CTech's Weekly Roundup of Israeli Tech News
CTech's most popular stories of 2018; China success jeopardizes Orbotech’s sale
Analysis | China success jeopardizes Orbotech’s sale. Orbotech’s footprint in China is now proving to be a hurdle as the company attempts to close its most important deal ever—its own sale to U.S.-based semiconductor company KLA-Tencor Corporation. Read more
Opinion | When Santa gives your little ones a personal digital spy. The increasing popularity of internet-connected interactive toys is a reminder that there are only two kinds of databases: those that have been hacked, and those that haven’t been hacked yet, writes researcher Dov Greenbaum. Read more
Santa Claus in Jerusalem (illustration). Photo: AFP
The five biggest Israeli tech M&A deals in 2018. From KLA-Tencor’s pending acquisition of Orbotech to Datorama’s acquisition by Salesforce, 2018 was an eventful M&A year in the Israeli innovation hub. Read more
Interview | After launching services in 21 countries, Via founders come home to take on Israeli traffic jams. Israel’s notoriously congested roads sparked the idea that led the founders of carpooling firm Via to start the company. Now they’re planning to launch a pilot in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Read more
Volkswagen writes-off Gett investment, Der Spiegel reports. Volkswagen invested $300 million in ride-hailing company Gett in 2016, and also participated in an $80 million funding round Gett announced in June. Read more
Interview | Outbrain touts Israeli Eurovision win as proof of its content dissemination mojo. The company used its algorithms to promote Israeli contestant Netta Barzilai’s song “Toy” by exposing millions of Europeans to its music video in the weeks leading up to the popular vote-based international contest. Read more
Tel Aviv-listed cannabis stocks reap benefits of Israeli export reform. Cannabis stocks soared on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange after Israel’s parliament passed on Tuesday a long-awaited medical cannabis export reform, though the reform is still pending government approval. Read more
U.S. ambassador to Israel was allegedly tricked into investing in an Israeli winery. The ambassador was presented with allegedly fraudulent documents when he agreed to invest $730,000 in an Israeli wine company, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday to a Tel Aviv district court. Read more
Israel to hold early parliamentary elections on April 9. Netanyahu, who currently serves as the country's defense minister, foreign minister, immigration minister and health minister, will be running for his fifth term as prime minister. Read more
Startup funding rounds
Blood testing startup Sight raises $28 million. Read more
Novartis invests $10 million in anti-cancer company Ayala Pharmaceuticals. Read more
Smart Mobility Startup Valerann Raises $5 Million Seed Round, Tech.eu reports. Read more
Remote support for self-driving cars startup raises $3 million. Read more
Marketing Strategy Startup KonnecTo Raises $1.5 Million. Read more
Irish government Investment fund backs Israeli smart farming startup CropX. Read more
