CTECH – Israel’s Latest Technology and Innovation News
Israeli tech startups raise a record $5.37 billion in first quarter of 2021. The total sum raised in the quarter increased by 89% compared to the fourth quarter of last year and was double that raised in Q1 of 2020. Read more
Israeli chipmaker Valens heading to billion-dollar SPAC. The Hod Hasharon-headquartered company is in advanced talks to go public in the U.S. and has hired Bank of America to lead the offering. Read more
Israeli medical device company Memic raises $96 million to expand surgical robotic solution. The funding is set to primarily support commercialization of the Hominis surgical robot in the U.S. following FDA De Novo marketing authorization. Read more
DoControl launches with $13.35 million in funding to automate SaaS data access. The company helps enterprises prevent data breaches on SaaS applications with no impact on the business. Read more
HR Post Covid | Redis Labs: From hiring freeze to Unicorn status, all in a pandemic year. After briefly pausing its recruitment efforts last year, the open-source database provider came back swinging after a massive funding round. Read more
New UAE Ambassador to Israel and Start-Up Nation Central launch joint task-force. The Ambassador visited SNC headquarters and the parties agreed to further advance the collaboration between the nations focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. Read more
Anima plays therapist to the ‘love/hate’ relationship of designers and developers. Its tool takes designs and automatically converts them into code – saving time and money for organizations. Read more
Expect cyberattacks to up the ante says head of NSO Group.
“Cyberattacks are something we will see more and more of over the coming period. It won’t end, not even when the world emerges from the pandemic and returns to routine,” Shalev Hulio tells Calcalist at Cybernation conference. Read more
U.S.-Israel Energy Center announces winner of $6m funding for cybersecurity solutions in energy sector. The selected consortium, which included a number of American and Israeli companies and universities, will receive a total of $6 million, taking Center’s total investment to $67.2 million. Read more
Appointments | Apiiro appoints new CRO to accelerate growth and expand global sales. The Israeli software company, which designs a code-risk platform, appointed David French as Chief Revenue Officer to enter its next stage of growth. Read more
Israeli Instagram starlets are raking in cash from provocative OnlyFans accounts. Hod Moshonov, who manages models’ accounts, says his phone is constantly ringing, calls it a femenist business, and credits Covid-19 for the spike in the site’s use. Read more
Talon Cyber Security raises $26 million seed round for distributed workforce solution. Israeli startup is aiming to protect companies from the unique threats emerging in today’s era of distributed work. Read more
The race is on to bring ‘Red Gold’ to Israelis. Saffron is considered the most valuable material in the world. This company intends to grow it themselves. Read more
Billionaire Len Blavatnik investing in Israeli-founded gaming startup Tripledot. Blavatnik’s Access Industries leads $78 million series A round with Eldridge and Lightspeed at a company valuation of close to $500 million. Read more
Survey: Cybersecurity executives see increase in attempted credential theft. The survey, conducted by CyberArk, found that the most at-risk group facing the highest number of increased attacks are end-users, or those business users with access to sensitive data. Read more
Big winners from Cellebrite’s exit: Leumi, Clal and Discount bank investment arms. Leumi Partner and Clal Insurance’s investment arm will earn $40 million from Cellebrite’s offering at a $2.4 billion valuation, and $35 million from their investments in the IGP Fund. Discount Capital will directly earn $30 million and $20 million from its investment in IGP. Read more
For Israeli OkCupid daters, climate change is a HOT issue. The doom and gloom of a destroyed planet is helping people find love. Read more
What does the hybrid employment model look like? As Israel goes back to a post-Covid normal, companies must determine how much time employees will spend in the office. Read more
Opinion | Programmers breathe easier after Google defeats Oracle in decade-long copyright battle. Many software and app developers supported Google in the case, emphasizing that some level of permissible use of proprietary software interfaces is necessary to create new computer products, writes Daniel Melman. Read more
Cellebrite to go public through a SPAC merger at a $2.4 billion valuation. The Israeli digital intelligence company is set to merge with Nasdaq listed TWC Tech Holdings Corp II. Read more
TipRanks announces $77 million investment round to support retail investor boom. Israeli-based fintech company provides a simplified stock research platform that makes alternative datasets accessible and visual for retail investors. Read more
