This past week, wind turbine start-up, TechnoSpin announced that it raised $8 million. Leviathan Energy signed a letter of intent to provide energy for India worth $50 million and WorkLight, an Enterprise 2.0 company, announced that it raised $12 million. Not surprisingly, the Jerusalem Post website, reported that Israeli start-ups have raised the most capital in 7 years. Also, making the news was that Best Buy will be partnering with community-based, product help site, FixYa, and that Mashable.com, a blog that covers social networks, will be hosting MashBash for 800 people in Tel Aviv next month. Expected attendees will be from some of the hottest Israeli start-ups today and biggest international companies with offices in Israel. I plan on going, and so should you. For more details on this and the rest of this week's 17 Israel-related technology headlines, check out the list below.


Cleantech
Wind turbine start-up TechnoSpin raises $8m

Solel Solar on the Hunt for Newport Beach HQ Space

Leviathan Energy to provide clean electricity for India


M&A and Investments
Start-ups raise most capital in 7 years

BluePhoenix shares jump after 1Q results meet Street views

WorkLight Raises $12 Million


Information Technology
Application security co Applicure gets Trafalgar investment

Deloitte Consulting’s Lucian Lipinsky de Orlov to Lead Fortisphere Webinar on Virtualization Adoption

RoofArena Launches Beta Site; Interview with Shay Sharon

Best Buy buys into tech support 2.0

IBM setting up Israeli Lab for XIV


Miscellaneous
Jeff Pulver resigns as Pulvermedia chairman

Izzy Borovich sees Israel becoming "vacation state"

MashBash Tel Aviv and Israel Media Tour

Electric Nissans Planned in U.S. by 2010

"BusinessWeek" names Israel among innovation hotspots

Social networking meets search: Sightix



About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

This past week didn't see any new Israel-related IBM announcements. It did, however, see questions raised about the real potential of Project Better Place's electric cars and the release of the latest version of Unisfair's Virtual Events. Along the way, Red Bend Software raised $10 million and SanDisk announced a new 4-gigabyte USB flash drive that uses user-driven data management company, BeInSync. Check Point and Tel-Aviv University announced their plans to establish a new academic research institute for the study of information security. To find out more about these stories and what the rest of this week's 17 Israel-related technology headlines are, check out the list below.


Cleantech
SunHopes – Balloon Based Solar Energy

Who's Driving the Hydrogen Highway?

Tel Aviv University displays its cleantech potential [VIDEO]


M&A and Investments
Mobile software management provider Red Bend secured $10 million

The Golden Age of Israeli Startups: Mergers and Acquisitions (Part III)

VC survey: Money still flowing to green and biotech

Israel venture capital is nervous about US trends

Web Hosting and Management Services Group, TriZetto, to be Acquired by Apax


Information Technology
A Four-Gigabyte Thumb Drive With Two Safety Nets

Mellanox Announces ConnectX 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN on Motherboard Design Wins Across Supermicro’s Server Products

Gizmox widens Microsoft collaboration

Unisfair Releases Version 2.0 of Virtual Events

Check Point and Tel-Aviv University to Establish a New Academic Research Institute for the Study of Information Security


Miscellaneous
Startup aims to replace NOR flash in mobile devices

SanDisk R&D boss discusses memory card business

Israel Venture Association’s Annual Hi-Tech Conference 2008 Hits the Road

PineApp Named ‘Product of the Year’ Finalist for AeA High-Tech Innovation Awards

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Globes is reporting that in the next 24 hours, IBM is expected to officially announce its purchase of Diligient Technologies, an enterprise data storage and deduplication solutions provider, for an estimated $200 million. Here are some quick facts from the Globes article regarding the deal:

• Diligent Technologies is IBM's third acquisition in Israel so far this year (after XIV in January and FilesX Ltd. last week).
• Diligent Technologies is a spinoff from EMC Israel, which still owns a 20% share in Diligent.
• Diligent was co-founded in 2002 by current CEO, Doron Kempel and data storage legend, Moshe Yanai (currently the XIV chairman and an IBM employee).

