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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