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Business Climatepic
Overview
Israel: A Resilient Global Economy
International Economic Agreements
Israel's Competitive Edge
Venture Capital in Israel
News
Recent International Mergers and Aquisitions
Exceptional Workforcepic
Incentives and Benefitspic
Information for Investorspic
Business Sectorspic
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About Uspic

NEWS
ESTIMATES SHOW ISRAELI GDP ROSE 4.8% IN 2011

According to preliminary estimates, Israel's gross domestic product grew by 4.8% in 2011, following a similar rise in 2010, and a 0.8% rise in 2009, when Israel crawled back out of the recession.

GDP per capita is expected to have risen 2.9% to $31,100.


01/2012
MOODYS REITERATES “A1 – STABLE” RATING FOR ISRAEL

The rating is "underpinned by the country's high levels of economic, institutional and financial strength and moderate event risk." – Moody's


01/2012
APPLE TO LAUNCH ISRAEL R&D CENTER

Apple Inc. has decided to open its first ever development center outside of its California headquarters in Israel.  The new center in Israel will focus on semiconductors.


01/2012
FLASH COMPANY ANOBIT TO BE APPLE'S FIRST ISRAELI ACQUISITION

Leading computing company Apple is acquiring Anobit, a developer of flash controllers and smartphone memory enhancement technology.


01/2012
AKAMAI BUYS ISRAELI COTENDO FOR $268 MLN

Akamai Technologies Inc., a Cambridge company that manages Web traffic for some of the Internet’s biggest sites, is acquiring website and mobile acceleration technology vendor Cotendo. Though a small competitor, Cotendo had been making big strides speeding up Web access on mobile phones, a fast growing segment of Akamai’s business.


01/2012
CORNELL, TECHNION WIN NYCTECH CAMPUS PROJECT

Cornell University and the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology have been chosen to build a cutting-edge NYC Tech Campus that will serve as a global magnet for tech talent and entrepreneurship. The NYCTech Campus will combine cutting-edge technologies to create one of the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient campuses in the world.


01/2012
US DELEGATIONS TO ISRAEL SEEK STRONGER BILATERAL TIES

Two high-level American delegations reached out to Israeli business leaders in December as they explored cooperation in renewable energy, aerospace, medicine and other technologies.


01/2012
ISRAEL CORP. ACQUIRES CHILEAN POWER COMPANY

Israel Corporation has acquired Chilean power company Central Tierra Amarilla SA, which owns a 155-megawatt power station that uses open cycle diesel generators.


01/2012
TOURISM TO ISRAEL IN NOVEMBER AT RECORD HIGH

Tourism to Israel in November rose 2% from the corresponding month in 2010 to 316,000 arrivals, and was the highest number of tourists for any November.


01/2012
The Israeli formula
ISRAEL SIGNS R&D COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH NEW YORK STATE
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and New York Governor David Paterson signed a memorandum governing an industrial R&D cooperation agreement between Israel and New York State.
12/2009
UN ACKNOWLEDGES ISRAEL AS INTERNATIONAL PATENT CENTER

Patent applications recognized in Israel will be accepted internationally as well

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, has recently recognized Israel as an international center for the search and testing of patents.  Israel will be added to the list of 15 leading countries in this field.


12/2009
STRONG GROWTH FORECASTS SHOW ISRAEL COMING OUT OF RECESSION
"Thanks to sound macroeconomic and structural fundamentals, the Israeli economy has shown good resilience throughout the global crisis…The economy grew at a rate of 1% in the second quarter, and thus technically emerged from recession." - UBS economist Reinhard Cluse
09/2009
TEVA LAUNCHES CHEMOTHERAPY DRUG FOLLOWING FDA APPROVAL

