaces multiple test and measurement devices that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. CEO Daniel Shaddock tells Electronic Design his team is constantly improving its products by adding new functionalities without the need for extra hardware, saving clients even more time and money. The company has more than 1,000 customers in over 30 countries including Apple, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Meta, Intel, NASA and Xilinx. OurCrowd has an allocation in Liquid Instruments’ Series B round.

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Cyfirma: 80K security cameras vulnerable to cyber attack

Over 80,000 Hikvision security cameras are vulnerable to cyber attack, according to a new report from our portfolio company Cyfirma, PC Magazine reports. The vulnerability exists despite a firmware update released to close the security hole last year. By hacking these popular cameras, which are used by over 2,300 organizations in more than 100 countries, cybercriminals can gain access to the devices’ networks. Over 10,000 of these cameras are operational in the US and could be targets of global cybercriminal groups. Cyfirma is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Thaicom taps Orbital Insight’s geospatial data in new collaboration

Thailand-based satellite communication provider and operator Thaicom will be offering its clients geospatial analytics data from our portfolio company Orbital Insight, The Nation Thailand reports. Orbital Insight’s platform uses AI and machine learning to analyze information coming from space-based data sources such as satellites, sensors and vessel automatic identification systems. “As a regional space tech company, we will leverage this data-driven technology from the Orbital Insight Platform to embrace our new business opportunities in the new space economy domain,” says Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, CEO of Thaicom.

Israel’s first digital bank One Zero launches with 12K customers

Israel has its first new government-licensed bank in over 40 years. One Zero, a fully digital lender and OurCrowd portfolio company completed its trial period and officially opened its virtual doors to clients, the Jerusalem Post reports. It uses AI and deep learning to help cut costs, learn from customers, and provide the mass market with a user experience similar to private banking. One Zero has over 12,000 clients with accounts and deposits totaling around $61M.

Zippin tech to power checkout-free stores in Qatar

Shoppers in Qatar will soon be able to walk into an automatic store and purchase items without going through a cashier, thanks to our portfolio company Zippin, Zawya reports. National retailer Al Meera Consumer Goods has tapped Zippin to help open AI-powered convenience stores ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in November. Zippin already operates 60 stores around the world that have served some 625,000 shoppers.

Multiverse Computing and IQM to develop quantum application processors

Multiverse Computing and IQM will be working together to develop quantum-powered, application-specific processors. The two companies will create integrated platforms for finance, energy, chemistry, logistics, material science and other sectors. “This combined offering means both our customers can explore the power of quantum computing with customized solutions dedicated to solving their particular business challenges,” says Mehdi Bozzo-Rey, Chief Revenue Officer at Multiverse Computing.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,300 High-Tech Jobs

• Platform Engineer at Shield (Lisbon)
• Mobile Team Lead – Hybrid for Dario Health (Caesarea)
• Data Scientist at Teradata (Tokyo)

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The post Newsletter: $24M for SaNOtize anti-Covid spray appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: YuLife, Gamified insurance
• “Israel as a startup world power”
• Byrider picks Lightico for digital loan processing, slashes turnaround time
• Watch: OurCrowd FoodTech fund event
• Gen Z sports community Overtime raises $100M
• Pizza Hut taps Consumer Physics device for Dairy Farmers partnership
• Ossio launches its unique orthopedic sutures in US
• BBC: SeeTrue can help us through the “Summer of Lost Luggage”
• Introductions
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
YuLife: Gamified insurance

Our UK-based portfolio company YuLife is bringing a breath of fresh air to the insurance industry. Instead of focusing on claims compensation, the company’s business model is centered on risk prevention and incentivizing policy holders to stay healthy. YuLife sells insurance while providing organizations with the tools and data to drive healthier living among their employees. Through the YuLife app, workers get real-world rewards for engaging in simple, healthy habits that reduce the risk of major chronic physical and mental diseases. YuLife also works to prevent illness with 24/7 access to virtual healthcare. The company’s gross written premiums grew 3.7X YOY in 2021, and have already surpassed last year’s total in the first half of 2022. YuLife has also landed marquee clients including CapitalOne, Tesco, Co-Op, Santander, Penguin Random House, Sixt Rent a Car, FSCS, QinetiQ and Jaguar Land Rover, while taking big steps toward international expansion. OurCrowd is participating in its Series C funding round, being led by one of Asia’s largest insurance companies.

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“Israel as a startup world power”

Technology is constantly transforming the world we live in. But since its earliest days, OurCrowd has been mindful of just how important a role Israel is playing in this global revolution. I spoke to the Media Line and shared my insights on how OurCrowd has grown, yet stuck to its principles over the years, what kind of startups we’re looking at now, the current market conditions, and where we can still step up our game.

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Byrider picks Lightico for digital loan processing, slashes turnaround time

Leading US auto dealership Byrider is putting its trust in our portfolio company Lightico. It has adopted Lightico’s Digital Completion Cloud platform to efficiently collect documents and process loans, Non-Prime Times reports. The result: an 86% faster turnaround time, 84% completion rate and significantly improved customer and employee satisfaction. “The switch to Lightico has assisted us in lowering operating costs, improving associate productivity, and providing a more positive experience for our customers,” says Timothy Brown, a Regional Collection Manager at Byrider, which has sold over 1.2M cars at more than 150 locations across the US. Lightico is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Watch: OurCrowd FoodTech fund event

A growing number of startups are stepping up to the plate and trying to come up with tech-based solutions on how to produce enough food to feed the planet’s growing population without further damaging the environment. Since day one, OurCrowd has been part of the FoodTech revolution. We are Israel’s most active FoodTech investor and ninth in the world overall. Now we’ve launched the OurCrowd FoodTech fund that will invest in a diversified portfolio of startups, all looking to make sure we won’t grow hungry in the future. I sat down with Noga Sela Shalev, CEO of our Fresh Start incubator, Aviv Wolff, Co-founder and CEO of our no-cow dairy pioneer Remilk, and Richard Lackey, Chairman and Founder of the World Food Bank, to discuss the current FoodTech ecosystem and how the sector is ripe for investors.

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Top Tech News

Gen Z sports community Overtime raises $100M

Sports community for millenials and OurCrowd portfolio company Overtime raised $100M in its Series D funding round, Forbes reports. Overtime has created new, video-driven sports leagues that have garnered more than 800M views in their first year alone. The company’s content gets more than 2B video views each month. Liberty Media, which has ownership stakes in high-profile sports and media companies including Formula 1, the Atlanta Braves, SiriusXM and Live Nation Entertainment, co-led the round. Other investors include Morgan Stanley, Jeff Bezos, Black Capital and over 30 NBA stars.

Pizza Hut taps Consumer Physics device for Dairy Farmers partnership

Pizza Hut wants dairy farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is enlisting a marquee device produced by our portfolio company Consumer Physics to help out. The chain will provide participating members of the Dairy Farmers of America with the technology and data needed to carry out the environmentally friendly mission, FeedStuffs reports. Once enrolled, farms will receive a SCiO cup, the world’s fastest lab-grade dry matter analyzer produced by Consumer Physics, allowing farmers to analyze their cows’ feed, helping to deliver precise nutrition – and in turn, produce milk more efficiently, create less waste and reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions. By 2025, Pizza Hut aims to source 50% of the dairy used to make its pizza cheese from dairy farms enrolled in the program.

Ossio launches its unique orthopedic sutures in US

MedTech innovator and OurCrowd portfolio company Ossio launched its proprietary Suture Anchors used for orthopedic surgery in the US. They are part of the company’s intelligent bone regeneration technology product line that integrates with the host’s bone during the healing process. The new implant was also used for the first time in the US in a clinical practice. The Suture Anchors were FDA-cleared in March.

BBC: SeeTrue can help us through the “Summer of Lost Luggage”

It’s being called the “Summer of Lost Luggage.” With the perfect storm of seasonal vacation in full gear and airports around the world severely understaffed, luggage is arriving late or disappearing altogether at a staggering rate, writes Natalie Lisbona of the BBC. One startup that can help is our portfolio company SeeTrue, which scans carry-on pieces faster than human security staff. “SeeTrue uses artificial intelligence and computer vision algorithms to discover prohibited items in bags,” says CEO Assaf Frenkel. “It connects to the existing X-ray and CT scanners, and detects in real-time, faster and more accurately than most human eyes, always on, and never getting tired or distracted. As a result, baggage is delivered on time to the planes and not left behind.”

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,200 High-Tech Jobs

• Solution Engineer at Shield (New York)
• Director of ATE at Innoviz (Tel Aviv)
• Project Manager at Teradata (Tokyo)

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The post Newsletter: “Israel as a startup world power” appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Cyfirma, one step ahead of cyberattacks
• August 18 online: Introducing OurCrowd’s FoodTech fund
• American Robotics’ parent enters into definitive merger agreement to acquire Airobotics
• C2A Security tackles Chinese auto industry with OS giant ThunderSoft
• Boatsetter raises $38M to boost its boat rental marketplace
• Refurbished furniture marketplace Oliver Space raises $36M
• John Deere Operations Center integrates with CropX platform
• Tovala upgrades smart oven with new cooking options
• Introductions
• More than 3,300 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Cyfirma: One step ahead of cyberattacks

Cyberattacks are growing in frequency and sophistication, yet most businesses are flying blind with little insight on when or how they may be targeted and where they are vulnerable. Cyfirma, a rapidly growing Singapore-based company, has developed a comprehensive platform that gives companies awareness of when and how they may be targeted by cybercriminals and where they may be vulnerable. The company uses analysis of threat indicators collected from the deep web, dark web, hacker forums and other closed communities, as well as its own research, to predict attacks using probability models and analytics engines. Its unique offering has seen it acquiring a significant share of the Japanese market, with 39 of the top 40 Japanese enterprises signed up as customers, including Mitsubishi, NEC and Toshiba. Cyfirma has shown 100% YOY ARR growth for 3 years in a row and enjoys 105% net dollar retention for existing customers. OurCrowd is participating in the company’s current $20M funding round.

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August 18 online: Introducing OurCrowd’s FoodTech fund

From tackling the challenge of food scarcity to offsetting the environmental damage caused by today’s food industry, OurCrowd’s new FoodTech fund will be investing in startups that are developing products and services that are changing how food is created, produced and delivered to the growing population. Join us online on August 18th as we host FoodTech executives from the Fresh Start incubator, our no-cow dairy pioneer Remilk and the World Food Bank to discuss the current FoodTech ecosystem, the fund’s criteria for portfolio companies, and its value proposition for investors.

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American Robotics’ parent enters into definitive merger agreement to acquire Airobotics

Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS), owner of US drone company American Robotics, has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire our portfolio company Airobotics (TASE:AIRO). Both companies produce autonomous drone systems that can operate without any direct human oversight. “The combination of Airobotics with American Robotics is a seminal event in the drone sector, creating a leading global provider of commercial drone solutions capable of scaling for customers,” says Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas.

C2A Security tackles Chinese auto industry with OS giant ThunderSoft

Our electric vehicle cybersecurity trailblazer C2A Security is looking to service the massive Chinese auto industry along with its new partner, operating system giant ThunderSoft. Together, the companies can support tools for OEMs and suppliers to effectively identify and protect vehicles against cyberattacks. “The cooperation with C2A Security will provide cybersecurity solutions for the whole lifecycle of connected vehicles in China,” says Wenguang Wu, Executive President of ThunderSoft, which produces intelligent OS products and technologies used in over 40M vehicles worldwide. C2A Security is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Boatsetter raises $38M to boost its boat rental marketplace

Our portfolio company Boatsetter raised $38M in Series B funding to support its leading marketplace for on-the-water experiences and boat rentals. The company’s site has more than 50,000 boat listings in 700 locations worldwide. Renters can also hire a skipper using the company’s database of United States Coast Guard-certified captains. “We were attracted to how Boatsetter has taken the often intimidating arena of boat rental and ownership and made it remarkably intuitive,” says Gautam Gupta, Partner at Level Equity, which co-led the round.

Refurbished furniture marketplace Oliver Space raises $36M

Tech-powered refurbished furniture marketplace Oliver Space completed a $36M funding round. It meticulously refurbishes old furniture and sells the pieces at a 20-50% discount. Items can later be traded in for credit. The company is also looking to have a positive impact on the environment by cutting the amount of waste. “Furniture is America’s largest imported consumer product category, yet at the same time it is the second-largest source of urban waste, with 20 billion pounds of furniture going to landfills every year,” says Chan Park, the company’s CEO and Co-founder. Oliver Space services six major US urban areas in California, Texas and Washington State.  

John Deere Operations Center integrates with CropX platformMC Farms launch Tevel’s flying robots in California plum-picking pilot

Farmers using the John Deere Operations Center to help optimize their crop management will now have access to data provided by our portfolio company CropX. The integration allows CropX farm management system users with an Operations Center account to share data bi-directionally, and view data and analytics from the CropX platform, including near real-time soil sensor monitoring. “With integration into the John Deere Operations Center, CropX is easier and more convenient for growers to use,” says Paul Cooper with Greenway Equipment, a John Deere dealer using the CropX system. “They can analyze planting, application, yield data, and also analyze moisture across the farm to be more efficient with irrigation practices.”

Tovala upgrades smart oven with new cooking options

Tovala’s smart oven is getting a makeover. The company will be renaming its marquee product the Steam + Air Fry Oven after it launches a software update that will unlock new capabilities, The Spoon reports. It will also be coming out with a basket specifically designed for air frying. Tovala will also update its scan-to-cook feature for its ready-made meals, and plans to have 100 grocery items optimized for cooking with the basket.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,300 High-Tech Jobs

• Policy & Government Partnerships Manager at Superpedestrian (Atlanta)
• Senior Back-End Developer at Cyabra (Tel Aviv)
• Python Developer at Shield (Lisbon)

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The post Newsletter: Tackling the Chinese auto industry + OurCrowd’s new FoodTech fund appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Shield, workplace intelligence for the financial world
• OurCrowd partners with Philippines’ Einhorn Resources
• Angels should mind the VC dip but need not fear it
• World Fund leads IQM’s $128M raise
• Stream now: Investing in FoodTech, making tomorrow’s meals
• Beckman Coulter and Scopio Labs speed up blood smear analysis
• Japan Post uses Innoviz sensors to build smart-city maps
• HMC Farms launch Tevel’s flying robots in California plum-picking pilot
• Anodot granted US patent for anomaly detection algorithm
• Introductions
• More than 3,100 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Shield: Workplace intelligence for the financial world

With billions of online interactions carried out by businesses every day, the operational, data, risk and compliance challenges of digital communication are huge. If not properly managed, they can bring down an organization. Regulations require businesses, particularly financial institutions and FinTechs, to monitor, track and secure internal digital communications. Israeli startup Shield has created an AI-powered communication compliance platform that monitors and analyzes communications for fraud, insider trading, market abuse and employee misconduct. It utilizes AI, natural language processing and visualization capabilities to automate the compliance lifecycle and meet regulation requirements. Shield’s ARR grew 117% from the end of Q1 2021 to the end of Q1 2022, and it projects 2X ARR YOY growth in 2022. The company’s client base includes Tier-1 banks, asset managers, hedge funds and commodities trading firms. OurCrowd has an allocation in this Series B round led by current investor Macquarie, with participation from Mindset Ventures and a top-tier strategic financial institution.

