Fast Company has released its list of the 10 most innovative companies in Israel in 2013. The impressive list gives a taste of tomorrow, as well as the power of the Technion Nation (We list our favorites below!).

Xsight Systems

“For keeping airport runways safe. Foreign Object Debris costs the aviation industry around $13 billion per year and famously downed an Air France Concord supersonic aircraft in 2000. Xsight’s FAA-approved FODetect system has emerged as one of the leading solutions, using hybrid radar and electro-optical technology to detect junk on runways. Boston’s Logan Airport was the first to test it in 2009, and Paris Charles De Gaulle and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi installed it in 2012.”

Includes Aviv Goner, VP R&D.  Mr. Goner served over ten years in the Israel Air Force’s elite R&D unit, developing and implementing advanced avionics systems. He has extensive experience in remote sensing systems, real time configurations, developing image processing algorithms and designing radar systems.

In 2001, Mr. Goner joined Integritech Systems Engineering where he worked with Alon Nitzan on developing FODetect before joining Xsight in 2005. Aviv Goner earned his BSc in Electrical Engineering and Physics at the Technion.

 

Galil Software 

“For bringing tech jobs to Arab communities. Israel’s large Arab minority is underrepresented in the local workforce, particularly in the tech industry. But that is changing thanks to companies like Galil Software, a Nazareth-based leader in onshore outsourcing of R&D and software services. It employs about 150 Arab engineers and last year won the Prime Minister’s Prize for Initiative and Innovation, for “providing an example for young Arabs who aspire to careers in the high-tech industry.”

A management team of Technion alumni. The 2011 Prime Minister’s Prize for Initiatives and Innovations was awarded to Inas Said and Jimmy Levy, Founder of Galil Software, for their efforts in founding Nazareth-based Galil Software, a pioneer Arab sector high-tech company. The prize was awarded for changing the employment map for engineers and tech professionals in the Arab sector, and for thus providing an example for young Arabs who aspire to careers in engineering and high-tech and becoming entrepreneurs themselves.

Dror Gonen, Chief Executive Officer & Board Member was appointed CEO of Galil Software at June 2012, bringing vast experience in key R&D, Marketing and managerial Hi Tech positions. Prior to joining Galil Software, Mr. Gonen served as ECI Telcom’s Head of the Access line of business. Previously, Mr. Gonen was the CEO of Delta three. From 1998 through 2008, Mr. Gonen was with Comverse in various R&D, marketing and senior management positions, most recently as the Vice President of the Content Solutions Line of Business.

Mr. Gonen holds a BSc Cum Laude in Electrical Engineering and a BSc Cum Laude in Physics, both from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, as well as an MBA from Bar-Ilan University.

Bassel Khoury,VP Business and Corporate Development joined Galil Software in March 2008, bringing vast experience in management and R&D from high-tech companies. Prior to joining Galil Software, Mr. Khoury managed the Project Management and Professional Services Group at Dalet’s Israeli R&D branch (Gefen Dekel), one of the leading companies in the MAM and broadcast world. Mr. Khoury was responsible for account management and presale activities in Europe and Africa.

From 2000 until 2004, Mr. Khoury held different managerial positions at Intel England. His last position at Intel was manager of the Professional Services Group. Mr. Khoury started his career at IBM in 1995.

Mr. Khoury holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Noam Zakai, VP Sales, joined Galil Software in 2010, bringing strong expertise in R&D and management in the high-tech sector. Prior to joining Galil Software, Mr. Zakai served as the managing partner at Mashav Applied Research, leading it to become one of the foremost and innovative applied research firms in Israel. Mr. Zakai previously held senior management positions at Flash Networks (2000-2006) and engineering positions at EMC (1997-2000) and Geotek (1995-1997).

Mr. Zakai holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, both from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Ameen Abu Leil, Customer Business Director, joined Galil Software in 2008, bringing strong expertise in software development of bio-medical solutions and graphical applications. Prior to joining Galil Software, Mr.Abu Leil served as team leader and senior developer at R&B Mold and Die Design Solutions. He previously held major development positions at AlphaOmega Neuroscience Technologies.

Mr. Abu Leil holds a BSc in Computer Science from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Pythagoras Solar

For creating solar windows. Israel’s solar energy industry is active, and one of its most exciting players is this venture-backed creator of the world’s first transparent photovoltaic glass unit. Its first installation was last year. Windows deliver solar power, while producing their own natural light to eliminate the need for artificial lighting during the day.

Udi Paret, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing is responsible for partnership development and accelerating the proliferation of Pythagoras Solar’s technology. Paret is leading Pythagoras Solar’s penetration into the building and construction industry and has successfully established the Pythagoras Solar brand name within the building trades in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Paret has been welcomed speaker at several industry events. Before joining Pythagoras Solar, Paret was the president of Fusion Dynamic, where he led global expansion and partnership development with IBM. Prior to that, Paret held senior positions as Senior VP Global Operations at Intransa and Senior Director of Customer Care at 3Com’s $600M OEM division. Paret holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Technion in Israel and has participated in Executive Programs at Stanford University, USA.

 

TaKaDu

For saving water on a global scale. TaKaDu’s system provides water utilities around the world with real-time detection of water leaks, bursts, zone breaches, faults, errors and inefficiencies, using existing data and its own algorithms. The company’s largest client is London’s Thames Water, which serves 9 million people, but last year saw an important expansion into Latin America, Australia, and other parts of Europe.

Einat Zviran, Chief Operating Officer, joined TaKaDu in early 2011. Zviran is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience leading software development, professional services and business operations for international software companies.

In her most recent role, Zviran served as corporate vice president at Ex Libris Group, a leading provider of library automation systems, where she led one of the two product line business units and was responsible for all back office products with responsibility for the booking and direct management of marketing, product management and product development. Prior to that, Zviran served as Vice President of Development at Ex Libris Group, responsible for the development management of the company’s entire product suite.

Before joining Ex Libris in 2006 Zviran served as a Software Development Director at Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), the leading provider of customer experience systems, where she held a variety of development and account management positions including responsibility for the development, implementation, deployment and support of large scale projects for multi-million dollar accounts.

Zviran holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the Technion, Israeli Institute of Technology, and an MBA Cum Laude from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

InSightec

For developing new, non-invasive treatments. The company (partially owned by GE) combines MRI and ultrasound technologies in exciting, Star Trek-like ways–curing patients without ever having to operate. It is already used to locate, heat, and destroy some tumors inside the body, and the company continues to receive important FDA approvals on new non-invasive uses. In October, the agency blessed InSightec’s use of the tech as therapy to treat pain from bone metastases in patients that can’t undergo radiation treatment.

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Better Place

For making electric vehicles accessible. Better Place began delivering its Renault Fluence Zero Emission EVs to Israeli customers this year, complemented by its nationwide network of battery switch stations. The company expects to support up to 10,000 vehicles in Israel and Denmark by the end of this year, before turning its attention to larger markets in an attempt to achieve former CEO Shai Agassi’s objective of ending global oil dependence by 2020.

Founded by Technion graduate (computer science) Shai Agassi.

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