Israel with Industry 4.0 Revolution

Israeli startups are greasing the wheels of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

How did a tiny country without a significant manufacturing sector become so important to the Fourth Industrial Revolution – and how will that help us all?

Close to 1,000 people are converging on Tel Aviv for Israel Industry 4.0 Week starting February 24. And exactly why should you care?

Because even if you never set foot in a factory or power plant, what happens there affects you.

Call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution or simply I4, Industry 4.0 is greasing the wheels of a shift from “far and cheap” to “local and smart” manufacturing anywhere.

While the Third Industrial Revolution introduced technologies such as robotics, 4.0 innovations digitize, simplify, connect, safeguard and generally improve every step of production.

The benefits of I4 technology are many: more jobs, higher productivity, better oversight and quality, less pollution and faster delivery — without costing you more.

Incredibly, Israel earns a big piece of the $90 billion I4 market pie. This tiny country in the Middle East ranks third in I4 venture investments (after the US and China) and second in early-stage investments.

“Israel, as an innovative ecosystem well connected to global tech challenges and needs, has become a strong player in Industry 4.0, with increased attention from global players,” according to a report from Start-Up Nation Central, which is sponsoring Industry 4.0 Week with Grove Ventures and Deloitte.

Israeli I4-related startups number about 260. That’s nearly 70% more than in 2014, report author Yuval Engelstein tells ISRAEL21c. And the number of investors in this sector has more than doubled to 104 in five years.

“We’ve hosted dozens of multinationals from diverse industries including chemicals, materials science, fashion, food and beverages, retail, and energy that expressed interest in Israeli Industry 4.0 solutions,” said Engelstein, Start-Up Nation Central’s Industry 4.0 and smart mobility lead analyst.

People, machines, logistics

I4 is not about replacing people with machines. It’s about enhancing how both do their jobs.

“Manufacturing is physical — a combination of people and machines and logistics,” says Natan Linder, the Israeli CEO of Boston-based Tulip.

“Until now, new technology has been focused on automation. But it was not taking humans along for the ride.”

Employees in sectors such as sales and finance have many apps and software tools to assist them (think Monday or SalesForce). Tulip brings that ability to factory managers with a no-coding system they can use on the spot to build apps for improving production-line workflow.

“You have to get to the point where software is driving manufacturing,” says Linder. “In an age of customization and immediacy, it’s a complex problem to build things on time and well.”

The World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) recently welcomed Israel as a partner in shaping the trajectory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“As the ‘Start-Up Nation,’ Israel has already proven itself as a global leader in technology innovation. Now, as part of the C4IR network, it will extend this leadership to the global governance of key emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and precision medicine,” said Murat Sönmez, head of C4IR.

9 Industry 4.0 subsectors

The Start-Up Nation Central report divides the Israeli I4 landscape into nine categories: operations optimization, cybersecurity, sensing and imaging, inspection and testing, IoT platforms and connectivity, additive (3D printing) manufacturing, supply chain, robotics and maintenance.

Operations optimization is the largest I4 subsector in Israel. About 60 companies are innovating technologies to increase yield, decrease the consumption of raw materials or energy, and enable a faster time to market.

One example is Grid4C, whose plug-and-play AI software analyzes billions of meter readings at the grid edge to deliver millions of daily predictions for energy providers, their customers and the utility grid.

Seebo created an AI software solution to analyze production-line sensor data and offer suggestions for process optimization.

It originally developed advanced sensors for video-game controllers. Pivoting to I4 was a wise move: Among Seebo’s clients are P&G, ChemChina and Nestlé.

Preventing cyberattacks and machinery malfunctions

The second largest subsector is industrial cybersecurity.

Some 34 startups in this area “frequently serve as an entry point into Industry 4.0 for manufacturers as they try to protect their data and connected systems from hackers,” according to the report.

Industrial cybersecurity firms that raised the most funding between 2014 and 2018 are Claroty, Armis, ThetaRay, CyberX and Radiflow.

Tel Aviv-based Radiflow and the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation in Germany are developing machine-learning and artificial-intelligence techniques to determine whether abnormal behavior on industrial automation networks indicates a cyberattack.

Start-Up Nation Central counts 16 Israeli companies that forecast or find machinery glitches that could damage the machines, the products — and ultimately, sales.

