February 18, 2015 | The University of Haifa and East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai have signed a memorandum of cooperation for the construction of the Shanghai-Haifa International Research Center. This will be the first center of its kind in Shanghai for Israeli and Chinese academia. The joint fields of research that will be examined at the center include neuroscience, mathematics, education technology, computing and data management, and environmental management. Both Chinese and Israeli researchers can submit proposals to Chinese research funds through the center. The ECNU was founded in 1951, and it was the first university in the People’s Republic of China to train schoolteachers.
News Briefs
February 18, 2015
U Haifa And ECNU Launch Research Center In Shanghai
February 18, 2015
Pocared Diagnostics Raises $15M
February 18, 2015 | The Israeli medical device company Pocared Diagnostics announced that it closed a $15 million financing round from undisclosed investors. Pocared specializes in the development of technology platforms to increase the implementation of evidence-based medicine for hospitals and practitioners. The company hopes to use the new funding to complete clincial trials and to increase its manufacturing abilities of its products. Pocared Diagnostics was founded in 2004 by Gal Ingber and Jonathan Gurfinkel.
February 18, 2015
Report: Check Point Acquires Hyperwise For $80M
February 18, 2015 | According to a “Calcalist” report, the Israeli technology company Check Point will acquire Hyperwise Security for up to $80 million. A young cybersecurity company, Hyperwise has raised about $2 million since it was founded in 2014. Hyperwise specializes in ATP protection.
February 18, 2015
Applicaster Raises $10.5M In Series B Funding
February 18, 2015 | Applicaster, an Israeli startup providing cross-screen TV apps, announced that it raised $10.5 million in Series B funding. The investment round was led by Pitango Venture Capital together with 83North Venture Capital, bringing the company’s total funding to $18.5 million. Since the company was founded in 2009, it has launched over 100 applications for 40 different companies including Univision, Fox International and more. The company plans to use the funds to establish offices in North America and in Europe. Jonathan Laor and Neer Friedman founded Applicaster in 2009.
February 17, 2015
Fosun Pharma Interested In Acquiring Lumenis
February 17, 2015 | According to reports, the Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun Pharma is interested in acquiring Israeli aesthetic medicine company Lumenis. Foshun Pharma, which owns one of Lumenis’ Israeli competitors Alma Lasers, has apparently begun to approach shareholders regarding a possible deal. Lumenis is traded at a market-cap of $380 million and is run by Tzipi Ozer-Armon.
February 17, 2015
OurCrowd Appoints Anthony DeChellis To President
February 17, 2015 | The equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd announced that it has appointed Anthony DeChellis to President of the company. The former CEO of Private Banking Americas at Credit Suisse, DeChellis will operate out of OurCrowd’s New York office. “Anthony DeChellis has joined OurCrowd because equity crowdfunding has become a major force in disrupting the future of capital markets,” said OurCrowd CEO, Jon Medved. OurCrowd was founded in 2012 by Jon Medved and since has raised over $100 million in equity crowdfunding for its 58 portfolio companies.
February 17, 2015
Kibo To Make Branded Keyboard For Cristiano Ronaldo Fans
February 17, 2015 | Kibo Mobile Tech, which makes branded smartphone keyboards, announced that it will be partnering with world-famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. The keyboard will be geared towards staunch fans of the Real Madrid team player. Kibo is a joint venture between Noam Lanir’s Apply Advanced Mobile Technologies and White Smoke.
February 17, 2015
Playtech Acquires Yoyo Games For Up To $21.7M
February 17, 2015 | Playtech, the creator of software for online gaming websites, announced that it acquired Scottish company Yoyo Games for up to $21.7 million. $16.4 million of the amount will be paid upfront in cash, while the remaining $5.3 million will be dolled out according the the achievement of certain milestones. Playtech, which has acquired 15 companies since 2006, is controlled by Israeli billionaire entrepreneur Teddy Sagi. Playtech was founded in 1999 and is a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange.
