Wisdom for Singapore, courtesy of Tel Aviv

How maker labs are transforming a high-tech economy.

If you want to build a thriving tech hub, Tel Aviv is the perfect case study. The Israeli city is catalysing an explosion of innovation, fuelled by sensors and the Internet of Things (IOT). “There are hundreds of IoT companies and startups in Israel,” explains Guy Bar-Ner, a Director at IoT company Intel. “We believe the potential of the IoT market in Israel is huge and untapped”. The city already has 74 companies which are listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, one of the largest representations for non-US companies. Those multinationals are being joined by a new movement of ‘makers’, who rely on affordable high-tech sensors to build new products. This community of inventors meets up to 10 times per week in the greater Tel Aviv area, Bar-Ner says. One person recently used Intel tech to create a "smart wisdom tooth" that can monitor oral hygiene. To support these initiatives, Intel has recently launched an ‘Ignition Lab’ that is “offering access to Intel resources and products to help them build the must-have solutions of tomorrow.” The Ignition Lab Located in Intel’s development centre, the lab works with startups and makers to support the development of new products. It focuses on four areas: 1. Smart city projects 2. Secure smart home solutions 3. Smart agriculture, such as smart irrigation systems that could transform farm productivity 4. Smart transportation, particularly for logistics companies like Cartasense Companies can get hands-on access to the latest technology; matchmaking with compatible startups; use cases from their peers; and advice on how to take the products to market. They also host training sessions, and the networking events necessary to get a product wider interest. Eight Ignition Labs have been built by Intel so far. They are based in Ireland, Israel, Russia, UAE, Britain, Germany, Turkey and Sweden. To find out more from Intel, please fill in the box below.