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OurCrowd partners with Philippines’ Einhorn Resources

A partnership between OurCrowd and Einhorn Resources Inc, a top Philippine investment firm, will give Einhorn clients direct access to OurCrowd’s exclusive investments, and mentorships to facilitate growth of Philippine startups, the Manila Standard reports. “We are excited to work with OurCrowd to pave the way for stronger ties for investment opportunities, traditional companies and tech solution collaborations,” says Jean Henri Lhuillier, CEO of Einhorn Resources. “The partnership aims to open the funnel to a Philippine network of investors who can choose relevant companies to invest in as well as customize an online portfolio.” Plans are also in hand to set up a regional incubator that will give growth opportunities to Philippine startups looking for Israeli tech expertise.

Angels should mind the VC dip but need not fear it

Global startup investing in mid-2022 is starting to track the downturn in the public markets, just as it did in past dips and after the usual one-to-two-quarter time lag. While angel investors should always be cautious and understand what this means for their existing startup portfolio, they should also be engaged by the opportunities that this correction brings. Read more in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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World Fund leads IQM’s $128M raise

The climate-oriented VC World Fund based in Germany leads IQM’s $128M raise, TechCrunch reports. IQM is the European leader in quantum computers, and is the only company on the continent designing and selling full-stack, on-premises quantum systems. World Fund is hoping IQM systems will help tackle the complex problems related to climate change. “Quantum computing holds the potential to drive the breakthroughs needed to help solve the climate crisis. We are proud to lead this round and support IQM’s ambition to deliver quantum advantage to climate and sustainability goals,” says Daria Saharova, World Fund Founding Partner. The EU’s European Innovation Council and Tencent are also participating in this oversubscribed round that is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Stream now: Investing in FoodTech, making tomorrow’s meals

The future of global food supplies are threatened by rising populations, climate change and crises like the war in Ukraine. The urgent need for technologically advanced food alternatives is growing. OurCrowd portfolio companies Ripple and BlueTree Technologies explain how their companies are contributing to a more sustainable food supply chain in ‘Investing in FoodTech: Making tomorrow’s meals,’ now available to stream. Ripple uses yellow peas to offer a plant-based alternative to dairy products that match or even beat the nutritional benefits of other milk alternatives. Compared to cows’ milk, Ripple has half the sugar, 50% more calcium and no cholesterol. “Yellow peas are one of the highest non-animal protein sources on the planet, and they’re one of the most sustainable crops out there,” says Laura Flanagan, Ripple CEO.

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Top Tech News

Beckman Coulter and Scopio Labs speed up blood smear analysis

A global partnership between veteran US biomedical testing firm Beckman Coulter and our portfolio company Scopio Labs aims to speed up analysis of blood smears through increased adoption of Scopio’s next-generation peripheral blood analysis platforms. Scopio’s technology uses full-field imaging and AI decision support to eliminate manual microscopy, while enhancing workflow for laboratory professionals and clinicians. “By leveraging computational photography, Scopio generates a high-resolution, full-field image of the sample, including a large scan area and the smallest details. This is a leap in digital morphology capabilities, and with easy and secure remote viewing, can help laboratories significantly reduce manual labor burden, while improving turnaround time,” says Dr. Peter Soltani, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Beckman Coulter.

Japan Post deploys Innoviz sensors to build smart-city maps

Japan Post is looking to our portfolio company Innoviz (NASDAQ: INVZ) to take the next step in providing smart-city services. Japan Post installed Innoviz’s high-performance LiDAR sensors on its postal delivery trucks, and will use the collected data to generate detailed digital maps, gathering information such as changes in roads and buildings along delivery routes. These maps will serve as foundational data to enable automated driving, unmanned delivery and other next-generation services for Japan’s residents. “We greatly appreciate such an innovative approach full of possibilities to solve local issues across the country using the solution from Innoviz,” says Yoshihiro Gomi, Executive Officer at Japan Post. “We hope that the combination of our assets and InnovizOne LiDAR sensor will lead to the creation of a new business.”

HMC Farms launch Tevel’s flying robots in California plum-picking pilot

The extreme heat in California’s Central Valley is not preventing autonomous flying robots made by our portfolio company Tevel from harvesting local fruit crops. HMC Farms is using Tevel’s robots in a pilot program to locate, harvest and place the fruit in boxes with no human interaction, Perishable News reports. HMC’s high-density orchards, where it grows peaches, nectarines and plums, are ideal locations for autonomous harvesting. Tevel’s platform is particularly appealing to California’s agricultural community, which has been challenged by labor shortages over the past few years.

Anodot granted US patent for anomaly detection algorithm

Our business intelligence trail blazer Anodot was granted a US patent for its new algorithm that speeds up an industry-leading model used to detect data anomalies. It boosts Arima, a model for estimating anomalies in time-series data, reducing runtime by 99.98% and slashing the expense of running the model by up to 80%, enabling Anodot to better protect its customers’ bottom lines. “This new patent is a milestone for Anodot customers and their frequently overburdened data teams,” says David Drai, Anodot CEO and Co-founder. “As businesses of every size generate more and more data, it becomes increasingly difficult to clearly see and understand the impact of every small part making the machine run. We’re eager to see this lightning-fast solution in action.”

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,100 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Senior Project Manager at Tala (United States, Remote)
• System Engineering Manager at Insightec (Haifa)
• Creative Designer at Bizzabo (Kyiv)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Quantum opportunity + Investing in the dip appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Polaris^qb, quantum-powered drug discovery
• Edge: Taking gaming to a new level
• VentureBeat: OurCrowd leads $8M Sotero raise
• Singapore executives meet Startup Nation
• Quantum Machines to head $29M quantum computing center
• July 25 online: The future of FoodTech
• Nuvei, Payoneer, Travelex trust ThetaRay’s AML platform
• American Airlines Cargo’s US bookings launch on Freightos platforms
• Zippin to open checkout-free stores at Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium
• MedTech startups phone in crucial health information
• Brodmann17 wins innovation award at Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo
• Introductions
• More than 3,100 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Polaris^qb: Quantum-powered drug discovery

Only 12% of new drugs that enter clinical trials earn FDA approval. Including the money wasted on drugs that fail, the average cost of bringing a new drug to market is $2.6B. The crucial first step, drug discovery, takes years and costs millions of dollars. Polaris Quantum Biotech (Polaris^qb) uses quantum computing to reduce the time needed for this critical stage of drug discovery from an average of four years to four months, while reducing the cost to less than $100K. The company’s Tachyon platform is the first drug discovery platform built on a quantum computer. It uses an automated process to search vast chemical libraries, allowing it to find novel molecules to develop new drug leads at a fraction of the cost and time of current drug development processes. Polaris^qb already has four active drug development projects, two ongoing collaborations with precision drug developer Auransa, and is projecting 460% YOY revenue growth in 2023. OurCrowd is leading this convertible loan at a 20% discount.

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Edge: Taking gaming to a new level

Online gaming is a bigger industry than music and movies combined, estimated at $300B a year. Israeli gaming startup Edge promises to send the already eye-popping numbers soaring by enabling gamers to monetize their most exciting gameplay moments. “Legendary117S,” 25, an Israeli Call of Duty: Warzone battle royale superstar gamer with 50,000 followers, tried out the platform, which lets players clip their own game highlights into “Playables” and turn them into standalone mini-games that others can play. “They showed me the technology and I fell in love with it,” Legendary117S tells Amy Teibel in the Times of Israel. During a controlled release, Edge saw usage soar to 92 minutes a day – a higher average daily usage than TikTok and Instagram combined. This month, Edge closed a $30M funding round, led by California-based Corner Ventures and backed by gaming pioneer Playtika. The company aims to reach 7 million monthly active users by mid-2024, and to reach profitability early that same year, says CEO and Co-founder Asaf Gazit. OurCrowd investors can still join this round.

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VentureBeat: OurCrowd leads $8M Sotero raise

Our portfolio company Sotero raised $8M in an extension seed round led by OurCrowd. Sotero keeps enterprise data safe whether it’s at rest, in transit or being queried, VentureBeat reports. Hybrid working practices and the growth in cloud computing have increased the risk of data hacking and ransomware attacks, sending companies in search of a new type of cybersecurity system. Sotero uses patented encryption algorithms and proprietary machine learning models that can query data in its encrypted state and identify malicious access attempts. This round is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Singapore executives meet Startup Nation

Senior representatives from large Singapore-based companies visited Israel this week to participate in a two-day event organized by OurCrowd and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Six large Singapore-based companies – Flex, HP Inc., Meiban, SingHealth, ST Engineering and UOB – had the opportunity to meet with more than 40 Israeli startups, including OurCrowd portfolio companies D-ID, DreaMed Diabetes, Genopore, Hailo, Largix, OncoHost and 3d Signals. “EDB is pleased to partner with OurCrowd to organize this series of events in Israel, which provides large Singapore-based corporates the opportunity to meet with Israeli startups to discuss innovation collaborations to suit their business needs. These companies will be able to leverage OurCrowd’s extensive networks and deep understanding of technology capabilities in the Israeli startup ecosystem, which will further strengthen innovation ties between the two countries,” says Lily Phua, Vice President, Innovation Economy, EDB.

Quantum Machines to head $29M quantum computing center

The Israel Innovation Authority selected our portfolio company Quantum Machines to lead a new quantum computing center to serve local industry and academia, Calcalist reports. With a $29M budget, the center will support R&D in all layers of hardware and software on three different quantum processing technologies. Classiq, another OurCrowd company, which provides a revolutionary new tool to program quantum computers, will consult and provide infrastructure for the project.

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July 25 online: The future of FoodTech

As climate change reshapes planet Earth literally from the ground up, sustainability has become mankind’s most important goal. Nowhere is this more crucial than with our food supplies, which are dwindling and unable to feed the rapidly growing population. Now tech is stepping up to create alternative sources of nourishment without further damaging the environment. Join us online on July 25th as we host FoodTech executives from BlueTree Technologies, Dole Sunshine Company and Ripple, who will reveal what you might be eating at the dinner table in the not-so-distant future.

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Nuvei, Payoneer, Travelex trust ThetaRay’s AML platform

FinTech powerhouses Nuvei, Payoneer and Travelex are among new clients of ThetaRay, whose AI-powered platform helps financial institutions comply with regulatory anti-money laundering and data privacy programs. They join 3 of the 12 largest correspondent banks outside China and several Tier-1 UAE banks. Preventing financial crime online is a tricky business, especially after sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine spurred an uptick in illegal monetary activities, Amy Teibel writes in the Times of Israel. The company’s proprietary algorithms analyze transactions against dozens of risk indicators associated with financial crimes to detect anomalies that suggest criminals and terrorists are moving money. ThetaRay is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

American Airlines Cargo’s US bookings launch on Freightos platforms

American Airlines Cargo is now offering customers full access to its US network when booking through the WebCargo and 7L Freight platforms operated by our portfolio company Freightos, the American Journal of Transportation reports. With 5,000 daily US departures, the airline is now WebCargo’s largest domestic carrier. WebCargo is the world’s leading dynamic cargo booking and pricing platform, handling over 36% of the global air capacity with more than $100M in freight bookings every quarter.

Zippin to open checkout-free stores at Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadiumu

Tennessee Titans fans will be able to check out fully automated checkout-free stores at Nissan Stadium in Nashville thanks to our portfolio company Zippin, Sports Business Journal reports. Zippin will launch five grab-and-go shops powered by its AI, machine learning and sensor fusion technology just in time for pre-season games next month. Zippin is the leading checkout-free platform deployed in US stadiums and venues, with 50 outlets set to be operational by the start of the upcoming NFL season. It cuts the time it takes to speed through concession stands from an average of 20 minutes to as little as 20 seconds. 

MedTech startups phone in crucial health information

Thanks to a select number of Israeli startups, your smartphone can become a medical platform that can save your life, Israel21C reports, featuring OurCrowd MedTech portfolio companies Binah.ai, Cordio Medical, Sweetch and TytoCare. They all use mobile phones to gather and transmit health data, keeping tabs on chronic conditions.

Brodmann17 wins innovation award at Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo

Our mobility safety pioneer Brodmann17 took home the Global Innovation Award at the Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo 2022 in Stuttgart. The company won the honor for Wing Camera AI, a wing mirror with a camera equipped with its proprietary Vision-AI object detection designed to help truck drivers with blind-spot detection, safe turns and field of vision. The Wing Camera AI will be launched commercially in January 2024 by Brodmann17’s partner, a Tier-1 automotive company.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,100 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Materials & Process Engineer at Virgin Hyperloop (Los Angeles)
• Solutions Engineer at BioCatch (Tel Aviv)
• Senior Android Developer at Jumpcloud (Mexico City)

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The post Newsletter: Singapore meets Startup Nation appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: ThetaRay, trusted global payments
• The Lancet: SaNOtize nasal spray effective against Covid
• Biden’s Middle East visit will help bring down Sand Curtain
• OurCrowd launches upgraded mobile app
• Edge Gaming raises $30M to fund playable game clips
• Kini brings in $4.3M for on-demand pay in Southeast Asia
• wefox completes $400M Series D round, valuation reaches $4.5B
• YuLife raises $120M for gamified wellness-oriented life insurance platform
• BBC: Moodify’s smell of success
• Introductions
• More than 3,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
ThetaRay: Trusted global payments

The war in Ukraine and accompanying economic sanctions on Russia are pushing financial institutions to ensure they have effective solutions to conduct their global cross-border payments business, now valued at $37T worldwide. ThetaRay, a rapidly growing Israeli company, has created and deployed SONAR, a proprietary, state-of-the-art, AI-driven SaaS platform that provides banks and FinTechs with superior anti-money laundering capabilities. SONAR uses “artificial intelligence intuition” based on proprietary algorithms, allowing it to analyze dozens of risk indicators associated with financial crimes to detect suspicious transactions. This translates to higher revenues, reduced operational costs, significantly improved customer service and expanded risk coverage for clients. Some of the world’s top financial institutions are now ThetaRay clients, including 3 of the 12 largest correspondent banks outside China, several Tier-1 UAE banks, and FinTech powerhouses such as Travelex, Nuvei and Payoneer. The company’s ARR rose 2.5X during the last 12 months, and ThetaRay forecasts a 3X YOY increase in ARR by the end of 2022. OurCrowd is participating in this $12M SAFE at a 20% discount.

