Tel Aviv, Israel—When I moved to Silicon Valley in early 2000, I quickly became fascinated with Israel. A very tight relationship had formed between the holy-land-for-all-things-tech and the actual Holy Land, bolstered by the success of people like Yossi Vardi and Checkpoint’s Gil Schwed.
The rapid pace of liquidity in the late 1990s meant Valley investors couldn’t find enough start-ups to stuff their money into, and unlike dot com fluffiness that was roaming around San Francisco, Israelis were hard-core techies with a work ethic that seemed to defy basic human needs like sleeping and eating. Most of all, Israelis, particularly those in high-tech and cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, had a reputation for living like there was no tomorrow, because when you’re surrounded by hostile neighbors there may not be.
The 1990s were a period of a lot of structural change in the venture business. It was no longer about families and private money investing—money came from big public pension funds and endowments, and more of it was coming online as the baby boomer retirement accounts swelled and the American stock market made everyone richer. That kind of scale forever changed the venture game. Meanwhile, the Internet enabled companies to be flipped in under two years—also unheard of before. Similarly, Israel represented one of the first times the cozy boutique Sand Hill Road firms ventured overseas and made money as a result. For a time, Israel had more Nasdaq-listed companies than any other country in the world.
Then the crash, happened here and there. Only Israel got a double whammy of the Second Intifada and a resurgence of violence starting around the same time. The talk was always that Israel would come back as a hub for brilliant, crazy, ballsy entrepreneurs, and the returns would come back too. Weren’t these things just cyclical? A positive sign was how many Israeli VC firms were opening their doors. For much of the last ten years, investments in Israeli companies by Israeli VC firms has roughly equaled foreign investment in Israel, according to stats from Ben Gurion University’s School of Management. That’s a huge strength, as Valley and Boston investors always like to invest with local partners, and a lot of developing economies don’t yet have that local infrastructure.
By 2004, an executive from Silicon Valley Bank was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle after leading a contingent of VCs back to the Holy Land saying Israel was poised to explode again. He crowed that the crash and violence aside, Israel was getting more venture money than anywhere other than Silicon Valley and Boston and it was only ramping up.
But it turned out, he was wrong. Money continued to invest along the same $1.2 billion-to-$1.4 billion a year range, and returns fell off a cliff. Israeli companies have raised just over $10 billion since the beginning 2001, but acquisitions and IPOs have returned just over $860 million over that almost eight-and-a-half-year period. Bear in mind, the industry tends to measure performance over ten-year periods, and not many people expect a roaring acquisition or IPO market for the rest of 2009, and arguably 2010.
Compare those numbers to start-ups in Europe, a continent that has long been characterized as risk-adverse, thanks in part to labor laws that work against start-ups. Sure, Europe is a bigger place, so its to be expected that European companies have raised a much bigger 36 billion in Euros since the beginning of 2001. But European companies have returned $6.3 billion. If you do the percentages, Israeli companies have returned 8.6% of the money invested over the last eight-plus years. I don’t know how to account for Euro-to-Dollar conversation rates over eight years’ time, so let’s pretend for a moment that it was 36 billion in dollars invested in Europe. If that were the case, European companies would have returned 17.5% of the capital invested. The real percentage is undoubtedly much higher, although still pretty poor as an industry. Most investors like to get all their money back, and then some. (All stats are from Dow Jones VentureSource.)
Ten years after the peak of the last bubble, it’s clear that when foreign investment fell in Israel from about $4 billion a year to $1 billion a year, the country wasn’t just weathering a recession. Somewhere along the way, the entrepreneur scene here lost its mojo.
Now, before the hate mail starts, let me be clear, that numbers aside, I still believe Israelis are singular entrepreneurs. There is interesting stuff here and always will be. There’s an element of risk taking that even the Valley can’t rival, and it’s no secret Israelis are brilliant technologists. They also share a lot of qualities with some of the best entrepreneurs I know: They’re born hackers. They love to work within constraints to make something happen. They love when odds are stacked against them. They’re ballsy. They’re brash. As I said in this interview with Loren Feldman yesterday, they start companies like they drive. In either case—you don’t want to be in their way.
So I don’t say this to trash Israel, but facts are facts. In sheer numbers, Israel’s place on the global scale of investing has been dwarfed by China, and matched by the United Kingdom. And after three days of talking to dozens of entrepreneurs and investors in Tel Aviv, this seems like a country wandering in the desert, looking for a new tech movement to own and dominate.
What happened to Israel is a bit like what happened to Boston—the story and opportunity moved away from what the city’s entrepreneurs were good at. In the case of Israel, security and encryption was always a strength, but that’s not the growth industry that it was. In the case of Boston, enterprise technologies and telecom were always strengths. Now, as media has become the story of the last boom, it’s not a surprise New York surpassed Boston in the amount of venture capital raised.
Internationally, China has become the new obsession, with India a close second. It’s not that Chinese entrepreneurs are better than Israeli entrepreneurs. And so far, there are certainly a lot of concerns about returns in China. But when it comes to international entrepreneurship—at least in terms of attracting those billions in U.S. venture dollars—entrepreneurs need to give VCs a compelling reason to come to them. In the 1990s, Israel gave them superior technologists. Now, China is giving them an exploding demographic that needs all manner of goods and services.
Was a booming Israel just a relic of the 1990s boom like Webvan and the Pets.com sock puppet? I don’t believe so. But I’m in Tel Aviv for the next two weeks looking for the company and the tech movement that will prove me right. If you find it, drop me a note.
The returns out of Israel have *never* justified the buzz or the attention that the country gets. It has always been about Israeli VC’s here in the valley sending some investments and funding back to the homeland.
The State of Israel is home to many smart people, and many great technologies and companies have come out of Israel.
But to somehow use that as a metric of success in the face of the situation vis-a-vis the Gaza Strip, West Bank, the Israel-Lebanon war, etc. is disingenuous at best, and disgusting at worst.
I’m not making excuses for the Arabs, as some of them are responsible for some heinous acts as well, but I would advise the State of Israel, its citizens and cheerleaders not to get into the business of trying to swap camera phone technology for human dignity.
your an idiot!
thank you for your vapid response. And, I believe it is you’re an idiot, not your an idiot.
i meant to say “sarah, your an idiot”; with “your” so that sarah would understand it…
Still doesn’t make sense David.
Which is why you replied to someone else’s comment to say it?
Please don’t get me started.
Actually you make a good, level headed, argument (refreshing will all the dribble that is being thrown about here).
It’s a tough situation we, in Israel, are in. Fighting both legitimate claims for more self government by the Palestinians and also battling terrorism which stems from pure racist and genocidal roots embedded withing the Palestinian national movement is nearly impossible. The result is, as you said, a severe damage to human dignity.
It’s a tragedy – one most of us in Israel hope that the conflict will be resolved sooner rather than later. It just so happens we have the upper hand in this conflict, I shudder to think what things would have looked like if we were the underdog.
If Israel was the “underdog” and not just a country of murderous dogs they would not have attempted to attack and invade their neighbours and they would have been able to live in peace.
Many of the regions trouble stem from Israel creating a lot of freedom fighters which these Israelis call terrorists.
You are a racist and an idiot.
Israel’s neighbors never accepted and attacked it repeatedly – Israel had to defend herself.
A little history for you…
The UN partitioned the country in 1948. Instead of accepting it the Arabs waged a war against teh Jews. Ask yourself, if the Palestinians wanted their own state – why didn’t they create own in the 20 years (1948-1967) they had a chance? The Palestinians are bent on destroying Israel and not creating their country.
“I’m not making excuses for the Arabs”
No, you’re simply blaming Israel for its impolite audicity of survival. Go screw yourself.
speaking as an arab guy here, what we have with israel doesn’t mean we hate the technology they use or build , actually we are happy that they are doing good on other area, beside killing kids all day
I wonder if the T-shirt company that has been printing those images of pregnant Palestinian women in the middle of crosshairs with the text, “One shot, two kills”, or the one with the small Palestinian child in crosshairs with something to the effect of, “Kill them now or kill them later”, had venture funding.
These clearly innovative companies have been catering to the needs of one of the dominant verticals in Israel, the “Federal Government”. They’ve got excellent customers in the Israeli Army and lots of repeat buyers. They obviously seem to get lots of media coverage (just search for israel t-shirt on news.bbc.co.uk)
I am quite sure the genocide inducing messaging on these shirts also constitutes some sort of innovation in the field of psychology and mind control… apparently, the world was sorely missing innovation in this area since WWII Germany stopped funding these sorts of efforts.
Not the forum for this topic, but it has to be said: Israel is not just surviving, its committing murder. You can pepper it all you want, it’s still a big lie based on ruthless murder.
Underneath it all, the biggest audience you are lying to is yourselves.
Israel is not committing murder, it’s called civilian casualties! Hamas is targeting civilians and hiding among them! Hamas uses civilians as human shields!