For more details, check out the Globes article and my entry on the rumor from a few weeks ago.


About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Once again, IBM gets the top mention in the Israel Innovation 2.0 Israel-related technology headlines. This time resulting from its announcement during the week of April 6 that it plans to purchase data protection and recovery company, FilesX. IBM also announced its usage of water cooling to create an energy efficient supercomputer. It wasn't the only green friendly news though; Jonathan Shapira (author of the Cleantech Investing in Israel blog) and Gene Dolgin, both of Israel Cleantech Ventures, recently created the Cleantech Israel group on Meetup.com and held its first event, which was informative and well-attended by Israelis and Israeli companies trying to break into the field. For more on these, the headlines related to major moves in IT and the full 22 Israel-related technology headlines from this past week, check out the list below.


Cleantech
Inter-ministry disputes hold up solar power plant

Cleantech industry networks in Israel

(Feature) Solar balloons to power remote areas?

Indian and Israeli Industries to Collaborate on Renewable Energy Technologies

Cleantech Group Reports Cleantech Investments Up 42 Percent in 1Q08 From Prior Year, Despite Recent Peak of Ethanol, Wind and Thin Film Solar Waves


M&A
IBM Picks Up Remote Data Backup Help

Amdocs buys Jacobs Rimmell for $45 million in cash

Kodak Completes Acquisition of Intermate A/S

Meter firm buys Israeli technology


Investments
IVC Research Center: Capital Raised by Israeli VCs

Imperva Raises $20m in Financing

Storewize Secures $19M


Information Technology
Eglue launches new CIM suite

Aternity Named ''Cool Vendor'' in IT Operations by Leading Industry Analyst Firm

Cisco leads coming out party for FCoE (Mellanox)

InstallFree promises easy desktop virtualization


In Israel
Toll-free numbers reach cell phones

New regulations expected to drive bank IT spending

Survey: weak dollar set to drive 15,000 technology-based job cuts in Israel


Miscellaneous

OpenSpan and Malam Team Enter Strategic Agreement to Build Enterprise Customer Care Solutions

IBM Uses Water Cooling to Create Energy Efficient Supercomputer

blinkx Draws Users in With aniBoom's Original Animations


About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Coming soon to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dining halls throughout Israel: Automated time and attendance management software developed and supplied by Synel Industries Ltd.

Globes reported earlier this week that the Synel-provided terminals "will include options to define meal times and types" and "are equipped with a printer that issues meal coupons." The automated process can keep track of and "identify what meal type has been consumed in which dining room and on what time." The intended result will be reduced expenditures on food and food-related administration and the amount of food wasted.

For those IT professionals who aren't touched by how Synel's technology can lead to less food waste in the Israeli army, there are plenty of other ways Synel's products and solutions can be deployed in your company - especially since it is about to be distributed by SYNNEX Corp.

According to the Globes article, Synel recently signed a strategic distribution partnership agreement with SYNNEX Corp that

"will enable Synel to offer its time and attendance and access control solutions - TimeLOG and Falcon through SYNNEX's information technology distribution channel."

IT professionals looking into better time and attendance management solutions can consider Synel's TimeLOG for medium organizations and Falcon PRO - a full access control software (including security) for employees and the workplace - for the enterprise.

Company Facts

Founded in 1990.

Gabi Buganim, President and CEO.

David Ashkenazi, V.P. R&D.

Products: TimeLOG Pro, Falcon Pro and Harmony.

Website: www.synel.com.


About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

you continue to.

Globes is reporting that IBM has agreed to acquire Israeli data protections and data-recovery solutions provider, FilesX for an undisclosed sum. According to Globes,

"IBM intends that the FilesX technology will become part of the Tivoli Storage Manager family of products, IBM’s flagship suite of data protection and information infrastructure offerings. IBM expects that FilesX enterprise-level continuous data protection solutions will complement IBM's existing file-based software - called IBM Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files - which is targeted at small and mid-sized business customers and individual PC users. With its patented technology, FilesX helps IT staff restore data from virtually any type of failure and from nearly any point in time. FilesX offerings may be particularly attractive in environments where IT skills and budgets are limited, as it is considered easy to use and offers self-managing features."

