Techwatch: Mosaic Israel to help local businesses target customers

The international information segmentation company Experian and Israel's I-Geo have joined forces to create MOSAIC ISRAEL

By MATTHEW KRIEGER
techwatch 88 (photo credit: )
techwatch 88
(photo credit: )
  • The international information segmentation company Experian and Israel's I-Geo have joined forces to create MOSAIC ISRAEL, a company that allows Israel to expand its presence in the world of information classification, as well as help Israeli businesses to more effectively target potential customers. Experian is one of the world leaders in providing companies with information about buying patterns, marketing strategies and new market potential, in addition to classifying businesses using MOSAIC technology, while I-Geo is one of the leaders in Israel in the field of information segmentation. MOSAIC technology is currently used in 26 countries around the world, including the US, England, China, Japan and Australia. The two companies also are exploring a possible stock issue for later this year.
  • Clarizen, the Kfar Saba-based developer of a collaborative, enterprise-grade project management solution for businesses of all sizes, has been selected as a Red Herring 100 Europe finalist by the publication's editorial board. Red Herring's list of top private companies have been a part of the global media company's tradition of identifying new and innovative technology companies and entrepreneurs. In the past, its editors selected companies such as Google, eBay and Skype in their early days. The 200 finalist companies were selected from over 700 applicants.
  • VocalTec Communications Ltd., a global provider of carrier-class multimedia and voiceover IP solutions for communication service providers, has announced that it has received significant purchase orders from Deutsche Telekom. VocalTec expects revenues of approximately $1.8 million from these orders during the remainder of 2007 and the first half of 2008. Separately, VocalTec announced that Alink Telecom, a telecom operator in the Ivory Coast, is deploying VocalTec's Essentra products to support its roll-out of new voice services.
  • PDway, founded just one year ago by Omri Kohl and Yuval Madar, has opened up offices in Manhattan after more than $3m. was invested in their hi-tech start-up. PDway is developing a system that will allow wireless users to download coupons on their cell phones from a list of coupons published online that can then be used in stores around the United States. The US coupon industry is worth some $250 billion a year, according to representatives of PDway.
  • Exanet, the leader in software-based, clustered enterprise Network Attached Storage (NAS), reported this week that it has seen a significant surge in its customer base over the first quarter of 2007, fueled in large part by the introduction of its ExaStore-ICM storage solution and an increase in adoption by storage service providers around the world. Exanet recently won contracts with Data Storage Corporation, an off-site data vaulting service, and with Digitiliti, a leading provider of online data protection.
  • UTEK Corporation, a speciality finance company focused on technology transfer, and Israel' Payton Group, a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of conventional and planar transformers, announced that they have signed a technology acquisition alliance. Through its technology acquisition alliances, UTEK assists companies in enhancing their new product with the acquisition of proprietary intellectual capital from universities and laboratory research centers. The Payton Group is an international conglomerate of companies handling and promoting magnetic components.
  • Yavne-based InRob Ltd., a leader in the development and production of advanced wireless control systems and integrated solutions for unmanned ground vehicles, reported that its latest round of financing has raised $3m. InRob, which provides hi-tech equipment to the IDF, the Israel Police Force and other military and civilian companies in the security sector, believes this money will enable the company to promote its business and implement its global growth strategy. Separately, the company announced that it is in the final stages of negotiations on a manufacturing contract for several remotely controlled systems for D-9 bulldozers. According to the contract, InRob will upgrade existing D-9s with its own military standard technology, including electronics, wiring, electrical systems, software, communications and advanced remote-controlled systems.
  • In another financing, Vintage Venture Partners announced the first and final close of Vintage Ventures III, Israel's only active, locally managed secondary fund. Vintage III focuses on purchasing limited partnership interests of Israel-related technology investments. Vintage began raising capital for Vintage III in January with a target of $100m., however the fundraising was completed in one closing at its hard cap of $125m. Among the investors in Vintage III are several Canadian, US and Israeli pension funds, as well as leading Israeli insurance companies.
  • Tower Semiconductor Ltd., has been chosen by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to manufacture a CMOS image sensor for use in the development of its advanced MultiSpectral Polarimetric Imager (MSPI). The device utilizes an image sensor process at Tower's Fab 1 facility. This design is JPL's fifth submission to Tower, dating back to April 2001. The previous submissions totaled 28 different designs, with this latest design being the most challenging of the series fabricated for JPL by Tower. Through its airborne and planned space-borne implementation, the MSPI is intended for the study of atmospheric aerosols.