Top 10 Israeli Exits, Mergers & Acquisitions Of All Time

By Adam Van Heerden, NoCamels October 29, 2013 5 minutes

You’ve all heard about Google’s $1 billion acquisition of Waze, but when it comes to exits by Israeli startups, that was only the tip of the iceberg. Just recently, mobile data optimization startup Onavo was acquired by Facebook for $120 million.

While some insiders claim that too many Israeli startups are “rushing to the exit,” rather than establishing large and powerful companies, the acquisition of so many startups for big bucks validates the strength of the Startup Nation.

But what are the most successful Israeli exits of all times? NoCamels found out.

1. NDS: Acquired by Cisco for approximately $5 billion

NDS was established in 1988, one of the first Israeli startups to do software development. In its many years of operation, NDS primarily developed software for the pay TV industry, or subscription television. Their most famous product, Videoguard, is a digital encryption system that protects conditional access television content and is used by more than 85 leading pay TV operators around the world. Some of the major television broadcasters using NDS include DirecTV in the US and Yes and Hot in Israel. After nearly three decades of success, NDS was acquired by Cisco in March 2012 for $5 billion.

2. Chromatis: Acquired by Lucent for $4.5 billion

Chromatis Networks was an Israeli startup company which developed next-generations transport solutions. The company’s technology enabled carriers to service the bandwidth needs of evolving metropolitan areas. In 2000, it was acquired by Lucent Technologies (which merged with Alcatel in 2006) for $4.5 billion. A little over a year later, Chromatis was shut down by Lucent, saying the company’s focus did not fit Lucent’s new strategy to serve large telephone companies.

3. Waze: Acquired by Google for $966 million

Waze is a community-based mapping, traffic and navigation application. Waze provides turn-by-turn information, travel times, and real-time updates on events like accidents, delays and obstacles. Waze was created at a time when Google Maps weren’t yet available in Israel and used crowdsourcing for much of its mapping and real-time data. The company was reportedly in talks with Apple and Facebook before signing the deal with Google, which agreed to keep the Waze headquarters in Israel. The deal was finalized on June 11, 2013, with a $966 million price tag.

4. Trusteer: Acquired by IBM for $800 million

According to their website, Trusteer is the global leader in endpoint cybercrime prevention. Their products stop the root cause of data breaches and fraud losses: the compromise of employee and customer endpoints by advanced malware and phishing attacks. Their portfolio of products blocks online threats by combining multi-layer security software with real-time intelligence. The exact details of the sale were not made public, but IBM is said to have dished out between $800 million and $1 billion on Trusteer on August 15th of this year.

5. Retalix: Acquired by NCR for $800 million

Retalix develops and supports software applications for retailers and distributors of fast-moving consumer goods, mainly in the supermarket and food service industry. Retalix was founded in 1982 and held its headquarters in Ra’anana, Israel. In February 2013, NCR Corporation, the world’s biggest supplier of automated teller machines, completed its purchase of Retalix for $800 million.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

6. Objet: Merged with Stratasys for $634 million

Israel has been at the forefront of 3D printing from day one and last year, when Israeli 3D printer manufacturer Objet Geometries merged with US rival Stratasys, they became the largest 3D printing company in the world. The merged company took on the Stratasys name and incorporated in Israel. Following the deal, Objet received a $634 million payout and the new Stratsys company is traded at a company value of $4 billion. Objet Geometries owns more than 50 patents and patent pending inventions, and distributes 3D printers worldwide. The merger was announced on April 16, 2012.

7. MediaMind Technologies: Acquired by DG for $517 million

MediaMind is a global provider of digital advertising campaign management solutions for ad agencies and advertisers. MediaMind has an online media distribution network that is used by advertisers and agencies and online radio, television and print publishing destinations. in 2011, Texas-based corporation DG, which is the world’s leading ad management and distribution platform, acquired MediaMind for $517 million.

8. Zoran Corporation: Acquired by CSR for $484 million

Zoran Corporation develops integrated circuits and embedded software used in digital videodisc (DVD) players, digital video recorders, digital cameras, and HD television sets. The company also provides processors and products to serve the multimedia mobile telephone market. In 2011 Zoran was acquired by British designer and developer of silicon and software for the consumer electronics market CSR for $484M.

9. XtremIO: Acquired by EMC for $450 million

In 2012, EMC paid a $450m to acquire XtremIO, a storage-system company that developed a purpose-built all-flash system. XtremIO was founded in 2009 with the intention “to make storage vastly easier to use and more capable.” EMC is a global leader in enabling businesses and service providers to transform their operations and deliver information technology as a service (ITaaS).

10. Omrix Biopharmaceuticals: Acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $438 million

Founded in 1995 by Robert Taub, Omrix Biopharmaceuticals is a multinational biotechnology company specializing in the development, manufacture and marketing of life-saving products derived from human plasma. In December 2008, Johnson & Johnson, one of the world’s largest health care companies, purchased Omrix for $438M. Taub has since founded Nyxoah, a company that develops treatments for Sleep Apnea which is headquartered in Belgium with a development center recently opened in Israel.