Examples include: 3DSignals, which monitors industrial machines using acoustics; Augury, which uses the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence to predict machinery faults for clients including Hershey and Heineken; and Iguazio, which uses sensors, data analysis and AI to detect signals of impending equipment malfunctions in real time.

VocalZoom recently launched groundbreaking “Autonomous Sensors” that use contactless, vibration-based sensor technology with built-in data processing to monitor the health of any industrial equipment — whether hot, wet, small, moving or rotating.

Rising investment in Israeli I4 R&D

Because I4 doesn’t lend itself to one-size-fit-all solutions, Engelstein doesn’t predict lucrative exits in the I4 sector like we’ve seen in auto-tech — such as Intel’s $15.3 billion buyout of Jerusalem-based Mobileye.

As Tulip’s Linder puts it, “There is no Microsoft or Google in this space, and I don’t think there ever will be because manufacturing is so big and varied.”

Nevertheless, investment in Israeli I4 startups jumped from $413 million in 2018 to $650 million in 2019.

That figure includes two “mega rounds” — $110 million for Fabric and $109 million for Vayyar.

Fabric (formerly CommonSense Robotics) tailors technologies that allow automated micro-fulfillment centers to be embedded in cities, closer to customers.

Vayyar’s 4D radar imaging sensors see through walls and objects to track and map everything happening in an environment in real time, without cameras or privacy concerns.

One of many Vayyar use cases is helping robots detect where people are in the factory, to avoid safety incidents and reduce machine down-time.

Industry 4.0 incubators opening across Israel

Israel’s first Industry 4.0 incubator, Let-Lab, opened in 2018 in Nazareth Illit under license of the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). It’s run by the Ham-Let Group, a Tel Aviv-based global manufacturer of valves, fittings and hoses.

Less than two years later, Israel now has eight Industry 4.0 accelerators and incubators, plus three I4 entrepreneurship programs.

Some are run in cooperation with foreign companies. InfraLab in Haifa is operated by Italian energy company Enel and Israeli infrastructure giant Shikun & Binui. PMatX in Yavneh is a collaboration between Germany-based Merck pharmaceutical company and US-based semiconductor maker Flex.

The IIA is soon opening the I4 Valley incubator in Carmiel with local corporate partners Wipro Givon, Kusto (Tambour), Keter Plastic, Trellidoor, Flying Cargo and Klil.

The IIA’s parent body, the Ministry of Economy, is setting up an Institute for Advanced Manufacturing to focus on robotics, digitization and IoT; and a Center for Resource Efficiency focused on optimizing production of energy, raw materials and water.

Israeli startups also benefit from the R&D centers, corporate venture arms and open innovation platforms established in Israel by about 50 global companies in the Industry 4.0 sector.

Updating kibbutz industries

Israeli I4 technologies are meant primarily for foreign businesses because Israel has only 22,000 registered factories.

However, Engelstein says local I4 startups and factories really need each other.

“Israeli manufacturers can benefit from the most advanced Industry 4.0 technologies, tailor-made to their specific needs, cost-effective, faster and more agile. On the other hand, Israeli Industry 4.0 startups can benefit from simpler testing for their products, the experience of working in a real factory, easier access to external funding at an early stage and the chance to start earning.”

A case in point is a collaboration announced earlier this month between Seebo (see above) and the dairy division of Israeli food group Tnuva.

Another place this is happening is on the kibbutz.

In the old days, kibbutzim were agricultural communes. Today, 250 of Israel’s 270 kibbutzim earn income from manufacturing.

“These are mostly traditional industries producing plastic, rubber, metal, fertilizer or food,” says Rafi Nevo, head of innovation and entrepreneurship for the Kibbutz Industries Association.

Sales from kibbutz factories in the past year reached a record high of $13.6 billion. To continue that growth, they need smart technologies to keep production onshore, modernize processes and increase output.

“We are helping them get to know and implement Industry 4.0 advancements,” Nevo tells ISRAEL21c.

Sensors, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, business intelligence, computer vision, data collection and analysis, and even collaborative robots (“cobots”) are starting to help kibbutz industries reach greater overall productivity.

A countrywide phenomenon

Engelstein says Start-Up Nation Central will soon host a roundtable event in Jerusalem for Israeli manufacturers and representatives from the Ministry of Economy and IIA. “We’ll try to learn how to connect better between Israeli industry and startups.”

