Israel Innovation 2.0

During the week of February 21, 2010, news broke that Al Gore’s investment firm invested in Israeli road-safety tech company, GreenRoad. Currensee raised $8 million and innovate!2010 in Tel Aviv was announced. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

Cleantech
1. GreenRoad raises $10M from Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management

2. Terra Venture Partners Billed Israel’s Most Active Venture Capital Investor in 2009

Investments and M&A
3. $8 Million Series B For FOREX Social Network Currensee

4. Critical mass at core of Israel’s tech prowess

Information Technology
5. Moving HQ overseas: Rony Ross, Panorama Software (Interview)

6. Actimize, a NICE Company, Positioned in Leaders Quadrant of Magic Quadrant for Web Fraud Detection

Miscellaneous
7. startup contest innovate!2010 coming back to tel aviv

8. Why aren’t there more women in startups? Some new data.

Rony Ross

Last month I posted an interview with Rony Ross about being a successful woman in technology. Aside from this, we also discussed in depth the business intelligence software company that she founded, Panorama Software, including its growth over the years, business intelligence (BI) trends and what we can expect from Panorama this year. Here is that part of our discussion.

Panorama Software was founded in 1993 and moved its headquarters to North America in 2003, what factors went into the decision to move the headquarters?
In 2002, Panorama realized that the marketplace for its products is growing and decided to become a global company. We decided we needed a North American presence, including sales, marketing, support, finance and product management and that moving the headquarters to North America was a logical step.

We evaluated various locations, and were determined to concentrate on locations that had daily direct flights to Israel. One of Panorama’s directors suggested Toronto, Canada. It was deemed a great choice, both for the favorable (at the time) value of the Canadian Dollar vs. the US dollar, as well as having daily direct flights to Israel.

What steps did the move entail?
A few people relocated to Toronto, including myself and Eynav Azarya who has since become Panorama’s CEO. We recruited quite a lot of people in Toronto, as well as in various locations in the US. We moved our finance operations, as well as our Marketing, Product Management and parts of our Worldwide support.

Panorama Pivot Table for Google Docs

What are some of the BI trends that we can expect to see in 2010?
I believe that in 2010 we shall see Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) BI picking up and becoming an option of choice for many organizations as a way to extend their BI deployment within and outside the firewall. Many organizations will adopt a hybrid strategy, where they will be running applications on the cloud while maintaining full control and ownership of data on-premise.

What can we expect to see from Panorama Software in 2010?
Panorama will deliver great BI solutions that are based on Microsoft Office, SQL and SharePoint platforms. Our goal for 2010 is to extend the use of these great products, while providing an even better end user experience and enabling enterprise companies to deploy an end-to-end BI solution for the organization. We will also release a new version of our SaaS BI module.

Rony Ross

There is an ongoing discussion in Israel about women in the sciences and technology and the conditions women find themselves in in the field. The discussion was renewed by the Jerusalem Post in October 2009 after Israel’s Ada Yonath won the Nobel Prize in chemistry when it published a piece on the difficulties of receiving research grants and getting a fair salary in Israel. Shortly thereafter I continued my series on women in tech with a post about some of the unique challenges that women face in Israel.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Rony Ross, the founder and current chairwoman of Panorama Software, a business intelligence software company. Ross was born and raised in Israel and overcame challenges as a female entrepreneur to grow Panorama into the successful company that it is today.

Around what age did you become interested in technology?
I excelled in mathematics as a teenager, and shortly thereafter got interested in computer software. I studied Mathematics and Computer Science for my B. Sc and M.S degrees. While working on my Masters dissertation at the Weizmann Institute of Science, my professor, Amir Pnueli (winner of the Turing Award), offered me to join the software development department of one of the first hi-tech companies in Israel – SciTex. I went to visit the SciTex facility, and what I saw was so amazing and compelling that I could not believe someone was going to pay me in order to work in something that looked to be so much fun.

How did you get into the field?
I worked in Software Development, got my MBA degree in parallel, and moved to senior IT management positions. It was only after 40 that I became an entrepreneur and started my own business. A couple of years later, while working on other projects, we hit upon the idea of developing a product in the Business Intelligence field. This product developed into Panorama – a very compelling offering in the online analytical processing (OLAP) side of the Business Intelligence domain. We sold the product successfully to over 50 of the Israeli Fortune 100 companies in under 2 years. Then we met with Microsoft and they loved the product so much they offered to buy the company after the first 3 hours of the meeting. This became the first classic “exit” of an Israeli software company selling to a US software giant.

