CTech’s Daily Israeli Tech News Roundup

Mellanox has a new activist shareholder. Starboard as acquired 10.7% stake in Israel-based Mellanox Technologies Ltd. That could mean the tech company is in for a restructuring or executive leadership change. Read more.

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Will Israelis build Saudi’s robo city? Venture capitalist and former politician Erel Margalit was addressing a conference on regional cooperation in Qatar last week when he suggested Saudi Arabia should consider using Israeli technology in developing its future city of Neom where robots will outnumber the people. Read more.

Blockchain on the high seas. Israeli shipping company ZIM has completed a pilot program replacing traditional bills of lading with electronic, blockchain technology-based shipping documents. Read more.

Changing of the guard at Gamida Cell. Pharma veteran Julian Adams will be appointed CEO and chairman of the board, taking the place of Yael Margolin at the helm of the Jerusalem-headquartered cellular and immune therapies company. Read more.

Does Israel’s new auto regulations favor Mobileye? Last March, Israeli authorities published new directives which would require all new imported cars to include driving assistance systems as of January 2018. Since then, complaints lodged with the comptroller alleged that people affiliated with Mobileye were directly involved in the drafting of the new requirement. Read more.

Chinese company hits Israel for medtech. Shenzhen-listed Chengdu Kanghong Pharma Group will buyout the current shareholders of Tel Aviv-based IOPtima, a developer of minimally invasive eye surgery devices. Read more.

Cybersecurity entrepreneur wants AI to make the web a nicer place. Israeli cybersecurity entrepreneur Idan Plotnik says that fixing the way we behave online is his “life’s mission.” In 2014, Mr. Plotnik sold his cybersecurity startup, Aorato, to Microsoft for around $200 million. Read more.

Construction site app scores $7 million in Series A. Palo Alto, California-based Buildup Technologies is trying to make construction sites more efficient by introducing digital tools for communication and workflow management. Read more.

Tech companies not deterred by Saudi Turmoil. Even while the Saudi Crown Prince is arresting top Saudi businessmen in a so-called war on corruption, big tech companies including Amazon and Facebook are looking to enter the local market, a Saudi official says. Read more.