Israel High Tech Scene Week In Review Mar 7 – Mar 13
It’s Official! Paypal Bought Curv (JBN)
There have been rumors about Curv’s sale for a week now. We now know that Payal is the company which is buying out the Israeli startup Curv. Curv offers a cloud based platform for securely managing cryptocurrencies. While neither company confirmed the purchase price, last week it was widely reported that Curv was being sold for as much as $200 million.
Cross-border e-commerce platform Global-E Online files for a $100 million US IPO (NASDAQ.COM)
Global-E Online, which provides a platform for cross-border e-commerce, filed on Monday with the SEC to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering.
Kape acquires Israeli co Webselenese for $149m (Globes)
The Israeli cybersecurity company is buying the Tel Aviv-based privacy and security startup for cash and shares. Israeli cybersecurity and privacy protection company Kape Technologies (AIM:KAPE) has announced that it is acquiring Tel Aviv-based consumer focused privacy and security content startup Webselenese for $149.1 million in cash and shares. This is the largest-ever acquisition by Kape, which is controlled by Teddy Sagi.
IAI launches new tech center with Ministry of Defense’s DDR&D (Calcalist)
The center will enable the production of navigation systems to address challenges in the modern battlefield. The Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), which is part of Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMOD), has today announced a new technology center with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) dedicated to developing and producing non-GPS navigation systems.
Israel’s ForSight Robotics Develops Vision Saving Surgery (JBN)
The company just raised $10 million. Israeli startup ForSight Robotics is developing a surgical robotic platform to deliver what it describes as high precision and cost-effective vision-saving surgery. The company, which was founded by a number of experts with a wealth of experience in the high tech field, just raised $10 million in a seed round led by Eclipse Ventures and joined by Mithril Capital.
Ibex Medical Analytics Uses AI For Cancer Treatment (JBN)
The company just raised $38 million. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is set to team up with Edge, the state owned defense firm of the United Arab Emirates. Yes it is true. Israel and an Arab nation are now working together on a military project.
Fintech start-up Payoneer partners with Mastercard ahead of $3 billion public offering (CNBC)
Digital payments company Payoneer is partnering with Mastercard to offer small businesses a digital payments card. The Payoneer Digital Purchasing Mastercard will allow the company’s customers to make global purchases, connect to mobile wallets and digitally access multiple cards that help streamline business expenses, such as advertising services from Google, Facebook and Amazon.
Aqua Security Is Israel’s Latest Unicorn (JBN)
A unicorn is a new company with a $billion plus valuation. Israeli startup Aqua Security now has a $1 billion valuation, making it the latest unicorn firm in Startup Nation. The company reached this milestone with a $135 million Series E funding round led by ION Crossover Partners. Aqua Security is now the fifth Israeli company to achieve unicorn status this year alone after Papaya Global, Wiz, Axionus, and Melio.
Israel’s Application Security Startup Snyk Now Worth $4.7 Billion (JBN)
Talk about a unicorn. Snyk, a startup in the field of cloud native application security, has reached a valuation of $4.7 billion, making it possibly the biggest unicorn in Israel’s history, if not the world. The company achieved the valuation with $300 million in new funding from a Series E financing round. The company has now raised a total of $470 million to date and has quadrupled its value since the beginning of 2020.
Israeli AI public transport co Optibus raises $107m (Globes)
The company’s optimization and AI algorithms improve mass transit for passengers while also increasing operational efficiency. Israeli AI platform developer for public transport and bus schedules Optibus, announced today that it has raised $107 million in a Series C financing round, co-led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Insight Partners with participation from existing investors including Verizon Ventures, Pitango, New Era Capital Partners, Dynamic Loop and Blue Red Partners.
Read more about: IAI, Ibex Medical Analytics, Payoneer, Snyk
