CTECH: Latest Israeli Innovation & Technology News Nov. 19, 2024
“Women need role models and communities to succeed. Then we’ll see more female entrepreneurs.” Hilla Ovil-Brenner, CEO and founder of the Yazamiyot organization, a platform for women entrepreneurs, was speaking at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi Miami conference. Maya Eisen Zafrir, CEO of LeumiTech: “My recommendation to young female entrepreneurs is to always be active and listen to your inner instinct. Don’t stop and wait for approval from the surroundings.” Read more
Salesforce seals $1.9 billion cash deal to acquire cloud backup company Own. The deal, originally announced in September, was finalized with a cash transfer on Monday. Israel’s Own exits under its peak valuation but delivers returns for major investors like Vertex and Insight Partners. Read more
CommBox closes $15M round to expand secure AI customer service platform. The Israeli startup enables brands to engage customers across all channels from a single interface, leveraging digital engagement, business automation, conversational AI, and generative AI chatbots. Read more
How DNA can be used to alter personalities and train employees. Dr. Idit Maya, Head of the Genomic School at Beilinson Hospital, spoke to CTech at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s Tech & Invest conference in Miami about the business application of new research on complex personality traits. Read more
One Zero CEO Gal Bar Dea steps down amid Italian expansion setback. The digital bank’s venture in Italy has stalled, prompting leadership changes as Eyal Gafni prepares to take over. Read more
“There is nothing that Israeli high-tech cannot withstand.” Rinat Zilberstein, VP R&D at AT&T and GM at AT&T Israel R&D Center, was speaking at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami; Nili Shalev, CEO at the Israel Export Institute, clarified that leading international organizations are strengthening ties with Israeli companies; Bruce Taragin from Blumberg Capital: “Soon companies with a value of more than 10 billion dollars will come out from Israel.” Read more
“Miami is the right place for high-tech companies looking to establish themselves in the US.” Chaim Katzman, founder and CEO of G City, spoke at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami about the significant growth of Miami and Florida. Read more
Tom Nides: “This war will only make Israel stronger, more innovative, smarter, and better.” The Vice Chairman, Strategy and Client Relations at Blackstone and former U.S. ambassador to Israel, was speaking at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami. Read more
“Israeli entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the AI wave.” Ziv Conen, a Partner at New Era Capital, was speaking at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s Miami conference. Read more
“Ask yourselves: What did you do today for the hostages?” Ruby Chen, the father of the soldier Itay Chen, who fell in battle on October 7 and was kidnapped to Gaza, shared the struggle of the families. Chen, an American citizen, urged US citizens to call senators and members of Congress and demand action to end the nightmare of the 101 abductees. Read more
Oracle CEO: “If we continue on our current trajectory, reaching a valuation of a trillion dollars is inevitable.” Oracle is doubling down on cloud infrastructure and AI to propel its growth, with an eye on becoming a trillion-dollar company. CEO Safra Catz reveals in an interview how the company’s aggressive investments and strategic expansions are poised to accelerate its financial ascent and why she’s convinced Israel will be flooded with investments after the war. Read more
Former Snyk founder Guy Podjarny secures $125M for AI-powered software startup Tessl. Tessl’s AI native model leverages large language models to streamline development and automate maintenance. The Israeli entrepreneur’s new venture is backed by boldstart, GV, and Index Ventures. Read more
Bitsight acquires Cybersixgill in $115 million deal to strengthen cyber risk management. The Israeli startup’s threat intelligence platform and team of 80 employees will join Bitsight, enhancing its AI-powered solutions. Read more
Immunai and Teva launch multi-tear AI collaboration for smarter drug development. The partnership will utilize Immunai’s cutting-edge immune system mapping tools to enhance precision in immunology and oncology trials. Read more
Cloudera acquires Israeli startup Octopai to advance metadata and AI integration. Octopai’s automated data discovery and lineage capabilities will amplify Cloudera’s ability to deliver trusted data insights to enterprises. Read more
Nokia acquires former unicorn Rapid to boost API-driven 5G monetization. Struggling Israeli-founded startup’s technology joins Nokia’s push to expand its network API ecosystem. Read more
Silverfort acquires Rezonate for several tens of millions to expand cloud security reach. The deal between the two Israeli companies aims to integrate Rezonate’s specialized capabilities into Silverfort’s identity security solutions. Read more
CyberArk and Wiz join forces to enhance cloud security in multi-cloud environments. The alliance provides improved visibility and control over human and machine identities, a growing concern in cloud-native organizations. Read more
Bluespine secures $7.2M to tackle healthcare overspending for self-insured employers. AI solution helps firms like Mattel and DavidShield recover and prevent costly billing errors. Read more
When careers take unexpected turns: Lessons from CEOs who shifted fields. From law to foodtech and film to marketing, these leaders show how unrelated degrees can drive innovation and success. Read more
ScaleOps raises $58M Series B as demand grows for cloud automation solutions. Offering a hands-off approach to cloud optimization, the Israeli startup’s platform automates resource allocation, helping companies avoid wasted spend and performance issues. Read more
Ex-IntSights founders land $20M for PointFive to combat cloud cost wastage. The Israeli startup’s platform automates cost savings for enterprises managing cloud resources. Read more
Israel’s AI startups dominate tech investment landscape. AI companies secured nearly half of the total tech funding in Israel, a striking figure given that AI startups comprise just 30% of the broader tech ecosystem. Read more
OpenWeb founder’s attempt to regain CEO role fails in court. The judge cites a concealed resignation letter and confirms the board acted within its rights. Read more
Israeli-founded gaming firm Plarium sold for up to $820M to Sweden’s Modern Times Group. Founded by two sets of brothers, Plarium transitions from Aristocrat, which acquired it for around $500 million in 2017, to a new chapter under MTG. Read more