What obstacles have you faced as a female founder of a company?
When I was developing my first product I tried to raise capital from venture capitalists and failed. I had a very competitive product in a growing field, with established, paying customers who could testify to the value proposition, with a good business plan,  etc. I tried practically all the VCs who were in business at the time – and failed with all of them. I believe that this failure is largely due to the fact that I am a woman entrepreneur. A guy with the same credential would have succeeded. (Of course, this impediment became a blessing when I sold the technology to Microsoft and had no VC to share the income with…)

In recent years, have you seen more or less women going into technology?
When I studied Mathematics, almost half the students were women. There were a lot of women in IT in the period that preceded the PC’s. However, with the outbreak of the early home PC’s , there was a distinct advantage to youngsters with affinity to technical skills (even manual technical skills), and I find that young girls are less interested in disassembling and assembling technical kits. So for many years girls felt “excluded” from the Computer Science field, and opted for other careers. Still, many found their way eventually into hi tech in various positions – but very few made it to the top. However, in recent years I’ve seen a surge of young female entrepreneurs, especially in the Internet arena, which is a very promising sign.

What do you think can be done to get more women in Israel in technology?
Education, education, education. The key is to raise the awareness of girls from an early age about the advantages of making a career in technology fields. These are top paying jobs, and women should target them.

During the week of August 9, 2009, Crescendo Networks, which enhances the Web application delivery process, announced that it raised $5 million in funding and will move it’s headquarters to Menlo Park.  SiSense announced the release of PrismCubed, it’s new business intelligence product aimed at small businesses, and MyHeritage, the free family genealogy Website, released its latest version of Family Tree Builder. For more on these and the rest of this week’s 10 Israel-related headlines, check below.

Cleantech
1. Shai Agassi, Israel’s Homegrown Electric Car Pioneer: On the Road to Oil Independence

2. Tigo Energy finalist in two US gov’t tenders

Investment
3. Getting R&D together

4. Crescendo Networks raises $5M, moves HQ to Menlo Park

Information Technology
5. Who Needs Graphics? Create Charts in SQL

6. GamaSec Announced Zero Day Project To Fight Explosion in Web Attacks

7. SiSense Beefs Up SMB BI Tool

Miscellaneous
8. Globalization of Technology Ventures: Lessons from Israel

9. MyHeritage Releases New Version of Family Tree Builder

10. Israeli rocker Asaf Avidan signs on with Sony Columbia records

Magic Software Enterprises, Ltd., a provider of application platforms and business and process integration solutions, announced yesterday the general availability of  its latest SaaS offering for CRM, the Data Replicator for Salesforce.com. 

Designed to provide automatic, real-time data back-up for organizations using Salesforce.com, Data Replicator allows organizations to now “rapidly and easily reproduce any snapshot of their Salesforce.com data and make it available on their on-premise databases.” By doing such, organizations can leverage their Salesforce.com data for better reporting, forecasting and regulatory compliance. 

The Data Replicator for Salesforce.com is part of Magic Software’s iBOLT business and process integration product line and can be used for business intelligence, data storage and data mining needs. 

Below is an video overview from a few months ago of the iBolt for Salesforce.com suite. 

Product information for the Data Replicator for Salesforce.com can be found on the Magic Software site here.

I meant to write about WorkLight last month but got caught up with things. As what happens every few weeks though, my attention has quickly been drawn back to the company again. In Jon Brodkin’s post on Network World earlier today, he listed the “Secure Web 2.0 for Business” Enterprise 2.0 company as one of 10 startups to watch in 2009. I couldn’t agree more.

WorkLight, Inc. seemed to have a stellar year in 2008, and as Web 2.0 in the enterprise continues to grow  in 2009 despite the economic downturn, there’s no reason not to think that it won’t repeat it, and more. Since the company first showed up on my radar as one of two Israeli demonstrators at the 2007 DemoGermany conference in Munich, the company has raised an impressive round of funding, been chosen as one of the top 10 web startups in Israel’s version of the TechCrunch and Demo conferences and just last month, and partnered with NetVibes to develop secure widgets for the enterprise among other news about the company.

The company’s software is customized for specific industries and, as such, has helped simplify and accelerate the embracing and integration of Web 2.0 in the enterprise. On its website, the company explains itself and its offerings as follows: 

“WorkLight® Inc. develops server software products that help businesses reach customers, channels, employees, and partners securely in the places they frequent online, such as iGoogle, Windows Live, desktop widgets, RSS readers, Facebook, even the Apple iPhone. Through WorkLight, people effortlessly get valuable information they desire, such as account status, product availability, or updates about their latest transactions. They can then take actions, for example order products or services, respond to promotions or offers, and consult with colleagues, without having to log into a portal or corporate web site. As such, WorkLight transforms consumer interfaces into enterprise-grade business tools that directly increase revenue.”

Here is an image from the site of how its products work.