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The Lancet: SaNOtize nasal spray effective against Covid

The antiviral nasal spray produced by our portfolio company SaNOtize reduces 99% of Covid-19 viral load within 48 hours of treatment, The Lancet reports. Phase 3 clinical trials conducted by SaNOtize and its partner Glenmark Pharmaceuticals were published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia. The study was conducted during the Delta and Omicron surges, showing the spray to be effective on the known variants of Covid-19. “Viral load has been linked to infectivity, poorer health outcomes, and complications from long Covid,” says Gilly Regev, Co-founder and CEO of SaNOtize. Evidence is mounting that the SaNOtize spray “represents an effective, well-tolerated antiviral treatment that significantly shortens the course of Covid-19.” The spray is now available in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Nepal, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, and has received a CE mark in Europe that allows it to be launched in the EU. It is also approved and being sold in Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, Thailand, Indonesia and Bahrain under the brand name enovid™ or VirX™. SaNOtize is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.  

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Biden’s Middle East visit will help bring down Sand Curtain

The Middle East is on the brink of a new era, as I told the BBC, CNBC, CBN and other global media as President Joe Biden landed in Israel this week on the first leg of a regional visit. The Sand Curtain that has divided Israel from its regional partners is coming down, and President Biden’s trip will help to push the process forward. We already have billions of dollars of trade with the UAE, and the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords opens up infinite possibilities for regional cooperation in tech and business investment. Just as we were among the leaders of Israel’s business relations with the UAE, OurCrowd is poised to be in the vanguard of future ties with Saudi Arabia and the rest of our new friends across the Middle East.

OurCrowd launches upgraded mobile app

Tap. Swipe. Invest. It’s here. The enhanced OurCrowd mobile app allows you to open the world of startup investing on your Android or iOS device, as reported in the Times of Israel. The upgraded OurCrowd app allows users to receive real-time information on new investment opportunities, check the performance of their current portfolio, receive the latest news on OurCrowd companies and the startup ecosystem, and review and download key documents and reports.    

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Edge Gaming raises $30M to fund playable game clips

Our portfolio company Edge Gaming raised a $30M Series A round to enable gamers across the world to share their finest moments with others, VentureBeat reports. The company’s platform allows gamers to create Playables – scenarios captured from live games that can be shared, played, re-enacted, re-lived, and experienced by others. Creating a Playable is like recording a video, except it generates a mini-game that can be shared across the company’s platform. This round is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Kini raises $4.3M for on-demand pay in Southeast Asia

On-demand pay in Southeast Asia takes another step forward with the help of $4.3M in seed funding raised by our portfolio company Kini, TechNode Global reports. Kini aims to bring financial relief to millions of blue-collar workers in Southeast Asia who live from paycheck to paycheck, are underbanked, have limited access to credit, and are vulnerable to predatory lending from payday lenders. The mobile platform provides payday-on-demand services, giving workers immediate access to cash, bill-paying services, and special features including micro insurance and micro investments tailored to the market. This round is still open to OurCrowd investors.

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Top Tech News

wefox valuation soars to $4.5B as it closes $400M Series D

InsurTech vanguard and OurCrowd portfolio company wefox raised $400M in a Series D funding round led by Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, Reuters reports. The round also saw the Berlin-based company increase its valuation from $3B to $4.5B in 12 months, bucking the current trend in the InsurTech market. “Wefox now has more than 2 million customers and we aim to reach 3 million customers by the end of this year. It is further proof that wefox is trusted, and testament to our focus on prediction and prevention, rather than the traditional approach of repair and replace. We are making insurance 10 times better through technology,” says Julian Teicke, wefox’s CEO and Founder.

YuLife raises $120M for gamified wellness-oriented life insurance platform

UK-based YuLife wrapped a $120M Series C round, TechCrunch reports. The company goes beyond being an insurance provider by gamifying its product. YuLife’s mobile app encourages policy holders to regularly take part in wellness activities and rewards them for healthy living with gifts and goodies. The system is working, with 87% of its clients reporting an improvement to their well-being as a result of using YuLife. “Insurance has the potential to achieve tremendous social good. We believe that well-being must be holistic, and we are committed to building a global financial services brand that can change the lives of millions of people across the world,” says Sammy Rubin, YuLife CEO and Founder.    

BBC: Moodify’s smell of success

Can the right smell make people more productive? That’s the question the BBC’s Natalie Lisbona asks in a report on odor technology. She features our portfolio company Moodify, which uses technology powered by over a decade of research at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Moodify’s scents can light up the olfactory bulb in the brain, which has more structures than vision or hearing. The company produces malodor control products and is developing scents that enable people to improve their performance, enhance their well-being and increase their safety.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,200 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Street Brand Ambassador at Superpedestrian (Seattle)
• Director of Strategic Alliance at CytoReason (Tel Aviv)
• Customer Success Manager at Funnel (Stockholm)

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The post Newsletter: Biden in Jerusalem appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Dataloop, AI development data engine
• Will Biden trip bring Israel-Saudi breakthrough?
• American Robotics’ parent signs term sheet to acquire Airobotics
• TechCrunch: Maolac CEO, from supermom to superfood
• July 13th Online: Labs/02 Startup Demo Day
• Tech in plane sight: Solving the airline industry’s jet lag
• CropX disease management helps farmers cut chemical use
• Toyota Tsusho taps Quantum Machines for Japanese market
• FDA approves Insightec treatment for prostate cancer study
• BlueGreen Water Technologies cleans up SC lake, set for statewide operations
• Introductions
• More than 3,400 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Dataloop: AI development data engine

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing almost every field, but preparing the groundwork for these incredibly complex applications takes time. Most of them need to label and annotate large swaths of unstructured data to train the program, which is a tedious, manual process. Israeli startup Dataloop has created a SaaS platform that automates the AI data management and labeling process, saving AI developers thousands of hours of manual labor. It uses AI and machine learning technology to analyze massive amounts of data, and then presents it visually, enabling company management to make informed, statistics-based decisions. Dataloop’s ARR grew 170% YOY at the end of Q1 2022 and the company expects it to more than double again by the end of 2022. This year, Dataloop added Shopify to its list of top clients, which also includes Vimeo, OLA, LinkedIn, Taranis, Syte AI, and Tata Consultancy Services. OurCrowd has secured a $1M allocation in this $24M Series B round, co-led by Alpha Wave Global and the venture arm of a major telecommunications company. 

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Will Biden trip bring Israel-Saudi breakthrough?

President Joe Biden’s arrival in the Middle East this month with stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia has fanned expectations of another historic step toward pulling down the Sand Curtain that has divided Israel and the Arab Gulf states. Improving Israel’s relations with the Arab Middle East is a rare and precious point of bipartisan agreement in US politics. It will also help to unleash the benefits of Israel’s technology to help its neighbors as they grapple with an unprecedented crisis in food, water and energy that threatens the stability of many countries in the region. OurCrowd is proud to have been one of the leaders of Israel’s business community in establishing ties with our new partners in the UAE, and I am confident we will be in the vanguard of Israel’s future economic relationship with Saudi Arabia. Read more in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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American Robotics’ parent signs term sheet to acquire Airobotics

Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS), owner of US drone company American Robotics, signed a term sheet to acquire our portfolio company Airobotics (TASE: AIRO) later this year, TechCrunch reports. Both drone companies have developed different types of autonomous systems that allow units to operate without direct human oversight. Ondas, which acquired American Robotics in August 2021, says the proposed acquisition, if completed, would give the combined companies a better global foothold in a rapidly expanding category. Airobotics has raised $130M since it was founded in 2014.

TechCrunch: Maolac CEO, from supermom to superfood

When Maya Ashkenazi Otmazgin was nursing her first child she came up with the idea of bringing the health benefits of breast milk to everyday foods and supplements for adults, Christine Hall reports in TechCrunch. In 2018, she co-founded and became the CEO of Maolac to fulfill her vision. Ashkenazi Otmazgin, a biomedical engineer, and her partners identified over 1,500 known bioactive proteins in human breast milk and then compared them to bovine colostrum, the first milk produced by cows after giving birth. They found over 95% biosimilarity. Maolac takes the nutrient-packed colostrum, usually discarded by dairies, to create a supplement now being used in products ranging from energy drinks to cosmetics. Join this $4M round now funding on the OurCrowd platform.    

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July 13th online: Labs/02 Startup Demo Day

Investors always want to know what new innovations our companies have in the works. On July 13th, we will pull back the curtain on seven early-stage startups backed by Labs/02, OurCrowd’s early-stage fund and incubator. Tune in for game-changing technologies in AgTech, cybersecurity, Metaverse immersion, enterprise software and even cattle herding by drone cowboys. Join us as the CEOs of BeeFreeAgro, C2A, CorrActions, Dots, HyperVision, Kaholo and QuantLR showcase their company’s tech and business, its impact on the sector, and the value proposition for investors. 

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Tech in plane sight: Solving the airline industry’s jet lag

July Fourth weekend was a frustrating holiday for millions of Americans who took to the skies to travel. More than 1,400 flights were canceled and 14,000 others delayed, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The airline industry must look for ways to make flying more efficient by using new technology, as explored in our online forum ‘Investing in Solutions to the Airline Industry’s Jet Lag’, Noa Shapira reports in the Times of Israel. IntellAct CEO Udi Segall demonstrated how airlines could cut delays and save billions of dollars each year by cutting turnaround times by monitoring video feeds at airports through its AI-powered platform. IntellAct has just signed a deal with Indra, a global leader in airport management operations. It is currently funding on the OurCrowd website.

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Top Tech News

CropX disease management helps farmers cut chemical use

AgTech pioneer CropX is helping farmers reduce the amount of chemicals they use on crops to prevent disease. The company has integrated a disease management feature into its platform that can track key fungal diseases on over 320 crop and fungal disease combinations, and offers advice on when to spray. This new capability integrates 20 years of agronomic research and expertise of Netherlands-based Dacom Farm Intelligence, which CropX acquired last year. In use now by thousands of customers in Europe, disease management will soon be available to all of CropX’s customers in over 50 countries worldwide. 

Toyota Tsusho taps Quantum Machines for Japanese market

Toyota Tsusho Corp., a member of the Toyota Group, wants our portfolio company Quantum Machines to help them create new products using quantum computing. Toyota Tsusho has been developing businesses utilizing quantum computers since 2017. The new partnership will see Quantum Machines develop an advanced infrastructure that will help Toyota Tsusho bring new products to market. “Partnering with Quantum Machines is a natural fit for our mission and will provide our customers with access to crucial quantum computing technologies that have the potential to reshape entire industries moving forward,” says Kazunori Mori, a general manager at Toyota Tsusho.

FDA approves Insightec treatment for prostate cancer study

The FDA approved the prostate cancer treatment system created by our portfolio company Insightec for investigational device exemption, allowing the company to conduct studies on how it stops the spread of the disease. The ultrasound-based system uses focused sound waves guided by MRI to destroy targeted tissue in the prostate. “Exablate Focused Ultrasound has been shown to provide an accurate, safe, and effective option to engage the prostate gland directly in select patients based on 2-years biopsy outcomes. The new trial will build on this success and help further enhance treatment options,” says Behfar Ehdaie, MD, a urologic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and principal investigator for the study.

BlueGreen Water Technologies cleans up SC lake, set for statewide operations

CleanTech pioneer BlueGreen Water Technologies is making it safe for people in upstate South Carolina to take a dip in a popular swimming lake, WYFF4 reports. BlueGreen’s special treatments cleaned up Lake Whelchel, one of the many bodies of water across the US affected by cyanobacteria, harmful algae blooms that can be dangerous to humans and fish. The company has begun steps to treat other affected lakes across South Carolina.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,400 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Manager at DailyPay (New York)
• Reconciliation Lead at Rewire (Tel Aviv)
• Business Development Manager at Klook (Dubai)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Israel-Saudi breakthrough hopes + AI development data engine appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Ripple sends cows on vacation
• 3d Signals: Bringing the world’s factories online
• SoftBank: OurCrowd Summit moves the needle
• OurCrowd hosts Jain angel investor delegation
• Israeli tech gets planes flying on time
• Payoneer endorses ThetaRay transaction monitoring
• Axie Infinity funds 200 NAS Academy fellowships
• SaNOtize CEO: From sommelier to scientist
• Forbes: Israel’s FoodTech sector leads global revolution
• Remilk inks 10-year deal with major Israeli dairy producer
• Cordio Medical raises $18M for medical speech processing platform
• Introductions
• More than 3,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Ripple sends cows on vacation

If you spot any cows vacationing this summer, blame Ripple, a fast-growing FoodTech company that produces great-tasting, nutritious alternatives to milk, shakes and ice cream. As concerns grow about the sustainability of dairy farming and the impact on health and climate of dairy products, consumers are switching in large numbers to plant-based milk alternatives. Ripple foods are based on exclusive and proprietary yellow pea protein isolate that have the look, feel, and taste of real dairy. They are sold in branches of Target, Whole Foods, Walmart and nearly 20,000 retail stores across the US. The company’s net revenue grew in 2021 despite supply-chain disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic, with sales growing several times faster than the industry average across all categories. OurCrowd has secured an up to $5M allocation in the company’s new funding round, an up to $25M SAFE, at a 20% discount..

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Try Ripple for Free: Schedule a call with your Account Manager to accredit and receive a complimentary voucher for Ripple products. (US residents only. Limited supply available. Terms and conditions apply).

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3d Signals: Bringing the world’s factories online

While many industries are harnessing the power of advanced technology, physical production is lagging behind. More than 90% of the world’s 64 million manufacturing machines are pre-digital, which means that even if they are automated, they can’t communicate with other devices or share much of their data, writes Amy Teibel in the Times of Israel. Our portfolio company 3d Signals connects these machines to a cloud-based, AI-powered platform in a matter of hours. “We’re giving manufacturers a simple way to quickly increase their productivity, reduce their operational costs and CO2 emissions,” says CEO Ariel Rosenfeld. “We are delivering smart manufacturing for a better world.’’ The company is operating in a field with no major competition, and has an existing client base of over 20 customers in the automotive, energy and production industries. 3d Signals is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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SoftBank: OurCrowd Summit moves the needle

SoftBank commends the OurCrowd Summit as an outstanding way to generate deal flow. SoftBank asked Vision 2 Fund companies to share their top marketing investment. Our Global Investor Summit, which has been on hiatus for the past two and a half years due to the pandemic, returns on February 15th, 2023. We expect some 30,000 people to register, generating about 1,000 business meetings, of which 10% will likely convert into investments and other deals. SoftBank Vision Fund 2 invested $25M in OurCrowd in October 2021.