Defending yourself should not be crime!
-Timothy
If the Palestinians really wanted a state in Gaza and inthe West bank – why wasn’t one created in the 20 years between 1948 and 1967?
The truth is the Palestinians don’t really want a state of their own – they just want to destroy the State of Israel.
You are the one lying to yourself. If you really wanted a state – why didn’t you create one in the West bank and in the Gaza Strip when you had a chance for 20 years – 1948 -1967. The truth is that you never really considered yourself different than the Jordanians and the Egyptians. You all see yourself as Arabs. You were created to be a pawn in the Israeli/Arab war and to destroy the State of Israel. One day you will recognize YOUR big lie.
The technology industry in Israel has almost nothing to do with the constant battle against its neighbors, other than programmers being called up for reserve duty when the number of rocket attacks from Gaza or Lebanon increase.
As Ms. Lacy stated, the Israelis have a beyond-human stamina in regards to how much effort they put into their work. I know this first-hand from working 9a-11pm 6 days a week at a Tel Aviv Internet startup.
However, the problem lies in a lack of balance between quantity and quality. Most Israeli tech companies (at least Internet-focused ones) are more concerned with higher numbers (revenue, output, funding, etc) versus the actual quality of what is produced and the proper management of the contributors within the company.
There is hope. Israelis are very innovative and have an excellent pool of very qualified candidates to pick from. They work more hours and give up a lot of their lives to create something popular and successful.
Don’t write us off just yet…
What qualifies you to say that Israeli’s work harder?
In our start up – all of us put in about 100 hours a week plus…… I don’t know where this crap about Israeli’s having a stamina that no-one else has. Ask around most dedicated start-ups, they will be working just as much!
Oh – there is Spaniard, and Englishman and an Australian in our start-up. Must mean people form these countries have a work ethic that is inhuman like.
Sarah, I know it is part and parcel of your job to receive relentless criticism – but when you write something like this, it makes me wonder if you actually deserve it.
Never trust anyone ho says thy are best. Most likely they will be Phsycoz. Like west has self declaration of being best, it is stupid beyond imagination, and since whole west is agreed on this biggest lie, i am very sorry for stat of mind of humanity in you part of world. Have you low life techie trickeries ever thought how the fuck humanity will dispose off the semiconductors an mobile and pc and tv and cars and refrigerators and plastics and machines, th list never ends. Anything you bugs make, is a burden on earth and atmosphere. I know we need to eat, earn but do it for living, not for boasting that you fucks have been doing.
In big brother show, on British lady mad fun of Indian lady calling Indians @losers@ So if Indian lady was loser because she couldn’t pronounce British accent, British lady must be @winner@ Guess what, she had cervical cancer and she died couple of days ago. So is she still winner or what? talking on personal level.
What a load of crap!!! I’ve worked with various nationalities, including folks from israel, and I have *never* found their work ethic to even come close to south asians, koreans and yeah, even americans.
I also find it amazing how dang ungrateful these israelis are wrt the US. I mean we fund them, US companies, like Intel, develop infrastructure there and our government basically supports their existence. And then these guys turn around and bite the proverbial hand that feeds. Screw that!
hard working, my A$#
Guys,
I do not meant o bash Israeli’s at all…..
In fact I have visited Israel a few times and found it a very warm place. I hitch hiked throughout the country and did not get botheres by Jew, Arab or Christian alike.
My point – which was taken out of context – was to make clear that it does not matter what country you are from – if you are dedicated you will work, regardless of country and creed!
@Third world: Lie?@ – wtf????
Apart from calling techies low life scum – uhm, are you not reading a tech blog? Did you not use the internet to see this blog? And television?
You are warped my friend…
Finally – I have done work with Chinese and Indians whilst consulting. I will not generalise here – as there are many Indians that have proved themselves very capable in the tech world. Possibly Chinese as well – but if you have drive and passion – you will get along in the world.
the US should stop giving out money to israel for wars, but rather should at least send it for only when there is an economical collapse!
List of Islamic Terror Attacks For the Past 2 Months
Date Country City Killed Injured Description
2009.03.27 Pakistan Jamrud 71 115 Over seventy people are slaughtered by a horrific Taliban suicide attack on a rival mosque.
2009.03.26 Iraq Baghdad 26 37 Sunni car bombers massacre over two dozen Shiites, including women and children, at an outdoor market.
2009.03.26 Algeria Kabylie 2 3 Separate al-Qaeda ambushes leave two people dead.
2009.03.26 Iraq Mosul 7 2 Three children are among seven Iraqis killed in two Muslim terror bombings.
2009.03.26 Thailand Yala 1 0 Muslims shoot a 46-year-old Buddhist woman, then set her on fire.
2009.03.26 Thailand Pattani 1 1 Mujahideen storm a school, injure the principal and shoot a teacher to death.
2009.03.26 Thailand Narathiwat 1 1 Militant Muslims shoot a female grocery owner to death and injure her 70-year-old husband.
2009.03.26 Pakistan Tank 11 25 A Shahid suicide bomber detonates at a restaurant, killing a dozen patrons.
2009.03.26 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 3 3 Three Sunnis are shot to death in a sectarian drive-by attack.
2009.03.26 Afghanistan Helmand 9 6 Nine local police are gunned down when armed religious extremists attack a checkpoint.
2009.03.25 Sudan Abu Zor 2 2 Suspected Janjiweed militia torch a refugee camp, killing two people.
2009.03.25 Afghanistan Khost 10 6 Ten civilians, including women and children, are blown to bits when Islamic hardliners bomb their passenger bus.
2009.03.25 Chechnya Vedeno 1 0 A policeman is abducted and killed by Jihad warriors.
2009.03.25 Iraq Mosul 4 7 Four schoolgirls are murdered by Islamic bombers. Seven other children are injured.
2009.03.25 Thailand Pattani 1 0 Mujahideen gun down a Buddhist man.
2009.03.24 Iraq Mosul 1 0 Mujahid murder a woman inside her home.
2009.03.24 Pal. Auth. Gaza 1 0 A Palestinian is tortured and beaten to death in the hospital by Hamas.
2009.03.24 India Ghaziabad 1 0 A 16-year-old girl is burned alive by Muslim moral police over a suspected affair.
2009.03.24 Somalia Mogadishu 4 1 al-Shabaab terrorists shoot four local policemen to death in a drive-by.
2009.03.23 India Bandipora 1 0 A civilian is shot to death inside his home by Mujahideen.
2009.03.23 Afghanistan Spin Boldak 8 1 Eight local police are killed in a brutal ambush by Sunni hardliners.
2009.03.23 Pakistan Miranshah 2 0 Religious extremists kidnap and kill two civilians in separate attacks.
2009.03.23 Pakistan Markez 1 4 A Shahid suicide bomber takes out a local policeman.
2009.03.23 Iraq Jalula 24 28 A suicide bomber strikes a Kurdish funeral, killing at least twenty-four mourners.
2009.03.23 Iraq Fallujah 8 9 Two children are among eight killed when Islamists bomb a residence.
2009.03.23 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 1 A Sunni is gunned down by Shia militants.
2009.03.23 Lebanon Saida 1 3 Iranian agents are suspected in the assassination of a Palestinian official at a refugee camp.
2009.03.23 Thailand Saida 1 1 A young man is murdered by Muslim gunmen while talking to a friend in front of his home.
2009.03.23 Iraq Abu Ghraib 9 19 Jihad bombers kill nine Iraqis in a commercial district.
2009.03.22 Iraq Diyala 5 2 Five Iraqis are killed in two Jihad bombings.
2009.03.21 Iraq Hilla 1 0 An Iraqi is killed in a suspected al-Qaeda bombing.
2009.03.21 Thailand Yala 1 0 An older man is murdered by Mujahid gunmen while working outside his home.
2009.03.21 Afghanistan Nangarhar 6 5 Six Afghans are murdered by a Shahid suicide bomber while waiting in line at a checkpoint.
2009.03.21 Afghanistan Khost 5 5 Islamists murder five civilians when they bomb a celebration for the Persian new year.
2009.03.21 Jordan Amman 1 0 A man and his two sons beat his 19-year-old daughter to death for talking to a strange man.
2009.03.21 Afghanistan Nauroz 2 4 A second attack on people celebrating the Persian new year leaves two dead.
2009.03.21 Bahrain Ma’ameer 1 0 An innocent foreigner dies from injuries suffered in a 3/8 petrol bomb attack by Islamic terrorists.
2009.03.20 Pakistan Lahore 1 0 A mother of three is shot to death by her brothers on suspicion of having an affair with a neighbor.
