Apple Corporation Highlights Israel

Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought”
Straight from the Jerusalem Boardroom #158

1. Apple made its first Israeli acquisition, Anobit, for $400MN (Globes business daily, December 21, 2011). Apple will establish, in Israel, its first R&D outside the USA (Globes, Dec. 15).

2. The American CHS consortium acquired Israel’s Solbar for $133MN (Globes, Dec. 15). The British Avaya negotiates acquisition of Israel’s RadVision for $200MN (Globes, Dec. 14). China-Israel Technology (co-led by Chian’s OneGate Capital and Israel’s Catalyst Ventures) closed a $150MN fund (Globes, Dec. 12). Intel (which operates in Israel 4 R&D centers and 2 manufacturing plants, employing 7,300 persons) will invest $25MN, during the next five years, in a research center, which will promote cooperation with Israel’s academia (Globes Nov. 15). Google will establish, in 2012, an incubator for Israeli start-ups (Nov. 14). General Electric co-led a $200MN round by Israel’s Better Place (Globes, Nov. 14). The British Index Ventures closed a $700 fund. 75% will be invested in European and Israeli companies; 25% in US companies (Nov. 10).

3. 200 Israeli companies are engaged in water technologies, yielding – in 2011 – $2BN scope of business, which is expected to expand significantly (Nov. 15).

4. Israel’s Imperva, Allot and Selway Capital raised, in NY public offerings, $90MN, $78MN and $20MN respectively (Globes, Nov. 10 and Nov. 14).

5. Accel Partners, Red Point and Singapore’s Crescent Point participated in two $24MN (each) rounds of private placement by Israel’s Qwilt. Qualcomm, Amiti Ventures and Argonaut Private Equity participated in a $19MN round by Israel’s Siklu (Globes, Oct. 24). Norwest Venture Partners, General Electric and Opus Capital led a $37MN 4th round by Israel’s SolarEdge (Globes, Oct. 25). Landa Ventures and Chinese investors participated in a$35MN 2nd round by Israel’ s XJet (Globes, Nov. 3). Bessemer Venture Partners led – along with Matrix Venture Capital, OVP Venture Partners and Generation Investment Management – an $18MN round in Israel’s Tigo Energy (Globes, Dec. 14). QuestMark, Scale Venture partners, Longworth Venture, Egan Capital and Mesco participated in a $17MN 4th round by Israel’s uTest (Globes, Dec. 6). Mayfield Fund, Mohr Davidow Ventures, and Google’s Chairman, Eric Schmidt’s, Innovation Endeavors participated in an $11MN round by Israel’s HealthTap (Globes, Dec. 1). Vodafone led a $9.2MN 2nd round of private placement by Israel’s cleantech, CellEra (Globes, Dec. 20). Canaan Partners led a $6MN 2nd round by Israel’s CallMyName (Globes, Oct. 31). Sumitomo’s investment arm, Presideio Ventures, participated in a $5MN round by Israel’s Axxana (Nov. 21). Britain’s Bridge Venture led a $3.5MN round by Israel’s Medic Vision (Globes, Nov. 10). Holland’s Esperante Ventures led a $3.25MN round by Israel’s AtoxBio (Globes, Dec. 20). Canada’s Intertainment media invested $2MN in Israel’s Lexiphone (Globes, Dec. 5).