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OurCrowd hosts Jain angel investor delegation

OurCrowd hosted a 90-strong delegation of angel investors from India’s JITO Investor Forum in Tel Aviv this week. Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) is a worldwide organization of businessmen, industrialists, knowledge workers and professionals dedicated to ethical business practices. The delegates heard from executives of our portfolio companies BetterSeeds, Consumer Physics, Largix, ThetaRay and 3dSignals, all dedicated to improving the quality of life in their respective sectors.

Israeli tech gets planes flying on time

This summer sees the return to full-on vacationing for the first time in three years. Millions of passengers are already packing airports and many are frustrated by delays and cancellations as the airline industry struggles to bounce back from pandemic-triggered shutdowns and closures. Enter Israeli innovation, writes Candice Krieger in the UK Jewish News, focusing on three standout OurCrowd portfolio companies, IntellAct, CorrActions and SeeTrue, all trying to get the travel industry off the ground. IntellAct, now funding on the OurCrowd platform, tackles the heart of the problem in many cases of aircraft delays – turnaround time. Its AI-powered platform uses existing airport video feeds to identify bottlenecks in real time and streamline the process of turning around a passenger plane which requires as many as 360 separate tasks.

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Payoneer endorses ThetaRay transaction monitoring

Earlier this year, FinTech giant Payoneer (Nasdaq: PAYO) picked our portfolio company ThetaRay to help keep track of its users’ global cross-border payments, monitoring millions of transactions every year. “We looked a lot at everyone’s machine learning and how it works, but we were super impressed when we went through our proof of concept with ThetaRay,” says Micheal Sheehy, Payoneer’s Chief Compliance Officer. “My compliance department needs to be agile and quick to respond.” Payoneer operates in over 190 countries and territories and has more than 5 million customers worldwide. OurCrowd is currently raising funds for ThetaRay.

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Axie Infinity funds 200 NAS Academy fellowships

Popular blockchain game platform Axie Infinity is offering 200 fellowships at Nas Academy, the online education platform created by internet superstar Nuseir Yassin of Nas Daily, BSC News reports. Nas Academy, currently funding on the OurCrowd platform, designed a three-month course, with a two-month mentorship, specifically for the Axie Infinity community. The curriculum includes instruction on generating exciting content ideas, writing engaging scripts, smartphone filming, end-to-end mobile video editing, social media postings, and content strategies.

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SaNOtize CEO: From sommelier to scientist

SaNOtize CEO and Co-Founder Gilly Regev has come a long way to lead a MedTech company. While studying for her PhD in biochemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she worked as a sommelier, PharmaVoice reports. Regev says the two fields have a lot in common. “It’s all about strong science … [and] asking the right questions and showing that the data is there,” she says. “There is a lot of strong science behind wine making. Same as there’s a lot of strong science behind how nitric oxide can treat infections. So as long as you know to ask the right questions you will get to the answer.” Her company SaNOtize produces an anti-viral nasal spray which kills the coronavirus and is now being used around the world as a preventative measure to protect against Covid-19 and reduce transmission. SaNOtize is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.  

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Top Tech News

Forbes: Israel’s FoodTech sector leads global revolution

From creating alternative proteins to producing plant-based meat and fish and figuring out a way to reduce sugar consumption, the Israeli FoodTech sector is poised to lead the global food revolution, Ari Melamud reports in Forbes. He points to three OurCrowd startups, DouxMatok, Plantish and Remilk, who are setting an example with their innovative technologies. Multinational food giants like Coca-Cola, Danone, Nestlé and Unilever have all invested in Israeli FoodTech, he notes.  

Remilk inks 10-year deal with major Israeli dairy producer

One of Israel’s largest dairy producers inked a 10-year agreement with our alt-dairy pioneer, Remilk, Calcalist reports. The deal with Tara Dairies was signed with its parent company, the Central Bottling Company, which also owns Coca-Cola Israel. Tara will be using milk proteins produced by Remilk’s microbial fermentation process in dairy drinks, yogurts and cheeses which it plans to bring to market within a year.

Cordio Medical raises $18M for medical speech processing platform

OurCrowd portfolio company Cordio Medical completed a $18M raise from strategic investors Ceros Financial Services and Peregrine Ventures. The funds will be used to further develop its HearO platform, which converts a smartphone to a medical device that detects signs of congestive heart failure by analyzing speech samples.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,500 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Head of Sales at Diagnostic Robotics (New York)
• System Engineer at Insightec (Haifa)
• Data Scientist at Teradata (Tokyo)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Cows on vacation + Digital industrial revolution appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Kaholo, High-speed DevOps
• Indra to adopt IntellAct’s airport management platform
• Schrödinger’s Unicorns
• Singapore Economic Development Board inks first Israel partnership with OurCrowd
• Volvo, Caterpillar drive £15M for Connected Energy
• OurCrowd Jobs Index: Tech faces hiring slowdown
• June 30th online: Startups and the airline industry
• Forbes: Samsung Ventures backs NeuReality raise
• QuantLR, MedOne successfully test quantum security platform
• Forbes: Mastercard picks Zippin as checkout-free platform partner
• Batory Foods launches US partnership with DouxMatok
• Tabnine raises $15.5M for AI-powered coding tech
• BioLumic wraps $13.5M Series B led by OurCrowd
• Rewire acquires prepaid card provider Imagen
• Introductions
• More than 3,600 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Kaholo: High-speed DevOps

Software product development needs considerable time and resources for testing, which requires complex workflows built and maintained by expensive DevOps engineers. Our portfolio company Kaholo is set to change that with its low-code SaaS-based platform for creating and orchestrating IT/DevOps automation workflows. You don’t have to be an engineer to use its proprietary drag-and-drop interface which can slash the time to release software by over 50% and significantly cut costs. Clients such as Align Technologies shortened these release cycles from months to weeks using Kaholo. The company is also working with Ness Technology and other integrators, and building a promising pipeline that includes companies in the MedTech and FinTech sectors. OurCrowd is leading this $1M SAFE round.

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Indra to adopt IntellAct’s airport management platform

Spanish transportation tech giant Indra will be integrating the airport operations management platform created by our portfolio company IntellAct into their own products, Passenger Terminal Today reports. IntellAct uses AI to analyze airport video feeds in real time, preventing bottlenecks and significantly reducing plane turnaround times. “We signed a contract with IntellAct to develop solutions that implement or use AI,” says Lidia Munoz Perez, Indra’s Ports and Airports Director. “We will integrate their solution into our in-plan solution. This solution allows us to plan and monitor KPIs for everything related to our operation.” IntellAct is now funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Schrödinger’s Unicorns

Investors need to look ahead to 2030 and the coming decade of quantum computing, which harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems too complex for classical computers. If we get it right, the effect will be much greater than the step change that has placed millions of times more computing power in a smartphone than on Apollo 11. Quantum will reduce processing times from months to seconds for certain applications and help us to solve big, currently unsolvable, problems. It will bring about a revolution in what technology can achieve and how fast it can achieve it. It’s an inflection point for investors. Read more in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.

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Singapore Economic Development Board inks first Israel partnership with OurCrowd

OurCrowd is the first Israeli company to partner with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), under its Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) programme, StartupHub.ai reports. The GIA is designed to catalyze cross-border collaborations between Singapore and major innovation hubs around the world. The agreement will provide thousands of Israeli startups the opportunity to work with Singapore-based corporates across the manufacturing and services sectors. “The partnership with EDB is the direct evolution of OurCrowd’s long-standing relationships in Singapore and the entire region,” says Yakir Machluf, OurCrowd’s Head of Business Development. OurCrowd opened its office in Singapore in 2016.

Volvo, Caterpillar drive £15M for Connected Energy

Connected Energy reveals a string of new marquee investors in its latest £15M funding round, Current News reports. Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., the Hinduja Group, Mercuria, Volvo Energy and OurCrowd joined the raise to support the company’s technology which uses retired electric vehicle batteries to store surplus power from alternative energy sources. “There is a great deal of untapped potential in the second-life use of batteries. This forward-leaning investment aims to facilitate the scaling-up of second-life battery energy storage systems and further secure circular business opportunities for the forthcoming ramp-up in Volvo Group’s second-life battery returns,” says Joachim Rosenberg, President of Volvo Energy. Investors can still join the round for a very limited time on the OurCrowd platform.

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OurCrowd Jobs Index: Tech faces hiring slowdown

The latest quarterly OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index reports that while recruitment has picked up compared to the same time last year, companies have a more conservative outlook for the rest of 2022. 69% of the companies surveyed are hiring more than in Q1 2021 but 48% say they will be recruiting more cautiously for the rest of 2022 and 7% will freeze hires altogether. Concerns about external factors impacting the growth of the Israeli tech sector seem unfounded, at least for the time being, with 41% of startups reporting that global economic instability and other economic issues have no effect on their business. 28% said these factors actually had a positive effect in Q1. The Index is a quarterly survey and data series tracking vacancies and hiring patterns among OurCrowd’s 300+ portfolio companies.

June 30th online: Startups and the airline industry

The airline industry is in trouble. Flight cancellations are wrecking travel plans for millions as carriers struggle to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, which triggered massive cutbacks in passenger travel, forcing airlines to slash staffing. To make matters worse, many airports and aircraft are mired in decades-old practices and creaking technology. Join us as we host startup CEOs, Assaf Frenkel of SeeTrue, Zvi Schreiber of Freightos, Udi Segall of IntellAct and industry leaders to discuss how technology can improve our jet-lagged transportation networks.  

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Forbes: Samsung Ventures backs NeuReality raise

Samsung Ventures is investing in our pioneering AI startup NeuReality, joining the current raise alongside OurCrowd, Forbes reports. The company slashes the price tag of AI deployment across the board by creating a new system architecture which is cost effective, easy to adapt and even reduces energy consumption. Tech giants like IBM and Xilinx have already inked partnership deals with the startup. “The company’s disaggregation, data movement and processing technologies improve computation flows, compute-storage flows and in-storage compute – all of which are critical for the ability to adopt and grow AI solutions,” says Ori Kirshner, head of Samsung Ventures in Israel. NeuReality is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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QuantLR, MedOne successfully test quantum security platform

Our portfolio company QuantLR together with MedOne, a leading Israeli data center service provider, have successfully tested a state-of-the-art quantum security platform designed to defend against even the most advanced cyber attacks. QuantLR’s Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system provides comprehensive security for data in transit, including against any attack or eavesdropping attempts by contemporary, future, classical or quantum-based computers, StartupHubAI reports. “Data security has become the most important aspect in a data center offering, and we are planning to be the first data center service provider worldwide that will offer a QKD solution to secure its clients’ data,” says Ronnie Sadeh, CEO of MedOne. QuantLR is now funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

Forbes: Mastercard picks Zippin as checkout-free platform partner

Mastercard plans to step up the rollout of its checkout-free Shop Anywhere platform following a deal with frictionless technology pioneer and OurCrowd portfolio company Zippin, Forbes reports. The company forecasts 200 new stores will open as a result of the new global partnership by the end of the year. The first will debut this summer in the U.S., Europe, and South America, though Mastercard has not revealed which retailers it will partner with for the rollout. “By joining forces with Shop Anywhere, our AI-powered platform offers an even more compelling value proposition to retailers across segments including travel, sports and entertainment, higher education, healthcare and malls,” says Krishna Motukuri, Zippin’s co-founder and CEO.

Batory Foods launches US partnership with DouxMatok

National food ingredient supplier Batory Foods is offering Incredo Sugar from our portfolio company DouxMatok to its clients in the US. Incredo Sugar is made of real cane sugar, and achieves the same level of sweetness with up to 50% less sugar and no compromise on taste or texture. “Adding an innovative solution like Incredo Sugar to our portfolio of ingredients provides an excellent opportunity for us to keep up with growing demands of both consumers and food brands looking for products that are both indulgent and deliver on nutrition,” says Vince Pinneri, President of Batory Foods.

Tabnine raises $15.5M for AI-powered coding tech

Program coding has never been easier thanks to the AI-powered, auto-complete assistant created by our portfolio company Tabnine, and investors know it. The company completed a $15.5M funding round co-led by Qualcomm Ventures, Samsung NEXT Ventures and OurCrowd, TechCrunch reports. Existing backers Khosla Ventures and Headline Ventures also participated. The company says over a million developers are now using its AI technology to complete more than 4 million lines of code every day.

BioLumic wraps $13.5M Series B led by OurCrowd

Our AgTech pioneer Biolumic, which taps the power of ultraviolet light to improve plant productivity, raised $13.5M in a Series B funding round led by OurCrowd. The company will use the funds to market its technology, focusing specifically on cannabis, soybean, corn, canola and strawberry crops. “BioLumic is applying light in an entirely new way to meet the challenge of improving crop growth, plant yield and quality without increasing energy consumption,” says BioLumic CEO Steve Sibulkin.

Rewire acquires prepaid card provider Imagen

Our portfolio company Rewire acquired Imagen, which specializes in smart, rechargeable salary cards, expanding its financial services to migrant workers, Calcalist reports. Imagen’s prepaid cards allow employers to deposit a salary directly into the payroll card and is used to pay wages to employees without bank accounts in Israel. Imagen’s solution is integrated into an application developed by Rewire that provides migrant workers in Israel with money transfers, payment of bills in their home country and other financial services.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,600 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q1 2022 HERE. 