Analysis | $1 billion in a single day – Israeli tech sets new investment record. Around $500 million didn’t go into company accounts, but rather to those of investors, employees, and executives via secondary deals. Read more
Battling online Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism is a year-round job. Social Media platforms have long been criticized for allowing, and sometimes encouraging, anti-Semitic posts. Meet the folks trying to hold them accountable. Read more
Israel Innovation Authority signs MoU with Stellantis. Its aim is to establish and enhance cooperation in technological innovation worldwide. Read more
Opinion | The government must not let the recent tech bonanza go to waste. With the market at a boiling point, the next government has to act quickly so that all Israelis can share the wealth. Read more
HR Post Covid | When given the choice, 70% of Asperii returned to the office after Covid-19. The company gave its employees the freedom to choose where they worked from – and received unexpected results. Read more
Forter joins the Adobe Exchange Partner program as an Accelerate partner. Forter has processed more than $200 billion in online transactions and protects almost one billion users from fraud. Read more
Israeli telco Bezeq fined over $2 million for misleading consumers about internet speeds. Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority found Bezeq guilty of providing customers internet service at speeds significantly lower than they had been promised. Read more
EMK Capital to acquire Cardo Systems for $150 million from Fortissimo Capital and company founder. Fortissimo Capital will net almost $100 million from the sale of its stake, while founder and chairman Dr. Abraham Glezerman will receive $45 million for his shares. Read more
Israeli startup Empathy raises $13 million seed round to launch app for minimizing burdens after losing a loved one. Combining financial technology and human support, Empathy is launching its app for users across the U.S., guiding families through the logistical and emotional complexities experienced with loss. Read more
Upsolver raises $25 million for big-data processing software. The Israeli startup has developed a platform that processes large-scale data on the cloud and plans to use the funds to expand its Israeli R&D team. Read more
Fyllo raises $30 million to expand digital marketing and compliance solutions beyond cannabis industry. Some 60% of the funds raised in the Series B came from outside of the cannabis sector, validating the Israeli company’s potential to scale beyond the endemic market. Read more
Lightrun launches free debugger for developer-native observability.
Lightrun Cloud gives Java community the power of “shift left” observability into running production code, simplifying debugging with a simple IDE plugin and native CLI. Read more
Radiology Partners and Aidoc to use AI technology in radiology scans. The partnership will rely on Israeli artificial intelligence technology tools in radiology imaging, shortening assessment time, saving lives. Read more
Israeli startup MyHomeDoc receives FDA approval for smartphone-based telemedicine. The MyHomeDoc device is capable of testing the most common vital signs for primary medical care and all from a smartphone. Read more
Israel’s Ayalon Insurance Company integrates next-gen 911 system Carbyne into its systems. Representatives can now video call customers who recently suffered an incident and can immediately offer support and review damage. Read more
Aporia comes out of stealth, announces $5 million funding to ensure AI integrity. The Israeli startup’s monitoring platform helps data scientists create their own monitors for machine learning models. Read more
Israeli fintech startup COTI announced as first beneficiary of Cardano’s cFund. The Cardano ecosystem venture fund is set to provide the Israeli company with around $500,000 to develop its enterprise-grade fintech solutions. Read more
Appointments | eToro appoints Dr. Hedva Ber as Deputy CEO and Global COO. Ber, who previously served as Israel’s Supervisor of Banks, will lead eToro’s operational infrastructure, corporate governance, and compliance, as well as its regulatory affairs, legal, risk management and social responsibility sectors. Read more
Appointments | Andy Ellis named Operating Partner at YL Ventures.
Former U.S. Air Force officer, MIT graduate, and respected cybersecurity leader will bring decades of experience to venture partner firm and help Israeli startups navigate their strategic plans. Read more
Israel Biotech Fund ready to expand portfolio after closing $112 million second fund. The fund will focus on the investment and formation of Israeli biotech and pharma companies developing drugs at different stages of development and for various indications. Read more
Gaming giant DraftKings acquires Israeli company BlueRibbon. The acquisition sum was not disclosed; DraftKings says it will onboard the acquired company’s team and increase hiring for Tel Aviv development center. Read more
AmplioSpeech raises $27 million for special education platform.
