CTECH: Latest Israeli Innovation & Technology News Jan. 16, 2025
Nvidia to build one of Israel’s largest AI data centers. 10,000-square-meter facility to enhance Nvidia’s local R&D operations. Read more
Israel moves swiftly to acquire AI chips before Biden export limits take effect. The head of the artificial intelligence branch at the Ministry of Defense admitted that the ministry has pivoted strategies as U.S. restrictions threaten Israel’s AI and security advancements. Read more
Qbiq raises $16M Series A for its automated architectural solutions. The Israeli startup tackles one of real estate’s biggest pain points: the inefficiency of traditional architectural planning, which leads to delays and prolonged deal cycles. Read more
Intel spins off venture arm in latest bid to navigate crisis. The move to separate Intel Capital signals efforts to streamline and refocus amid ongoing struggles. The new fund, slated to begin standalone operations in the second half of 2025, will operate under a different name. Intel will remain an anchor investor, and the current Intel Capital team will transition to the newly formed entity. Read more
2025 VC Survey | “Israel is poised to excel in AI by building the transformative tech and industries around them.” Liran Grinberg, Team8 Co-Founder & Managing Partner, joined CTech to share his predictions and insights on the year ahead. Read more
Israeli VCs find opportunity in adversity, betting big on 2025. For local fund managers, the Israeli high-tech industry seems immune to crises, disasters, wars, or upheavals, whether local or global. This sentiment is evident in the 2025 VC Survey project, which includes interviews with over 50 leading venture capital fund managers in Israel. Read more
“Once quantum computers are operational, they could potentially breach all existing encrypted communications.” Rinat Zilberstein, AT&T Israel General Manager and VP R&D at AT&T, added: “With any groundbreaking development, there comes responsibility. It’s crucial that we ensure quantum technology does not lead to harm or pose risks to humanity.” Read more
Orchid raises $36 million Seed round to automate enterprise identity security with AI. Startup leverages AI-powered orchestration to streamline identity management for Fortune 500 enterprises. Read more
“If the cybercrime industry were a country, it would rank as the third-largest economy in the world.” Michal Braverman-Blumenstyk, CVP at Microsoft, Managing Director of Microsoft Israel R&D Center and CTO of Microsoft Security, added at the Tech TLV conference: “Over the past year, we’ve seen an increase in state-sponsored attacks, which began during the war in Ukraine. In Israel, the impact has been evident as well. Since the war’s outbreak, Iranian cyberattacks have increased fivefold.” Read more
“2024 was a year of war, but it was a record year for exits.” “Startups in Israel still managed to raise nearly $10 billion in 2024, ranking third globally after Silicon Valley and New York. In other words, we maintained a strong overall financing volume,” Innovation Authority CEO Dror Bin said at Calcalist and LeumiTech’s Tech TLV conference. Read more
Unreported rounds push Israeli tech funding past $12 billion in 2024. Officially reported funding reaches $10.6B, but newly revealed data shows total financing surged 31%. Read more
Blockchain giant Chainalysis acquires Israeli startup Alterya in $150M deal. This marks Chainalysis’ second acquisition of an Israeli company in just one month, following the purchase of Hexagate. Alterya specializes in preventing authorised-push-payment (APP) fraud, focusing on cryptocurrency and real-time payment networks. Read more
“Strange and unusual”: Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s $55M stock purchase raises eyebrows. The exchange’s direct purchase of shares from its largest shareholder, financed by a loan, sparks questions about transparency and executive motives. Read more
Israel faces AI crisis under new US export regulations. Restrictions on AI computing power may leave Israel lagging behind in global innovation. Read more
Crypto trader accused of $9.5M tax evasion and money laundering. Israeli prosecutors allege Oved Cohen hid millions in income, laundered funds through foreign platforms, and used illicit profits to buy property in Portugal. Read more
Women Funding Women: Driving AI innovation with $1M for female entrepreneurs. The program is the first of its kind to connect women entrepreneurs with top-tier women investors to address the funding gap in AI. Read more
2025 VC Survey | Unlocking the IPO floodgates: Is 2025 the year public markets revive? Mobilion Ventures Managing Partner Avi Feldman offers his predictions for the global IPO drought and its implications for Israeli tech companies. Read more
Amplefields Investments: “2024 was a year of strategic recalibration and strength.” Managing Partner Moran Chamsi joined CTech for its 2025 VC Survey to discuss the state of the Israeli ecosystem and the year ahead. Read more
From Mars to Mar-a-Lago: Elon Musk’s political takeover. Why the billionaire’s growing influence on Trump’s presidency signals a dangerous new reality. Read more
Meta’s right turn: Zuckerberg courts Trump and shifts priorities. As TikTok rises and regulations tighten, Meta aligns with the new political establishment. Read more
Wiz signals IPO ambitions with the appointment of Fazal Merchant as CFO. Former Co-CEO of Tanium joins Wiz to lead financial strategy and operational growth as the cloud security decacorn prepares for its next phase. Read more
Japanese giant Kaneka acquires EndoStream Medical in $100 million deal. Israeli-developed implant eliminates the need for blood thinners in aneurysm treatment. Read more
PrettyDamnQuick raises $25M Series A to tackle cart abandonment with personalized checkout. PDQ’s platform focuses on optimizing the checkout process for medium-sized businesses engaged in online direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales. Read more
Inside the world’s only tech hub for Bedouin women. Samana, a program founded in 2023, trains Bedouin women in northern Israel for tech careers, providing mentorship, job placement, and a women-only tech hub in Zarzir to overcome cultural and geographical barriers. Read more
2025 VC Survey | Can Israeli startups catch up in the global AI race? NFX’s Gigi Levy-Weiss has joined CTech to share insights surrounding artificial intelligence and Israel’s role in the global game of tech domination. Read more
Israel ramps up local defense production amid global arms embargoes. Raw material factory and bomb production deal highlight Israel’s push for wartime independence. Read more