• Senior Front End Engineer at ICON (Austin)
• Senior Data Scientist at CytoReason (Tel Aviv)
• Regional People Partner Lead at Teradata (Singapore)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Schrödinger’s Unicorns + Startups solving airline jet lag appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Mermade, game-changing tech for lab-grown food
• Jerusalem, Tel Aviv among world’s best Ag/FoodTech hubs
• Nas Academy joins OurCrowd portfolio
• June 20th online: Startups in the Metaverse
• D-ID generates the virtual presenter of your choice
• SomaLogic inks licencing agreement with OncoHost
• FDA clears Scopio Labs’ blood test device and application
• TechCrunch: Xage Security releases advanced anti-MFA tool
• Bloomberg: Focus on safety drives Superpedestrian’s success 
• FDA approves Alpha Tau’s pivotal cancer study
• Snow Software and Anodot team up to unravel complicated cloud costs
• Virginia taps BlueGreen Technologies to clean up swimming lake
• Introductions
• More than 3,800 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Mermade: Game-changing tech for lab-grown food

Many kinds of lab-grown meat haven’t come to market because they’re too expensive to produce, in large part because the nutrient-rich soup they grow in is so costly. Our portfolio company Mermade Seafoods has created a growth slurry that will drive down costs dramatically – for cultivated meat as well as seafood, Food Navigator reports. “This is a real game changer in the industry,” says Dr. Rotem Kadir, Mermade’s chief technology officer. The company is focusing its efforts on its first product, lab-grown scallops. But “the technology we’re developing is going to be relevant to the entire cell-based pharma and alternative protein industries whenever companies are using cells,” Kadir says. Mermade is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Jerusalem, Tel Aviv among world’s best Ag/FoodTech hubs

Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were named among the top five AgTech & New Food ecosystems in the Global Agtech & New Food Ranking published by Startup Genome. Israel’s tech hubs ranked fourth after Silicon Valley, New York City and London. “Non-cultivated alternatives to meat overtook cultivated meat in terms of amount invested at the seed stage for the first time in 2021, suggesting increasing early-stage innovation in the field,” the report notes. OurCrowd is Israel’s leading investor in AgTech and FoodTech, with nine companies in the sectors currently funding on the platform, including BetterSeeds, BlueTree Technologies, Maolac, Mermade Seafoods, ProFuse, Sufresca and Taranis.

Nas Academy joins OurCrowd portfolio

Nas Daily icon and founder of Nas Academy Nuseir Yassin joined OurCrowd investors for an exclusive webinar where he mapped out the business plan and prospects for his new company, now funding on the platform. Backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Nas Academy engages top web influencers to lead courses in content creation, crypto and Web3, and business and entrepreneurship. “Learning on the internet is a lonely and a boring process. That’s why we went on a mission to make learning communities better. And we believe that creators will disrupt education,” Yassin says. “We are ready to scale, and that’s why we’ve decided to go to market and raise a round.” The company gained 200,000 students in its first year. Corporate customers include Google, TikTok, Pfizer and other global giants. OurCrowd is investing up to $1M in this $12M SAFE led by Pitango and BECO Capital. For more details, register for the OurCrowd platform and view the webinar here.

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June 20th online: Startups in the Metaverse

From producing detailed avatars to creating virtual storefronts, the Metaverse is a computer-generated world where revenue streams are very real. Creative startups are flourishing by building custom-made, virtual worlds for clients. The possibilities are endless.  Join us on June 20th, when we’ll be sitting down with the CEOs of OurCrowd Metaverse companies Noam Levavi from ByondXR, Gil Perry from D-ID, Gilad Talmon from TetaVi, and leading industry figures who are changing the reality of retail, entertainment and investing.  

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D-ID generates the virtual presenter of your choice

The world of business communication is pivoting to remote video, fueled by avatars and the wonders of the Metaverse. D-ID, whose AI-driven technology animates still photos to bring them to life, has unveiled a new platform that enables companies to create engaging training videos without the need for costly production and studios. They can feature an unlimited choice of virtual human instructors and be made in seconds. “By entering the realm of corporate training, D-ID is now disrupting another vitally important segment, offering enterprises and B2B customers a way to make a genuine connection with their workforce,” says Gil Perry, the company’s CEO and Co-Founder. D-ID is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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SomaLogic inks licensing agreement with OncoHost

MedTech pioneer SomaLogic (NASDAQ: SLGC) signed a licensing agreement with our portfolio company OncoHost to help create personalized cancer treatments. SomaLogic will provide its SomaScan platform to develop proteomics tests for OncoHost’s PROphet diagnostic system, designed to predict patient response to immunotherapy treatments and provide strategies to overcome treatment resistance. “We are excited to bring SomaLogic’s significant experience in utilizing proteomics to develop clinical diagnostics to this new partnership with OncoHost,” says Todd Johnson, SomaLogic’s Executive Vice President of Healthcare and Diagnostics. OurCrowd is currently raising funds for OncoHost.

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Top Tech News

FDA clears Scopio Labs’ blood test device and application

The FDA has cleared a blood test device and application produced by our portfolio company Scopio Labs, designed to provide earlier and more accurate detection of cancers, infections and other diseases. Scopio’s Full-Field Peripheral Blood Smear application eliminates the need for antiquated microscopes by performing high-resolution scans digitally, automating the analysis of tens of thousands of cells at a time, expediting patients’ access to better care and life-saving treatment. This is Scopio’s second FDA clearance, broadening its suite of fully digital platforms to cater to all lab sizes and networks.

TechCrunch: Xage Security releases advanced anti-MFA tool

Multifactor authentication (MFA) was designed to limit unwarranted penetration of network systems, but recent attacks have proven its vulnerability. A new tool from our portfolio company Xage Security is designed to defend energy pipelines, water supplies and similar critical infrastructure against MFA attacks, TechCrunch reports. It creates a series of gates that stop an attacker from infiltrating an organization’s more critical technology. “These MFA bombing attacks are essentially impossible using this multilayer approach,” says Roman Arutyunov, Xage’s Co-Founder and VP of Products.

Bloomberg: Focus on safety drives Superpedestrian’s success 

The e-scooter industry is a crowded market but despite all the attention they command, the vehicles are used for “only about one one thousandth” of all trips made in the world’s cities,” Bloomberg’s Hyperdrive brief reports. “One brand is trying to change that, by focusing on safety. Superpedestrian has put nine years of research into making what’s been called ‘the Volvo of scooters.’ By year’s end, in several US and European cities, thousands of Superpedestrian scooters will come equipped with a Pedestrian Defense AI system.” The software “can instantly stop a vehicle’s engine if the rider hops up onto a curb, starts slaloming wildly or travels up a one-way street.”

FDA approves Alpha Tau’s pivotal cancer study

The FDA has approved a landmark study for our portfolio company Alpha Tau and its radiotherapy technology. Up to 86 patients in as many as 20 institutions in the US will be treated for recurrent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma using the company’s ALpha DaRT technology which kills cancerous cells with localized precision without damaging surrounding healthy tissues. “We are very excited about the upcoming commencement of our US pivotal study, undoubtedly our most significant clinical trial to date,” says Alpha Tau’s CEO Uzi Sofer.

Snow Software and Anodot team up to unravel complicated cloud costs

Tech intelligence giant Snow Software will be working with our portfolio company Anodot to help organizations understand why cloud computing is costing them so much and how to manage those expenses. As cloud usage rises rapidly, companies are increasingly struggling to keep track of spending. Anodot, which specializes in business monitoring, will leverage its Cost platform to address the growing challenge. “With our combined expertise, Snow and Anodot are uniquely positioned to make an immediate and meaningful impact to an organization’s cloud investment,” says Vishal Rao, President and CEO of Snow.

Virginia taps BlueGreen Technologies to clean swimming lake

The state of Virginia has called in our portfolio company BlueGreen Water Technologies to get rid of harmful algae in Lake Anna, a popular recreation spot, the Roanoke Times reports. Over the past four summers, swimmers have been told to stay away from the lake to avoid the algae which can cause skin rashes and stomach illnesses. BlueGreen’s technology selectively targets and eliminates the algae without harming other life forms or leaving any chemical trace in the water.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,800 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Senior Data Scientist at Teampay (US, remote)
• Assistant Controller at BrainQ (Jerusalem)
• Service Experience Analyst at Teradata (Tijuana)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Game-changing tech for lab-grown food + Investing in the Metaverse appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: IQM, Leading Europe’s quantum revolution
• June 12: Meet Nas Academy Founder Nuseir Yassin
• Solving the airline industry’s jet lag
• Convizit transforms user clicks to cash
• D-ID’s tech brings images of missing people to life
• New FDA status for Remilk paves way for cow-free real dairy in US
• Amazon praises CropX for supporting sustainability
• US pharma giant Catalent taps MigVax for oral Covid-19 vaccine
• Salesforce teams up with Perception Point for threat protection
• Top Israeli HMO adopts MeMed test as part of routine care
• Amazon’s quantum computing service integrates Classiq platform
• Introductions
• More than 3,900 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
IQM: Leading Europe’s quantum revolution

The race for quantum computers is on. Governments and corporations alike are looking to tap the power of these extraordinary machines, which can solve in a matter of seconds computational problems that are unsolvable with conventional computers. High-performance computing (HPC) centers around the world are now on the hunt to add quantum computing capabilities. Finnish company IQM is the only company in Europe currently selling and delivering working quantum computers. The company has assembled the largest team of world-class quantum experts on the continent. Half of the company’s staff of 180 people hold quantum PhDs. IQM has already sold two systems in contracts worth tens of millions of euros and is anticipating triple-digit revenue growth in 2022 and 2023. OurCrowd is participating in this €100M round, which is led by the World Fund.

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June 12: Meet Nas Academy Founder Nuseir Yassin

“I am super excited to be on the platform,” says Nas Daily icon Nuseir Yassin, Founder of Nas Academy, his new company backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners. “The world of education is changing. We help creators on the internet teach. We help creators build a community. We think they are the future of education and the future of communities.” Nas Academy already has 200,000 students and its corporate customers include Google, TikTok, Pfizer and other global giants. OurCrowd is investing up to $1M in this $12M SAFE led by Pitango and BECO Capital. Join Nas for a live investor briefing on Sunday, June 12th, at 6PM Israel / 11AM New York / 8AM San Francisco.

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Solving the airline industry’s jet lag

The airline industry is in trouble. Flight cancellations are wrecking travel plans for millions of people every week. The industry hasn’t recovered from the coronavirus pandemic, which caused massive cutbacks in air travel, leaving airlines and airports with too few flight crews and other staff. To make matters worse, it’s mired in decades-old practices and creaking technology. Faced with massive financial losses, carriers have to shape up or ship out. In my latest Investors on the Frontlines column, I deep dive into three OurCrowd startups – Intellact, SeeTrue and Freightos –  which have all created technologies that can improve our jet-lagged transportation networks.

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Convizit transforms user clicks into cash

Analyzing consumer behavior to optimize and personalize marketing efforts is key to succeeding in today’s burgeoning online marketplace. But tracking that behavior through user actions such as button clicks currently relies on manual procedures, capturing only a small fraction of the data that businesses could tap. OurCrowd portfolio company Convizit promises to revolutionize this process with AI that does away with cumbersome, error-prone processes, and can be instantly deployed to provide rich and accurate data, writes Tal Benjamin in the Times of Israel. “I have not seen anybody doing exactly what Convizit is doing,” says Matt Bramble, Chief Operations Officer and Founder at Leverage Lab, a US-based data agency and consultancy that recently introduced one of its own clients to Convizit’s technology. “It’s capturing 100 percent of user clicks or actions. When it’s manual, we’re really just picking a few events that are important to the customer, and I would say maybe that’s 5 percent.” The Israeli startup is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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D-ID’s tech brings images of missing people to life

The financial arm of Japanese telecommunication giant NTT is investing in our portfolio company D-ID, which uses AI and deep learning to create reenactment-based products ranging from animating still photos to developing high-quality digital avatars. The company’s customers include Warner Bros. Studios, Mondelez, Publicis and MyHeritage, for whom D-ID created the viral sensation Deep Nostalgia, resulting in nearly 100 million animations worldwide. The NTT Finance investment is part of D-ID’s $25M Series B round, currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Top Tech News

New FDA status for Remilk paves way for cow-free real dairy in US

The FDA has granted our portfolio company Remilk self-affirmed generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status, which will allow the company to begin selling animal-free dairy products in the US. Remilk produces dairy-identical milk proteins through precision fermentation, eliminating the need for dairy cows in industrial-scale dairy production without compromising on taste, functionality or nutritional values. “This is a key validation of the quality and safety of Remilk’s non-animal dairy protein and process,” says CEO and Co-founder Aviv Wolff.

Amazon praises CropX for supporting sustainability

Our portfolio company CropX wins high praise from Amazon Web Services’ sustainability chief in a Washington Post podcast discussing the role technology plays in protecting the planet. “CropX is a cool company that we’re working with that uses thousands of sensors across over 1,200 farmers, which results in improving water savings by up to 40 percent and increasing crop yields by up to 10 percent,” says Christopher Willise, Director of Worldwide Sustainability at AWS, which runs CropX’s Soil Sensor application, helping farmers with sustainability.

US pharma giant Catalent taps MigVax for oral Covid-19 vaccine

US pharmaceutical giant Catalent (NYSE:CTLT) signed an agreement with our portfolio  MigVax to produce an orally disintegrating, freeze-dried tablet vaccine against Covid-19. MigVax has developed the vaccine, which has shown positive results in preclinical tests, and Catalent’s technology will deliver it. “The ease of administration and the potential for removal of the need for cold chain storage and transport means that the oral vaccine would have significantly fewer restrictions in terms of global distribution, compared with current cold chain injectable vaccines,” says Jonathan Arnold, President of Oral and Specialty Delivery at Catalent.

Salesforce teams up with Perception Point for threat protection

Salesforce has added another layer of protection against cyber attacks, thanks to our portfolio company Perception Point. Its threat protection software prevents content-borne attacks from infiltrating organizations via Salesforce’s AppExchange, MarTech Series reports. “Perception Point’s Advanced Threat Protection for CRM Platforms is a welcome addition to AppExchange, as it isolates, detects and remediates uploaded malicious content,” says Woodson Martin, GM of Salesforce AppExchange.

Top Israeli HMO adopts MeMed test as part of routine care

Leading Israeli HMO Maccabi Health Services is adopting a groundbreaking test developed by our MedTech pioneer MeMed. The exam, which distinguishes between bacterial and viral infection in just 15 minutes, has been included as part of routine care. The prompt differentiation enables early treatment and reduces unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. “The test is especially beneficial in children and elderly patients who are at higher risk of medical deterioration if a bacterial infection is not treated in time,” says Dr. Miri Mizrahi Reuven, head of Maccabi’s health division. “We have no doubt that this test can save lives.”