AmplioSpeech offers an outcomes-driven, intuitive digital platform that engages students, and partners with special education professionals to deliver differentiated interventions. Read more
Israel Innovation Authority publishes call for proposals for three new tech incubators. Applicants have until September to apply to operate incubators specializing in high-risk sectors. Read more
Analysis | Israel’s Open Banking Reform is tangled up in politics. New technologies and a different approach to client data could shake up the sector, but only if the politicians can get their act together. Read more
HR Post Covid | With the majority of Israelis vaccinated, Agritask is ready to return to the office. It’s been a long year of social distancing and Zoom calls, but for the Israeli headquarters of the agtech company, things are finally looking up. Read more
Hack of insurance company Shirbit erased its 2020 profits. After hacking fiasco, Shirbit sued for NIS 1.2 billion, and marked NIS 8 million in losses. Phoenix Insurance in stages of acquiring Shirbit. Read more
Argus Cyber Security plans to protect 57 million connected vehicles from cyber attacks. By 2023, it is estimated there will be 775 million connected cars on the world’s streets. Read more
Israel’s Glassbox joins Adobe Exchange Partner Program to help digital journeys. Glassbox help brands map and analyze each journey of digital customers on web and mobile apps. Read more
Partner CEO Isaac Benbenisti announces intentions to step down. During his six-year tenure, he oversaw the launch of Partner’s television services, initiated the deployment of fiber optic cables, and launched 5G cellular services in the country. Read more
As cyber wars escalate, Israeli tech gains an edge. With giant Russian cyberattacks against the U.S., the transition to online services during the pandemic and stricter regulations to protect data, Israeli cyber companies are set to benefit from 2021. Read more
Cybersecurity: What are the hottest sectors in Israel? Cyber threats reached new highs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerating security innovation and adoption. Read more
Cybersecurity: What are the hottest jobs and who are the highest earners? With the demand far outweighing the supply and new professions being created on a regular basis, the cyber job market is at an all-time high. Read more
Analysis | Is Israeli tech companies’ Wall Street heyday coming to an end? Investors are no longer flocking to everything that smells of tech; some companies may have to alter their IPO plans. Read more
Wix founder and CEO invests in Unic-Tech, joins partnership. Unic-Tech allows investors to invest in shares of unicorn companies. Read more
Check Point CEO Gil Shwed exercises $32.5 million worth of options in 2020, down by $7 million from previous year. The Israeli cybersecurity giant has registered relative stagnation in its sales over recent years, with its shares climbing 10% over the past 12 months, while the Nasdaq index surged by 70%. Read more
Techstars TLV 2021 kicks off new cohort highlighting emerging companies post-Covid-19. It is the second time that Techstars is hosting an accelerator program dedicated to Israel. Read more
Israeli celebrities use Instagram to connect Gen-Z to Holocaust stories. For 24 hours the feeds of some of Israel’s biggest influencers will be dedicated to stories of heroism as documented in encounters with survivors. Read more
Israel’s IceCure granted FDA Breakthrough Medical Device designation. The decision puts the company’s tumor-freezing technology on the fast track for final approval. Read more
Reports reveal: electric vehicles still haven’t caught on in Israel.
Car importers and leasing companies give a glimpse behind the scenes as to what’s really going on. Read more
Covid-19, technological shifts, and piles of cash have resulted in a “perfect storm for cyber.” Glilot Capital’s Kobi Samboursky discusses the sector’s historic quarter and why there’s no turning back from the shift to the cloud. Read more
Israel Aerospace Industries to attend CyberTech Global week in Dubai for the first time. CyberTech is the largest networking event for the cyber industry outside of the U.S. Read more
HR Post Covid | Fieldin: “In times of a pandemic there is no one size fits all.” Balancing work and personal lives isn’t easy – and it’s only made more difficult during lockdowns. Read more
Interview | Blockchain is making its mark in sports, and there’s more to come. The Covid-19 pandemic created an urgency to adopt new technologies that didn’t previously exist in much of the sports world, including blockchain, says Head of Innovation Development at Infront Lab, Itamar Melamed. Read more
Opinion | Why is a founders’ agreement so important when it comes to startups? The founders’ agreement is of crucial importance to the venture, and sometimes the fate of a venture may be in jeopardy due to a founders’ agreement that is not detailed enough, says attorney Daniel Behar. Read more
Opinion | Can the shared mobility industry survive Covid-19? The pandemic has impacted nearly every industry, especially those relying on the sharing economy. Post-Covid, will shared mobility rebound, or “rest in peace?” Read more