2009.03.20 India Kupwara 8 15 Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists Indian troops, killing eight.
2009.03.20 Thailand Pattani 1 0 Muslim terrorists gun down a man riding his motorcycle home.
2009.03.20 Afghanistan Kandahar 1 6 A civilian is killed when Sunni hardliners rocket an airport.
2009.03.20 Iraq Fallujah 1 2 An Iraqi is blown to bits by a suicide bomber.
2009.03.19 Somalia Balad 2 0 Two men are beheaded by al Shabaab terrorists.
2009.03.19 Somalia Mogadishu 1 0 An aid worker is gunned down in his car by Islamic militia assassins.
2009.03.19 Pakistan Landi Kotal 8 30 Islamic militants lob mortars into a town’s commercial district, murdering at least eight innocents
2009.03.19 Iraq Mosul 1 1 A woman is killed, and her daughter injured, by Sunni gunmen along a city street.
2009.03.19 Thailand Pattani 4 0 Islamic bombers murder four local soldiers riding in a pickup truck.
2009.03.19 Afghanistan Helmand 5 0 A lawmaker who stood up to the Taliban is assassinated in a targeted bombing along with four others.
2009.03.18 Iraq Mosul 2 0 An older married couple is killed within their home by Mujahideen.
2009.03.18 Iraq Mosul 1 4 A Fedayeen suicide bomber kills a local policeman.
2009.03.18 Somalia Mogadishu 1 2 al-Shabaab terrorists murder an AU peacekeeper in a roadside ambush.
2009.03.17 Philippines Mindanao 2 0 Moro Islamists attack a government patrol, killing two local troops.
2009.03.17 Iraq Mosul 1 0 A university student is gunned down by Mujahideen.
2009.03.17 Pakistan Pirwadhai 14 25 At least fourteen people are killed when a suicide bomber detonates at a crowded bus stop.
2009.03.17 Pakistan NWFP 5 3 Islamic extremists fire rockets at a university, killing five people.
2009.03.16 Algeria Tebessa 5 0 Fundamentalists slit the throat of a shepherd, then kill his family with a bomb.
2009.03.16 Afghanistan Lashkar Gah 11 28 Eleven Afghans are blown to bits by a Shahid suicide bomber.
2009.03.16 Iraq al-Mukhifa 5 0 Five al-Qaeda kidnap victims are found executed.
2009.03.16 Iraq Kirkuk 1 0 Sunni militants murder a doctor with a grenade.
2009.03.16 Algeria Tadmait 4 5 Four local soldiers are taken out in an Islamist bombing.
2009.03.16 Philippines Jolo 2 4 Abu Sayyaf militants toss a grenade into a karaoke bar, killing two patrons.
2009.03.16 Algeria Oued Essania 2 0 Two people are killed in a bomb blast.
2009.03.15 Yemen Shibam 5 4 Four Korean tourists and a local are murdered by fundamentalist bombers.
2009.03.15 Afghanistan Kandahar 1 6 A bystander is killed by a Taliban wheelbarrow bomb.
2009.03.15 Israel Masua 2 0 Two Israelis are shot to death by Palestinian gunmen while riding in a car.
2009.03.15 Afghanistan Kabul 2 9 A suicide bomber kills two civilians outside a high school.
2009.03.15 Iraq Baghdad 1 0 Mujahideen bombers murder an oil engineer.
2009.03.15 UK London 0 1 A Christian minister critical of Islam is brutally beaten by local Muslims.
2009.03.15 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 2 0 Two Sunnis are shot to death outside a mosque by Shia gunmen.
2009.03.15 Pakistan Multan 2 0 A young husband and his pregnant wife, both doctors, are brutally murdered by Islamists for being minority Ahmadiyya.
2009.03.14 Afghanistan Helmand 2 0 Sunni hardliners attack a police post, killing two officers.
2009.03.14 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 2 0 Sunnis spray a Shiite couple on a motorcycle with automatic weapons, killing both the husband and wife.
2009.03.13 Iraq Orakzai 2 0 Two civilians are murdered by the Taliban.
2009.03.13 Thailand Narathiwat 3 1 Three local soldiers are killed in an ambush by Muslim militants.
2009.03.13 Pakistan Bajaur 3 0 Three tribesmen are abducted and beheaded by Sunni hardliners.
2009.03.13 Iraq Baghdad 1 1 Islamic radicals kill a woman and wound a boy with a planted bomb.
2009.03.13 Thailand Yala 1 0 A woman dies from injuries a day after being shot by Muslim extremists.
2009.03.12 Iraq Basra 1 0 Shia gunmen take down a Sunni official.
2009.03.12 Ingushetia Nazran 1 0 A Russian policeman is murdered by suspected Mujahid.
2009.03.11 Iraq Kirkuk 2 8 Two Iraqis are killed in a Jihad car bombing.
2009.03.11 Somalia Mogadishu 4 0 Islamists trigger a roadside bomb, killing four people.
2009.03.11 Pakistan Peshawar 4 2 Two women are among four killed by a Fedayeen suicide bomber.
2009.03.11 India Reasi 1 0 A man is murdered in his home by Islamic gunmen.
2009.03.11 Algeria Barika 1 1 Islamic fundamentalists attack an approaching group of policemen with machine guns.
2009.03.11 Iraq Mosul 4 10 Mujahideen car bombers take out four civilians along a city street.
2009.03.10 Afghanistan Khost 7 2 Seven local soldiers are killed by Taliban roadside bombers.
2009.03.10 Iraq Mosul 3 6 A woman is killed inside her home by Mujahideen. Two other civilians are killed elsewhere.
2009.03.10 Iraq Abu Ghraib 33 34 A Shahid detonates an explosive belt in the midst of Sunni and Shia tribal leaders, murdering over thirty people.
2009.03.10 Afghanistan Helmand 4 6 Four civilians are killed when fundamentalists detonate a roadside bomb.
2009.03.10 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 0 A policeman is gunned down in revenge for preventing a suicide bombing.
2009.03.09 Iraq Mosul 2 0 Two policemen are shot to death at their post by Islamic terrorists.
2009.03.09 Pakistan Quetta 2 0 Two Shias are shot to death by Sunni rivals.
2009.03.09 Thailand Pattani 1 0 A 25-year-old man is murdered by Muslim gunmen.
2009.03.09 Pakistan South Waziristan 3 0 Two brothers are among three civilians abducted and murdered by religious extremists.
2009.03.09 Iraq Baghdad 2 0 Two moderate Sunnis are gunned down by al-Qaeda militants.
2009.03.09 Pakistan Kohat 1 4 Islamists fire a rocket at a passenger bus traveling through the Kohat Friendship Tunnel, killing one rider.
2009.03.08 Thailand Yala 1 1 Islamists fire on a pair of teachers, killing one.
2009.03.08 Iraq Khalis 25 0 Twenty-five victims of al-Qaeda abductions are found in several mass graves.
2009.03.08 Iraq Mosul 3 3 Jihadi bombers take down three local soldiers at a traffic stop.
2009.03.08 Iraq Baghdad 28 57 An al-Qaeda suicide bomber attacks new police recruits, leaving nearly thirty innocent people dead.
2009.03.08 Algeria Tizi Ouzou 1 0 A policeman is shot and then set on fire by Islamic fundamentalists.
2009.03.07 Iraq Mosul 3 8 Three local security personnel are killed in two Sunni militant attacks.
2009.03.07 Algeria Kabylie 2 8 An elderly woman is among two people killed by a Shahid bomber.
2009.03.07 Thailand Pattani 2 0 Two Buddhist brothers riding a motorcycle are shot and then burned by Religion of Peace militants.
2009.03.07 Afghanistan Nimroz 2 3 Two Afghans are take out by a Fedayeen suicide bomber.
2009.03.07 Pakistan Peshawar 8 5 Islamists kill an elderly man, then booby-trap the body, killing seven investigating police.
2009.03.07 Pakistan Darra Adam Khel 2 7 Two civilians are murdered by Jihadi car bombers.
2009.03.07 Pakistan Mohmand 14 0 Fourteen Pakistani soldiers are killed in an ambush by Sunni fundamentalists. Some are executed in captivity.
2009.03.07 Pakistan Khyber 5 8 Lashkar-e-Islam terrorists bomb a shop, killing five people.
2009.03.06 Iraq Tikrit 2 0 Mujahideen bombers take out two civilians.
2009.03.06 Pakistan North Waziristan 2 0 Religious extremists abduct and murder two civilians.
2009.03.06 Pakistan Bannu 1 1 Sunni militants take out a local official with a bomb blast.
2009.03.06 Thailand Yala 1 0 The 52-year-old owner of a tea shop is shot to death at his business by Mujahideen.
2009.03.06 Somalia Mogadishu 3 0 Three civilian bystanders are killed when Islamic militia attack African peacekeepers.
2009.03.05 Iraq Hillah 12 40 Holy Warriors send a dozen souls to Allah with a car bombing at a livestock market.
2009.03.05 Philippines Basilan 3 2 Three fisherman are killed when suspected Islamists storm their boat.
2009.03.05 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 19 Radicals throw a hand grenade into a rival mosque, killing at least one.