For those who are keeping track, if IBM goes through with this purchase, it will be the company's second acquisition of an Israeli storage company since January (when it acquired XIV), and the third Israeli company it has been connected to in relation to acquisitions since the New Year (the second being the rumors of its in talks to acquire Diligent Technologies Corp). It will also be the first one without any connection to Moshe Yanai.

News of this acquisition comes amidst its rival, EMC, being in the news lately with its own acquisitions. However, there doesn't seem to be any direct connection between EMC's recent moves and IBM's purchasing FilesX, which will "enhance its data-recovery offerings for remote offices."

Perhaps more relevant is that this comes after FilesX announced last week "the immediate availability of support for multi-language versions of Microsoft Windows in its Xpress Restore software product." But, that's enough speculation.

While IBM's constant interest in storage is part of a general trend that the company and several others in the industry will continue to follow throughout the year, it will be interesting to see if other company's, perhaps EMC, will follow IBM's lead in acquiring Israeli data storage companies. What do you think? Fill out the survey to let me know. 

Company Facts

Founded in 2000.

Jimmy Garcia-Meza, President and CEO.

Ami Kleinman, VP R&D.

Products: Xpress Restore CDP, Xpress Restore DR and Xchange Restore.

Website: www.filesx.com.


About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

CEPCO Holding Ltd., provider of the Med-O-Card, recently informed me that the company (first covered by Israel Innovation 2.0 in December 2007) is in the process of setting up a consortium that will carry out,

“product and system development and is geared towards a nationwide implementation of the USB Med-O-Card in Germany in 2008, and in other European countries.”

Expected members of the consortium will include “National Phone Carrier, German Doctors Associations, various German Medical Foundations, Hospital Groups and the IT industry.”

CEPCO’s new push comes during a time when Germany’s intended deployment of the “eGK”, a stripped-down and non-editable device from GEMATIK, is being protested by the German public and the German health sector for its absence of basic necessary features.

Two benefits of the Med-O-Card - a credit card-sized USB storage device that contains secure software and an operating system that can store personal medical records and history - over other personal health management recording solutions, including the “eGK,” are its providing an operating system and system security. CEPCO’s advanced technology that protects the confidential information on the Med-O-Card has also created interest and demand from USB hardware manufacturers.

IT professionals in the health management field in both the US and Europe (aside from just Germany) should look for CEPCO to make moves in those markets throughout 2008.

Israel Innovation 2.0's weekly Israel-related technology headlines are back by popular demand. What happened during the past week of March 30, 2008? There wasn't any news about any major investments and M&A (in Israel), but there sure was plenty of news about Israeli solar companies signing deals, Telecom announcing partnerships and Information Security... securing. This past week, it was revealed that sustainable energy stocks are lead by solar, Motorola unveiled a new Israeli-developed device and IncrediMail reported record revenues that increased 72% in 2007. To find out more about these stories and what the rest of this week's 21 Israel-related technology headlines are, check out the list below.


Cleantech
US Army fund seeks Israeli water tech

Solar Leads Sustainable Energy Stocks

Luz II signs deal with California energy giant

Solel to add solar facilities in Spain

'Green our lever to move Israel from 2nd to 1st World'


In Israel
Facebook, Google founders to attend Jerusalem conference in May

Economy added over 100,000 new jobs in 2007

Incubators in north and south excel


Telecom
Is you is or is you ain't WiMAX

Motorola unveils new Israeli developed device

Metalink Unveils Operating Expense Reduction Plan

InfoGin and Comverse in technology partnership

Motive and Red Bend Help Operators Overcome Barriers to Mobile and Converged Service Delivery


Information Security
Safend Provides New Data Leakage Prevention Offerings with Latest Release

Secure Enterprise 2.0 Forum Sets Course for the Future

Commtouch CEO to Present at America’s Growth Capital Information Security Conference at RSA


Miscellaneous
Elron Highlights AqWise and Galil Medical Developments

IncrediMail Reports Record Revenues, Increasing 72% in 2007

N-trig Hires New Vice President of Research, Development and Engineering

XFONE Completes Acquisition of Story Telecom, Inc.

