SEPTEMBER 14 • 2023 | 71
constantly reassessed. The new
age of innovation has a strong
focus on being the “first to
know” when it comes to exter-
nal innovations.
“This is the pillar of looking
outside to invest in companies.
And we have partnered with
our corporate development
and M&A”
, Golan noted. “We
develop in-house, we invest in
startup companies and entre-
preneurs, we acquire whenever
we find it appropriate for us to
do so, and we integrate.”
Golan describes the GM
concept as “first-to-know,
first-to-act and first-to-insert.”
First to know means that GM
has to deploy a network to get
to anyone who does break-
through technology and inno-
vative technology because the
company knows everything
innovative will not come from
inside the company. They
need to be able to bring and
merge the insight, the internal
development and the external
innovation to make sure GM
can get to the right solutions
first and act very fast.
As an example, Golan said,
if there is a company out in
Australia, they want to be the
first to know about it even if it
is just two entrepreneurs.
“Once we know about it, we
need to have a very efficient
and effective process to go
after it to make a quick eval-
uation … if this is something
that meets GM strategy …
strategy is what you go after.
The real value will be created
once the technology is realized
and gets to the hands of the
customer.”
ISRAELI CONNECTION
A more recent example of
GM’s strategy with external
innovation is the acquisi-
tion of Rehovot, Israel-based
Algolion. The company’s
solution is focused on detect-
ing hazards with battery cells
through the development of
products and applications that
allow devices “powered by
lithium-ion batteries to run
healthier for longer times.”
“
Algolion has developed cut-
ting-edge battery analytics and
prediction software that will
help General Motors deliver
great-performing EVs for our
customers,” Golan said.
Algolion’s headquarters is
just about a half-hour drive —
outside of rush hour — from
Herzeliya’s Shenkar Street,
named after Arie Shenkar, a
visionary worker and then
owner of the Lodzia textile
factory, which he turned into
a profitable enterprise; this led
him to the presidency of the
Manufacturers Association in
the nascent nation; a pioneer
in the early enterprise of man-
ufacturing and a contributor
to its educational foundation.
Just off Shenkar Street is
the GM Technical Center,
which recently moved into an
eight-story building with relics
and models of the Detroit-
born brand inside. In Israel,
GM has around 900 — near-
ing 1,000 — employees. Golan
said the success of this global
satellite office can be credited
to GM leadership over the last
15 years, especially to CEO
Mary Barra for her foresight
and President Mark Reuss
as the leader who initiated,
approved and provided contin-
ual support to such a remote
site.
“You need this kind of
leadership and somewhat
unconventional wisdom to
understand that the industry
is going to software, and elec-
tronics is the future,” Golan
said.
continued on page 72
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