167 incubator companies raised a total amount of about 250 million dollars in 2008. 4 more companies, graduates of the incubators, were purchased by huge corporations for a total amount of about 100 million dollars
In 2008, 167 incubator companies from foreign and local private investors (mostly venture capital funds) raised a total amount of about 250 million dollars, 73 of them raised a total amount of about 60 million dollars within two years of entering the incubator - this is what the outgoing director of the incubator program said The Technologies, Rene Fridor.
Below is the breakdown of investments by fundraising amounts:
- In 167, 2008 incubator companies raised a total amount of about 250 million dollars according to the following breakdown: 2 companies raised between 20 - 10 million dollars, 10 companies raised between 10 - 5 million dollars, 57 companies raised between 5 - 1 million dollars, 32 companies They raised between 1 million dollars - 500 thousand dollars, 55 companies raised between 500 - 100 thousand dollars and 11 companies raised less than 100 thousand dollars.
- The average recruitment for the company in 2008 reached 1.4 million dollars, and the median was 605 thousand dollars for the company.
Distribution of investments by activity areas:
The field of life sciences concentrated the bulk of the capital raising, with 64 medical device companies raising a total of $95 million and 29 biotechnology companies raising approximately $38 million.
In addition, 38 companies in the software and communication field raised a total amount of approximately 58 million dollars; 22 companies in the fields of environmental quality, materials and agriculture raised a total amount of about 28 million dollars and 14 companies in the field of electronics raised a total amount of about 31 million dollars.
First fundraising round: In 2008, 73 companies raised a total amount of about 60 million dollars as part of the first fundraising round (within two years of entering the incubator). Of these, 42 companies in the field of life sciences (medical devices and biotechnology) raised a total amount of approximately 30 million dollars and 21 companies
In the fields of software and communication, they raised a total amount of about 23 million dollars. 10 other companies from the fields of environmental quality, agriculture and electronics raised a total amount of about 7 million dollars. The average of the recruitments for the company as part of the first recruitment round in 2008 reached 829 thousand dollars and the median was 400 thousand dollars for the company.
Mergers and acquisitions:
In addition to the 250 million dollars raised by Hamma companies in 2008, 4 more companies were purchased by giant corporations for a total amount of about 100 million dollars. The acquired companies are as follows:
- The Versmed company, a graduate of Hamma Ofakim in 1996, which developed and markets a portable electronic ventilator. Versmed was acquired by GE Healthcare for over 40 million dollars.
- Zomix, a graduate of the JVP incubator from Jerusalem in 2005, develops an automatic data converter for EAI systems. Zomix was purchased by Microsoft in a transaction estimated between 20 and 30 million dollars.
- The Yurikify company, a graduate of the Ariel Incentive Incubator in 2005, develops software for managing roles and user authorization. Yuripay was purchased by CA for a total transaction volume estimated at approximately 30 million dollars.
- The Sport-View company, a graduate of the Iris Ventures incubator from Sde Boker in 2007, develops a system for presenting and broadcasting statistical graphical analyses. Sport-View was purchased by a subsidiary of the media giant News-Corp for about 20 million dollars.
Among the enterprises operating in the incubators and the "fresh" graduates (who completed the incubator period in the last two years), 12 candidates, from different and diverse fields, competed for the title of the outstanding enterprise for 2008. The competition will take place today at the incubators conference that will be held in Ashkelon as a sign of solidarity with the residents of the south. Below is the list of candidates, according to fields of activity:
Medical equipment:
- A new procedure for the treatment of the mitral valve in the heart
- A device for walking paralyzed lower limbs
- Diagnostic system for veterinary telemetry
- A hearing aid installed in the oral cavity
Biotechnology:
- Scofeld is injected to treat myocardial infarction
- Inhibitory drugs as cancer treatment
- An innovative fat solution for intravenous feeding
Environment:
- Enzymatic process for biodiesel production
Communication and software:
- Multi-channel passive optical network
- Monitoring system of antennas inside buildings
- A technological platform for developing and running web applications
- A system for the automatic implementation of complex software systems
Yossi Smuller, director of the technology incubator program, points out that although the total volume of recruitment in 2008 in incubator companies is similar to the total volume of recruitment in previous years, the volume of recruitment within the first round of recruitment in 2008 decreased by about 16% compared to 2007. Smuller explains that the main reason for the decrease is From the economic slowdown in the economy and the preference of private investors to invest in more advanced stages, with lower risk.
The Chief Scientist at the TMT Office, Dr. Eli Ofer explained that the purchased greenhouse companies remain in Israel and expand their activities in the country thanks to the purchase. Ofer emphasizes that the fact that large corporations are examining, investing in and purchasing technologies that have recently come out of the incubators, indicates the importance of the program and the many opportunities created by it.
