Author: wp_archive_user

Find your power within the crowd: Are you in or out?

Find your power within the crowd: Are you in or out?

Sep 8, 2015 | ,

What is more powerful than an angel investor? An angel investor who creates networking opportunities, partnerships and other strategic relationships for their startup investments. We call it crowdbuilding, and it is part of what makes OurCrowd and our investor community stand out. Crowdbuilding strengthens our investor community by leveraging the collective power of the crowd. OurCrowd works together with our portfolio companies to determine key business development introductions and then reaches out to our 10,000 strong global investor base and employee community to identify and build those desired relationships. These efforts have resulted new customers, additional revenue channels, key hires, media publicity and industry expert advisory relationships. By the way, if you’re not yet an OurCrowd investor, or perhaps a member of the greater startup ecosystem with a desire to strengthen budding startups, you’re welcome to join us in these crowdbuilding efforts. Please reach out to me if you have any leads for the companies listed below, or any other of our portfolio companies. Appforma An autonomous marketing platform replacing ad agencies for SMBs. In North America, Appforma is...

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From Bunker to Living Room: 10 Wartime Innovations That Transferred to Civilian Life

From Bunker to Living Room: 10 Wartime Innovations That Transferred to Civilian Life

Sep 3, 2015 |

What do a computer, a microwave, and duct tape have in common? All of these now indispensible items were originally developed for war. Military technology often has widespread applications for civilian life, and thus, it is not uncommon to see the transition from military to commercial use. Though war is no doubt ugly, the high stakes can propel technology forward to accomplish unimaginable feats. Some of the most important technology today was developed not because of desire, but because of necessity. Money, too, is a key reason why major tech breakthroughs occur in the military. With a $637 billion defense budget each year, the United States is able to allot approximately $63.3 billion a year on research, development, and testing. This large sum makes it possible to turn theories into products quickly, whereas low budget inventors may take years to accomplish the same thing. In fact, many military technologies were created when the defense establishment decided to take on projects that had been initiated decades earlier, but never had the proper funding or attention to actualize. Explore ten of...

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The State of BioMed in Israel: Startup Nation celebrates life sciences at IATI’s BioMed 2015

The State of BioMed in Israel: Startup Nation celebrates life sciences at IATI’s BioMed 2015

May 13, 2015 | , ,

Israel’s biomed industry is in full bloom; Don’t believe us? Let the numbers speak for themselves! Here are some stats that paint a quick picture of the industry growth: 1,380: the number of active biomed companies in the Startup Nation, an all-time high. 280: the number of R&D centers operating in Israel for foreign companies, including healthcare, for example: Johnson & Johnson, Philips, General Electric, Merck Serono, Abbott. $801 million: the amount raised from venture capital firms in 2014, which was 24% of all VC investments, showing recovery since the 2008/9 financial crisis. $2.9B: total sum of Israeli life science company acquisitions in 2013-14. Earlier this week, IATI released the 2015 Israel Life Sciences Industry Report that, in addition to the above-mentioned data, outlines the state of the biomed industry in the Startup Nation, including the investment landscape. OurCrowd is rated the “second most active life sciences investor in 2014,” right after VC firm OrbiMedIsrael Partners. With medtech encompassing 21% of OurCrowd’s investment portfolio, it would seem we are in line with the greater VC ecosystem in Israel. This indeed calls for a celebration. Luckily, it just so...

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Lenders, Keepers: An Investor’s Guide to the Online Lending Opportunity

Lenders, Keepers: An Investor’s Guide to the Online Lending Opportunity

Jan 1, 2015 | ,

Something old, something new, something borrowed… is a big opportunity in the online lending market.    In December 2014, investors with a keen eye on the world of fintech witnessed history in the making. First, Lending Club, an online peer-to-peer lending marketplace for unsecured consumer debt, began trading on the NYSE and within the month, had a valuation of over $9 billion. OnDeck, a web-based small business lender, followed suit with their IPO on December 17th, with a valuation at $1.5 billion. Shortly after, KPMG released its recent ranking of the best, most disruptive financial service tech companies. Not surprisingly, Lending Club and OnDeck ranked high in their 50 Best Fintech Innovators Report, at #6 and #7, respectively. That’s just the beginning of the story; there are a lot of reasons why the relatively young online lending industry heated up at the end of 2014 and will power investment opportunities through 2015. Before we go any further, let’s take a step back and understand what today’s online lending market fully entails. The Good, the Big, and the Ugly: A...

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Shooting for the Moon with SpaceIL

Shooting for the Moon with SpaceIL

Jun 1, 2014 | , , ,

Background: Israelis and Space Since the 1960s, Israelis have actively engaged in researching and exploring space, initially focusing on academic research.  With time, efforts shifted to generate an Israeli space industry, piggybacking on Israel’s technological advantages, culminating with the 1983 establishment of the Israel Space Agency, a subdivision of the already existing Ministry of Science and Technology. In 1988, Israel joined seven other nations with space launch and spacecraft capabilities when it launched its first satellite, Ofeq-1.  Many more satellites have since been launched bringing Israel’s total to thirteen satellites, developing an international reputation through its substantial achievements. The Potential of Space The space industry as a whole, including Israel’s, has greatly contributed to the global economy, and also provides political and strategic advantages to involved nations.  More specifically in the case of Israel, satellite and space technology plays a significant role in its communication and miniaturization innovations.  Space capabilities have also played a role in ensuring Israel’s military and security advantages, which in turn lead to political advantages.  Whether in gathering of valuable information, or the establishment of...

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