Author: OurCrowd

8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Medical Marijuana Tech (4/8)

8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Medical Marijuana Tech (4/8)

Dec 20, 2014 | , ,

As Israel observes Hanukkah – a celebration of the light among the darkness – it’s time to highlight the tech trends creating sparks within the Startup Nation. Note, these trends are based on our deal flow – what our team sees on the ground. Trend 4/8: Medical Marijuana Tech How a trend is born:  Medical & recreational marijuana is lighting up the market – by some estimates, total sales of ‘Mary Jane’ may reach as high as $100 billion in the US alone in the next few years. The legal cannabis industry is poised to grow faster than smartphones according to the Huffington Post. And tokers can exhale a sigh of relief knowing that this rapid growth is due largely to new groundbreaking laws enacted in recent years that enable the production and sale of marijuana. Who’s who:  Israel can be thought of as the perfect breeding ground for medical marijuana companies, as it’s the place many people call the medical marijuana research capital of the world. The three main business categories within the cannabis industry are growers, grow services, and technology companies. Studies...

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8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Crowdsourcing Finance (3/8)

8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Crowdsourcing Finance (3/8)

Dec 19, 2014 | , ,

As Israel observes Hanukkah – a celebration of the light among the darkness – it’s time to highlight the tech trends creating sparks within the Startup Nation. Note, these trends are based on our deal flow – what our team sees on the ground. Trend 3/8: Crowdsourcing Finance How a trend is born:  Banks and startups: the two worlds could hardly be further apart. It’s obvious even on the surface: Banks are colossal institutions, conservative in nature, often centuries of history. Startups hire minimal staff and are innovative – and fledgling – businesses. So why are some of the world’s major financial institutions heading to Tel Aviv to set up start-up accelerators? The answer: Fintech (financial technology). In the most recent development of the Startup Nation, the Israeli fintech space has earned the attention of banking institutions both in Israel and abroad. While there have been some notable success stories (Fundtech, Nice Systems and now, Check), Israel isn’t particularly famous for its fintech startups. While Tel Aviv has become almost legendary for its innovation and entrepreneurship, it is less known for its financial institutions. Not anymore. According to a recent report,...

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8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Internet of Things (2/8)

8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Internet of Things (2/8)

Dec 18, 2014 | , ,

As Israel observes Hanukkah – a celebration of the light among the darkness – it’s time to highlight the tech trends creating sparks within the Startup Nation. Note, these trends are based on our deal flow – what our team sees on the ground. Trend 2/8: Internet of Things How a trend is born:  Let’s talk impressive numbers: There are already more than 10 billion systems connected to the Internet (IDC) and by 2020 there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things (Gartner). If you haven’t heard the term by now, Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the climbing trend of connecting “dumb” devices through an internet connection to collect and utilize actionable intelligence about everyday life.  Who’s who:  In Israel, Sensibo: Sensibo is a tiny device that connects air conditioners to the internet. It can be used with any A/C that has a remote control. Milla: Milla is a platform on which internet of everything devices can connect and interact, a consumer-facing interface layer for unified control of diverse devices and applications, and a marketplace for applications that operate devices across...

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OurCrowd’s Jon Medved featured on Fox News: “Is Israel the next Silicon Valley?”

OurCrowd’s Jon Medved featured on Fox News: “Is Israel the next Silicon Valley?”

Dec 18, 2014 | , , , ,

Yesterday, OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved was interviewed by Fox News’ KT McFarland about Israel’s developing tech sector. His company is seen as funding the next generation of Israeli Startups through both equity-based and donation-based crowdfunding. Cooperation with the U.S. is seen as a driving force behind the boost in exports. Medved says he is co-investing with several American companies in the auto and telecommunications industries, among others, on new development projects. In the interview, Jon discussed the Israel tech industry boom, its record year in startup investments, Israeli technology innovations that are changing the lives of many worldwide, and the Startup Nation’s strong partnership with the US.   View the video below or play it on Fox News here. Watch the latest video at...

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8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Online Lending (1/8)

8 Israeli Tech Trends, 8 Crazy Nights 2014: Online Lending (1/8)

Dec 17, 2014 | , ,

As Israel observes Hanukkah – a celebration of the light among the darkness – it’s time to highlight the tech trends creating sparks within the Startup Nation. Note, these trends are based on our deal flow – what our team sees on the ground. Trend 1/8: Online Lending How a trend is born:  According to estimates, lending institutions generate $870+ billion each year in fees and interest from over $3.2 trillion in lending. The lending industry is larger than the automobile and airline industries combined! Here’s the issue: the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009, when consumers and small businesses needed access to credit more than ever, many banks stopped offering loans and lines of credit. The combination of this liquidity crunch, new bank regulations and increased dissatisfaction with the quality and cost of banking services resulted in significant friction in the traditional lending industry and set the stage for the emergence of one of the hottest sectors of innovation in the world today: alternative finance and online lending. Who’s who:  In Israel, not only are companies aiming to build the online lending...

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