New York is holding a competition for Israeli startup technology companies to help solve the state’s utility challenges as it works to transform itself into a fully clean-energy user.
“New York and Israel have a long history of collaboration and a common interest in developing new clean-energy solutions that will address climate change and mutually benefit our power systems,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. “The Smart Energy Challenge will give small startup firms the opportunity to work with a large utility and allow New York State to maintain its lead as an innovator as it moves aggressively towards a 100 percent zero-emission electric grid by 2040.”
The New York Power Authority and Israel Smart Energy Challenge will award the winning company $1 million to collaborate with the power authority on smart-energy projects. Applications are being accepted through early April; the winner is expected to be announced in June.
A similar contest was held last year with the Tel Aviv-based Prisma Photonics emerging victorious for its “real-time transmission line issue detection system.”
This year’s focus is on, among other things, the next generation of electric-vehicle charging, artificial intelligence, energy storage and more.
Israel Consul General in New York Asaf Zamir said the Jewish state “is internationally recognized as a high-tech center powered by cutting-edge innovation, and the ideas of Israeli entrepreneurs and companies with ‘can do’ attitudes. We share many of the same goals and values as New York State when it comes to addressing climate change and promoting green energy.”