2009.03.05 Thailand Yala 1 0 Muslim terrorists murder a 33-year-old civilian in a drive-by attack.
2009.03.05 Egypt Qalubiya 2 0 Muslims set a young Christian on fire and also stab his 60-year-old father to death.
2009.03.05 Ingushetia Nazran 6 2 Six policemen are killed trying to defuse an Islamist bomb.
2009.03.04 Thailand Pattani 3 0 Two truck drivers are among three people shot to death by Islamic terrorists.
2009.03.04 Somalia Galkacyo 1 0 A cleric is gunned down by Islamist rivals.
2009.03.04 Iraq Samarrah 4 0 Four members of a family are eliminated by al-Qaeda gunmen.
2009.03.04 Iraq Baghdad 5 24 Two Shahid suicide bombers leave five Iraqis dead.
2009.03.03 Pakistan Swat 2 0 Taliban militants kill two local soldiers in an ambush along a highway.
2009.03.03 Pakistan Lahore 8 6 Eight people are gunned down when Mujahideen stage a brutal attack on a visiting cricket team.
2009.03.03 Pakistan Quetta 5 0 Five members of a Shia family are shot to death by Sunni radicals in a sectarian drive-by attack.
2009.03.03 Thailand Yala 2 0 Two civilians are murdered by Mujahideen gunmen while riding home from work.
2009.03.02 Pakistan Songo 1 28 Muslim radicals open fire on a Presbyterian church, then enter the building and beat a 45 woman to death.
2009.03.02 Pakistan Kili Karbala 6 6 A 15-year-old suicide bomber takes out a half dozen people at a girl’s school.
2009.03.02 Iraq Khalis 3 16 Sectarian Jihadis plant a bomb near a mosque, killing five rivals.
2009.03.02 Philippines Mindanao 2 0 Two local security personnel are murdered in an ambush by Moro Islamists.
2009.03.01 Iraq Fallujah 1 0 A civilian is killed in his home by an intruding suicide bomber.
2009.03.01 Pakistan Quetta 2 0 Sunni radicals shoot a Shia man and his son to death in their shop.
2009.03.01 India Doda 1 0 A local police officer is abducted, tortured and murdered by Lashkar-e-Toiba.
2009.02.28 Iraq Baghdad 2 7 Jihadis murder two Iraqis in a restaurant bombing.
2009.02.28 Afghanistan Uruzgan 1 0 A civilian contractor is killed by Taliban bombers.
2009.02.27 Iraq Hawija 2 2 Two Iraqis are taken down by al-Qaeda gunmen.
2009.02.27 Pakistan Hangu 4 5 Mujahideen open fire on a school van, killing three students and their driver.
2009.02.27 Somalia Mogadishu 42 125 Forty-two civilians are killed in three days of Islamic militia violence.
2009.02.26 Jordan Ajlun 1 0 A teenager strangles his 30-year-old sister to death on suspicion that she is in a sexual relationship.
2009.02.26 Pakistan Razmak 1 0 The Taliban behead a 35-year-old Afghan civilian as a ‘gift’ to the new American President.
2009.02.26 Iraq Baghdad 2 10 Two Iraqis are killed when Islamists explode a bomb near a university.
2009.02.26 Pakistan Mohmand 2 0 Islamic militants kill two tribesmen and blow up a girl’s school.
2009.02.25 Afghanistan Kandahar 2 8 Two civilians are killed in a Taliban bombing along a city street.
2009.02.25 Somalia Mogadishu 2 4 Two schoolchildren under the age of ten are taken out by an Islamic mortar shell on a school.
2009.02.25 Ingushetia Karabulak 1 0 Fundamentalists gun down the owner of a local bowling alley.
2009.02.25 Thailand Narathiwat 3 0 Three people are beheaded by Muslim radicals.
2009.02.24 Afghanistan Helmand 5 0 Religious extremists kill four US soldiers and a civilian with a roadside bomb.
2009.02.24 Somalia Mogadishu 18 78 Eighteen people, including woman and children, are killed when Islamic hardliners attack peacekeepers.
2009.02.24 Pakistan Quetta 4 0 A Shia trader and his three sons are brutally shot to death by Sunni extremists while on their way home.
2009.02.24 Pakistan Landikotal 2 0 Two women who may have been prostitutes are tortured to death after having their faces disfigured.
2009.02.24 Thailand Yala 1 0 A 41-year-old woman is shot to death by Islamic terrorists.
2009.02.24 Thailand Yala 1 3 Muslim militants storm a food shop and murder the owner.
2009.02.24 Pakistan Kohat 2 0 Two civilians on a motorcycle are taken out by Sunni bombers.
2009.02.23 Iraq Baghdad 5 15 Jihadis take down five Iraqis in two terror attacks.
2009.02.23 Afghanistan Kandahar 3 0 Three children are blasted to death by a Taliban IED.
2009.02.23 Thailand Narathiwat 1 1 A rubber tapper is brutally shot to death by Muslim radicals, who also shoot his wife.
2009.02.23 Pakistan Bannu 1 2 A policeman is murdered by a Shahid suicide bomber.
2009.02.23 Afghanistan Helmand 8 17 Eight civilians are killed when Taliban gunmen attack an ISAF patrol.
2009.02.23 Sudan Darfur 2 4 Two Doctors without Borders humanitarian workers are shot to death by suspected Janjaweed militia.
2009.02.22 Somalia Mogadishu 11 15 al-Shabaab suicide bombers take out eleven Burundi peacekeepers on their base.
2009.02.22 Algeria Spas 9 3 Islamic fundamentalists machine-gun nine local guards to death in an ambush.
2009.02.22 Afghanistan Zaranj 1 3 A local guard is taken down by suicide bombers.
2009.02.22 Thailand Yala 2 0 A married couple are beheaded by Muslim militants on their way home from work at a rubber plantation.
2009.02.22 Egypt Cairo 1 21 Islamists bomb a market, killing a 17-year-old French girl.
2009.02.22 Pakistan Karachi 1 0 A man chops his 60-year-old sister into pieces on suspicion that she was having unmarried sex.
2009.02.21 Afghanistan Torkham 1 2 A passerby is blown up when Sunni bombers target an oil tanker.
2009.02.21 Iraq Tikrit 2 0 Two policemen are killed in separate Jihad attacks.
2009.02.21 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 4 0 Suicide bombers murder four more innocents.
2009.02.21 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 2 5 Sunnis open fire on a Shia funeral procession, killing at least two mourners.
2009.02.21 Pakistan Multan 2 0 Two adults are beheaded when it is discovered that they are having ‘illegitimate’ sex.
2009.02.21 Iraq Baaj 5 0 Five Iraqi security personnel are murdered when Islamists booby-trap a building.
2009.02.21 Nigeria Bauchi 11 38 A Muslim mob goes on a rampage, burning churches and killing Christians.
2009.02.20 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 32 145 A suicidal Sunni detonates at a Shia funeral, massacring thirty-two mourners.
2009.02.20 Pakistan Karachi 1 2 A boy is gunned down in a sectarian dispute.
2009.02.20 Somalia Mogadishu 1 2 A civilian is killed in a terror attack by Islamic hardliners.
2009.02.20 Thailand Yala 2 0 Two soldiers guarding teachers are shot and beheaded by Religion of Peace radicals.
2009.02.20 Iraq Mosul 2 0 Jihadis kill a man and his son in a roadside bombing.
2009.02.19 Pakistan Mohmand 1 0 Religious extremists assassinate a tribal elder.
2009.02.19 Iraq Mosul 1 0 A Christian businessman is gunned down in his shop.
2009.02.19 Iraq Mosul 1 7 A suicide bomber takes out an Iraqi policeman.
2009.02.19 Afghanistan Khost 1 0 A member of a road construction crew is taken out by Islamic bombers.
2009.02.19 Afghanistan Khost 3 0 Three local guards are murdered by Sunni extremists.
2009.02.19 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 0 A local Shia leader is shot to death by Sunni militants.
2009.02.18 Pakistan Quetta 1 0 A local Sunni leader is gunned down by Shia militants.
2009.02.18 Jordan Petra 1 0 A 19-year-old man shoots his divorced sister to death over ‘immoral’ behavior.
2009.02.18 Pakistan Swat 1 0 Muslim radicals shoot a journalist thirty-two times following a peace rally.
2009.02.17 Iraq Baqubah 2 10 Jihadi bombers manage to take out two Iraqi civilians.
2009.02.17 Pakistan Peshawar 4 16 Four people are murdered in a Mujahideen car bombing in a residential neighborhood.
2009.02.17 Pakistan Khar 4 4 A woman is among four civilians killed when the Taliban rocket homes and a school.
2009.02.17 Iraq Mosul 1 1 A Christian is gunned down by suspected Islamists.
2009.02.16 Iraq Baghdad 8 24 Eight Shia pilgrims are blown apart by Sunni bombers in two attacks.
2009.02.16 Pakistan Karamkot 1 0 A 35-year-old civilian is kidnapped and killed in captivity by Islamic extremists.
2009.02.15 Iraq al-Taji 10 0 Ten victims of al-Qaeda militia are found in a mass grave.
2009.02.15 Algeria Tebessa 5 4 Religious radicals detonate a bomb under a passing truck, killing five occupants.
2009.02.15 Algeria Boumerdes 3 0 Three off-duty soldiers are stopped a roadblock and machine-gunned to death by fundamentalists.