Amazon’s quantum computing service integrates Classiq platform

Amazon’s quantum computing service, Amazon Braket, has integrated the quantum algorithm design platform created by OurCrowd portfolio company Classiq. It allows customers to build, synthesize and analyze sophisticated quantum algorithms that can easily be deployed on Braket. “We are delighted to work with Classiq to enable customers to design sophisticated, optimized and hardware-aware quantum circuits, and deploy them with ease on our cloud,” says Richard Moulds, General Manager of Amazon Braket at Amazon Web Services.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 3,900 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Senior Mechanical Engineer at Virgin Hyperloop (Los Angeles)
• Algorithms Team Lead at Tetavi (Ramat Gan, Israel)
• Revenue Operations Manager at Funnel (Stockholm)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Meet Nas Daily + Solving airline industry jet lag appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: 3d Signals, modernizing the world’s factories
• OurCrowd releases enhanced mobile app
• Freightos to go public via SPAC
• Sand Curtain falls: Historic Israel-UAE free trade deal 
• NTT Finance boosts D-ID funding round
• Mermade cuts lab-grown seafood cost by 10,000X
• OurCrowd hosts top executives from Latin America
• WSJ: InsideTracker can help you keep healthy, longer
• Unilever ice creams take to the sky on Flytrex drones
• ThetaRay wins Dubai award for anti-money laundering tech
• PBS Newshour: Orbital Insight monitors Ukraine war in real time
• Introductions
• More than 4,100 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
3d Signals: Modernizing the world’s factories

Industry 4.0, the next industrial wave, seeks to harness the power of connectivity and AI to dramatically improve productivity – but over 90% of the world’s manufacturing machinery is pre-digital and therefore excluded from this revolution. Israeli startup 3d Signals has created an integrated IoT/hardware/software product that can connect these machines to a cloud-based, AI-driven platform in a matter of days. It provides immediate visibility into the production floor, transforming data into actionable insights with concrete results, including increased productivity, energy savings and lower labor costs. Operating in a field with no major competition, and with an existing client base of over 20 customers in the automotive, energy and production industries, 3d Signals is on track for 400% ARR growth by the end of 2022. OurCrowd is participating in this $12M Series B round.

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Check out the enhanced OurCrowd mobile app

Tap. Swipe. Invest. Download the enhanced OurCrowd mobile app for Android or iOS and get all the advantages of OurCrowd’s investment platform in the palm of your hand, whenever you need it. The app allows you to effortlessly:

• Receive real-time information on exciting new investment opportunities
• Check the performance of your current portfolio
• Get the latest news on OurCrowd portfolio companies and the startup ecosystem
• Review and download key documents and reports
• Log in securely using our biometric recognition feature

Take your OurCrowd investments with you, wherever you go.

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Freightos to go public on Nasdaq via SPAC

Freightos, one of the first OurCrowd investments back in 2012, announced a merger agreement with Gesher I Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GIAC), a special purpose acquisition company, that would result in Freightos being publicly listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol FROS. The combined entity, to be known as Freightos, with offices around the world, will have a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $435M. “When I first started Freightos 10 years ago, the goal was clear. Take the trillion-dollar freight industry online, and streamline the global shipping process the same way Amazon did for e-commerce and Booking.com for passenger travel,” says CEO Zvi Schreiber. “Going public on the NASDAQ will allow us to accelerate the growth of our platform – currently used by well over 10,000 importers and exporters, 3,500 freight forwarders and 200 carriers – while bringing about increased transparency and stability, which is essential in our position as the world’s leading vendor-agnostic booking platform.”

Sand curtain falls: Historic Israel-UAE free trade deal

There is no underestimating the importance of the free trade agreement between Israel and the UAE, I told Dan Murphy on CNBC International. The deal signed in Dubai on Tuesday is the first of its kind between Israel and any Arab state, and is part of a momentum that is building not just in the region but also around the world. This agreement is a scaffolding for this incredible building of cooperation we’re putting together with our new partners, I told the Wall Street Journal. OurCrowd is not just observing this historic process, but actively participating. We were the first Israeli VC to open offices in the UAE for direct investment in Emirati companies. “Given global supply chain shocks, this could redraw global supply chains, with the UAE-Israel link as a key component,” Dr. Sabah al-Binali, OurCrowd Partner and Executive Chairman of OurCrowd Arabia, told the Financial Times:

NTT Finance boosts D-ID funding round

The financial arm of Japanese telecommunication giant NTT is investing in our portfolio company D-ID, which uses AI and deep learning to create reenactment-based products ranging from animating still photos to developing high-quality digital avatars. The company’s customers include Warner Bros. Studios, Mondelez, Publicis and MyHeritage, for whom D-ID created the viral sensation Deep Nostalgia, resulting in nearly 100 million animations worldwide. The NTT Finance investment is part of D-ID’s $25M Series B round, currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Mermade cuts lab-grown seafood cost by 10,000X

Mermade Seafoods is using – and reusing – algae to slash the production costs of lab-grown seafood and finally make cultivated proteins cheap enough to bring to your table, Amy Teibel writes in the Times of Israel. “It’s an up to 10,000-fold potential reduction in cost,” CEO Daniel Einhorn told the online audience at OurCrowd’s ‘Investing in the Circular Economy: From Trash to Cash.’ “Any tiny dent that you put in by lowering the amount of new medium that you need creates a very significant difference in cost.” Mermade is now funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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OurCrowd hosts top executives from Latin America

30 top executives from Caja Arequipa, Grupo America, Sigma, Grupo San Cristóbal and other top-tier firms in Central and South America visited OurCrowd’s Jerusalem HQ to learn about the Israeli tech ecosystem and OurCrowd’s unique approach to start-up investing. The business leaders came to Jerusalem as part of Innovation Experience Israel, a senior education program that helps firms of all sizes develop global business opportunities.

Top Tech News

WSJ: InsideTracker can help you keep healthy, longer

In one of the largest in-home deployments of advanced intelligent robots in history, the State of New York will distribute more “Biological age won’t help you live forever, but a ‘credit score for your body’ might prolong your lifespan, some scientists say,” the Wall Street Journal reports on our wellness portfolio company InsideTracker.

Unilever ice creams take to the sky on Flytrex drones

Just in time for summer, frozen treats from Unilever’s Ice Cream Shop are taking to the skies thanks to our portfolio company Flytrex, Dronelife reports. Flytrex drones are delivering brand names like Breyers and Klondike to backyards in North Carolina and Texas. With a flight time of less than three minutes, there is no need to worry about the ice cream melting. “We’re excited to team up with Flytrex as our first-ever drone delivery partner to bring The Ice Cream Shop to new heights,” says Russel Lilly, General Manager, Unilever North American Ice Cream. Flytrex also added Jersey Mike’s Subs shop and Papa John’s to its roster of national chains.

ThetaRay wins Dubai award for anti-money laundering tech

Our FinTech security pioneer ThetaRay won the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Solution Provider of the Year Award at Dubai’s Middle East Banking AI & Analytics Summit. Major financial institutions around the world use the company’s software, which uncovers money laundering, terrorist financing, cyber-automated attacks and other financial crimes. “Our true AI-based AML solution allows banks and fintechs to form new relationships, drive revenues, and improve customer satisfaction, while ensuring their payment network is safe and secure from financial criminals,” says ThetaRay CEO Mark Gazit.

PBS Newshour: Orbital Insight monitors Ukraine war in real time

PBS Newshour reports that our portfolio company Orbital Insight is capturing data from satellites and other technologies to track the war in Ukraine in real time. The company, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze satellite images, started compiling data on the civilian exodus from Ukraine soon after the Russian invasion in February. “The greatest refugee crisis since World War II can now be monitored on an hourly basis by analysts using GPS signals from Ukrainian cell phones and cars on the move,” Newshour reports.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,100 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Assistant Project Manager at ICON (Austin)
• DevOps Team Lead at DarioHealth (Caesarea, Israel)
• Product Marketing Manager at Armory (Canada)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Historic Israel-UAE free trade deal + Freightos to go public appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Convizit, making user experience a snap
• Letter from Davos: FoodTech steps up to the plate
• Why Oprah loves Tovala’s smart oven
• Forbes reveals Mermade’s cultivated seafood secret
• Stream now: Investing in the Circular Economy
• Microsoft picks Maolac and Trellis for AI program
• Can Profuse transform the costs of lab-grown meat?
• New York State to hand out 800+ ElliQ robots to elderly
• Kim Kardashian gives Beyond Meat a bounce
• Taranis gives farmers a down-to-earth view of crops from above
• Israel plans to invest $180M to develop civilian space tech
• Arcadia acquires world’s largest utility data provider, raises $200M
• Introductions
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Convizit: Making user experience a snap

Millions of applications are driven by software tools that understand and improve customers’ digital experience, but capturing the relevant data isn’t easy.  Every action needs to be manually recorded, which is an expensive and inefficient proposition. Our portfolio company  Convizit uses a suite of AI technologies to automatically capture and understand each user event on every webpage. The company’s machine-learning platform understands how consumers see webpages and improves its automatic-tagging abilities over time while automatically adapting to website changes. E-commerce and SaaS companies are spending a whopping $80B a year on digital-experience data tools, and Convizit has already deployed its system with select clients. Some of the biggest companies in the world are knocking at its door. OurCrowd is raising up to $5M in this ongoing investment round.

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Letter from Davos: FoodTech steps up to the plate

Here in Davos, two major issues dominate the agenda at the World Economic Forum: the rapid acceleration of climate change and the threat of global inflation-starvation, exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Faced with a worldwide food shortage predicted to leave millions starving, OurCrowd is investing in a basket of FoodTech startups, ready to step up to the plate with innovative technologies that can help avert the crisis and feed our future. Read more in my new ‘Investors on the Frontlines’ column.   

Why Oprah loves Tovala’s smart oven

The smart oven from our portfolio company Tovala was included in Oprah Winfrey’s Favorite Things List 2021, “and for good reason,” Entertainment Tonight reports. “It’s a convenient smart toaster oven that uses steam and heat to cook food quickly,” and features proprietary technology that lets users scan the barcodes of more than 800 prepared foods to start cooking. For those who want to take the guesswork and hassle out of cooking, Tovala offers meal plans that are delivered weekly to the customer’s door, and can be popped into the oven with less than a minute of preparation. The company’s app sends an alert when the food is cooked. Tovala is currently funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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Forbes reveals Mermade’s cultivated seafood secret

OurCrowd’s FoodTech pioneer Mermade Seafoods has revealed that algae is the “secret sauce” behind its promise to make cultured meat and seafood a commercial reality, starting with the sustainable mass production of scallops, Gil Press reports in Forbes. The company uses algae to slash the price of the nutrient-rich soup in which cells are grown. This could be a game changer because the high cost of the growth media has made alternative proteins prohibitively expensive. “Our technology is relevant to any cell fermentation process, including in pharma,” says CEO Daniel Einhorn, estimating that Mermade’s technique can reduce the cost of producing cell-based protein by a factor of 10,000. Mermade is now funding on the OurCrowd website.

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Stream now: Investing in the Circular Economy

OurCrowd’s online event ‘Investing in the Circular Economy: From Trash to Cash’ brought together entrepreneurs and executives to discuss how repurposing can help stem  devastating impacts on the environment. Startups are at the forefront of this paradigm shift, deploying cutting-edge technology in FoodTech, renewable energy and other sectors to implement the vital practice of reduce, reuse and recycle to help assure a greener future. Guests included the CEOs of Maolac, Mermade Seafoods, Connected Energy and HomeBiogas. Stream the full event here.

‘Microsoft picks Maolac and Trellis for AI program

Microsoft for Startups Israel has chosen two OurCrowd portfolio companies for the third AI For Good Accelerator Program, Calcalist reports. Maolac and Trellis are among a select group of 15 startups that will receive individual mentorship guidance for business and technological development, access to Microsoft’s advanced tools, and opportunities to establish connections with potential customers, investors and more. Microsoft for Startups has supported more than 1,000 companies so far. Maolac and Trellis are currently raising on the OurCrowd platform.

Can Profuse transform the costs of lab-grown meat?

Technology developed by our portfolio company ProFuse may help to transform the economics of cultivated meat, Food Navigator reports. Its small-cell cocktail dramatically speeds up muscle fiber production and increases production capacity in a laboratory setting. The company is “generating excitement in a nascent industry that must increase yields and cut costs if it is to achieve commercial viability,” writes Elaine Watson, Editor of Food Navigator. Currently raising on the OurCrowd platform, ProFuse was nurtured at the Fresh Start FoodTech incubator backed by OurCrowd with AgVenture leader Finistere and Israeli food and beverage giants Tnuva and Tempo.

Top Tech News

New York State to hand out 800+ ElliQ robots to elderly

In one of the largest in-home deployments of advanced intelligent robots in history, the State of New York will distribute more than 800 ElliQ digital companions made by our portfolio company Intuition Robotics to older adults coping with social isolation, The Verge reports. ElliQ proactively engages its users, helping to contact loved ones and keeping track of their well being. “Many features attracted us to ElliQ. It focuses on what matters to individuals: memories, life validation, interactions with friends and families, and promotes overall good health and well being,” says Greg Olsen, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging, which is organizing the program.

Kim Kardashian gives Beyond Meat a bounce 

“My fridge and freezer are fully stocked with Beyond Meat’s (NASDAQ: BYND) products,” Kim Kardashian tells fans after she was appointed as the company’s chief taste consultant. The announcement sent shares soaring 7% before returning to earth, TechCrunch reports. The company says Kardashian will highlight the brand’s delicious, nutritious and sustainable product portfolio with her signature recipes and engaging creative content.

Taranis gives farmers a down-to-earth view of crops from above

Farmer Dave Chance regularly walks his Indiana fields, scouting for problems that can damage his crops. But these days he’s doing it less, because he uses drones from our portfolio company Taranis to do that for him, The Republic reports. Taranis uses AI to comb through satellite imagery and extremely high-resolution field photos taken during drone overflights to identify threats. “We didn’t really see a whole lot going on,” Chance says. But the drones picked up on an outbreak of weeds in one corner of his property which was quickly solved with precise application of herbicide, ending the problem and saving Chance Farms a considerable amount of money.