09/2009
ORAMED PHARMACEUTICALS GETS FROST & SULLIVAN INNOVATION AWARD

09/2009
SIEMENS BUYS 40% STAKE IN ISRAELI SOLAR POWER COMPANY
"Thanks to its intensive sunshine and steadily growing demand for energy, Israel is an ideal location for further developing our solar business." - Peter Löscher, president and CEO of Siemens.
09/2009
ISRAELI COMPANIES EXPAND INVOLVEMENT IN LATIN AMERICA

09/2009
ISRAEL SIGNS R&D COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH NEW YORK STATE

09/2009
TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER CREATES NATURAL CURE FOR INSOMNIA

09/2009
ISRAELI FILM “LEBANON” WINS TOP PRIZE IN VENICE

09/2009
TEL AVIV STOCK EXCHANGE CONTINUES TO RISE IN 2009

08/2009
IDF-MADE ROBOT SNAKE GATHERS INFORMATION IN ROUGH TERRAIN

08/2009
PHARMA GIANT ROCHE TO STRENGTHEN R&D PIPELINE IN ISRAEL THROUGH PONTIFAX DEAL
The collaboration will see both partners provide financial support and relevant expertise to young biotech and pharma companies in Israel.
06/2009
YISSUM AND ZAMBON TO COMMERCIALIZE NANO PAIN TREATMENT

06/2009
ECI HELPS SWITCH DEUTSCHE TELEKOM TO IP

06/2009
JOINT PROJECT OF IBM, TECHNION, RAMBAM MEDICAL CENTER WINS PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL PRIZE
SRII awarded the prize for “the most successful collaboration of industry, academia and government as expressed in this project.”
06/2009
NDS EXPANDS IN GERMANY

06/2009
BP SOLAR UTILIZES SOLAR EDGE TO CUT POWER OUTPUT
"I am impressed with the initial performance and reliability tests of SolarEdge's solution", said Eric Daniels, chief technology officer at BP Solar.
06/2009
MORGAN STANLEY SUGGESTS INVESTMENT IN ISRAEL

06/2009
ISRAEL RANKED 20 IN IMD STRESS TEST
The "stress test" aims to examine how "countries can resist adversity and show resilience to weather the storm."
06/2009
ISRAEL RANKED 9TH MOST INNOVATIVE COUNTRY BY EIU REPORT

06/2009
ISRAEL EXEMPTS FOREIGN INVESTORS FROM PRIVATE EQUITY TAXES

06/2009
ISRAELI ECONOMY RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF GAZA CONFLICT

01/2009
"MOST ADMIRED MEDICAL COMPANY" ST. JUDE ACQUIRES MEDIGUIDE FOR $283 MILLION.
"We believe MediGuide's proprietary technology may also extend across a variety of other product categories … We look forward to bringing this technology into our portfolio so that we can further develop and capture these potential opportunities,” Daniel J. Starks, chairman, president and chief executive officer of St. Jude Medical, said.
01/2009
CHECK POINT BUYS NOKIA'S SECURITY APPLIANCE BUSINESS
The acquisition "will add more than $100 million to Check Point's sales in 2009 …it will strengthen us in dealing with the global recession," Gil Shwed, chairman and chief executive of Check Point said.
01/2009
HARMONIC BUYS SCOPUS FOR $51 MILLION.

01/2009
U.S.-ISRAELI BIRD FOUNDATION TO INVEST $9 MILLION IN 12 PROJECTS

01/2009
MA INDUSTRIES TO BUY COMPANIES IN POLAND AND SERBIA FOR $20 MILLION

01/2009
ENDOCARE TO BUY ELRON'S GALIL MEDICAL

12/2008
ISRAEL’S FOOD PRODUCER OSEM TO BUY FOODTECH FOR $20 MILLION

12/2008
STANLEY FISHER SAYS ISRAEL IS IN GOOD SHAPE ECONOMICALLY
"Foreign companies are not exiting the country despite the financial crisis".
11/2008
ISRAELI UNIVERSITIES RANKED AMONG WORLD'S BEST