February 17, 2015
Logz.io Raises $1.2M In Initial Funding
February 17, 2015 | The Israeli startup Logz.io announced that it completed an initial funding round of $1.2 million led by Giza Venture Capital, along with other investors. The company has developed a cloud-based service that analyzes the behavior of servers in order to anticipate and prevent potential bugs and interferences. Logz.io was founded by Tomer Levy, the founder of another startup Intigua, and Assaf Yigal, the founder of startup Currensee.
February 16, 2015
Rainbow Medical Raises $25M From Chinese Investors
February 16, 2015 | The research and development company Rainbow Medical announced that it has opened a subsidiary in China and that it raised $25 million from the largest insurance company in China, among others. PingAn is the name of the insurance firm that invested in Rainbow Medical together with the Yongjin investment firm, the cellular firm ZTE, and other Chinese venture capital firms specializing in biomedical investments. Rainbow Medical specializes in R&D for medical products, devices and companies and was founded by Glenbrook, Leon Recanti’s investment firm, Yossi Gross and Effi Cohen Arazi.
February 16, 2015
Israel Had Most LSE IPOs Of Any Foreign Country In 2014
February 16, 2015 | A delegation from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in Israel reported last week that Israel led in the number of IPOs in 2014 on the exchange. In terms of the number of IPOs on the LSE, Israel was only outnumbered by the United Kingdom, with nine Israeli companies going public on the exchange, including Matomy Media Group and Barak Capital. A number of Israeli companies listed on LSE’s secondary market, the AIM. Currently, there are a number of Israeli companies considering a public offering on the LSE in 2015.
February 16, 2015
Novartis Shows Increased Interest In Israeli Companies
February 16, 2015 | The world’s largest pharmaceutical company, Novartis has expressed increased interest in investing in Israeli companies. Novartis invested $35 million in Israeli startup Gamida Cell as well as companies like BioLineRX, which will develop emerging Israeli technologies for Novartis. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Division head is David Epstein, who directs strategy as well as investments in Israeli pharmaceutical and biomedical companies.
February 16, 2015
Google Israel CEO Made Director In Middle East, Russia And Turkey
February 16, 2015 | According to reports, Google Israel’s CEO Meir Brand will become the regional director for the company in the Middle East, Russia and Turkey. The expansion of Brand’s responsibilities is part of Google’s regional reorganization and restructuring efforts, sources inform “Globes.” Brand is already responsible for Google Israel, Africa as well as Greece and South Africa. Brand was the first Google Israel employee when the Internet giant established a research and development branch in Israel in 2005. Within the areas that Brand will be responsible for there is a total estimated population of 1 billion and now five Google offices will report directly to Brand.
February 16, 2015
Panaya Acquired By Infosys For $230M
February 16, 2015 | Panaya, the enterprise software management company, was acquired by the Indian IT company Infosys for $230 million. Panaya will receive $200 million for the acquisition plus $30 million in cash installments. Panaya had raised $59 million since it was founded in 2006 by Yossi Cohen from Benchmark Capital, Battery Ventures and Hasso Plattner Ventures, among others. Infosys, which trades at a market cap of $42 billion on the New York Stock Exchange, plans to convert Panaya’s Raanana offices into the company’s first research and development center in Israel.
February 16, 2015
888 Turns Down William Hill’s Acquisition Offer
February 16, 2015 | Despite reports late last week that the UK online gambling giant William Hill would acquire the Israeli online gambling company 888, the talks between the companies have reportedly failed. As a result, William Hill will not acquire 888 due to differences in opinion regarding the value of 888’s shares. 888 reported that the deal fell through to the London Stock Exchange, which saw the company’s shares up 20 percent following news of the announcement, only to have the share value fall by 15 percent at the announcement of the failed deal. “Due to a significant difference of opinion on value with a key stakeholder, it has not been possible to reach agreement on the terms of a possible offer and the board of the company has agreed with William Hill to terminate discussions,” 888 said. William Hill was set to purchase 888 for up to £750 million (approx. $1.15 billion).