Start-Up Nation Central established an Israel Industry 4.0 Community in 2018. II4 facilitates online and offline business opportunities and strategic alliances among local innovators and global financers and industry leaders.

Unlike some high-tech ecosystems clustered in the Tel Aviv area, I4 startups are spread across Israel. It’s therefore a sector that drives employment for diverse populations.

In the southern city of Beersheva, Siraj Technologies specializes in Industrial Internet of Things connectivity solutions and is headed by Arab co-CEOs.

Other examples are Hoopo on Kibbutz Glil Yam near Herzliya (supply chain); Cybord on the religious moshav Bnei Re’em in south-central Israel (inspection and testing); Ayyeka in Jerusalem (operation optimization); EZMems in Netanya (sensing and imaging); and XJet in Rehovot (additive manufacturing).

The Start-Up Nation Central report points out that many of the entrepreneurs starting these companies gained experience in sensors, image and video processing, big data, algorithms and real-time analytics technologies during their military service.

“This knowledge is utilized later to either start or seek employment in companies which utilize non-military applications of the technologies. Industry 4.0 is one of the more attractive sectors to exploit this experience,” says Engelstein.

Israel Industry 4.0 Week will give them a platform to create greater awareness among Israeli and overseas investors and multinationals “that Israel is a powerhouse in 4.0 and if they’re searching for technology to improve manufacturing they need to come to Israel,” he concludes.

By Abigail Klein Leichman

Why Israel has the most technologically advanced military on Earth

In 1950, just two years after the state of Israel was founded, the country’s first commercial delegation set off for South America.

Israel desperately needed trading partners. Unlike its Arab adversaries, Israel did not have natural resources to fund its economy. There was no oil or minerals. Nothing.

The delegation held a couple of meetings but was mostly met with laughs. The Israelis were trying to sell oranges, kerosene stove tops and fake teeth. For countries like Argentina, which grew its own oranges and was connected to the electrical grid, the products were pretty useless.

It’s hard to imagine this is what Israeli exports looked like a mere 67 years ago. Today, Israel is a high-tech superpower and one of the world’s top weapons exporters with approximately $6.5 billion in annual arms sales.

Since 1985, for example, Israel is the world’s largest exporter of drones, responsible for about 60 percent of the global market, trailed by the US, whose market share is under 25 percent. Its customers are everywhere — Russia, South Korea, Australia, France, Germany and Brazil.

In 2010, for example, five NATO countries were flying Israeli drones in Afghanistan. How did this happen? How did Israel, a country not yet even 70 years old, become a superpower with one of the most technologically advanced militaries in the world that is changing the way modern wars are fought?

The answer, I believe, is a combination of a number of national characteristics unique to Israel.

First, despite Israel’s small size, about 4.5 percent of its GDP is spent on research and development, almost twice the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average. Of that amount, about 30 percent goes to products of a military nature. By comparison, only 2 percent of German R&D and 17 percent of US R&D is for the military.

Another major contribution is the culture of innovation and creativity in Israel. Israelis are more willing to take risks than other nations. They get this from their compulsory military service during which they are tasked, at a young age, to carry out missions often with deadly consequences.

While Israeli 19-year-olds embark on operations behind enemy lines, their Western counterparts can be found in the safety of their college dormitories.

Lastly, Israel has been in a perpetual state of conflict since its inception, fighting a war almost every decade. This reality, of having your back against the wall, sharpens the mind. It forces Israelis to be creative and come up with innovative ways and weapons to survive.

This is the Israel story …

Robotic border patrols

The Guardium is a part of a new category of robotic weapons known as Unmanned Ground Vehicles or UGVs. Israel is the first country in the world using these robots to replace soldiers on missions like border patrols.

Already, Guardium UGVs are deployed along Israel’s border with Syria in the north and the Gaza Strip in the south.

The Guardium is based on a Tomcar dune-buggy-like vehicle and equipped with a range of sensors, cameras and weapons. It can be driven by a soldier sitting in a command center miles away or receive a pre-designated route for its patrol, making it completely autonomous.