11/2008
INTRODUCING "ISRAEL NEWTECH – NOVEL EFFICIENT WATER TECHNOLOGIES"
Name and logo of Israel's National Program Promoting The Water Technologies Sector, as well as film showcasing the sector, to be officially launched on Oct. 30 at the int'l WATEC '07 event
11/2007
EBAY OPENING ISRAELI DEVELOPMENT CENTER BASED ON ACQUISITION OF ISRAELI SHOPPING.COM

11/2007
SPANSION INCORPORATED ACQUIRING ISRAELI SAIFUN SEMICONDUCTORS FOR $368 MILLION
Saifun to be responsible for Spansion's technology licensing business for the next generation product roadmap
11/2007
UK INTERNET BROKERAGE COMPANY, ICAP, ACQUIRING ISRAELI FINANCIAL SOFTWARE COMPANY, TRAIANA FOR $247 MILLION
Company's online services system considered benchmark in foreign currency trading
11/2007
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM'S CHAIRMAN: "WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH ISRAELI COMPANIES"

Chairman of Deutsche Telekom in Israel to visit the company's new R&D center in Beersheva set up jointly with Ben Gurion University.


11/2007
AT&T ACQUIRES ISRAELI INTERWISE FOR $121 MILLION
At&T intends to maintain company as its Israeli R&D center within AT&T Global Business Service
11/2007
ISRAELI RESEARCHERS DEVELOP UPGRADED "GOOGLE TRENDS"
Technology developed by Google's R&D center in Israel improves technology's ability to provide insights into broad search patterns
11/2007
JAPANESE VC COMPANY, CSK, INTENDS TO INVEST $100 MILLION IN ISRAEL
CSK Managing Partner: "Our investment fund . . . hopes to increase the synergy between Japanese and Israeli companies through joint investments in Israeli technology."
11/2007
GOLDMAN SACHS INVESTING $100 MILLION IN ISRAELI MOBILEYE
Mobileye was named by U.S. Red Herring magazine a Top 100 Innovator
11/2007
ISRAELI WATER PURIFICATION COMPANY, BLUE-I, TO INSTALL ITS TECHNOLOGY IN COCA COLA'S FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD

10/2007
US RESEARCH COMPANY, CLEAN EDGE, LISTS ISRAELI AQWISE AMONG "10 TO WATCH" FIRMS
Israeli water purification company was chosen among leading companies, such as GE and Siemens
10/2007
INTEL CAPITAL INVESTING $11 MILLION IN ISRAELI SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANY

Intel Capital, Intel Corporation's investment arm is investing $11 million in Israeli Jordan Valley Semiconductors Ltd.


10/2007
VC COMPANY, GREYLOCK INVESTING IN ISRAELI CLEANTECH
American Greylock Partners announced that it intends on making 3-4 investments in early-stage Israeli cleantech start-ups
10/2007
IVC RESEARCH CENTER: IN THE FIRST 3 QUARTERS OF 2007, ISRAELI HIGH-TECH COMPANIES RAISED $1.256 BILLION
Amount represents a 10% increase over the corresponding period in 2006
10/2007
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL "GLOBAL FINANCE" NAMES STANLEY FISCHER AS ONE OF WORLD'S SEVEN LEADING BANKERS
Stanley Fischer received the highest grade of "A"
10/2007
THE FINANCIAL TIMES STOCK EXCHANGE ADVANCES ISRAEL'S ECONOMIC STATUS TO "DEVELOPED" FROM "EMERGING MARKET"
FTSE new classification lists Israel as the first Middle East country in a group of 24 developed nations
10/2007
EVENTS
RECENT INTERNATIONAL MERGERS AND AQUISITIONS

RECENT INTERNATIONAL MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS[1]

Multinational

Israeli Company

Technology

Date

Sum in $

Life Sciences

Monsanto Co.

Beeologics Ltd.

Biological pest and disease control solutions for bees

10.2011

75 mln

PhotoMedex Inc.

