The Start-Up Nation’s Hall of Fame

NDS, an Israeli start-up initially acquired by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation in 1992 is the world’s leading provider encryption software currently employed, according to The Guardian “by a third of the world's pay-TV operators” to deliver “content to subscribers' digital video recorders, tablets, smart phones and other devices.” This acquisition had been the largest one Cisco undertook in the past seven years. The company acquired NDS operation in Britain, France, Israel, China, and India.

The Mercury Interactive Corporation, a leading IT management and software corporation founded by Israelis Amnon Landan and Arye Finegold in 1989. While based in California, the firm’s major R&D operations were based in Israel. In 2006, Hewlett-Packard (HP) acquired Mercury in 2006. In an official press release, then HP CEO Mark Hurst noted that in acquiring Mercury, the two firms will be “combining two market-leading businesses to create the most powerful management software portfolio in the industry.”

M-Systems was an Israeli startup founded by Dov Moran in 1989 to produce flash memory. In 1995, M-systems developed and patented the first flash drive, dubbed “disk on key”. In acquiring M-Systems, San Disk CEO Eli Harrari explained, “the acquisition would accelerate its pace of innovation — specifically, bringing SanDisk closer to handset manufacturers and mobile operators.”

Waze was an Israeli start-up whose navigation software incorporates social features to enhance the efficacy of driving direction. Software engineer Uri Levine, Ehud Shabtai, and Amir Shinar, founded Waze in 2008. In June 2012 Waze updates its software “to provide real-time fuel prices with updates submitted by users.” Since November 2012, “Waze offers resellers and advertisers a web interface to advertise based on locations where a small icon will appear on a given location for an interested Wazer to engage into the ads offered by them.”

Retalix was an Israeli startup that is now a “leading global provider of innovative, integrated software solutions and services for high volume retailers and distributors – including supermarkets, groceries, convenience, fuel, health and drug, and department stores.” Retalix sought to create services that help manage and simplify retail processes, strengthen brand differentiation, and “improve the shopper experience as well as build loyalty between customers and companies.”

DG, the world’s leading ad management and distribution platform, is uniquely positioned to help our customers win through powerful technology, stellar services and the delivery of innovative and effective multiscreen advertising. MediaMind’s objective was “all about helping advertisers deliver their message across every channel - be it TV, online video, display or mobile.” MediaMind operates in the global online advertising market, which is worth about $71 billion. With its base in New York, “MediaMind has 37 sales and representation offices covering 64 countries. In 2010, the company delivered campaigns for 9,000 brand owners using 3,800 media and creative agencies across 8,200 global web publishers in 64 countries.”

Zoran is a leading provider of digital solutions in the digital entertainment and digital imaging market. The previous Israeli startup has developed “high-performance digital audio and video, imaging applications, and Connect Share Entertain™ technologies for the digital home.” Currently Zoran creates chips that are used in various consumer electronics “including DVD players, DVD recorders, HDTV, Digital Cameras and Set-top boxes, for example the Coach image processor/video processor line.” CSR, a U.K. personal wireless technology provider, bought Zoran for $484 million in 2011.

Intucell was founded in 2008 with a “mission to change mobile network management as we know it.” Today the company’s SON (Self Optimizing Network) systems are the most advanced in the world are integrated by a number of top mobile operators worldwide. It was bough in 2011 by Cisco, whose acquisition was said to exemplify its “commitment to global service providers by adding a critical network intelligence layer to manage and optimize spectrum, coverage and capacity, and ultimately the mobile experience.”

Rosetta Green develops improved plant traits for the agriculture and biofuel industries, using unique genes called microRNAs. The company specializes in the identification and use of these unique genes that function as "main bio-switches" to control key processes in major crops such as corn, wheat, rice, soybean, cotton, canola and algae. The company sold its activity to seed giant Monsanto for $35 million, which is roughly double the company’s market value.

Design Art was an Israeli based company that developed system-on-chip and software products to allow for operators to expand the data capacity of their networks. It was considered a leader in the design of modems and small communication cells for cellular base stations and high-speed wireless backhaul infrastructure. Chipmaker Qualcomm based in San Diego acquired the company in 2012 for $150 million.

Metal-Tech is a leading international provider of technologically driven and environmentally minded solutions for recycling metals and manufacturing specialty metal chemicals from industrial wastes, amongst which are Tungsten Products, Molybdenum Products and Recycling Services. The company’s objective was to transform a wide range of mined materials, tailings, industrial sludge, waste and scrap into commercially valuable products. Advanced Medical Technologies acquired metal-Tech in 2011 for an undisclosed amount.