An IDF unmanned ground vehicle, called a Guardium, patrols the border with the Gaza Strip.IDF

The increasing use of robots by the Israel Defense Forces is part of a larger strategy to minimize risk to soldiers when possible. In addition, soldiers require breaks, food and water. All a Guardium needs is a full tank of gas. Other UGVs in use by the IDF include the Segev, which is based on a Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Facing terrorists who use tunnels to infiltrate into Israel from places like the Gaza Strip, Israel is also relying on UGVs like robotic snakes to slither into underground passageways and enemy headquarters. The robots will then map out the structures, giving soldiers an accurate picture of a battle area before the place is stormed.

The same is happening at sea. Israeli defense contractor Rafael has developed an unmanned patrol ship called Protector which is being used by Israel to protect its strategic ports and patrol the country’s long Mediterranean coastline.

The Arrow anti-missile program

In 2000, the Israeli air force received its first operational Arrow missile battery, making Israel the first country in the world with an operational system that could shoot down incoming enemy missiles.

The idea to create the Arrow was born in the mid-1980s after US President Ronald Reagan floated his Star Wars plan and asked America’s allies to partner in developing systems that could protect the country from Soviet nuclear missiles.

The Arrow was a revolutionary idea. Due to Israel’s small size and lack of territory, all ballistic missiles deployed in the region — by Syria, Iraq and Iran — can reach anywhere within the country and pose a strategic and possibly even existential threat. Israel, the developers argued, needed a system that could shoot down enemy missiles over neighboring countries and provide overall protection for the tiny Jewish state.

An Arrow missile batteryIDF

The program had its ups and downs but got a huge boost in funding after the First Gulf War in 1991, when Saddam Hussein fired 39 Scud missiles into Israel, paralyzing the country and forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters with their gas masks.

The Arrow was just the beginning. Today, Israel has the Arrow, which is partially funded by the United States, to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, David’s Sling to intercept medium-range rockets and cruise missiles as well as the combat-proven Iron Dome, which has intercepted hundreds of Katyusha rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in recent years.

Israel is the only country in the world that has used missile defense systems in times of war. These systems do more than just save lives. They also give the country’s leadership “diplomatic maneuverability,” the opportunity to think and strategize before retaliating against rocket attacks.

While other countries have also invested in missile defense, none has created a multi-tier architecture like Israel.

Mini spy satellites

In 1988, Israel launched its first spy satellite into space, gaining membership in the exclusive club of just eight nations with independent satellite-launching capabilities.

From the beginning, there were those who doubted Israel was capable of developing, building and launching its own satellite, but in the nearly 30 years since that day, it has grown into a satellite superpower, now operating eight different spy satellites in space.

This is a critical capability considering the threats Israel faces from countries like Iran, which it still suspects is planning one day to build a nuclear weapon.

Israel has shied away from building big satellites and instead designs what are known as “mini satellites,” which weigh about 300 kilograms (661 pounds) in comparison to America’s 25-ton satellites.

Israel’s spy satellites are split into two categories.

A model of Israel’s Tecsar satellite, which uses radar instead of a camera to create high-quality imagesIAI

Most of Israel’s satellites come with advanced high-resolution cameras like the Ofek-9, launched in 2010, which can discern objects as small as 50 centimeters (20 inches) from hundreds of miles away.

Israel’s other category of satellites are known as the TecSar. These satellites use a synthetic aperture sensor, basically a radar system that can create high-resolution images at almost the same quality as a regular camera.

The advantage this technology provides Israel is tremendous. A camera cannot see through clouds or fog, but radars can work in all weather conditions and can even see through camouflage nets. What this means is that Israel has the ability to track its enemies and gather intelligence on them at all times of the day and through rain, fog or clouds.

Israel’s success in developing state-of-the-art satellites has caught the world’s attention. In 2005, the French entered a strategic partnership with an Israeli company to develop a satellite, and in 2012, Italy ordered a reconnaissance satellite, paying $182 million. Singapore and India have also reportedly purchased Israeli satellites over the years.

Drones

It is referred to in Israel as the “drone that can reach Iran.” The Heron TP is Israel’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle with an 85-foot wingspan, the same as a Boeing 737 airliner. It can stay airborne for 24 hours and carry a 1-ton payload.

While Israel doesn’t openly admit it, the Heron TP is believed to also be capable of launching air-to-surface missiles.

Israel was the first country in the world to operate drones in combat operations. Its first use of drones was in 1969, when the Israel Defense Forces flew toy airplanes with cameras glued to their bellies along the Suez Canal to spy on Egypt. In 1982, it flew its first combat drone, called Scout, in Lebanon, where they played a key role in locating and neutralizing Syrian anti-aircraft missile systems.