Arcadia acquires world’s largest utility data provider, raises $200M

Our portfolio company Arcadia has acquired Urjanet, the largest utility data provider in the world. The integration of both companies is designed to help customers take a big step toward a zero-carbon energy economy. Access to Arcadia’s upgraded Arc platform will allow businesses to meet sustainability goals by connecting them with clean-energy providers. Its data coverage includes more than 95% of residential and commercial accounts in the US, and more than 9,500 electric, gas, water, waste and other utilities in 52 countries. The acquisition comes on the heels of a recently completed $200M raise led by J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Sustainable Growth Equity Team, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,200 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Market Strategy Associate at DailyPay (New York)
• R&D Team Leader at Cybersixgill (Tel Aviv)
• Software Developer at Funnel (Stockholm)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Oprah’s smart oven + Kim Kardashian’s taste appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Sufresca trial keeps produce fresh
• Top carmaker invests in Connected Energy
• Affordable lab-grown meat gets closer to your plate
• Trash into cash: Join us online on May 23
• BetterSeeds ships Israel’s first cannabis seed exports to US
• ‘Crazy’ idea of egg protein without chickens realized
• SaNOtize anti-Covid nasal spray on sale in Singapore
• Taranis, Drone Nerds and DJI scale up drone operations to increase field yield
• PitchBook: OurCrowd Israel’s most active investor
• Cyabra answers Elon Musk’s query on Twitter bots
• Ex-Mossad chief Tamir Pardo joins NanoLock
• OncoHost raises $35M to personalize cancer treatment with AI
• LA Kings launch mascot into the metaverse with TetaVi
• Sequentify emerges from stealth with $7M for rapid DNA sequencing
• Oriient raises $11M Series A for indoor location technology
• Classiq adds HSBC, NTT Finance to $36M Series B
• CanNegev launches drone and unmanned tech competition
• PMI Americas taps ThetaRay to monitor cross-border payments
• Introductions
• More than 4,200 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Trials show Sufresca keeps produce fresher, longer

A major field trial with one of Europe’s largest distributors confirmed that Sufresca’s coatings applied to fresh produce extend shelf life, significantly reduce weight loss between harvest and store, and allow crops to be picked at a more advanced ripening stage. Sufresca has developed a cost-effective, edible, natural, biodegradable coating for fruits and vegetables that is ultra-thin, transparent, tasteless, odorless and virtually undetectable to consumers. In the trial, Sufresca’s coating was applied to some 900 red cherry and red baby plum tomatoes picked in Morocco. Half the crop was exported to Europe, while the rest was stored in Morocco. An uncoated control batch was similarly divided. The results exceeded Sufresca’s own expectations. The shelf life of the exported Sufresca-coated tomatoes was doubled to 23 days and weight loss was reduced by ~40%. Tests on avocados and peppers in Mexico showed similarly positive results. Funds from this $5M SAFE at a 20% discount with a $20M cap will be used to set up operational centers in Mexico and Spain, accelerate production capabilities, and scale up sales and marketing.

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Top carmaker invests in Connected Energy

A top European carmaker has joined the funding round for Connected Energy, which transforms depleted EV batteries into storage systems for alternative energy. The company has completed a 900kW/1080kWh please double check that one is supposed to be kW and the other kWh second-life battery energy storage system project with Cranfield University, the biggest to date in the UK, which will allow the university to reduce reliance on its gas-combined heat and power system. Connected has a close relationship with Renault and is now expanding its work with other leading carmakers. “We are starting to bring in other OEMs alongside Renault which will give us greater ability to scale up,” says CEO Matthew Lumsden. “We kicked off in the UK and focused on the Benelux countries in Europe. We will be working over the next 6-12 months on starting to implement our strategy to build some traction in the US with OEM partners over there.” OurCrowd is investing in this Series B round alongside energy, banking and equipment manufacturing giants.

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Affordable lab-grown meat gets closer to your plate

Israeli startup ProFuse aims to cut the production price of lab-cultured protein. Using a novel medium supplement for the cells to grow, ProFuse promises to shorten the production cycle, achieve higher yields, and provide more protein for the final food. “Our mission statement is to enable the vision of cultivated meat by reducing its cost and improving its quality,” Guy Nevo Michrowski, ProFuse CEO, tells Amy Teibel in The Times of Israel. “The goal is to reach price parity with farm-grown livestock.” ProFuse is funding now on the OurCrowd platform.

Read More

Trash into cash: Join us online on May 23

OurCrowd is proud of Honeybook and Hailo, two of its unicorns that recently joined the 32 Israeli-founded billion-dollar privately-held startups that call California their second home, Calcalist reports. “When you tell someone that there are 32 Israeli-founded Global consumption has traditionally been one-way, where valuables and other objects are discarded without concern for the environment. That’s all about to change with the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle revolution – and it’s making its way into the startup ecosystem. Innovative private companies are creating net-zero solutions, from renewable energy storage to bio-functional proteins to alternative food supplies. Join us online on May 23 to hear from industry experts on the circular economy as well as CEOs of cutting-edge startups at the forefront of a greener future – available for investment through the OurCrowd platform. Featuring: Maya Ashkenazi Otmazgin, CEO & Co-Founder, Maolac; Daniel Einhorn, CEO and Co-Founder, Mermade Seafoods; Matthew Lumsden, CEO, Connected Energy; Host: Amy Stoken, VP Investor Relations, OurCrowd.

Register Now

BetterSeeds ships Israel’s first cannabis seed exports to US

The first export shipment of Israeli cannabis seeds left this week for the US with seeds from BetterSeeds, which has a research license from the Israel Health Ministry, The Times of Israel reports. Israel’s Agriculture Ministry hailed the move as a major step toward becoming a global pioneer in the field. BetterSeeds uses CRISPR gene-editing technology to produce seeds for cash crops with increased nutritional value and higher yields, suitable for automated harvesting, and adaptable to changing climate conditions. It is initially focusing on cannabis, tomato, legumes, vegetable seeds and perennial crops such as cocoa. The company is aiming for commercial launch this year and forecasts $20M revenue in 2023. OurCrowd is joining this $7M round with an up to $2M allocation.

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‘Crazy’ idea of egg protein without chickens realized

“I had no idea that you needed over 636 gallons of water to make a dozen eggs, so we had this crazy idea of making eggs without chickens,” Arturo Elizondo, CEO and Founder of The EVERY Company, tells Pique Action. “Animal agriculture emits more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation sector. I felt deep down that there had to be a better way to do it. We ferment real animal protein without using a single animal.” EVERY aims to disrupt the $200B egg market by producing egg protein for cooking without chickens. Its first products are already in the market and the company is now funding on the OurCrowd platform.

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SaNOtize anti-Covid nasal spray on sale in Singaporeaine Crisis

The nasal spray developed by our portfolio company SaNOtize, which has been proved effective against Covid-19 in clinical trials in the UK and elsewhere, is now on sale in Singapore under the brand name VirX. “It is important to have a defense tool guarding the main point of entry from respiratory viruses into our bodies,” says Loh Pei Juin, General Manager, Apex Pharma Marketing Pte Ltd. “VirX can be included as part of our preventive regimen comprising vaccination, mask-wearing, good hygiene standards and safe-distancing measures. We are very pleased to partner with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to bring VirX into Singapore.” SaNOtize is currently raising on the OurCrowd platform.

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Taranis, Drone Nerds and DJI scale up drone operations to increase field yield

Taranis, OurCrowd’s AI-powered crop intelligence company, extended its partnership with Drone Nerds and DJI, bringing together the latest drone technology, large-scale operational efficiencies and disruptive AI technologies to generate precise and actionable insights for agricultural retailers, co-ops and farmers. Taranis is raising on the OurCrowd platform.

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PitchBook: OurCrowd Israel’s most active investor

A PitchBook survey of Israel’s venture investments by deal count over the past five years confirms OurCrowd as the country’s most active startup investor. PitchBook has ranked OurCrowd as Israel’s most active investor each year since we were founded in 2013, with investments in more than 330 portfolio companies.

Top Tech News

Cyabra answers Elon Musk’s query on Twitter bots

Elon Musk’s bid for Twitter went on hold after the company said that only 5% of its accounts were bots. “They have underestimated that number,” Dan Brahmy, CEO of our portfolio company Cyabra, tells Reuters. Cyabra, which uses machine learning to identify fake accounts, estimates the percentage of inauthentic Twitter profiles at 13.7%.

Ex-Mossad chief Tamir Pardo joins NanoLockg financial services in Europe 

Former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo has joined the advisory board of our portfolio company NanoLock Security. NanoLock spearheads cyber defense for leading organizations in IIoT, critical infrastructure, energy, and utilities against the evolving and dangerous cyber chaos. The company says it expects to “benefit greatly from Mr. Pardo’s veteran expertise, wisdom and industry knowledge.”

OncoHost raises $35M to personalize cancer treatment with AI

Images and video from over 20 satellites operated by Satellogic will be used by our geospatial intelligence startup Orbital Insight, GPS World reports. The two companies are teaming up to give clients a better idea of what’s happening on the planet, analyzing tOur portfolio company OncoHost raised an upsized and oversubscribed $35M Series C funding round, led by ALIVE Israel HealthTech VC, with the participation of Leumi Partners, Menora Mivtachim, OurCrowd and other existing investors. “Clinical trial results have shown OncoHost’s AI-powered precision oncology platform to have remarkably high accuracy in assessing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient response at three months, six months and one year,” Gil Press writes in Forbes.

LA Kings launch mascon into the metaverse with TetaVi

The NHL’s LA Kings launched their beloved mascot Bailey, captain Anze Kopitar and several of their stars into the metaverse, becoming the first NHL team to use volumetric technology to create immersive content and experiences for fans via the jumbotron. Harnessing the technology created by OurCrowd pioneer TetaVi, the videos were broadcast during the first playoff home game for the LA Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, May 6, and will follow with different immersive experiences for fans throughout the 2022 playoffs and into next season.

Sequentify emerges from stealth with $7M for rapid DNA sequencing

Sequentify, a Weizmann Institute of Science spinoff that combines tools from the synthetic biology and AI software fields to enable rapid-targeted DNA sequencing, raised $7M in a funding round led by OurCrowd. The company, on track to 600% year-on-year revenue increase, has multiple hospitals and labs as customers, as well as over 70X valuation growth in less than 18 months. We are excited to be leading this round because the DNA revolution has just begun and Sequentify has the best next-generation sequencing solution in the market.

Oriient raises $11M Series A for indoor location technology

Oriient, which powers the platform that Instacart shoppers use to gather their orders in hundreds of stores in North America, raised an $11M Series A round, bringing its total funding to $16M, TechCrunch reports. OurCrowd, Regal Four (a Beren family venture entity), F2 Venture Capital, NGN Partners and Future Energy Ventures participated in this new round. The idea behind Oriient is to offer an indoor positioning platform that can work without any dedicated hardware, beacons or Wi-Fi to locate you inside an airport, office, store or anywhere else without access to a GPS signal.

Classiq adds HSBC, NTT Finance to $36M Series B

Classiq, an OurCrowd portfolio company startup that wants to make it easier for developers to build quantum algorithms and applications, raised additional funding by adding HSBC, NTT Finance and Intesa Sanpaolo as new investors, increasing its Series B round to $36M and bringing the company’s total funding to $51M. “It shows how these new strategic investors in the financial services industry are placing early bets on quantum computing and Classiq’s ability to make building quantum software easier,” Frederic Lardinois reports in TechCrunch.

CanNegev launches drone and unmanned tech competition

CanNegev, the OurCrowd-backed incubator in southern Israel, is offering a unique opportunity to individuals and startups in the fields of drones and unmanned tech to compete for over 200,000 ILS in prizes in its DroNegev 2022 Competition. It will have a hackathon focusing on energy resources, autonomous capabilities, safety and reliability challenges, and a startup pitch track. Experts and investors from leading companies in the drones field will award the prizes. Application deadline: May 26.

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PMI Americas taps ThetaRay to monitor cross-border payments

PMI Américas, a leading global payment services provider, has chosen the AI-based SONAR SaaS solution from OurCrowd’s ThetaRay to monitor global cross-border payments on PMI’s platform. SONAR’s ability to detect signs of sophisticated money-laundering activity will enable PMI to increase its growth opportunities by providing users with a trustworthy, secure service. The agreement highlights ThetaRay’s expansion into the Latin America fintech payments market. “In the highly regulated ecosystem where we operate, it is important that our regulators and financial partners understand that we will always invest in state-of-the-art technology to protect our mutual interests,” says Alex Pereira, PMI Américas CEO and founder.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,200 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Sr. Salesforce Administrator at Bizzabo (New York)
• Business Development Representative at Cyabra (Tel Aviv)
• Executive Assistant at Wefox (Berlin)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Some good news for a change appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: Genopore, disease detection through proteomics
• Innoviz to supply major vehicle manufacturer
• BetterSeeds for better foods
• Israeli unicorns plan future growth in California
• Slaying Israel’s holy cow
• Medical robots reach into the future
• Today Show tunes into Intuition Robotics’ ElliQ
• Watch: Startups Respond to the Ukraine crisis
• OurCrowd startups gear up for EcoMotion 2022
• Zippin’s checkout-free technology heads to US campuses  
• Paysafe teams with Rewire, pushing financial services in Europe
• Satellogic’s satellite imagery integrates with Orbital Insight
• Avnet’s EBV Elektronik inks distribution deal with Hailo
• Introductions
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
Genopore: Disease detection through proteomics

Proteomics, the extensive study of proteins, is the next big transformation in life sciences. Proteins provide more information than genes because they are impacted by both genetics and environmental factors. Genopore is building a revolutionary new testing capability for proteomics that  will provide the equivalent of a DNA sequencing  for proteins.The ability to analyze single molecules in a sample is very challenging, yet it can drive significant improvements in the early detection of cancer and other diseases. Genopore, an Israeli seed-stage, pre-revenue startup, is developing technology to take proteomics to a new level. It plans to be the first company to deliver a ground-breaking, high-throughput, single-molecule, whole-protein identification system using chip-based technology that is cost-effective, very accurate and highly sensitive. This $5M seed round will be used to develop the complete system, based on the company’s core patented technology.

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Innoviz to supply major vehicle manufacturer

OurCrowd’s mobility pioneer Innoviz (NASDAQ: INVZ) has been chosen to directly supply a major vehicle manufacturer with its LiDAR systems across multiple brands. The selection follows more than two years of extensive diligence and qualification, and will increase Innoviz’s forward-looking order book by $4B to $6.6B. “Being selected by a large-scale multi-brand global vehicle maker is a significant catalyst for Innoviz, and we expect this will affect the entire industry, which has been waiting for a decision of this magnitude,” says Innoviz CEO and co-founder Omer Keilaf.

BetterSeeds for better foods

The war in Ukraine is upending the global status quo, even as the world continues to grapple with the repercussions of the Covid-The Ukraine war and Covid pandemic have broken the global supply chain, creating the grim possibility of severe food shortages worldwide. Meanwhile, climate change poses a potentially catastrophic threat to farm systems and human nutrition in general. There is immense pressure on the agricultural sector to develop new ways to grow more resilient food more cheaply, while better protecting the environment. Enter Israeli startup BetterSeeds, which is developing crop genetics as a key to solving this massive challenge, Amy Teibel writes in the Times of Israel. The company uses CRISPR gene-editing technology that lets scientists change an organism’s DNA to design seeds that can produce crops that mature faster, produce a higher yield, and can adapt to changing climate conditions.

