As every month, VC Cafe is re-posting the “Invest in Israel” Newsletter, published by the investment promotion center of Israel’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, which offers many helpful tools for prospecting investors. For previous editions, click here.
ORACLE IS BUYING ISRAELI SOFTWARE MAKER CONVERGIN FOR $85 MLN
Oracle Corp., the world’s largest maker of proprietary database software, is acquiring Israeli startup Convergin, which makes software that lets telcos deliver services across multiple networks and platforms.
Convergin’s J2EE-based Service Broker Platform enables communications service providers (CSPs) to manage services for a wide range of networks and application platforms, including pre-paid charging. Adding Convergin products to Oracle Communications portfolio is expected to enable customers with next-generation solutions to address network migration to an all IP core at significantly lower integration and hardware costs.
Formerly known as PhoneDo Networks, Convergin was founded in 2000. The company is headquartered in Herzliya, Israel.
DELL MAKES FIRST ACQUISTION IN ISRAEL: BUYS ISRAELI DATA STORAGE COMPANY EXANET
“The astounding rate of data creation continues unabated with no signs of slowing down. We are committed to delivering our customers high-value storage solutions and Exanet will help us provide our customers with world-class storage.” – Brad Anderson, senior vice president, Dell Enterprise Product Group
Leading technology provider Dell acquired Israeli start-up Exanet, which deals in data storage development, for $12 million.
Exanet, which was founded in 2000, provides scalable network-attached storage software solutions to OEM partners. Exanet storage system solutions are hardware independent. Their clustered NAS software storage solution provides single file system scalability, and is compatible with Linux, Mac, and Windows operating systems.
AWARD-WINNING MARKET LEADER DVTEL ACQUIRES ISRAELI ANALYTICS LEADER IOIMAGE FOR $80 MLN
DVTel, Inc., a pioneer and dominant market player in the development and delivery of intelligent security solutions over IP networks, is buying ioimage, a leader in intelligent video appliances.
ioimage provides high-performance video encoders and cameras with built-in, self sustaining video analytics. ioimage, founded in 2000, uses edge and centralized DSP-based devices for real-time detection, alert, and tracking of intruders, vehicles and other threats, resulting in significantly improved safety and security for government and commercial organizations.
The integration of ioimage intelligent edge devices into DVTel’s complete iSOC platform, offering video, audio, access control and alarm management over IP networks, will enable the company to provide comprehensive solutions to the growing demands of enterprise customers and further tailor DVTel’s vertical domain expertise in areas such as remote monitoring.
AS ISRAELI MARKET CONTINUES RECOVERY, BUFFET SHOWCASES ISCAR’S RESILIENCE
Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffet, who bought an 80% majority stake in Iscar for $4 billion in 2006, told shareholders Iscar was poised to set new records, noting that the Israeli company’s “incredible managerial team would see to that.”
“Nothing stops Israel-based Iscar – not wars, recessions or competitors,” Buffet said, adding that the world’s two other leading suppliers of small cutting tools both had very difficult years, each operating at a loss throughout much of the year. Though Iscar’s results were down significantly from 2008, the company regularly reported profits, even while it was integrating Japanese acquisition Tungaloy.
ISRAEL’S “AJAMI” NOMINATED FOR BEST FOREIGN FILM OSCAR
“Ajami” was nominated for an Oscar as one of the 5 best Foreign-Language films for 2010.
“Ajami”, produced by Arab-Israeli Scandar Copti and Jewish-Israeli Yaron Shani, explores five different stories set in the Christian-and-Muslim Arab neighborhood “Ajami” of the mixed Jewish-Arab Mediterranean city of Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv. The predominantly Arabic-spoken film has won several awards in Israel, including “Best Film” at the Ophir Awards and “Best Full-Length Feature” at the Jerusalem Film Festival, and was also awarded a Caméra d’Or – Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival.
The 2010 Oscar for best foreign film went to Argentinian film “The Secret in their Eyes.” This is the third straight year and the ninth time that an Israeli film has been nominated for an Oscar in this category. Last year the Israeli film “Waltz with Bashir” received a nomination but the Japanese movie, “Departures” came away with the prize. The previous year, an Austrian film, “The Counterfeiters,” won over the Israeli nomination “Beaufort”.
MEDICAL AESTHETICS LEADER SOLTA MEDICAL BUYS AESTHERA CORP
Aesthera Corporation, an Israeli company that uses photo pneumatic or light-based technology for the treatment of skin conditions, was acquired by Solta Medical of Hayward, California, for $5.3 million. Aesthera’s flagship product, the Isolaz platform, is the only laser or light-based device with FDA marketing clearance for the treatment of various forms of acne.
“Treatment of acne with Isolaz offers physicians and their patients an effective alternative to the risks of oral drug treatments and their associated side effects,” said Stephen J. Fanning, chairman of the board, president, and CEO of Solta Medical, noting that they were very excited to broaden their portfolio with the addition of the Isolaz brand to Solta Medical.
Solta Medical is a global leader in the medical aesthetics market providing anti-aging solutions for patients. The company’s products use both radiofrequency procedures for tightening and contouring skin, as well as fractional laser technology to help resurface aging and sun damaged skin.
I'm a former general partner at google ventures, head of Google for Entrepreneurs in Europe and founding head of Campus London, Google's first physical hub for startups.
I'm also the founder of Techbikers, a non-profit bringing together the startup ecosystem on cycling challenges in support of Room to Read. Since inception in 2012 we've built 11 schools and 50 libraries in the developing world.
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