Israel Tech Startups and Innovations: Weekly Roundup January 11 – January 17, 2025

Tel Aviv at sunset, Israel

Israel Tech Startups and Innovations: Weekly Roundup January 11 – January 17, 2025
New Startups / VC Funding
How to Make Your Network More Secure: Orchid Security’s New Identity-First Platform | Israeli Startup Guide
Orchid Security, an Israeli startup and rising innovator in identity-first security orchestration, announced a $36 million seed funding round today. The investment was co-led by Team8 and Intel Capital, with participation from CapitalOne and prominent industry figures including Jeff Williams (FireEye, Cisco, McAfee), Dror Davidoff (Aqua), and Zohar Alon (Dome9, Check Point).

This significant funding will fuel Orchid’s pioneering… Read More Here
Israeli AI Startup Reeco Launches Automated Procurement Platform for Hospitality Industry
Israeli AReeco, an Israeli startup that offers an AI-powered procure-to-pay platform designed for the hospitality sector, has raised $15 million in Series A funding. This investment will accelerate the development of the Reeco platform and support the company’s strategic growth. Reeco’s unified system replaces cumbersome manual processes like spreadsheets, punchout systems, and GL coding, streamlining key back-of-house operations.

The platform enables users to quickly purchase from any contracted vendor, manage recipes and track real-time food costs, and automate I Startup Reeco Launches Automated Procurement Platform for Hospitality Industry… Read More Here

Israel’s Momentick Offers AI-Powered Carbon Emissions Risk Platform for Insurance Industry
Israeli startup Momentick, a trailblazer in emissions intelligence, has secured an additional $5 million in funding to revolutionize the insurance industry with cutting-edge emissions risk management solutions. The investment, spearheaded by FinTLV Ventures and bolstered by the Menomadin Foundation and TAU Ventures, marks a significant milestone for the company. This funding comes on the heels of a groundbreaking proof-of-concept with Sompo Japan, setting the stage for Momentick to redefine how insurers tackle emissions-related risks in… Read More Here

Israeli AI-Powered Real Estate Planning Platform Qbiq Launches Space Visualization Tool
Qbiq, an Israeli startup that offers a visualization platform using GenAI for real estate space planning, raised $16 million in a Series A round of funding led by global software investor Insight Partners. qbiq’s software enables non-architects and architect users alike to immediately plan, visualize and optimize any given space.

Founded in 2019 by Solnik, Elad Kaminer, and Noam Diamantstein, qbiq says that its platform accelerates real estate space planning… Read More Here

Politics
Israel Security Report 2024: 18,365 Terror Attacks Result in 134 Deaths and 1,277 Injuries
The National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office of Israel has released its 2024 Annual Summary Report on Terrorism Against Israel. This report consolidates data and information from the IDF, Israel Police, the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), and emergency and rescue authorities. It is distributed to all official Israeli public diplomacy bodies and serves as the authoritative source of data for hasbara efforts.

Last year, Israel was attacked from seven fronts: Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and from within Israel. The number of terrorist attacks in 2024… Read More Here
Global Anti-Semitism Survey 2024: ADL Study Reveals 47% of World Population Shows Anti-Jewish Bias 

Nearly half of the global population holds elevated levels of anti-Semitic attitudes, according to the latest Global 100 survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), conducted in collaboration with Ipsos and other research partners. The survey revealed that 46% of the world’s adult population—approximately 2.2 billion people—harbor deeply entrenched anti-Semitic views. This marks a more than twofold increase since ADL’s first worldwide survey a decade ago and represents the highest level of antisemitism recorded in the organization’ … Read More Here

IPOs and Unicorns
Israeli Trading Platform eToro Plans $5 Billion IPO on US Stock Market
eToro, the trailblazing Israeli-founded retail trading platform, has set its sights on the public market with a bold stride forward. The company has confidentially submitted filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), signaling its intent to go public in a move that could reshape the financial trading landscape. According to the Financial Times, the anticipated initial public offering (IPO), potentially slated for the second quarter of 2025, is projected to catapult eToro’s valuation to an astonishing $5 billion. This milestone marks a defining chapter in eToro’s journey as a global fintech… Read More Here

Science/Culture
First Temple Period: Rare Ritual Structure Discovered in Jerusalem’s City of David
In a breathtaking discovery, a mysterious structure has emerged from the ancient depths of the City of David, unearthed by the Israel Antiquities Authority on the eastern slope of Jerusalem Walls National Park. This enigmatic site, carved into the living rock, reveals eight chambers holding relics that whisper of sacred rituals: an altar, a standing stone (masseba), an oil press, and a winepress—each imbued with the echoes of a long-lost era.

In a groundbreaking article published in ‘Atiqot, excavation director Eli Shukron unveils a tantalizing theory: this structure served as a sacred space for the people of Judah, a sanctuary where cultic and religious practices once flourished. The discovery casts a haunting light on the spiritual life of an ancient civilization, bringing the secrets of their devotion closer to our grasp. This exceptional... Read More Here

Mergers and Acquisitions

Lenovo Acquires Israeli Storage Company Infinidat in First Israeli Acquisition

Lenovo Acquires Israeli Storage Company Infinidat in First Israeli Acquisition
Lenovo Acquires ILenovo has made a bold leap in its global expansion, announcing a definitive agreement to acquire Israeli startup Infinidat Ltd., a renowned provider of high-end enterprise storage solutions. This landmark deal, Lenovo’s first acquisition in Israel, marks a pivotal step in the company’s ambitious growth strategy. By integrating Infinidat’s cutting-edge technology, Lenovo aims to revolutionize its enterprise storage portfolio, delivering innovative solutions tailored to the dynamic demands of modern data centers. This move solidifies Lenovo’s position as a global leader in technology, underscoring its unwavering commitment tosraeli Storage Company Infinidat in First Israeli Acquisition… Read More Here

Chainalysis Acquires Israeli AI Fraud Detection Firm Alterya to Combat Crypto Scams

Chainalysis Acquires Israeli AI Fraud Detection Firm Alterya to Combat Crypto Scams
Chainalysis, a company that offers cryptocurrency investigation and compliance solutions, has acquired Israeli startup Alterya, the AI-powered fraud detection solution that identifies scammers before they meet their victims. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Calcalist estimated that the purchase price is around $150 million.

Founded in 2022 by Elad Fouks (CEO) and Shahaf Gonen (CTO), Alterya specializes in preventing Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud, with a particular emphasis on cryptocurrency and real-time payment networks. This type of fraud… Read More Here

Jared Kushner’s Affinity Fund Gets Israeli Approval to Buy Phoenix Financial Shares
In a high-stakes move with striking geopolitical undertones, Israel’s Capital Market, Insurance, and Savings Authority has granted its approval for the sale of shares in Phoenix Financial Ltd. to the Affinity Fund, controlled by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

This pivotal decision, issued just hours before the expiration of an option to acquire 4.95% of the insurance giant’s shares, cements Affinity Fund’s position as a dominant force in Phoenix. With the approval, the… Read More Here