CTech's Sunday Roundup of Israeli Tech News

OECD cuts Israel’s economic growth prediction for 2020 to under 3%. The organization forecasts Israel’s private consumption will slow while unemployment and the government budget deficit rise. Read more

IT management company BigPanda raises $50 million. BigPanda develops a machine learning-based service that aggregates multiple data sources and alerts into specific, manageable issues for enterprise IT teams. Read more

Opinion | Why sharing your data online is much like sharing your toothbrush. With the internet a bastion for rampant misogyny, bigotry, racism, and fake news, both democrats and republicans alike are pushing for more online censorship. Read more

 

Mobileye to pilot retrofit systems in Michigan to test performance in snow and ice. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the six-month pilot program Thursday, adding that it will be rolled out in several counties. Read more

List | 6 technologies to make your Black Friday shopping spree easier. Whether you love or hate shopping, these Israel-linked tech companies can make the experience much easier and a lot more fun. Read more

Sababa Ventures taps Randi Zuckerberg as partner, targets $35 million fund. The new fund will focus on early-stage Israeli tech companies in the media, entertainment, sports, and commerce sectors. Read more

 

Busy bees: Technion students aim to make honey without bees.The synthetic vegan honey is made by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, which "learns" to produce the honey after being reprogrammed in the lab. Read more

 

MinuteMedia acquires Derek Jeter’s The Players’ Tribune. MinuteMedia is the publisher behind several sports news outlets, including 90min, DBLTAP, and 12up. Read more

 

FIMI becomes biggest shareholder in biomed company Kamada. Nasdaq and Tel Aviv-listed Kamada develops protein-based pharmaceuticals for genetic disorders, as well as rabies antibodies and a serum against snake bites. Read more

Google promotes Riki Drori to vice president. Since 2018, Drori has led Google’s consumer products marketing in the EMEA and acted as YouTube’s chief marketing officer for the region. Read more

SoftBank looking to reduce $3 billion WeWork rescue offer, report says. The plan is intended to limit the $1.7 billion bailout payment offered to former CEO Adam Neumann, Bloomberg reported Friday. Read more

 

Michigan signs MoU with NGO Startup Nation Central. As part of the agreement, the state of Michigan and SNC will work together to provide Israel-based companies with opportunities to expand into Michigan. Read more