CTech's Sunday Roundup of Israeli Tech News
Interview | Yandex came to Israel for the brains, not the taxis, says CEO; The future of tennis: data decides the match
Interview | Yandex came to Israel for the brains, not the taxis, says CEO. Quietly, carefully, and with a great deal of Soviet discipline, Arkadi Volozh built Yandex, a $13 billion online empire that competes on the same level as Google. To get out from under the American tech giant’s shadow, however, Volozh is placing his bets on winning the autonomous vehicle race, and is looking to the best Israeli minds to do so. Read more
Yango vehicle. Photo: Yandex
In its battle against tax evaders, Israel Tax Authority sets its sights on payment apps. Israeli Banks Leumi, Hapoalim, and Discount all offer mobile payment apps; some small businesses have been using them to perform transactions under the radar. Read more
PoV | If WeWork and a Yeshiva had a baby: coworking spaces for Haredi Jews are Israel’s latest trend. With Jewish scripture, graffiti-decorated walls, modern office furniture, and gender-segregated floors, Haredi coworking spaces are attracting young ultra-Orthodox entrepreneurs and businessmen and women from fields as diverse as advertising, talent management, law, design, and engineering. Read more
Pouring thousands of dollars on wanted ads, Israeli startups still opt for the referral system. With the ever-increasing demand for tech talent in Israel, some startups report spending a fortune on online wanted ads, but find themselves doing most of their hiring through. Read more
Software quality has become crucial in almost every industry, says Qualitest co-founder. On Wednesday, it was announced that London-headquartered private equity firm Bridgepoint has acquired a controlling stake in Qualitest, in a deal that one person valued at $420 million. Read more
LED lighting startup Juganu raises $23 million. Juganu develops an end-to-end service that uses Qualcomm chipsets to create broadband communications networks of wireless grids, spanning one lighting fixture to tens of thousands. Read more
Tel Aviv restaurant goes biblical. Popular Tel Aviv dining spot Igra Rama goes back in time, reimagining what people in the region ate thousands of years ago. Read more
Eager to export, Israel’s cannabis companies offer to fund government manpower. Approved in January, export of medical cannabis from the country is set to start in September but has run into continuous problems. Read more