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Israeli unicorns plan future growth in California

OurCrowd is proud of Honeybook and Hailo, two of its unicorns that recently joined the 32 Israeli-founded billion-dollar privately-held startups that call California their second home, Calcalist reports. “When you tell someone that there are 32 Israeli-founded companies worth $1 billion or more, you’ll be met with a look of amazement,” says Aaron Kaplowitz, president of the United States-Israel Business Alliance. “When you clarify that those 32 companies are in California alone, the wonder quickly turns to disbelief.”

Slaying Israel’s holy cow

Move over beef, says the Jerusalem Post. A survey shows that two-thirds of Israelis celebrating the country’s 74th Independence Day were ,willing to try plant-based meat replacements like OurCrowd portfolio company Beyond Meat’s burgers for their traditional barbecues this year. When asked why they would use plant-based meat, about half of the respondents said it was for environmental reasons and 43% cited health-related reasons, the Post reports.

Medical robots reach into the future

What is the future of medical robots? “In Israel, we have some great minds that really cracked the code and are doing things differently,” Dvir Cohen, CEO of our medical robotics company Memic Innovative Surgery, tells the Jerusalem Post.The unique design of Memic’s Hominis Surgical System emulates the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints of a human surgeon’s arm, allowing doctors to perform less damaging and less invasive procedures. “It’s a fraction of the size of other systems, and therefore it’s a fraction of the price of other systems,” Cohen says. “Nowhere else in the world will you find such a small population with such disruptive technologies, specifically in surgical robotics.”

Today Show tunes in to Intuition Robotics’ ElliQ

Al Roker couldn’t believe his ears when ElliQ, the digital care companion from our portfolio company Intuition Robotics, spoke to him on live TV. ElliQ was introduced to millions of viewers of NBC’s Today show, demonstrating its ability to interact with Roker and his co-hosts. The AI-powered companion helps seniors stay connected with the outside world and assists them with essential wellness issues. It is also programmed to summon help from a pre-programmed list of primary contacts if needed, as well as to start a video call or send text messages. ElliQ was launched commercially in the US in March.

Watch: Startups Respond to the Ukraine Crisis

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has upended the global status quo, creating a series of crises not seen since World War II, even as the world continues to grapple with the repercussions of the Covid pandemic. How can the startup community help to meet these challenges? We asked CEOs and experts from telemedicine, energy, health, food supply and cybersecurity. Stream the full event here.  

OurCrowd startups gear up for EcoMotion 2022

The world of smart mobility is gathering in Tel Aviv from May 9th for EcoMotion 2022, and OurCrowd startups will be there alongside the industry’s top movers and shakers from around the world. Among the OurCrowd portfolio companies participating: Arbe Robotics, CorrActions, C2A Security, Foretellix, Hailo, Innoviz, Ravin and Ride Vision.  

Register Here

Top Tech News

Zippin’s checkout-free technology heads to US campuses

Checkout-free technology is coming to a campus near you, thanks to a newly inked deal between our portfolio company Zippin and Atrium, a leading provider of mobile-first management solutions, Sales Tech Series reports. The partnership will allow Zippin to provide its frictionless commerce platform to dining and retail operators in colleges and universities across the US. “Time-strapped students no longer have to decide between making it to class on time or grabbing a snack or drink. Checkout-free technology eliminates lines and the need to make a trade-off,” says Gary Jacobus, senior vice president of business development at Zippin.

Paysafe teams with Rewire, pushing financial services in Europe 

Leading specialized payments platform Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE) is teaming up with our FinTech pioneer Rewire to help provide financial services for cash-reliant consumers across the UK and Europe. The integration of Paysafe’s eCash solution, Paysafecash, will enable Rewire customers to deposit cash into their online accounts, which can be used to fund their financial activities including remittance services, debit cards, cross-border family accounts, insurances, bill payments and more. There are some 90,000 payment locations in the 17 European countries where the Paysafecash deposit option will be available for Rewire customers.

Satellogic’s satellite imagery integrates with Orbital Insight

Images and video from over 20 satellites operated by Satellogic will be used by our geospatial intelligence startup Orbital Insight, GPS World reports. The two companies are teaming up to give clients a better idea of what’s happening on the planet, analyzing trends and providing insights. “Working with Orbital Insight extends our reach, making our data available to more customers across diverse fields who need to know how the world around them is changing,” says Emiliano Kargieman, CEO and co-founder of Satellogic.

Avnet’s EBV Elektronik inks distribution deal with Hailo

EBV Elektronik, an Avnet company (NASDAQ: AVT), signed a distribution franchise agreement for the EMEA region with our portfolio company Hailo, StartupHub.ai reports. Hailo’s artificial intelligence chips are used both as processors and to accelerate existing AI systems. “Hailo’s technology is at the cutting edge of AI and deep learning applications,” says Susanne Betting, Senior Director Supplier Marketing at EBV Elektronik. “It is a major complement to our existing portfolio of AI solutions as a companion device for a range of microprocessors from our leading silicon suppliers and will significantly extend our options to deliver a range of world-class AI solutions to our customers.”

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,500 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Fraud Operations Analyst at DailyPay (Minneapolis)
• Marketing Operations Associate at Bizzabo (Tel Aviv)
• Senior Technical Recruiter at Masterclass (Toronto)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Slaying Israel’s holy cow + Medical robots get flexed appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: ProFuse, accelerating the future of lab-grown meat
• Let’s create new fuel before we become fossils
• May 2nd Online: Startups and the Ukraine crisis
• IBM, AMD embrace Israeli AI technology
• Amazon’s $1B innovation fund invests in BionicHIVE
• OurCrowd startups participate in EcoMotion 2022
• Remilk to open world’s largest animal-free dairy factory in Denmark
• InZiv raises $10M for high resolution display inspection technology
• Cyabra sniffs out fakes and bots in Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard
• Carbon Health launches remote diabetes-management program
• Edgybees’ new software improves accuracy of satellite imagery
• Africa’s mPharma expands TytoCare collaboration
• Datos Health and Binah.ai team up for new remote-care platform
• Introductions
• More than 4,500 high-tech jobs

Startup of the Week:
ProFuse: Accelerating the future of lab-grown meat

There is an increasing demand for meat alternatives to replace food produced from farm animals. Within 30 years, the meat industry needs to double its production to meet the demands of a growing population. While scientists have figured out how to grow meat from cells, the process is long and expensive. Enter ProFuse, an Israeli startup that substantially accelerates the production of lab-grown meat, reducing costs and making it more economically viable for large-scale production. The company has developed proprietary enhanced muscle-generation technology, created at the Weizmann Institute, which increases quality and texture while shortening the growth timeline of cultivated meat. ProFuse is already conducting POCs with top global cultivated-meat producers. Read about how the company made its initial breakthrough as reported in Haaretz. OurCrowd joins Tnuva and Tempo, major Israeli food producers and current investors, in this funding round.

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Let’s create new fuel before we all become fossils

While the global community tries to sanction Vladimir Putin for his brutal invasion of Ukraine, many countries rely on Russia for their energy. Rejecting Russian energy consumption could hurt their own economies. Now, more than ever, it’s time to seek alternatives to fossil fuels to prevent dictators from holding the world for ransom – and reduce the devastating effects on the environment. Read my latest LinkedIn column on how startups are on the frontline in the fight for energy independence.

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May 2nd Online: Startups and the Ukraine crisis

The war in Ukraine is upending the global status quo, even as the world continues to grapple with the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Innovative startups are stepping in with new technologies to help solve the crises we now face and those that will inevitably arise as the conflict continues. On May 2nd, we’ll be sitting down with CEOs and leaders from the tech world to discuss how technology can address such diverse challenges as energy and food security, the broken supply chain, and the implementation of telemedicine in a war zone.

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IBM and AMD embrace Israeli AI technology

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing almost every industry, but it doesn’t come cheap. Deployment is often held back by hardware costs and software complexity. Tech powerhouses IBM and AMD are working with our portfolio company NeuReality, which has created a new architecture that slashes the cost and energy consumption of AI systems, Linda Gradstein writes in the Times of Israel. “The partnership with NeuReality is expected to drive a more streamlined and accessible AI infrastructure, which can enhance people’s lives,” says Dr. Mukesh Khare, Vice President, IBM Cloud.

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Amazon’s $1B innovation fund invests in BionicHIVE

Amazon’s new $1B Industrial Innovation Fund is investing in our robotics portfolio company BionicHIVE, TechCrunch reports. The company’s autonomous SqUID robots work as a fleet across the floors of warehouses, climbing shelves and racks to retrieve items. “Amazon has recognized BionicHIVE for its differentiated solution capable of optimizing safety around repeated tasks, at any height, in the supply chain workplace, and this is the kind of technology that’s pulling innovation forward,” says Katherine Chen, Head of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. OurCrowd was initially introduced to the company through a tweet from Elon Musk about their remarkable autonomous warehouse robot. See it in action here.

OurCrowd startups participate in EcoMotion 2022

OurCrowd startups will be front and center as the smart mobility world gathers in Tel Aviv next month. EcoMotion 2022 kicks off May 9th and will feature the industry’s top movers and shakers from Israel and around the globe. Among the OurCrowd portfolio companies participating: Arbe Robotics, Corractions, C2A Security, Foretellix, Hailo, Innoviz, Ravin and Ride Vision.  

Top Tech News

Remilk to open world’s largest animal-free dairy factory in Denmark

Our FoodTech pioneer Remilk is on its way to make a lot of dairy without cows. The company will open the world’s largest animal-free dairy factory in Denmark, Delicious Foods reports. The 750,000 square foot facility is set to open in the city of Kalundborg by the end of the year. The company’s precision fermentation process produces proteins that are used as the base for dairy-identical products including milk, cheese, and yogurt but made without using a single cow. Once fully operational, the factory will produce as much milk protein annually as 50,000 cows.

InZiv raises $10M for high-resolution display inspection technology

OurCrowd portfolio company InZiv raised $10M to expand its groundbreaking technology that allows producers of displays to inspect and repair screens at unprecedented resolution, DigiTimes reports. The company’s nano-optical technology detects even the tiniest of light and color defects within pixels, with resolution reaching the sub-micron scale. “The microLED market is expected to exceed $21B by 2027. It has been exciting to see just how quickly the market has responded to our unique nano-optical solutions, with leading manufacturers among our growing customer base,” says InZiv Founder and CEO David Lewis.

Cyabra sniffs out fakes and bots in Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard

Nearly 11% of all Twitter accounts commenting on Johnny Depp’s defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard are inauthentic, according to new research from OurCrowd portfolio company Cyabra. The majority of fakes are supportive of Heard, while most authentic accounts back Depp, according to an analysis of 2,300 Twitter profiles. “Whenever there’s a lot of people involved, there’s always going to be some level of additional, inauthentic conversation going on around a topic,” Cyabra CEO Dan Brahmy tells Fox News Digital. The behavior is “usually…about drawing financial interest, or some sort of status or political interest,” he says.

Carbon Health launches remote diabetes-management program

Our portfolio company Carbon Health is setting a new standard in diabetes care. The company launched a new program that remotely connects medical professionals and patients in real time as they monitor their glucose levels and other wellness factors. “Our diabetes program will truly revolutionize chronic care management, and we look forward to seeing the impact increase as we scale,” says Dr. Calvin Wu, Medical Director of Virtual Diabetes Care and endocrinologist at Carbon Health.

Edgybees’ new software improves accuracy of satellite imagery

Edgybees, a global leader in georegistration and OurCrowd portfolio company, launched its Satellite Software to enhance the accuracy of satellite imagery. It aligns electro-optical satellite imagery to ground truth, within two to three meters of accuracy, in less than 15 seconds. “Accuracy in satellite imagery is essential for professionals utilizing these resources in the defense, public safety, insurance, and earth imagery analysis industries. We are thrilled to provide the software that ensures these professionals have access to the most precise and reliable images on the market,” says Adam Kaplan, CEO and co-founder of Edgybees.

Africa’s mPharma expands TytoCare collaboration

Africa’s telehealth giant mPharma is expanding its partnership with Qure portfolio company TytoCare. mPharma has already conducted over 8,000 consultations in its chain of community pharmacies across five countries using TytoCare’s remote examination kits. “As a continent with a deficit of 2.4 million nurses and doctors, digital health solutions remain key in solving Africa’s primary healthcare challenges,” says Gregory Rockson, CEO and co-founder of mPharma. “Our partnership with TytoCare helps us bridge the gap in the primary healthcare space in Africa.”

Datos Health and Binah.ai team up for new remote-care platform  

Datos Health, a global leader in remote-care automation, is working with our portfolio company Binah.ai to create a comprehensive, automated, assisted self-care platform. Binah.ai’s technology provides real-time vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate and more, simply by having the patient look into a smartphone or wireless device, for less than 60 seconds. “Our platform’s open framework lends itself to endless integration options and enables us to seamlessly integrate with the award-winning technology company, Binah.ai. We know that vitals monitoring is an important component of remote care and together, we want to make this data more easily accessible,” says Uri Bettesh, CEO and Founder of Datos Health.

Introductions

Your portfolio gets stronger when the OurCrowd network gets involved. Visit our Introductions page to see which of our companies are looking for connections that you may be able to help with.

More than 4,500 High-Tech Jobs

Read the OurCrowd High-Tech Jobs Index Q4 2021 HERE. 

• Head of Agency Relations at Clinch (New York)
• Senior iOS Developer at Tetavi (Ramat Gan, Israel)
• HR Business Partner at Wefox (Berlin)

Search and filter through Portfolio Jobs to find your next challenge

The post Newsletter: Making lab-grown meat affordable appeared first on OurCrowd Blog.

• Top investment opportunities
• Startup of the Week: NeuReality, slashing AI costs
• Sufresca: Keeping produce fresh, without plastic
• Ukraine crisis: We need new food technology
• NYT: Freightos has answers for supply-chain woes
• Flytrex begins operations in Texas as FAA certification nears
• Chicago gives green light to Superpedestrian
• US Army taps ICON for largest 3D printed structures in America
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• Israel’s field hospital in Ukraine uses TytoCare kits
• Snowflake chooses Cybersixgill for cyber threat intelligence
• Goldman Sachs leads data.world’s $50M Series C raise
• ADvantage Fund’s TAPPP raises $10M, signs Major League Rugby
• Introductions: How can you help our portfolio companies?
• More than 4,600 high-tech jobs