Additionally, I’ve created a timeline of some of the WorkLight news that caught my attention in 2008

Company Facts

Founded in 2006.

Based in New York and Yakum, Israel.

Shahar Kaminitz, CEO and Co-Founder.

Doron Somer, Vice President of R&D.

Products: WorkBook, WorkLight for SAP, WorkLight for Technology Companies and WorkLight for Business Services.

Competitors include: Awareness Inc. and NewsGator Technologies Inc.

Customer industries: financial services, retail banking, manufacturing, book publishing, technology and IT services and utilities

Website: myworklight.com

In early November, Deloitte Brightman Almagor Zohar, a professional services firm under the interational Deloitte brand in Israel, released its annual list of Israel’s top 50 fastest growing technology companies for 2008 based on percentage revenue growth over a five-year period. Sixteen software companies ranging from security to finance to storage made the list. Below is the top 10 software companies on the list (all in the top 30) and a little more about them. Will you be using any of these companies’s technologies in 2009? 

GigaSpaces Technologies

GigaSpaces Technologies was founded in 2000 and offers an alternative to traditional application-servers for Java and .Net environments. Its eXtreme Application Platform (XAP) allows businesses and developers to easily scale and improve performance at low cost while leveraging virtual environments such as clouds and grids. Its customers include DowJones, Virgin Mobile, Bank Leumi and Webster.

Commtouch Software

Founded in 1991, Commtouch develops software to protect e-mail by offering spam and Zero-Hour™ virus outbreak protection. Its anti-spam solutions feature its Recurrent Pattern Detection (RPD) technology and have been licensed by over 80 security and messaging vendors and providers including Aladdin, Check Point, Fujitsu and LG N-Sys

Red Bend software

Red Bend Software is considered to be a market leader in Mobile Software Management and Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) update solutions. Founded in 1999,  Red Bend Software offers solutions that give phone users more control over what software components they want on their phones while also increasing the data service revenues of phone carriers. The main solutions include firmware updates, software component updates and data management.

El Far Electronics Systems 2000

Founded in 1986, El Far is the longest-established software company on the list and the lone defense company. El Far provides defense security systems offering integrated software for site management and decision making support. Its Integer software can be used for  managing anything from access control systems to fire alarms to infra red sensors.

InfoGin

InfoGin was founded in 2000 by Eran Wyler after he foresaw the “need for surfing the real Internet on any mobile device.” Over the years, InfoGin has become a leader in “Web-to-mobile content adaptation, enabling mobile users to access any Web site they desire, optimized to their mobile device.” The company’s Internet Mobile Platform (IMP) technology is currently being implemented by several major companies, including Virgin Mobile (UK) and MapQuest.

Actimize

Around since 1999 and a NICE Systems Ltd. company since 2007, Actimize  is a transactional risk management software company offering solutions in anti-money laundering, fraud prevention, and brokerage compliance. Its technology includes the Risk Case Manager, Visual Modeler and Analytics Server.

Modelity Technologies Inc.

Established in 2000, Modelity Technologies offers a financial modeling and portfolio analytics platform for financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies, to stay competitive and improve their performance.  Its products include Modelity/Advisor, Modelity/Funds and Modelity/Structures. 

FibroLAN

Since 1996, FibroLAN has developed integrated fiber-optic broadband access systems that allow organizations in the corporate and carrier markets that are dispersed over metropolitan areas access to the Internet and their Intranets at fast speeds. Its MA and MetroStar technologies both provide the benefit of low-cost remote management. MetroStar has been used by Telstra and the Los Angeles MTA.

Discretix Technologies

Discretix was founded in 2000 and is the largest single company in the world dedicated to embedded security. Focusing on consumer electronics products that are portable, such as mobile phones and mp3 players, Discretix offers additional security solutions for them that manufacturers can’t provide due to limited resources. Its main products, CryptoCell and CryptoFlash are deployed by major manufacturers such as SonyEricsson, Motorola, Samsung and SanDisk.

Exanet 

Founded in 2000, Exanet is a data storage solutions company offering enterprise companies the latest processing technology that is scalable in capacity and performance, with low cost of ownership. Its product, ExaStore 2008 holds the world record for storage performance and its customers include BBC, Stanford University, and the National Library of France.  

There may be trouble lurking around the corner for Israel’s economy given the current instability of the global economy, but it hasn’t entirely stopped investments being made in Israeli companies and probably won’t. During the week of September 21, 2008, there were announcements of funds being raised in several sectors of Israel’s hit-tech industry, with the most impressive one by far being the $63M in fourth round funding that business transaction software provider, OpTier raised. (Of course, as a fourth round, that indicates the company is fairly established so presumably much less a gamble than any seed and early stage startups.) Some other headlines from Israel include Kfar Saba became the first city in Israel to go green, Commtouch received an award for its messaging security technology and HP has chosen the Technion as a research partner. For more on these and the rest of the 16 Israel-related technology headlines from the week of September 21, 2008, check the list below.