A Heron TP drone takes off in Israel.IAI

That operation caught the world’s attention, and in 1986, Israel supplied the US Navy with its first drone, known as the Pioneer. A few years later, one Pioneer made history when it flew over a group of Iraqi soldiers during the First Gulf War. The soldiers saw the aircraft, took off their white undershirts and waved them in the air. It was the first time in history that a military unit had surrendered to a robot.

Israel’s drones have revolutionized the modern battlefield. They cost a fraction of a manned fighter jet — some as little as a few million dollars — and participate today in every single operation conducted by the IDF.

Drones give soldiers the ability to make calculated decisions before invading territory or storming enemy compounds.

Before Israel bombs a building in the Gaza Strip, for example, it always has a drone in the air to ensure that civilians are not inside. They also reportedly fly almost daily over Lebanon, tracking fighters for Hezbollah, which is believed to have about 130,000 missiles capable of striking Israel.

The top-secret tank

To this day, the Merkava tank is one of Israel’s most top-secret projects. It is said to be one of the most lethal and protected tanks in the world, and its construction started out of pure necessity — the United Kingdom and other countries refused to sell Israel tanks. So in the 1970s, it started to build its own.

The newest model — known as the Merkava Mk-4 — is the most impressive. It can reach speeds of 40 mph and comes with a new modular armor kit, meaning that the tank can be fitted with the armor it needs based on the specific mission it is heading into.

A Merkava tank during a drill with IDF soldiers in northern IsraelIDF

An area, for example, known to be full of anti-tank missile squads requires heavy armor, while an operation without the threat of anti-tank missiles means less. This also allows tank crews to replace damaged pieces of armor on the battlefield without having to bring the full tank back to a repair shop inside Israel.

In 2012, the Merkava underwent its biggest change yet when a new system — called Trophy — was installed on the tank. Trophy is an active-protection system, basically a personal missile defense system for an individual tank.

Trophy uses a miniature radar to detect incoming anti-tank missiles and then fires a cloud of countermeasures — basically metal pellets — to intercept them. The radar also interfaces with the tank’s battle management system. This means that once a missile launch is detected, the coordinates of the enemy squad that fired the missile are immediately obtained, allowing the tank to retaliate quickly and accurately.

Yaakov Katz is co-author of “The Weapon Wizards: How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post.

The CEO of the Decade

Of all the corporate leaders who have made a mark, who is most deserving of the title "CEO of the Decade"?

Past choices include Jack Welch, who successfully turned around GE. However, he also created the practice of forced ranking, which nearly destroyed the technology industry. Another was Steve Jobs, who successfully turned around Apple but had a reputation for being cruel and vindictive.

Historically the focus in choosing CEO of the decade has been on their financial accomplishments, but that approach has left us in a world lacking diversity and empathy in positions of power -- particularly noticeable in the tech industry -- and one where global climate change may end the human race.

I think the criteria for CEO of the decade should change. The focus should be on diversity and inclusion, empathy, security and environmental protection. With that in mind, I selected a field of candidates and named my pick for CEO of the decade.

I'll close with my product of the week: a robotic bartender that I now view as one of the best gifts I ever got, because it looks better the more I use it.

Following are my CEO of the Decade candidates, listed in no particular order.

Lisa Su, AMD

Lisa Su
CEO of AMD

A female CEO in a male-driven market, Lisa Su turned a struggling company into an industry powerhouse. She strategically moved on opportunities ignored by AMD's major competitor, Intel, and through sheer grit and focus was able to advance more successfully than her male predecessors did, and she did it sustainably.

Proving that a woman not only could perform well as an engineer but also could lead an engineering company successfully, Su is a poster child for the idea that women can compete head-to-head with men, a concept that largely defined the last decade.

Ginni Rometty, IBM

Ginni Rometty
CEO of IBM

If there is a company that defined male dominance over the decades, it is IBM. Rising to the top of that company as a woman should have been nearly impossible, but Ginni Rometty did that.

Her efforts have focused on making IBM greener in its execution, more diverse in its hiring and promotions, and more focused on making the world a better place.

IBM's efforts to train ex-veterans, to bring women who had to leave the workforce back into it, and to address the education shortfall in STEM for both men and women have been inspirational.