2009.02.14 Afghanistan Khost 1 2 Sunni radicals assassinate a local governor.
2009.02.14 Lebanon Beirut 1 0 A minority Druse is stabbed to death by Hezbollah supporters at a memorial rally.
2009.02.14 Iraq Baghdad 40 0 Forty Shiite abductees are found in a mass grave in a Sunni stronghold.
2009.02.13 Afghanistan Kandahar 4 0 Four Afghan policemen are killed by the Taliban in a roadside bombing.
2009.02.13 Iraq Baghdad 2 0 A man and his son are murdered in their home by Sunni gunmen.
2009.02.13 Algeria Fum 7 0 An infant and two women are among seven people blown up by Islamic fundamentalists.
2009.02.13 Iraq Karbala 39 60 A female suicide bomber detonates in a tent full of Shia pilgrims, sending nearly forty souls to Allah.
2009.02.13 Afghanistan Kohat 2 0 The Taliban shoot dead two women for ‘immoral’ behavior, then dump their burka-clad bodies in a ditch.
2009.02.13 Pakistan Peshawar 2 3 Two more policemen are killed by religious extremists in separate attacks.
2009.02.12 Ingushetia Nazran 4 2 Four Russians are killed when Islamic militants detonate a bomb during a raid.
2009.02.12 Somalia Mogadishu 2 6 Two laborers die from shrapnel injuries when Mujahideen mortar a seaport.
2009.02.12 Afghanistan Paktika 1 5 A suicide bomber murders a police officer who stops to help him.
2009.02.12 Thailand Pattani 3 1 Islamic bombers kill three policemen guarding teachers from attacks.
2009.02.12 Pakistan North Waziristan 1 1 Taliban militants murder a police officer in an unprovoked rocket attack. A second policeman is killed elsewhere.
2009.02.12 Iraq Mosul 4 5 Jihadis take out four local cops with a roadside bomb.
2009.02.12 USA Buffalo, NY 1 0 The founder of a Muslim TV station beheads his wife in the hallway for seeking a divorce.
2009.02.11 Iraq Baghdad 2 18 Two Shia pilgrims are murdered by Sunni bombers in separate attacks.
2009.02.11 Afghanistan Logar 4 0 Four local soldiers are killed in a Taliban roadside bombing on their vehicle.
2009.02.11 Afghanistan Kabul 28 57 Suicidal Sunnis attack two government buildings, randomly shooting nearly thirty office workers to death.
2009.02.11 Iraq Baghdad 16 44 Jihadis explode a pair of bombs at a bus station, slaughtering sixteen Iraqis.
2009.02.11 Thailand Pattani 1 0 A 40-year-old man is gunned down in a Muslim drive-by attack.
2009.02.11 Thailand Pattani 2 0 Religion of Peace terrorists shoot two men to death as they are standing in front of a school.
2009.02.11 Jordan Amman 1 0 A 24-year-old woman is stabbed to death in bed by her brother, who suspects her of having an affair.
2009.02.11 Pakistan Peshawar 1 8 A local lawmaker is murdered by a bomb planted by suspected Islamists.
2009.02.10 Pakistan Hangu 17 30 Seventeen people are killed when Shia and Sunni rivals clash.
2009.02.10 Iraq Mosul 2 0 Sunni extremists gun down two policemen at a checkpoint.
2009.02.10 Thailand Pattani 2 1 Muslim extremists murder two people is separate drive-by attacks.
2009.02.09 Afghanistan Kabul 1 0 An Indian Christian, who worked for a food chain, is reported dead four months after being abducted by Sunni extremists.
2009.02.09 Iraq Mosul 5 3 Four US soldiers and a local interpreter are killed by a Shahid suicide bomber.
2009.02.09 Pakistan North Waziristan 2 0 Holy Warriors shoot two civilians to death in separate attacks.
2009.02.09 Afghanistan Khogyani 2 3 Islamic extremists detonate a bomb near a police vehicle, killing two local cops.
2009.02.09 Afghanistan Nimroz 3 0 Three Afghans are taken out by a Fedayeen suicide bomber.
2009.02.09 Pakistan Baran Pul 5 17 A religious extremist detonates himself in a crowd, killing five other people.
2009.02.09 Iraq Mosul 3 7 Mujahideen murder three Iraqis with a mortar strike.
2009.02.09 Pakistan Khyber Agency 10 10 Rival Islamist groups clash, leaving ten people dead.
2009.02.09 Pakistan Darra Adamkhel 13 38 Eleven children are among thirteen killed when Islamic militants shell a girl’s school.
2009.02.09 Thailand Narathiwat 1 0 A 26-year-old woman is shot to death by Islamic terrorists.
2009.02.08 Thailand Yala 1 0 Islamic rebels shoot a 29-year-old civilian in the head along the side of a road.
2009.02.08 Iraq Baghdad 2 12 Two Shia pilgrims are murdered by Sunni bombers while walking along the side of a road.
2009.02.08 Pakistan Swat 1 0 Jihadis kidnap and decapitate a civilian.
2009.02.08 Pakistan Swat 3 0 Mujahideen ambush and kill three local soldiers.
2009.02.08 Pakistan Lakorain 1 1 A truck driver is shot to death by Taliban while on the job.
2009.02.08 Afghanistan Kabul 1 0 The Taliban release a video showing the beheading of a kidnapped Polish engineer.
2009.02.08 Somalia Mogadishu 3 7 A child is among three people killed in two attacks following calls for holy war.
2009.02.07 Pakistan Punjab 7 0 Seven local cops are murdered by Islamist attackers.
2009.02.07 Thailand Narathiwat 1 0 Mujahideen gun down a 48-year-old rubber plantation worker.
2009.02.07 Afghanistan Nangarhar 2 1 Two people are killed in two attacks by Islamic terrorists.
2009.02.06 Pakistan Kohat 1 2 Sunni radicals open fire on a passing bus, killing a passenger.
2009.02.06 Pakistan Miranshah 2 0 The Taliban abduct two civilians, kill them, then dump their bodies at a bus stop.
2009.02.06 Afghanistan Laghman 2 0 Taliban gunmen ambush and kill two local security men.
2009.02.05 Pakistan Orakzai 1 0 Islamists kidnap and murder the head of a teachers association.
2009.02.05 Iraq Khanaqin 16 12 A horrific suicide bombing at a restaurant leaves sixteen Iraqi patrons dead.
2009.02.05 Pakistan Swat 3 3 Religious extremists barge into a home, kill three women and kidnap three survivors.
2009.02.05 Pakistan Punjab 32 48 A suicide bomber at a rival religious procession sends more than 30 innocent souls to Allah.
2009.02.04 Iraq Baqubah 8 0 Eight decapitated al-Qaeda victims are found in a mass grave.
2009.02.04 Somalia Mogadishu 1 0 A journalist is assassinated by al-Shabaab gunmen.
2009.02.04 Afghanistan Helmand 6 0 A brutal Taliban roadside bombing leaves six Afghanis dead.
2009.02.04 Somalia Mogadishu 1 0 The head of a radio station is gunned down by suspected Islamists.
2009.02.03 Pakistan Orakzai 1 0 Fundamentalists behead a local civilian.
2009.02.03 Pakistan Swat 3 5 Islamic militants assault a police post, killing three local officers.
2009.02.03 Algeria Ait Chaafa 1 9 Fundamentalists kill a security officer with a bombing attack.
2009.02.03 Thailand Pattani 2 0 Two civilians are shot inside their homes by Mujahideen.
2009.02.03 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 18 One person is killed when an Islamic radical tosses a grenade into a rival mosque.
2009.02.03 Thailand Narathiwat 1 0 Islamic gunmen chase down a man with a pickup truck then shoot him to death.
2009.02.02 Pakistan Quetta 1 0 A Shia businessman is shot to death by Sunni extremists.
2009.02.02 Afghanistan Uruzgan 21 8 A Fedayeen suicide bomber murders over twenty local police trainees at their facility.
2009.02.02 Thailand Pattani 2 0 Two security personnel are beheaded by Muslim militants, who also burn the bodies.
2009.02.02 Pakistan Punjab 1 0 A local leader is gunned down is a sectarian incident.
2009.02.02 Iraq Mosul 3 9 Three Iraqis are murdered by Mujahideen roadside bombers.
2009.02.02 Pakistan Swat 8 0 Eight people are shot to death by Taliban militants in various attacks.
2009.02.01 Philippines Siocon 4 1 Moro Islamists capture four gold prospectors, hog-tie them and then hack them to death with machetes.