Cleantech
1. Kfar Saba becomes first city to go green

2. 21Ventures and Quercus Trust award grant to support solar research at Weizmann Institute

Investments and M&A
3. InstallFree Secures $8.5 Million in VC Funding

4. Adap.tv Lands $13M in Venture Funding

5. Norwest Venture Partners sets it sights on Israel with new appointment

6. OpTier raises $63 million in funding

Information Technology
7. SiSense Launches Pricing and General Availability of Its Prism Business Intelligence Software

8. Jacada Announces General Availability of Jacada® WorkSpace 5.0

9. Frost & Sullivan Honors Commtouch with European Messaging Security Technology Innovation of the Year Award

10. Point-of-Sale Advertising Goes High Tech

Miscellaneous
11. Local economy set to grow 4.5%

12. Israeli Internet Companies Seek Partners in Atlanta

13. How to Expand into the U.S. Market

14. Hi-tech salaries drop as inflation heats up

15. New Worlds: Technion chosen as HP research partner

16. Startup Helps Find What You Weren’t Looking for (SemantiNet)

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Israel’s hi-tech scene was in a bit of a lull during the week of June 29, 2008, perhaps because of July 4th in the United States. The biggest news was about Google AdWords killer, Peer39, which has a semantic search engine that brings back more accurate results and can thus display better ads. It also has the ability to differentiate between positive and negative contexts of words. After Peer39, Microsoft made headlines with two announcements. The first announcement was that it has partnered with Ben-Gurion University and the second was that MSN Israel will now be controlled fully by Microsoft and no longer jointly with Internet Gold. There was also a lot of technology investment-related news that took place. For these and the rest of the 12 technology-related headlines from the week of June 29, 2008, as well as a special bonus check below.

Technology
Microsoft and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev announce agreement

A First Look Inside Peer39 & Its Semantic Advertising Technology

Microsoft to take full charge of MSN Israel

Alvarion® Sets Off First Mobile WiMAX™ Internet Service in the U.S.

Business
Cleantech Index (CTIUS) Expands Globally, Adds 33 New Companies

Israel’s high-tech culture must rejigger, VC says

Options trade points to stronger shekel

VMware Completes Acquisition of B-hive Networks

IncrediMail and Google Sign AdSense Direct Agreement

Metalink files to raise $25m

Miscellaneous
What Determines the Price of Oil?

Destination: San Francisco. And Still NoGoBoingo

Bonus
This past Tuesday, popular Israel Web 2.0 blog, the.co.ils hosted its annual web startup competition, TWS2008. Ten Israeli Web 2.0 companies were selected by an impressive list of judges and gave brief presentations about what they do. Some of the winners included, Nuconomy, Dapper, HiveSight and WorkLight. WorkLight securely brings personalized Web 2.0 into the enterprise. Here are two video clips of part of WorkLight’s presentation:

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership
Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or
inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be
directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.

Coming soon to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dining halls throughout Israel: Automated time and attendance management software developed and supplied by Synel Industries Ltd.

Globes reported earlier this week that the Synel-provided terminals “will include options to define meal times and types” and “are equipped with a printer that issues meal
coupons.” The automated process can keep track of and “identify what meal type has been consumed in
which dining room and on what time.” The intended result will be reduced expenditures on food and food-related administration and the amount of food wasted.

For those IT professionals who aren’t touched by how Synel’s technology can lead to less food waste in the Israeli army, there are plenty of other ways Synel’s products and solutions can be deployed in your company – especially since it is about to be distributed by SYNNEX Corp.

According to the Globes article, Synel recently signed a strategic distribution partnership agreement with SYNNEX Corp that

“will enable Synel to offer its time and attendance and access
control solutions – TimeLOG and Falcon through SYNNEX’s information
technology distribution channel.”

IT professionals looking into better time and attendance management solutions can consider Synel’s TimeLOG for medium organizations and Falcon PRO – a full access control software (including security) for employees and the workplace – for the enterprise.

Company Facts

Founded in 1990.

Gabi Buganim, President and CEO.

David Ashkenazi, V.P. R&D.

Products: TimeLOG Pro, Falcon Pro and Harmony.

Website: www.synel.com.

About the author: Lisa Damast is the Membership
Manager of ebizQ.net and currently resides in Israel. Any questions or
inquiries regarding this blog or ebizQ membership services can be
directed to her via email at ldamast (at) ebizq (dot) net. She can also be followed on Twitter, where she covers additional Israeli technology companies and Israel-related headlines and topics.