Each year, the Chinese Ali-Baba editor, owner of Ali Express, competes for rising startups called Create. Out of 1000 competitors, they finished 7th, including the Israeli Wise-Smoker. What is being tested in the competition is technology, business potential, and product adaptation to the Chinese market.
This year, a white-and-white startup was reached. Ron Eyal and Zach Gabay are the developers behind “vooto”. They recognized during their military service as commanders in the counter-terrorism unit, and are only 25 years old.
And what is the Israeli saying about the Chinese giant’s competition? The ash that draws the smoke and the ash straight from a cigarette lights, filters and purifies the air throughout the vehicle space, and in summary, distributes a scent for the customer’s choice, from a dedicated capsule located in the device. The device fights this too with the danger of distraction from smokers (they don’t have to look where they make up), and also the air pollution.
While our Israeli representative in the competition is behind me in high-tech makeup, the Chinese interest in the product lies precisely in the fact that the Chinese government regretted its flag on the air pollution war, which is also why the Chinese government’s Wiz-Smoker partners received a grant.
“Smokers are an easy-to-ignore population, but they make up 1.5 billion people in the world,” says Ron Eyal, the entrepreneur behind the product. “It’s important at the business level as well as the value level – we think about the smoker, but also his family, The kids who are in the car with him”.
Participating in the competition was their leader in China, Julian Onte, a 25-year-old Italian guy. “I met Julian in Taiwan on a month-long tour with the veto,” says Eyal. “I booked an apartment on Airbnb, and the owner canceled my reservation because I’m Israeli. I didn’t have a battery on the phone, and I didn’t understand where I was growing up, but I didn’t give up. I went to bed at the hostel, and said – we’ll get along. I met Julian, who told me He speaks 6 languages, champions Italy in chess-mat and studied international relations, and currently teaches English to Chinese children. I was shocked that this was all he did with his abilities. I realized this is the person we need. Since Julian is in China, developing relationships, bringing us For the final in the competition”.
And what is the only Israeli representative doing in the Ali Baba startups competition? An ashtray that is also an air purifier, and also smells. Perhaps the most manly product anyone could have imagined. “The veto takes care of pumping the air out of the car space and passes it through a filtration process – all of this in a fully automated way to avoid unnecessary distractions while driving”. Yes, this ashtray draws you the smoke from the cigarette itself.
At a time when talking about China as the new technology authority, and cheap and available over-the-counter products as an alternative to expensive shopping in your country of origin, you might think that Chinese should fight their language. However, it was proven that what did the job was a product of Israeli audacity.
The final will take place on 26.12.19, and the prize is two million yen, which is about one million shekels.
Also published on Medium.