2009.02.01 Pakistan Shajwal Chak 1 0 A Christian man begging for wages owed is murdered by Muslim employers as they deride his faith.
2009.02.01 Dagestan Makhachkala 4 0 Suspected Islamists open fire on a cafe, killing four patrons.
2009.01.31 Pakistan Swat 3 1 Taliban militants ambush and kill three local security personnel.
2009.01.30 Iraq Baiji 1 1 Sunni terrorists open fire on a polling station, killing an American guard.
2009.01.29 Pakistan Miranshah 1 0 Sunni radicals kidnap and shoot a 30-year-old local man.
2009.01.29 Pakistan Tal 1 4 Religious extremists slit the throat of a policeman.
2009.01.28 Pakistan Mingora 8 0 Eight bullet-ridden victims of Taliban justice are found.
2009.01.28 Iraq Kirkuk 2 0 Sunni extremists attack a polling station, killing two guards.
2009.01.27 Israel Kissufim 1 2 Palestinian bombers murder an Israelis border guard.
2009.01.27 Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan 1 0 A second Shia civilian is gunned down in as many days by sectarian extremists.
2009.01.27 Iraq Mosul 3 3 Three Iraqis are killed in a car bomb attack on Kurds by suspected Sunnis terrorists.
2009.01.27 Thailand Pattani 2 0 A Buddhist married couple is brutally murdered by Muslim gunmen in a drive-by attack.
2009.01.27 Afghanistan Kandahar 4 10 Taliban bombers blow up a minibus killing four civilians.
We are tired of the arrogance, excuses, and whiny demands.
It’s time for Muslims to take responsibility and end the violence.
I am glad you were able to conveniently put this list together. You must have access to the MOSSAD to-do list.
Jackthevc said…
It has always been about Israeli VC’s here in the valley sending some investments and funding back to the homeland.
No, no, no Jack. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Israelis are research-driven and they’re pretty good at it.
If you read technical/academic peer review journals (Engineering, Physics, Computing, Bio-science) you see lots of published papers from Israel. This shows that they’re up there with more populated countries with researchers in the US and Europe, considering that Israel is only about 5 millions. There is your reason of why IBM established an R&D division there at Haifa for more than 2 decades started at Technion Institute. They established the IBM Haifa lab solely because the quality of the R&D done in was quite high-level. Why not Iran? Why not Turkey? Why not Egypt? Now, I’ll leave you to figure out the answer to that question, which is obvious.
Now, I agree that the rise of China is phenomenal. The computing research publications that I have seen in the literatures that originated from Chinese Universities is growing at a phenomenal rate in the last 8 years or so. There is no surprise that there is Google China R&D division and also Microsoft China R&D division established there to tap into brains in there. I also see lots of research publications coming out from Taiwan and South Korea which are high quality. I see less publications from India in the computing literatures compared to China, South Korea and Taiwan, but also Indian publications are on the increase.
Asia is now on the rise (computing technologies).
Seriously I am starting to loose respect for this blog. Its always pushing Israel`s Image.
Well take your “respect” and shove it up your ass
HEY MICHAEL, WANT TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR A CHANGE INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW HARD YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE BECOME FAMOUS?
APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF THE JEWISH, MUSLIM, ISRAELI, ARAB, PALESTINIAN, AND OTHER CITIZENS OF THIS REGION FOR ALLOWING THIS STORY TO BE PUBLISHED ON THIS BLOG!
IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, BOTH JEWS AND MUSLIMS WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER WHEN POLITICS ARE NOT INVOLVED. I HAVE WORKED WITH MANY MUSLIMS, SOME OF WHICH WERE PALESTINIAN, AND JEWS, MANY OF WHICH WERE ISRAELI, AND NEVER HAD A SINGLE ISSUE.
THIS POST BROUGHT OUT THE WORST ELEMENT OF BOTH COUNTRIES AND RELIGIONS WITH MANY OF THEM TRYING TO PUSH THEIR OWN AGENDA.
YOU HAVE SHAMED THE PAGES OF THIS SITE BY ALLOWING THIS FOR THE SAKE OF TRAFFIC AND COMMENT SHARE.
THIS IS AN INSULT TO YOUR READERS AND WE ALL DESERVE AN APOLOGY!!!!
Really? $40B in M&A returns alone over the years Sarah is referring to. Yes, her data is way off. No country comes close besides the US.
Response and official IVC data on TechAviv.com:
http://bit.ly/40UQcg
I can publish a page on a two bit website like the one you’ve referenced and fudge the numbers all day. This bull@#$# myth of israeli competence has been waved around for too long. We all know what the truth is. And the truth is reflected in the numbers referenced by this Techcrunch article.
Investing in israeli technology companies is a frickin’ waste.
Not such of a good point man, maybe YOU should stop playing with numbers and play with your self – ROI is guarantee…
To hardworking myth
Why slam Israel? If you don’t believe in Israel’s technological competencies – don’t invest and certainly don’t read those articles that allude to it. Why the attitude? Why the hatred? Calm down!
Most of the states can only wish to be like israel.
2nd place on NASDAQ, outside silicon valley .
biggest number of start-up companies outside usa.
Highest number of engineers per capita.
and only 5.5 million jewish (the israeli – arabs are NOT a part of the israeli hi-tech industry).
i guess that Chinese workers are 20 times cheeper than israeli.
Sarah is a freakin idiot…. what does this topic gotta do with TC???? TC is supposed to be about TWITTTER!!
Now that Sarah Lacy is the new Michael Arrington… who is Michael Arrington?
Mots of numbers trying to cover a shallow story…
As a reporter you see only the past, Israelis are a big believers in the future.
Give some credit for those who keep trying, not just for those who just write about the sucessful ones.
“Israeli companies have returned 8.6% of the money invested over the last eight-plus years.”
“European companies have raised a much bigger 36 billion in Euros since the beginning of 2001. But European companies have returned $6.3 billion.”
I think it’s much more accurate to convert Euros to Dollars at 1.3:1.
36 billion * 1.3 = 46.8 billion
6.3 billion / 46.8 billion = 13%
I think 13% for Europe is more accurate than 17%.
you forgot to multiply the 6.3 by 1.3 because it is also calculated in euros.
hey people – you forget how many people are there in Europe or China comparing to Israel …helloooo
The 6.3 was in dollars!
Thanks for correcting the math, Adam.
excellent point. “Lost of numbers trying to cover a shallow story…”
except, sarah is not as analytical as arrington. she’s more like a kitty with stripes trying hard to be something else and failing miserably.
Excellent post.
Israelis are truly gifted, smart and when push comes to shove they stick together.
This aside the booming companies of the late 90’s were telecom and semiconductor. After all this makes sense since all Israelis have to join the military service. Considering that the Jews are surrounded by people who hate them the state of Israel has been leading the world in telecommunications espionage. Hence, why 95% of the companies came from that field.
They are not surrounded by people who hate them, just people who want to get their land back. I can take you directly to the land my ancestors lived on for hundreds of years, and have you meet the Israeli family that moved from New York that lives in my house.
don’t worry truth, they’ve probably financed with one of the companies madoff ran into the ground and will be leaving soon.
It seems you are working hard spreading those myths of yours. Well the Jewish holiday passover is coming and your blood can be useful…
The myth that madoff is the biggest financial criminal in the history of the world?
My blood is probably useful to you 365 days a year. Why don’t you print a T-shirt with me in the crosshairs instead of the pregnant Palestinian women and arab children?
The myth about passover/blood is childsplay when compared to the facts disclosed here:
http://news.bbc...ast/7960071.stm
I can take you to Egypt and show you my father’s big house that now belongs to an Egyptian family. Or maybe I should take you to Poland so you could see where most of my mom’s family was murdered…
Stop crying, start studying! Israelis use their brain rather their anger to build a thriving economy. The country’s GDP is bigger than all the surrounding countries combined.
Well, looks like their backs are up against the wall once more. And, as you said, this is where they thrive (which is why Boston is not accurate comparison).
Backs against the wall of a prison for palestinian children? With guns in their hands shooting and killing innocent women? Yes, they do ‘thrive’ doing all that.
The “innocent” Palestinians only fire rockets on Israeli towns.
The “innocent” Palestinians voted for Hamas that has on its charter to destroy Israel .
Stop playing the victim, its getting really tiring…
once again the blind media blaming on hostile neighbors. does any one ever think of what israelis have done to their innocent neighbors ( killing of civilians, kids, women, white phosphorus blocking financial/medical aid so neighbors dont even get a chance to live regular life and folks in tel-aviv live the life like there is no tomorrow
All she said was the neighboring countries hate Israel. Which they do. That’s a fact and it’s indisputable no matter what you believe.
Agreed Tyler
Agreed, you can’t dispute the fact that Israel survives in a hostile environment. What they’ve been able to do is incredible.
