Norwest Venture Partners establishes new fund with plans to invest in Israeli startups
Norwest Venture Partners has raised a $1.2 billion fund, NVP XI, following on from the $650 million NVP X Fund which it raised in 2006
gmugliston
Geoffrey Mugliston (mer-gliss-ton) is a London-based Australia-born entrepreneur, strategist and blogger. He began writing for VC Cafe in 2009 with the objective of showcasing promising Israeli startups to the global startup and investment community. He is co-founder of a consumer internet company with its development team based in Haifa (currently in stealth-mode). He also serves as adviser to a pan-European startup which develops software for print service providers. Prior to his current projects, Geoffrey worked in management consulting with a focus on the infrastructure sectors. When not working (though sometimes while working) he enjoys coffee, running and engaging in intense debate. He holds an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Sydney.
Axxana Secures Series B Funding to Accelerate Uptake of Phoenix
Data protection software startup Axxana has secured a $9 million Series B investment led by Carmel Ventures. The investment proceeds will be used to help accelerate greater adoption of Axxana’s Phoenix System.
Global from Day One: The Box leverages the power of ideas to create interactive cross-platform content
Tel Aviv-based The Box epitomizes the new breed of content creators that are redefining how people consume content and engage with brands.
Rest.co.il allows restaurant owners to create their own virtual tours via partnership with Quiksee
Rest.co.il, Israel’s leading restaurant site, recently announced the introduction of a virtual tour creation solution for restaurant owners. Virtual tours, commonly used by real estate agents to showcase properties online, are essentially 3D photos which allow end-users to explore real-world…
Israeli companies de-list from London’s AIM in droves
nly 30 Israeli firms remain listed on the exchange today, down from 50 at the peak. The de-listing phenomenon is not limited to Israeli firms, however, with a total of 239 companies being de-listed in so far in 2009.
Global from Day One: MoodBase knows what the web is feeling
A more recent entrant is MoodBase, a Hod Hasharon-based startup which helps users discover more relevant content based not on user history or the social graph, but on sentiment.
Magento builds momentum by leveraging the power of open source
One example of a rapidly-growing open source eCommerce platform solution is Magento Commerce, which is developed by L.A.-based Varien.
LibraFestival navigates the fast-changing mobile industry with a diversified approach
I recently spoke with Barak Ben-Ezer, Director of Business Development at LibraFestival (formerly ApParty), a Tel Aviv-based mobile application development company. LibraFestival is the company behind the hugely successful iFog app – the app has been purchased from Apple’s App…
Global from Day One: kaChing has the potential to disrupt the managed funds industry
Palo Alto-based kaChing, the investing talent marketplace, is poised to become a key agent for disruption of the managed funds industry through its service which democratizes access to investing talent.
High-tech firms hiring again as large company and startup salaries converge
The most obvious impact on the export-dependent sector was the incidence of widespread layoffs and massive declines in venture capital investment. While some analysts warn of the risks of a “double-dip” recession in the US, Israel’s principal export partner, others point to green shoots signaling the promise of recovery.