When you think of Israeli innovation, you might think of the Iron Dome or Drip Irrigation; some might just think of hummus.
Israel is an epicenter for technological innovation, contributing to America’s advancement in ways many are ignorant to. In fact, you probably use Israeli technology on a daily basis without even knowing it!
Here is a breakdown of top Israeli inventions you didn't know were Israeli:
USB Flash Drive
Pocket-sized and brilliant, this file storing device was first introduced by Amir Ban, Dov Moran, and Oron Ogdan in 1999.
Cancer Cell Therapy
Hadassah University Medical Center has accomplished an “unprecedented achievement” in the treatment of multiple myeloma cancer. Through genetic engineering called CAR-T, patients’ immune systems are boosted, destroying the cancer independently. This treatment has a 90% success rate, with patients who initially had a 2 year life expectancy, are now in complete remission.
Instant Messenger
Israeli internet company, Mirabilis, invented the first original instant messenger after noticing a gap in the market - a need for a public universal communication system after only being utilized between universities and businesses.
The company was sold to AOL for $407 million in 1998.
Firewall
Arguably one of the best inventions from Israel, this software protects data from dangerous cyber activity. Inventors Gil Shwed, Marius Nacht and Shlomo Kramer developed the first ever viable commercial firewall in 1993. In 2018, Shwed was awarded the state of Israel’s highest honor, the Israel Prize, for contributions towards technology and innovation.
Water (Not Actually But Sort of)
Israeli company, EWA, developed a condenser capable of absorbing the humidity from the air and holding it in a silica-based granule that later condenses it into pure water. The invention is called WaterGen and has been utilized in times of crisis such as 2017’s Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Waze
When Inventor Ehud Shabati first tried using a GPS, his travel was hindered by traffic and road work which led him to create Waze GPS travel app. Composed of only 80 employees (70 of which based in Israel), Waze is utilized in at least 100 countries supplying users with real-time information such as road closures, road hazards and traffic alerts.
Waze was sold to Google for $1.1 billion in 2013.
Cherry Tomatoes
The Israeli team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem genetically engineered the cherry tomato that we all know and love. It was mass produced in Europe and later then made its way to North America.
Pillcam
A swallowable medical camera invented by scientist Gavriel Iddan. After experiencing chronic stomach pain himself, Iddan invented this pill capable of transmitting data to a receiver outside the body diagnosing infections, intestinal disorders and cancers.
The pillcam revolutionized modern medicine and for this, Iddan received the European Inventor Award in 2011.
Fiverr
Israeli multinational online marketplace for freelance services invented by Micha Kaufman and Shai Wininger. Fiverr connects freelancers looking to work and companies looking to hire. Fiverr went public in 2019 and is servicing over 160 countries!
Israel has and will continue to make meaningful contributions to the modern world. Innovations in both the medicinal and technological industries have cemented Israel as an indispensable powerhouse vital to the progression of advanced technology within the modern era.
Hopefully, some of these inventions came as a surprise and shifted your perspective on Israel’s relevancy in your day to day tasks!
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