32 in a field is struggling with a lack of water, another needs more light, and a third is trying to fight off a weird species of beetle. The farmers can use the abundance of data gathered from the field to give each avocado, orange, and date palm exactly the attention and treatment it needs. That used to be prohibitively expensive, but technology has made it viable. The recent significant leaps come on the heels of the latest programming technology, including AI and machine learning; capturing the detailed data in real time makes ideal solutions possible." What's on the FoodTech Menu? Another, related tech sector is FoodTech. The new science of food includes elements of chemistry and biology, and engineering across the board— chemical, biological, and mechanical engineers all have crucial roles in this sector. The patent challenges for FoodTech companies are particularly steep; they want to obtain IP protection for their innovation without giving away trade secrets that could aid competitors. Innovation is found not only in the food products themselves, but also in trademarks, copyrights, and in how the industry is supported and financed. A top-flight legal and consulting team must serve from that far-ranging menu. Luzzatto mentions that one of the newer initiatives she works on is the search for food that reminds consumers of meat, but isn't. "I can't tell you the formula," Luzzatto-a pescatarian herself—says with a smile, "but our clients are moving the world to a much less meaty future, with organic food cleverly developed in a laboratory, healthy and clean, that never walked the Earth. I've had the mock hamburger, and it's great. We're still working on 'steak.'" Another excellent example is from a client from the gluten-free flour field "He is leading a real revolution for celiac patients and succeeds in bringing to their table equally delicious food that does not endanger them, at comfortable cost. This is another example of how this field changes people's daily quality of life and health.” In both AgriTech and FoodTech, thousands of Israeli-bred patents have been granted to these companies, providing patent protection both domestically and abroad. The Way Forward, Partnering with Israel. And just why is an IP group so visible on the high-tech front? That's easy: there would be no incentive for inventors or investors to dive into new technology ventures in Israel if what they discover and develop can easily be pilfered by a rival. That's where intellectual property protection comes in and turns innovation into an asset. The Luzzatto Group works in Israel and globally,
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