CTech's Monday Roundup of Israeli Tech News

The U.S. still leads corporate investment in Israeli tech. So far in 2018, U.S. corporates invested some $253 million in Israeli tech companies, according to a new report. Read more

In Tel Aviv, a herd of sheep is helping the city bloom. Tel Aviv’s first official herdsman is accompanied by two border collies, Chaos and Fauda: the first only takes commands in Hebrew, the second only in British English. Read more

Microsoft and Calcalist to hold big data startup contest. The winning startup will be announced at Calcalist’s “Mind the Data 2018” conference, to be held next month in Tel Aviv.Read more

Let none go to waste: This startup fuels cooking by using natural toilet gas. Bio-toilets have already been installed in off-grid communities in Israel and in a Guatemalan hospital. Read more

Facetune developer secures additional funding to change how the world creates content. Jerusalem-based Lightricks completed a $60 million round, out of which $45 million will be used to buy stock off existing shareholders. Read more

Opinion | Israeli tech entrepreneurs set their sights on New York. Once drawn to Silicon Valley, Israeli entrepreneurs now look to the East Coast of the U.S., as they factor in smaller time differences and shorter flights. Read more

Head of Microsoft’s Israeli startup accelerator resigns. Last month, the company announced the newest batch of 11 startups accepted into the program in Tel Aviv, with an average funding of $2.2 million. Read more

Opinion | Are the emerging data barons paving the way for a brave new corporate world?

The elite members of the sinister sounding FANG are expanding their reach, but the real concerns will arise when they start taking over some of the tasks that were heretofore the job of governments. Read more

Japanese insurance company Sompo partners with two Israeli cybersecurity startups. Last month the Japanese inaugurated a Tel Aviv innovation center, adding to existing operations in Tokyo, and Silicon Valley. Read more  

Cell-therapy company KidneyCure raises funds. KidneyCure's CEO Alon Yaar founded Neuroderm Ltd., which was acquired by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma in 2017 for $1.1 billion. Read more

News Briefs

Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams backs Israeli moon landing initiative. Read more

Shared office company Mixer opens third location. Read more

Auto communications chip startup Autotalks expands into China. Read more