It’s even easier to survive when you get a free $6 billion in US military aid (annualy), integelligence and free military hardware from the US.
Umm, “Ali”
Let’s be real. I’m pretty sure the Arabs in the region have had BOATLOADS more opportunity than the one tiny country that has survived. Most of them just live in the 12th century and need to figure out a way out.
At least new reports are coming out that the Arab adults are having a smaller and smaller impact on their children.
Cheers to 2015 Palestinians joining Israel in being an investment hub…
Hey Ali,
Why are Arab societies so shitty and backward?
You know, the ones that Israel has nothing to do with? Like Saudi Arabia?
What exactly do they offer the world except oil (obtained by foreign workers) and investment petrodollars?
Science? Medicine? Technology? Epic fail.
If Israel wasn’t around to scapegoat, Arabs would have to invent it.
Well neighbors will hate them less if they are nicer, maybe need big heart, generosity, emotional IQ along with technical mumbo, tactic, military skills.
It always easy to make enemies and alway difficult to mak friends
“Let’s be real. I’m pretty sure the Arabs in the region have had BOATLOADS more opportunity than the one tiny country that has survived. Most of them just live in the 12th century and need to figure out a way out.”
We actually live in the 21st century. Most Arab countries had very little until the discovery of oil, after which massive development took place, far faster than many other nations on Earth. In a period of 20-30 years, literacy rates went from 20% to about 90%, schools, hospitals, social servers and modern infrastructure all being built in that period of time.
“At least new reports are coming out that the Arab adults are having a smaller and smaller impact on their children.”
What sort of impact could that be? You like to lump all Arabs in one basket, in which reality is far different from the fantasy in your world view. Arab society differs from country to country, each with their own nuances. I was raised by Arab adults. I have a masters degree, full time job, never committed a crime and respectful of all. Maybe if more Arab adults had an impact on me, I’d could have a PhD!
“Cheers to 2015 Palestinians joining Israel in being an investment hub…”
It’s only a matter of time until Palestinians outnumber Israelis, with or without violence. Israel as a Jewish state will not exist for much longer. So cheers to Israelis joining a unified democratic country.
Hey “JB”
“Why are Arab societies so shitty and backward?”
Why are Western societies so obsessed with invading other countries, telling their people what to do, and usurping their natural resources while propping up dictatorships to impose a foreign country’s will upon them?
“What exactly do they offer the world except oil (obtained by foreign workers) and investment petrodollars?”
If you actually took the time to do a bit of research, you’ll see that Arab and Islamic societies made huge significant contributions to art, science, mathematics, philosophy, medicine and many other disciplines. Here’s a famous one: Algebra. Epic win.
If Israel wasn’t around, there would be peace.
Hey Abdullah, Israel’s been at peace with Egypt for 30 years and Jordan for 15.
So maybe it’s the problem of the remaining neighbors, not Israel, eh?
““Why are Arab societies so shitty and backward?”
‘Why are Western societies so obsessed with invading other countries, telling their people what to do, and usurping their natural resources while propping up dictatorships to impose a foreign country’s will upon them?’
Wait…so Israel’s superiority is because America props it up and Saudi Arabia’s shittiness is because America props it up?
So the only difference is the actual culture?
Thanks for proving my point.
When I see Arabs collectively take responsibility for anything ever, it’ll be the first time.
@ Ali:
“We actually live in the 21st century. Most Arab countries had very little until the discovery of oil, after which massive development took place, far faster than many other nations on Earth. In a period of 20-30 years, literacy rates went from 20% to about 90%, schools, hospitals, social servers and modern infrastructure all being built in that period of time.”
And yet you still throw women in jail for showing their face in public and stone people to death for not following a religon, real 21st century champ…
Give me a break, take a look at the USAID website and some of the budget reports – Israel is NOT the only country to get aid from the US. What about the West Bank and Gaza? What about Egypt? Stop complaining about Israel being on the US payroll, EVERYONE IS.
A point view is never a fact Tyler.
Wow. You’re completely misrepresenting the facts. But ok tux.
I think someone needs to dust off the ol’ history books.
Only the blind, deaf, stupid and terrorists still believe that Israel has “innocent neighbors.”
No such a thing.
no such a thing?
Yes, No such a thing. Every Arab, of any age or gender in and around Israel is a potential terrorist that wishes to kill Israelis and erase Israel “from the face of the earth” — Words from Hamas, Al Fatah and many other “leaders” in the region.
I know that this comment is not “politically correct” but it is reality. Check it out.
All Israelis, including IT entrepreneurs know very well that there is “no such a thing” as an “innocent threat.”
What is Israel?
a terror country that was made by the English with Belfor declaration in 1917, grown bloody from US tax dollars.
a Terror racist country that killed 10s of thousands of Arabs= Muslims and Christen.
in the last war in Gaza “Israel” killed more than 1,500 Innocent Palestinians. Now it is slow death for them bc of Israeli embargo against Gaza (i do not support Hamas btw but their home-made rockets only killed like 2 Israelis))
The claim that Israel is the holly land is not true it is called Palestine. Palestinians lived there for 5 thousand years.
What is Israel? a country that cannot survive without US aide (economic and military Aid) a parasite state that lives of others.
US President Carter said that the Zionist Jewish lobby controls America, he said in an interview to Aljazeera last month, if a US senator criticize Israel, he/she won’t be re-elected.
Avigdor Lieberman who will be the next foreign minister wants was elected to kick out all Arab “Israeli” who has “Israeli” passports from their homeland. Israel kicked millions before. 1948, 1967 and so on.
The list is too long to showcase Israeli crimes and terror against humanity:
http://support-...e.blogspot.com/
seriously dude, get a life and spam somewhere else.
rubbish
Really?? Really?? You are going to use this comment section to spew your hatred for Israel. Get a life. It is people like you that are consuming our resources on this planet. Just go away, far far away. BE GONE!!!!
Getting concerned that the truth is coming out? No, we won’t go elsewhere. We will stay right here and tell the truth about the shameful wannabe-state, Israel, built on stolen land…. Every time a pro israeli propagandist pushes lies about Israel to project a distorted reality, there will be 100 people from europe, america and asia who will get in his face and tell him where to stuff it.
You have a problem with free speech? Oh, that’s right. You do!!!!
We dont have a problem with free speach. Its actually the Arab and Iranian dictatorships that have the problem. Be my guest and criticize their governments and see what happens to you.
But we have a problem with these anti-Israeli incitements and false accusations.
Jews4Allah – if you really want to look at the facts then no one killed more Muslims than Muslims.
Just look at the 100000s that Saddam Hussein massacred.
Not to mention the 10000s Palestinians that King Hussein killed in Jordon.
The 10000s that Assad Sr. killed in Syria.
The 1000s that Hamas killed when it took over control of Gaza from Fatah.
Look in the mirror before you look out the window.
Good one!!!
it’s a competition now? lol
Israelis can justify their killings of innocent people all they want, or their land grabbing. More so: “they want to throw us in the sea”, a statement I only hear from Israelis. lies, lies, lies the only things Israelis good at.
Finally, please stop intermixing between Jews and Israelis. No one can bring down, nor should even attempt, the wonderful contributions of the Jewish people, but Israelis inhumane actions speak louder than words.
I told you to take the BLUE pill…
By that same token why not bring up the word Palestine came from the Romans?
Your statement is absolutely wrong. I would like you to try and live in fear that the bus you take is going to explode. Or just move to border with Mexico. It is far from the Israeli reality, but try to live where the action is.
i would just like to point out how young the Israeli startup market is – the American VC industry started out in the early 1970’s while the Israeli startup industry started in the early 1990’s. The typical Israeli startup beings in Israel but relocates to the States (typically the Valley) to follow the money. Not all of the “successful” and “proven” entrepreneurs return to the Holy land to re-create their magic.
Great post.
I feel like Israel is just slowing down, because the rest of the world is too. They are pretty much always at the forefront of innovation, but I guess it’s slowing down because of the whole world economy collapsing at all…
Also, I find it incredible that Israel, a 60 year old country, the size of NJ is able to churn out these amazing and innovative products and services- this is with fighting more wars and terrorism than any country has ever done. Props.
Sarah- have you contacted the guys from TechAviv? I think they actually have a meetup tonight in NYC- but if you’re in Tel Aviv- go eat at Papigayos- amazing all you can eat place. It’s an experience. You’ll thank me.
How do you think this is possible? Are Israelis a distinguished race? No, as stated in the article, there is an incredible investment in Israel coming from American Israelis in the US. In fact, their entire innovation and infrastructure is birthed this way. How do you think a country that has existed for only 6 decades can do this “while fighting wars and terrorism”?
This is, needless to say, going to end for several years due to US financial sector collapse.
A lot of people don’t know this, Zoli. Don’t beat yourself up.
“How do you think this is possible? Are Israelis a distinguished race? No, as stated in the article, there is an incredible investment in Israel….”
