Israel - Australia Newsletter

April 2021

Dear Friends,

We hope and trust you all had pleasant holiday breaks of Passover and Easter.

We are happy to share our monthly newsletter with updates and stories taking place in Israel.

2021 was definitely a remarkable year in Israel’s history, tackling the effects of the pandemic via an immensely successful vaccination rollout, which lead to an almost complete return to business; all the while with an inconclusive 4th round of general elections in 2 years, which again seem to have resulted in a stalemate.

Each of the aspects in the Israeli public and social life could fill up magazines and books, though both have affected the country’s public life, its social fabrics and more than anything its economic stability and growth.

While all this is taking place, we at the Israel Trade Commission are working and are looking forward to the largest conference and exhibition: MED in Israel, which will take place April 20-21.

The event is Israel’s largest in the healthcare and medical space and is taking place completely online via a virtual platform. https://medinisrael2021.israel-expo.co.il/expo

The conference will hold different panel discussions and feature industry leaders and speakers (including one from Australia) as well as enable scheduling 1:1 Business meetings with any of the Israeli exhibitors of Medical technology, devices & equipment with a strong emphasis on Digital Healthcare companies exhibiting at this event.

Other articles review various results and performances of the Israeli economy and its export sector during 2020, which was hard hit by the pandemic resulting in state-wide lockdowns, as well as updates on Cyber challenges affecting Australia and other countries and the role Israeli Cyber companies are playing in meeting these challenges. 

Wishing you all an interesting and fruitful reading.

The team at the Israel Trade Commission,

Rochelle, Jeremy and Shai

Spotlight: MEDinISRAEL

Latest Israeli Business News

The first real-world data for COVID-19 vaccines is in – and the vaccines’ effectiveness have once-again shot past scientists’ expectations.

Vaccines are typically less effective in the real-world than in clinical trials. But in data from Israel and the United Kingdom, both of whom have managed to vaccinate a large slice of their population, vaccine effectiveness appears to be matching that seen in clinical trials.

There are also positive signs the vaccines will significantly cut viral transmission, although it is too early to draw firm conclusions.

Read on by clicking the picture

* Exports stand at approximately $112 billion – a decline of only around 3% over 2019 and an approximately 1% increase over 2018

* In comparison to Israel, the forecast for 2020 for OECD member states is expected to decline – on average – by around 11.7%

* The most significant decline was in the export of tourism services – approximately 66% in comparison to 2019

* The highest growth was in the export of business services and high-tech – around 20% growth in dollar terms in comparison to 2019

* Growth in exports to target states: Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Chile

* Increase in assistance activity to exporters: 1,228 actions to promote exports –

 11% growth; 4,090 requests for trade assistance by Foreign Trade Administration attaches – 36% growth

Read on by clicking the picture

The Foreign Trade Administration (FTA) at the Israeli Ministry of Economy & Industry currently operates an array of 50 Economic & Trade Missions / Offices in leading target markets around the world. The FTA serves as a bridge to global economic systems, developing international business relations and promoting investments in Israeli industries. The role of the missions is also includes locating and creating business opportunities, encouraging bilateral joint ventures, assistance to companies, etc.

As Israel’s high-tech ecosystem becomes bigger and mature, we are using the services of IVC to collect and analyze relevant data to provide the most accurate and in-depth information, which assists companies with their scouting efforts, strategy, and position in the Israeli market.

Read on by clicking the picture

An Israeli-American pharmaceutical company is preparing to launch a Phase I clinical trial for what could become the world’s first oral COVID-19 vaccine.

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company based on technology developed by Hadassah-University Medical Center, announced over the weekend a joint venture with India-based Premas Biotech to develop a novel oral vaccine. Together they formed the company Oravax Medical Inc. The vaccine is based on Oramed’s “POD” oral delivery technology and Premas’s vaccine technology.

Oramed’s technology can be used to orally administer a number of protein-based therapies, which would otherwise be delivered by injection. Oramed is in the midst of a Phase III clinical trial through the US Food and Drug Administration of an oral insulin capsule for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Read on by clicking the picture

Why is cyber important? To understanding this, one must understand who uses cyber and for what purpose. In short, everyone with a computer, including people and cars, use Cyber. What is cyber? Cyber is simply a prefix taken from Greek to describe a person, thing, or idea as part of the computer and information age. Cyber is used before terms like security to denote an umbrella defence mechanism. Cyber is not necessarily a tangible thing for your enterprise to be cyber secure, and you cannot feel the presence until something is caught or goes wrong. Cyber is beneficial to enterprises if they use computing to generate income as their income generated can be diminished or compromised if the enterprise is not cyber aware.

Israel champions cyber. Many believe the cyber and high-tech industry grew through the Israeli Military Unit 8200 – the force responsible for collecting signal intelligence and code decryption. Graduates of this unit are equipped with cyber expertise and go out into the world to bring military technology for civilian use. Our roles at the Israel Trade Commissions around the world is to connect local enterprises with Israeli best-of-breed innovations, including in cyber realms. So, what is out there?

Read on by clicking the picture

Conferences and Exhibitions - Hybrids | Online | In-Person

MEDinISRAEL

 

Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2021

Land Forces Australia Indo Asia Pacific – International Land Defence Exposition

 

Cybertech Global UAE-Dubai

 

Snapshot of Current New Business Opportunities