Broadlight is a fabless semiconductor company which designs, manufactures and markets Fiber Access and embedded processors System-on-a-chip. BroadLight operates in the broadband telecommunication operators’ market with products for fiber broadband, fixed and mobile networks for homes and carriers. Broadcam acquired Broadlight in 2012 for $230 million.

Plastro Irrigation Systems Ltd. was an Israeli manufacturer of irrigation products that focused on irrigation solutions within the dynamic irrigation market, on efficient use of water resources and fertilizers to increase yields. Its products included drip emitters, sprayers, sprinklers, foggers, mist sprayers, and accessories. Deer & Company became third largest worldwide in agricultural irrigation in 2008 after acquiring Plastro.

Na’an Dan Irrigation Ltd. is the leading global producer and provider of tailor-made irrigation solutions. The company offers the widest range of cost-effective and customized technologies across more than 100 countries worldwide. Before acquired, Na’an Dan designed “high quality solutions that deliver increased productivity per unit of resources” with the intention to drive higher crop yields, minimize risks, and save non-renewable resources. Jain Irrigation systems bought 50% of the company for almost $40 million.

CyOptics, Inc. was a leader in Indium Phosphide (InP) optical chip and component technologies for the data communications and telecommunications markets. Its products include planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) for optical networks in telecommunications and defense applications. Avago Technologies, a California-based company with interface components for communications, industrial and consumer applications, acquired the company for $400 million in 2013.

iOnRoad™ improves driving in real-time using advanced computer vision algorithms and smart-phone cameras. The iOnRoad Android and iOS Apps provides a range of personal driving assistance functions including augmented driving, collision warning and “black-box” like video recording and have generated close to a million downloads. It was acquired by HARMAN for an estimated $10 million in 2013 after only being launched for a year.

BlogTV was a live-streaming video website based in Israel that was established in 2004 by CEO Oren Levy. Its objective was to supply anyone with Internet access a way to express his or her talents and ideas to the world. It officially “launched in June 2007 to America and the rest of the world. Users could create live video shows, interact with their audiences or invite co-hosts (adults only) to join their show over the Internet or by using webcam.” In 2013, YouNow bought the company for an undisclosed amount.

Nolio is the leading application release operations with a mission to help its customers achieve agile operations and meet the growing challenges and complexities of deploying to multiple environments, from development to production. Nolio's customers rely on the application to “automate application deployment, maintenance, remediation and recovery processes.” CA technologies acquired the company in 2013 for $40 million.

Utopy delivers workforce optimization solutions, including industry-leading speech and text analytics and innovative voice of the customer applications. Genesys, a leading provider of customer service and contact center solutions acquired UTOPY in January 2013. The company was in 1999 by Roy Twesky, a co-founder and former director of Blumberg Capital and Dr. Yochai Konig of the Stanford Research Institute.

Anobit provides “flash storage solutions for the Enterprise and Mobile markets.” Its MSP™ (Memory Signal Processing) technology significantly improves the endurance, performance and cost of flash storage products and systems. Anobit's products are used by world leading flash manufacturers, consumer electronics vendors and storage system providers. Apple acquired Anobit in 2011 for $390 million.

Prolor Biotech is a “biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing longer-acting proprietary versions of already approved therapeutic proteins.” They seek to help stabilize the therapy in the bloodstream and extend its lifespan without additional toxicity or loss of desired biological activity. In 2013, OPKO Inc. acquired PROLOR for approximately $480 million.

Pando Networks is a peer-to-peer distribution platform. It uses cloud to disseminate media like videos, games, etc. There is also a large file-sending feature for businesses on a premium basis. Microsoft acquired Pando in 2013 for a reported sum of $11 million. The company was founded in 2004 by serial entrepreneur Robet Levitan and Yaron Samid.

AeroScout tracks people and objects online through Wifi based networks. The company offers solutions to large companies like Boeing, Freescale Semiconductor, Continental Tire and hundreds of hospitals globally. AeroScout was founded by CEO Yuval Bar-Gil in 1999. The company was acquired in 2012 by Stanley Black & Decker for $239 million.

Amobee is a world leading in mobile advertising solutions. It serves as a platform for mobile advertisers and operators to monetize. Founded in 2005, by Gil Shulman, Saul Rurka and Zohar Lefkovitz, the company was acquired by SingTel in 2012 for $321 million.

Telmap is a world leader in mobile location-based services that are fully designed to open new business opportunities and generate new revenue streams. Telmap’s product, the Mobile Location Companion, “caters to all users’ needs while out and about, with location central to everything: social interactions, deals and promotions, exploration of one’s surroundings, and more.” Intel acquired Telmap in 2011 for $300 million.