Israel accepted into OECDFinance minister says new membership is 'stamp of approval', will attract foreign investments Zvi Lavi  Published: 05.10.10, 13:16 / Israel Business    The Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) accepted Israel into its ranks Monday during a vote, as its 32nd member. Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, currently in China, received an unofficial message from the organization, and an official statement will be made in Paris in the afternoon. The official invitation is to be handed to Steinitz at a convention of the OECD's finance ministers in Paris at the end of the month. Slovenia and Estonia were also accepted as members Monday. "The significance of this is huge and that is why, as a matter of fact, I decided to treat it as a top priority 10 months ago and enter into a special program to introduce Israel into the organization at a peak time," Steinitz told Israel Radio. "It is the most respectable international club a small state like Israel can be accepted into," he added. "From what we know about other states, in the years following the acceptance there is a rise of billions of dollars in foreign investments in the state accepted." Steinitz said Israel was being accepted into the club responsible for dictating the world's financial guidelines. "There is also a political gain here. We are receiving a stamp of approval… that Israel belongs to the world's most advanced and developed countries, and not just financially – in civil rights, a clean and independent court system, regulations, equality, and steps to eliminate discrimination," he said.  Manufacturers Association President Shraga Brosh issued a pleased response saying that "Israel's membership with the organization constitutes a label of quality." Treasury chief Haim Shani said, "The joining of Israel to the organization points to the trust companies have in Israel's economy and solidity. I believe the new membership will help Israel's society and economy progress, attract foreign investors, and develop the market."

IsraeliMappedinNY provides detailed map of Israeli-owned startup companies popping up all over the cityAs more and more startup companies continue to pour out of Israel - a.k.a. Startup Nation - many of them, once finding success, head over to establish offices and conquer the high-tech industry over in New York City.So much so, in fact, that finding these Israeli startups have proven a chore, prompting a new mapping service, IsraeliMappedinNY, offering an easy guide to finding Israeli companies based in the Big Apple.Fiverr, Wix, Billguard, Bizzabo, and Kenshoo are just a few of the Israeli high-tech firms located in New York.Guy Franklin, a senior auditor and consultant at the New York branch of Ernst & Young, is the brains behind the new project, claiming his inspiration came from other such mapping services Mapped in Israel and Made in NY, the original mapping trendsetter which came out in May of last year. Franklin had worked with the former for a short period of time.Immediately following its launch, tech wunderkid Ben Lang came out with Mapped in Israel, which pinpoints every Israeli startup - the country currently boasts approximately 4,800 - in the country.Both Mapped in Israel and Made in NY became popular instantaneously, and Franklin hopes IsraeliMappedinNY will follow in their success.IsraeliMappedinNY “converges New York startups that were either founded by Israeli entrepreneurs or are present in Israel,” read an official statement from Franklin. “Through this site, the Israeli startup community can stay connected.”

Global reliance on US drops; Paris seeks to purchase drones from J'lem "straight away."IAI instructor controls drone Photo: REUTERSIsrael is the largest exporter of drones in the world, a leading industry consultancy firm announced Sunday.In the past eight years, sales of Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles have totalled $4.62 billion, according to figures.The company said that in its calculations, it included products, services and licenses sold to other countries that enable them to produce their own drones. Those type of transactions made up almost 10 percent of Israel’s defense exports, it added.One of the main reasons for the growth in Israeli exports is the decrease in global importers that depend on the US Department of Defense, the company estimated.Between 2005 and 2012, Israel’s defense exports reached about $6.1b. a year, of which drones made up some $578 million annually.Meanwhile, France is in talks with the US and Israel to buy intelligence-gathering drones to build up a modern fleet, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Sunday.France’s existing hardware is outdated and its military intervention in Mali this year has exposed its shortage of surveillance drones suitable for modern warfare. The US provided French commanders with intelligence from its drones based in Niger.“We need this capacity in the short term. There are currently two countries in the world that build drones, the United States and Israel,” Le Drian said on TV channel iTele.“We are in discussions with each to buy some straightaway,” he said.