Radiancy Inc.

dermatological products

7.2011

175 mln

Merge Healthcare

Ophthalmic Imaging Systems (OIS) Inc.

ophthalmic digital imaging

6.2011

30 mln

Brainlab

Voyant Health Ltd. (formerly Orthocrat)

Orthopedic imaging

6.2011

10 mln

Align Technology Inc.

Cadent Inc.

Dental Technology

03.2011

190 mln

MacMillan Publishers Ltd

BioData

Web-based lab research management

1.2011

7.5 mln

Roche Holding AG

Medingo Ltd

Insulin delivery system

4.2010

160 mln

Solta Medical Inc

AesThera Corp

Photoneumatic technology

2.2010

5.3 mln

Abbott Laboratories

STARLIMS Technologies Ltd. (LIMS)

Laboratory information management

12.2009

123 mln

Alcon Inc.

Optonol Ltd.

Medical Technology

12.2009

180 mln

Cell Biosciences Inc.

Protein Forest Inc.

Biotechnology

12.2009

*

Ophtalmic Imaging Systems Inc.

Medivision Medical Imaging Ltd.

Medical Imaging for radiology & opthalmology

7.2009

*

St. Jude Medical

Mediguide

Solutions for Intra body Navigation

12.2008

 

 

300 mln

J&J

Omrix

Biopharmaceutical

10.2008

438 mln

 

 

Nobel Biocare

 

 

AlphaBiotech

 

Pharmaceutical

 

 

2.2008

 

 

95 mln

 

 

Amarin

 

Ester Neurosciences

 

 

Biotechnology

 

 

12.2007

 

 

30 mln

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Taro Pharmaceutical Industries

Pharmaceutical

5.2007

454 mln

FuturaGene

CBD

Biotechnology and botany

11.2006

14 mln

TA Associates

Alma Lasers

Medical Lasers

3.2006

90 mln

McKesson Corp. Life Sciences

Medcon Telemedicine Technology Ltd.

Cardiac Imaging

6.2005

105 mln

Ferring Holding SA

Savient

Biopharmecutical

3.2005

80 mln

Perrigo

Agis

Pharmaceutical

11.2004

900 mln

Medical Devices

Claymont Assemblies

Edge Medical Devices

Digital radiography display systems

9.2011

*

GE Healthcare

Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd

CZT detectors

11.2010

9 mln

Procter & Gamble

ConTipi Ltd

Disposable Vaginal devices

9.2010

15 mln

3M Co

HomeFree Systems Ltd

Wireless Resident Monitoring

8.2010

*

Philips Healthcare

CDP Medical Developments Ltd

PACS & CD diagnostic imaging

8.2010

11.75 mln

Medtronic

Ventor Technologies

Aortic prosthesis

 

2.2009

325 mln

Thales SA

CMT Medical

Medical Imaging Equipment

12.2008

30 mln

Neovasc Inc

B-Balloon

Surgical Tools

7.2008

*

Bioness

NESS

Technology to stimulate nerves

6.2007

75 mln

Boston Scientific

Remon Medical

Inter-body wireless communication

6.2007

80 mln

CAIR LGL

DefinitIVe Medical

Intravenous infusion pumps

6.2007

*

Candela

Inolase

Aesthetic laser treatment

3.2007

150 mln

Kyphon

Disc-O-Tech

Medical Technology - Orthopedic Implants

12.2006

220 mln

Medtronic

Odin

Magnetic Resonance (MR) technology

9.2006

9 mlnl

Dentsply

Uri-Dent

Healthcare -Dentistry

7.2006

100 mln over 10 years *

AMS

MedImpulse

Implantable Stimulator Devices

4.2006

50 mln

Stryker

Sightline

Medical Equipment

3.2006

140 mln

West Pharmaceuti

cal Services

Medimop Medical Projects Ltd.

Pharmaceutical Connectors

7.2005

42 mln

Johnson & Johnson

Impulse Dynamics

Healthcare

5.2005

80 mln

Kodak

OREX Radiography

Radiography systems

3.2005

51 mln

Information Technology

Matrix BI

HighView Ltd.