Olive Software Announces Availability of ActiveMagazine 3.0, Next-Generation Digital Magazine

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Aternity, Inc., a leader in frontline performance intelligence for Global 1000 enterprises, is a very hot Israeli company to watch right now. As with VeNotion Technologies, the company has been making headlines with regards to its partnerships and developments several times monthly. In the past few weeks, Aternity has announced that it is joining the Red Hat Inc. ISV Partner Program as a Red Hat Ready Partner and that it has earned Certified Partner Status in the Microsoft Partner Program.

Aternity's Frontline Performance Intelligence Platform lets IT professionals get a birds' eye view of what programs users are running and monitor their interaction with the company's information. The software can also detect problems in the early stages before most users can, and can provide the organization with the valuable information it needs to make sure it is running smoothly and meeting its goals.

How important is software, such as Aternity's, to IT professionals and the enterprise right now? Aternity recently sent over some facts and figures to a colleague of mine that should provide IT professionals (and investors) with enough information and reasons to at least keep an eye on Aternity and the field, if nothing more:  

    -  According to Jean-Pierre Garbani of Forrester Research, there are more than 30,000 enterprises that have more than 100 servers today – and 40 percent of these enterprises are potential targets for deploying end user experience monitoring solutions.

    -  According to Forrester Research, 74 percent of end user problems are not detected by IT, which means these organizations are negatively impacted from a productivity, revenue, customer service, and delivery-time standpoint. Any enterprise interested in dramatically reducing business disruption and increasing user productivity needs to understand how IT services are consumed by end users, and how end user experience impacts business results.

    -  Aside from its partnership with Red Hat, Inc, [and Microsoft] Aternity has already gained the attention of major industry players - the VC arm of Intel recently led a $5 million investment earlier this year, and Oracle is engaging in a joint venture with the company to provide Oracle E-Business suite users with easy access to Aternity's platform.

    -  Aternity secured Series A funding in 2005 totaling $7.5M and a Series B round of $6.5M was closed in April 2007.  

Company Facts

Founded in 2004.

Trevor Matz, President and CEO.

Eden Shochat, CTO and Co-founder.

Orit Kislev-Kapon, VP R&D and Co-founder.

Product: The Aternity Frontline Performance Intelligence Platform.

Website: www.aternity.com

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

WorldMate Hires Vice President of Marketing and Appoints Former Lastminute.com CEO to Advisory Board
WorldMate, Inc., a provider of travel services for business people on the go, announced that Jonathan Michaeli has joined the company as vice president of marketing and that Brent Hoberman has been appointed to the company’s advisory board. WorldMate, a subsidiary of MobiMate, lets business travelers manage their complete itineraries, including travel arrangements and business meetings. Recent upgrades now provide both travel providers and travelers with the ability to change itineraries directly on their devices through WorldMate Live. 


Jacada to Present At B. Riley & Co. 9th Annual Las Vegas Investor Conference
Paul O'Callaghan, CEO of Jacada Ltd., will present at the B. Riley & Co. 9^th Annual Las Vegas Investor Conference at the Palms Casino Resort on April 4, 2008. According to the website,

"Jacada provides a unified desktop and process optimizations solutions that simplify, automate, and optimize work processes across disparate business systems, elimination inefficiencies and boosting productivity."

Rim Semiconductor Company Acquires Multi-Carrier Communications, Inc. from UTEK Corporation
Rim Semiconductor, a company that develops technology for telecommunications service providers, has acquired Multi-Carrier Communications, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of UTEK. According to the news release,

"The acquisition includes an exclusive worldwide license and research program for a unique signal processing technology for copper line based applications."

According to the Rim website, the company,

"Develops technology for telecommunications companies to deliver demanding new video and data services with lower network costs and offering a better end-user experience."

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.