While IBM's performance could be stronger, the company has become a shining light for its efforts on diversity and on addressing the critical problems facing the nation and the world under Rometty's leadership.

Michael Dell, Dell Technologies

Michael Dell
CEO of Dell Technologies

On the financial performance vector, it would be hard not to select Michael Dell. During the past decade, he turned Dell from a PC company into what arguably is the most powerful full-service technology company in the segment, by successfully executing the merger with EMC, effectively saving and strengthening that company.

Some of the credit also flows to Jeff Clark, his No. 2. Credit also goes to Karen Quintos, Dell's chief customer officer, who has been driving the company's diversity efforts.

What stands out most with Michael is his personal promise to ensure that any woman who is mistreated at Dell will receive his protection, and that the abuser will receive the highest penalties Dell can impose. In a #MeToo World, he is one of the folks fighting the good fight and standing up to be counted.

Pat Gelsinger, VMware

Pat Gelsinger
CEO of VMware

When it comes to empathy, Pat Gelsinger always has topped my list of executives who care about their people and customers. Had Intel chosen him as CEO rather than forcing him out, the firm would be far stronger today and far more aligned with its customers.

We need far fewer psychopathic quarterly return-focused CEOs and far more CEOs like Pat, who care about their folks. Pat's success with VMware showcases that you don't have to do one or the other -- you can do both.

The result is not only a more successful company, but also one that is far more supportive of the real people who depend on it for their salaries and solutions.

John S. Chen, BlackBerry

John Chen
CEO of BlackBerry

One of the biggest exposures to the world that emerged this last decade had to do with the lack of a security focus on our increasingly artificial intelligence-driven planet. Particularly as you look at things like autonomous cars, connected cities and smart houses, the risks of being compromised have reached a deadly potential at a nation-state level.

John Chen pivoted BlackBerry from a phone company to a security company capable of addressing this global threat. The move from smartphones to security was a difficult pivot, but it was necessary for the safety, security and survival of the human race in the coming years.

As the only company offering applied solutions to things like mass shootings at scale, BlackBerry remains focused on guarding against a dystopian future.

Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX

Elon Musk
CEO of SpaceX and Tesla

If we define the last decade as one of pushing to insane levels and multitasking at an unbelievable scale, then Elon Musk comes to mind as the ideal candidate. He has almost single-handedly driven the automotive market to become greener and more focused on pure electric cars.

He is driving the effort to take us to space if we can't fix global warming. If I had to name one guy who is working at an incredible level to change the world, it would be Musk.

However, he also has a reputation for being abusive, and that is why he is not a shoo-in as my pick for CEO of the decade. Musk has more impact than any other CEO, but I find his over-the-top vindictive behavior unacceptable in a leader for this century.

CEO of the Decade: Chuck Robbins, Cisco

Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco

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Cisco is a company that came up through acquisitions, and acquisitions tend to be pretty harsh on the acquired company employees. This approach can lead to a certain lack of empathy for those employees over time.

Chuck Robbins is the exception to that rule, aggressively ensuring that employees have time to do what they care about -- and often what they care about is making the world a better place.

Cisco's corporate responsibility effort, led by Tae Yoo, has been inspired. Its employee efforts under Francine Katsoudas are unmatched in terms of making the world -- and Cisco -- a better place.

Unlike most companies, Cisco started its diversity effort at the top, not the bottom, ensuring its success. Doing it the other way reinforces the glass ceiling, making it even harder for women to advance to executive levels.

Cisco has more of the elements I was looking for than any other vendor. At its customer events, it weaves in efforts to drive good behavior with its audience, from using reusable water containers to preparing packages for homeless people. Its networking academies are bringing more people into the workforce to fill the U.S.' massive labor shortage.

Its disaster response teams move to all parts of the world to ensure that first responders can communicate and get to the people who need them in a timely and safe manner.

Cisco's efforts to spread its good corporate behavior to every employee exceed those of any other company I cover. It is the comprehensive effort at Cisco that led me to rank its CEO at the top.

Although he doesn't represent gender or ethnic diversity, Chuck Robbins is nonetheless the top CEO of a decade that was defined by efforts from states and companies to make the world a better, safer, and more diverse place.

In a decade often more defined by bad behavior by those in power than good behavior, Chuck's leadership of Cisco stands out, demonstrating that a company can do well while doing good.

By Rob Enderle