Business Intelligence solutions

9.2011

*

Wave Systems

Safend Ltd

Endpoint data loss prevention

9.2011

13 mln

Twitter

Julpan Inc

Social information analysis

9.2011

45 mln

Tyco International

Visonic Ltd

Home security systems

9.2011

99 mln

eBay Inc

Appchee Applications (the Gifts Project)

Social commerce applications

9.2011

25 mln

Intel

GraphTech Computer Systems (Hoot)

Advanced video graphics

8.2011

*

Salesforce

Navajo Systems (formerly Confidato)

Real-time data security system for cloud computing

8.2011

30 mln

F5 Networks

Crescendo Networks

Application delivery for web properties

8.2011

5.6 mln

ValueClick

Dotomi Ltd

Internet

8.2011

295 mln

Newport Corp.

Ophir Optronics Ltd.

optical equipment

7.2011

230 mln

S1 Corp

Fundtech Ltd.

financial transaction processing software

6.2011

325 mln

DG FastChannel (DGIT)

MediaMind Technologies Inc. (formerly EyeBlaster)

digital advertising campaign management solutions

6.2011

517 mln

VMware Inc.

Digital Fuel Technologies Inc.

SaaS IT financial management solutions

6.2011

120 mln

eBay

Magento Inc. (formerly Varien)

open-source e-commerce platform

6.2011

95 mln

Teakwood Capital

Clockwork Solutions Ltd.

Life cycle predictive analytics

6.2011

7 mln

Jive Software Inc.

OffiSync Ltd.

Tool bar development

5.2011

30 mln

EnQii

Minicom Digital Signage (MDS) Ltd. (now ComQi)

Misc. technologies

5.2011

merger

Limelight Networks

AcceloWeb

Enterprise Software

05.2011

30 mln

Getty Images

PicScout

Software

04.2011

20 mln

Ybrant Technologies

PicApp

Internet

04.2011

15 mln

McAfee

Sentrigo

Security

03.2011

50 mln

GroupOn Inc

Grouper Social Shopping Ltd

Social shopping

1.2011

15 mln

Juniper Networks

Altor Networks Inc.

Virtualization security

12.2010

95 mln

Nuance Communications

Persay Inc.

Voice biometrics

11.2010

16 mln

Qualcomm Innovation Center

iSkoot Ltd.

Mobile social networks software

10.2010

70 mln

Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

Graphic Remedy Ltd.

Graphic Processing

10.2010

5 mln

Yahoo! Inc.

Dapper Inc.

Display advertising

10.2010

55 mln

The McGraw-Hill Companies

Tegrity Inc.

Educational software

10.2010

30 mln

America Online Inc

5min Ltd.

Video content syndication

9.2010

65 mln

MerchantCircle Inc.

TimeBridge Inc.

Web-based meeting scheduling

9.2010

*

Google Inc

MentorWage Technologies Ltd (Quiksee)

3D Visualization

9.2010

12 mln

Intel Corp.

Neocleus Inc

PC Virtualisation

9.2010

1 mln

3M Co.

Attenti ltd (Dmatek)

Remote People Monitoring

8.2010

230 mln

IBM Corp.

Storwize Inc

Data Compression

7.2010

140 mln

Boeing Network & Space Systems

Narus Inc.

Real-time Traffic intelligence – IP network protection

7.2010

70 mln

Trustwave Holdings Inc

Breach Security Inc

Web application integrity & security

6.2010

*

Bitstream Inc

Press-Sense Ltd.

Business Flow Automation systems

5.2010

6.5 mln

Connectiva Systems Inc.

Olista Ltd.

Service Adoption Management

5.2010

*

Google

LabPixies Ltd

Personalised website gadgets

4.2010

25 mln

Genie Ltd.

FutureIT Ltd

IT

4.2010

0.2 mln