CTECH: Latest Israeli Innovation & Technology News June 15, 2025
Intel’s Israeli fab in Kiryat Gat targeted in latest layoff round. The cost-cutting campaign expands beyond R&D as the plant loses long-standing protection. Read more
Vast isn’t the next Wiz, but it’s quietly headed for a $25B valuation. Vast has built a deep-tech moat and turned cash-flow positive – with Nvidia’s support and none of Wiz’s media buzz. Read more
Israel’s Beewise raises $50 million to save bees, and the global food chain. As pollinators vanish at alarming rates, the Israeli startup is betting on AI and robotics to do what traditional agriculture hasn’t: protect the species that feeds us all. Read more
Sam Altman-backed Coco Robotics raises $80M, rides Israeli tech into global delivery market. With support from DriveU.auto, Coco’s AI-powered robots are scaling from LA to Helsinki. Read more
IDF tech units are still essential to Israel’s high-tech future—precisely because they don’t rush to adopt AI. “While the rest of the world is becoming accustomed to “vibe coding” with GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Replit, soldiers in Unit 8200 still write, test, and debug clean code—without shortcuts,” writes lool ventures General Partner Yaniv Golan. Read more
Cyera doubles valuation to $6 billion with $540M Series E. The Israeli cybersecurity startup is growing rapidly as demand rises for AI-integrated data protection. Read more
Vast Data eyes $25 billion valuation amid AI boom. According to TechCrunch, the Israeli startup is quietly plotting its next funding round at a sky-high valuation. Vast has surpassed $2 billion in cumulative bookings, achieved nearly 5x year-over-year growth in Q1 2025, and maintained a cashflow-positive operating model for over five years. Read more
The content collapse: How AI broke the internet’s oldest business model. Chatbots are killing clicks, and publishers are scrambling to survive on licensing deals with the very platforms that displaced them. Read more
Pango reboots Gett deal with Leumi Partners and decentralized investor group. After regulatory pushback, a new $190M plan avoids control stakes and aims to sidestep Competition Authority scrutiny. Read more
Who inherits your cloud? Preparing for digital legacy in the age of data. “For many, the concept of a ‘digital estate’ is still abstract. But the reality is anything but. Today, photos, documents, personal letters, financial information, cryptocurrencies, and even entire businesses are stored online. When someone passes away, that digital presence doesn’t just disappear. More often, it remains locked, inaccessible to grieving families and legal heirs,” writes Shmulik Shuster, a Partner of Shuster Law Firm. Read more
Andreessen Horowitz targets elite IDF alumni for startup accelerator. Silicon Valley giant courts veterans with $1M speedrun program and exclusive Tel Aviv events. Read more
eToro’s Wall Street honeymoon ends abruptly after first earnings call. Shares slide more than 10% as investors worry about rising marketing and crypto-related expenses. Read more
Hypernative raises $40M Series B to build the security infrastructure Web3 lacks. With support from leading cybersecurity investors, the company targets the root cause of crypto’s trust problem. Read more
Salto cuts 50% of staff as it refocuses on cybersecurity market. Backed by Accel, Salesforce, Lightspeed, and Bessemer, the startup plans new product and rebranding effort. Read more
Tastewise raises $50M to power the AI brain behind Kraft, Mars, and Campbell’s. The Israeli startup’s GenAI platform monitors recipes, eating habits, and social trends to create real-time product pitches. Read more
Guardz raises $56M to bring enterprise-level cybersecurity to small businesses. Firm’s AI-led platform helps MSPs defend vulnerable small and midsize businesses from rising cyber threats. Read more
Qualcomm buys British chipmaker Alphawave for $2.4 billion, gains Israeli engineering hub. Acquisition brings 90 local employees and key optical DSP tech into Qualcomm’s AI push. Read more
Check Point’s Gil Shwed reflects on stepping down: “I may regret not doing it earlier.” The Check Point founder discussed leadership, legacy, and the choice of Nadav Zafrir as CEO at Calcalist’s Growth Conference. Read more
French New (tech) Wave: The country’s foray into high-tech is cementing Macron’s legacy. France has been making an active effort to copy Israel’s Startup Nation – and shows no signs of surrendering just yet. Read more
Unibeam secures $6 million in Seed to expand SIM-based authentication technology. The company has launched a SIM-based identity verification method that works with both physical SIM cards and eSIMs. Read more
Carbyne raising $100M in AT&T-led round to expand its app-free 911 platform. Cloud solution transforms emergency calls into data-rich, real-time response systems. Read more
1-800 Contacts closes Israeli subsidiary 6over6, cuts 60 jobs. Smartphone-based eye exam startup was acquired for $100M in 2019. Read more
Once a $400M prospect, Autotalks sold to Qualcomm for less than $100M. Chipmaker’s V2X tech finds a home, but at a steep cost to investors and staff. Read more
The fall of Vesttoo enters criminal phase with Hong Kong arrests. Two former bankers accused of aiding billion-dollar fraud with fake LOCs. Read more
AI cuts begin at the bottom: Entry-level jobs disappear in the age of automation. New data shows a sharp decline in job listings for roles AI can now perform. Read more