There is much more to the story. Consider the fact that Jews/Israelis constitute 0.1% of the world population but account for roughly 1/3rd of Nobel Laureates, Turing award, Godel Prize, Fields medal winners etc. They also account for 50% of world chess champions. Also, IQ test statistics report them averaging 20 points (about 1 sigma) over the world population, which makes a massive difference at the high end (when you are looking at skills that put people 3 or 3.5 sigma over the mean).
I have no idea about the heredity/environment split, but it is clear that successful entrepreneurship is merely a special case of overall high achievements here.
Or maybe we just simply don’t accept dogma or easy answers.
That’s right Vijay, Jews have a rich intellectual tradition. You are, however, missing the point that it is not economically feasible to harbor entrepreneurship the way it has in Israel without significant financial resources.
You are also making the mistake of lumping all Jews with the people of Israel, and that is a distinction you should look into.
Apartheid state.
you mean china?
Ha! And then they say Israelis are intelligent!!! No dumb#@# Apartheid state is a reference to Israel. Need me to draw a diagram??
Nice to hear this from the big Arab democracies. Maybe Israel should learn from Syria, Iran and other great Arab countries how to behave.
If Israel behaved half as well as Syria or Iran, it would be 1,000 times better than it is today. The most perverted philosophy on earth is militant zionism and no where has this philosophy taken hold as greatly as in the pretend state of israel. keep torturing palestinians, killing innocent women and children as you lay claims to greatness. The support for Israel in America is at a 60 year low. There will come a time when the american weapons that you repaint and call your own will stop flowing your way. Then we’ll ‘talk’.
The only apartheid state in that region is Saudi Arabia, which forbids any other religion from practicing in their evil kingdom.
Why dont you go live in Syria or Iran rather than sit in the comfort of the West and spew your hatred?
Why don’t you ask the Bahai and the homosexuals in Iran how great they are treated?
Why not ask the supporters of a free Lebanon or the Muslim Brotherhood how they are treated in Syria?
It is so easy for you to spread your lies and comments but they are truly baseless.
If Saudi Arabia prevents people from practicing other religions do the staffs of all foreign embassies, the thousands of foreign workers, western executives, military visitors and thousands of journalists who visit Saudi Arabia every year convert to Islam before them can set foot into the country?
You are a complete idiot. What you have trouble accepting is that Israel is a fascist, apartheid state which is fast approaching its end at its own hands. It will drown itself in its own cruelty.
More freedom in Israel (for entire population) than ANY other middle eastern country.
The most freedom at the expense of another population than any other middle eastern country you mean surely?
One day – we’ll hear a story about an old Palestinian woman defying the state and sitting in the front of the bus with the ‘chosen children of Jahweh’.
The most freedom, period. Why do you support a people that seeks to destroy another?
That population you speak of would be fine if they would leave Israel alone and get along. Your post is pure propaganda.
Unfortunately there have been a few instances where Palestinian women have boarded buses with bombs strapped to their chests and murdered everyone on board.
Forgive them for not allowing others in the future.
mahmoud ahmadinejad told us there were no homosexuals in iran.
there are plenty of palestinians in israel
and you dare claim israel is the middle eastern state that most viciously codifies hatred against a people group?
@ehud – Would you like me to take a few snapshots of Israeli public buses so you can see that woman, excuse me – those women, sitting in the front of the bus as the Jewish man who gave her his seat stands next to her?
Tyler: how many palestinians (women or children) had attacked israelis prior to palestinian land being stolen?
How many palestinian women had bombed israeli buses prior to the massacre at sabra and shatila?
A country whose founding leader (Ben Gurion, who, at the moment is being roasted in hell), was a terrorist that used bombings, killings and massacres as a tool, has no claim to any sympathy.
Is that how the competition works? If you’re more free than backwards despot states, then yes, congrats Israel. Still doesn’t disprove the apartheid state comment though…
Israel has no obligation to help people who are trying to destroy them.
The savages around FW De Klerk’s south africa also wanted to destroy S.Africa, doesn’t mean apartheid there was justified.
kimbjo this is how your racism works.
You single out Israel from any nation in the world and when you demonize it you also forget to mention the context of its ongoing struggle for survival in a hostile neighborhood.
Uhm. Racist? That’s rich! But again, crying and shooting starts and finishes with throwing insults right?
This article singled out Israel, not I.
And there still hasn’t been a rebuttal to the argument (Short of calling me a racist). The argument that Israel is an apartheid state, that it corners off an ethnic majority and slowly murders them by depriving them of water and arable land — that’s not racism, that’s just reality smacking you in the face. Oooh how you like them apples?
Yes racism.
If the Arabs had accepted the UN partition in 1948 – there would not be an issue.
But the Arabs attacked and attacked and lost and now crying that they are the victims. Dont try to re-write history. The article singles out Israel because of the technology contribution of Israel. I wish teh Arab countries would also contribute to science and technology.
So you’re saying Israel is an apartheid state becuase the arabs couldn’t accept something in 1948.
Great, I agree that the arabs couldn’t accept something in 1948, and I agree that Israel is an apartheid state today.
Glad we’re getting somewhere!
The question to you is why single out Israel? Have you ever criticized any other country besides Israel or are scape goating this country for all the world’s problems?
I am glad you agree that the problem the holy land started when the Arabs refused to accept Israel (UN partitioning) and launched countless acts of violence against it.
Now regarding your false “apartheid” remarks –
In 2006 the Israelis left the Gaza Strip and in return received thousands of rockets on nearby Israeli town – specifically targeting civilians.
Israel is still supplying water, medicine, food and electricity to the same people that are trying to destroy it – what “apartheid” are you talking about? Show any other country that is doing this or has ever done this.
Even Eygpyt that has a common border with gaza has sealed it off.
That’s why there are 550 checkpoints in Ramallah alone, an area that’s the size of downtown Chicago. &**## your freedom.
No, the reason is 550,000 fanatical Muslims that think that 70 virgins are waiting for them if they just kill enough people.
+1
Boycott diall.me ?
Ben, be my guest and boycott Israel.
Start with the Microsoft, Intel, Cisco products – see how much hatred you would be able to spew with out these products.
Microsoft builds it’s products in Redmond Washington.
I may be bad with geography, but I’m pretty sure Redmond is not part of the occupied territories?
Shows what you know kim bjorkland.
The big tech companies have large R&D installations in Israel. Eventhough they are HQed in the USA, many products originated from Israel – such as Intel’s Pentium chip.
Stop your hate.
History Professor (you wish!) you are spreading yet another myth. You are absolutely wrong about Microsoft’s products being ‘built’ in Israel. yes, Microsoft probably throws some scraps Israel’s way like many other american companies, but Israelis did not design or implement Microsoft Windows. The vast majority of all products produced by microsoft have nothing to do with Israel.
There are more probably 50-100 times more south asians and chinese working on microsoft products than israelis.
israel survives on american financial and military aid. microsoft opening an office in israel and giving some israelis a few jobs is just another piece of this. don’t insult your patrons by claiming their dependence on you. it is totally the other way round. you exist at america’s pleasure.
To whom ever You Are – why the different symbols?.
Are you also going to convince yourself that many of Intel’s chips were not designed in Israel? It is so easy for you to distort facts. Your hatred is blinding you.
Israel’s GDP per capita is 26600 USD. Egypt which receive slightly less aid from the USA has a per capita of 5000 USD
If Egypt can survive so can Israel – and they both will.
Dude, its not just Microsoft. As was written above its also Intel, Cisco, Google and much more. These are not just offices but huge R&D installations. Seriously, do some homework before you spew your hatred attacks. At least back them up with facts.
By the way the GDP per capita of Israel is 26600 USD while Egypt’s (which is second to Israel in US aid) has 5000 USD.
Does that mean Egypt is going away? Come’ on get real!
hater
Israeli has the leading solar energy producers in the world, and the largest electric car company in the world.
TEVA continues to dominate the booming generic drug market, and I suspect this health related expertise will overflow into serving one of the greatest health related opportunities of a lifetime: http://en.wikip...iki/Baby_boomer
Israel is poised to take on health and energy in the coming boom.
I fully agree with you and was going to post the same thing about Israel’s cleantech industry. Israelis (such as Shai Agassi) know how to find the next big industry and that’s cleantech at the moment. In the past few years hundreds of new cleantech companies, dealing with everything from wind to wastewater to solar energy have formed in Israel and, as I was just telling people today, it’s been incredible to see over the past year how many IT professionals in Israel are considering or heading into cleantech. IT is still there, but cleantech is going to dwarf it and play a BIG part in Israel’s future.
Love the analysis and thoughtful thinking that you posted here………….
Any investment in Israel is an investment in the persecution of Palestinians. Assuming the world will never get sanctions in place I suggest it’s up to individuals to shun Israeli companies – startups or not.
Let’s boycott Israel! http://www.yout...h?v=pcHwyW9xOyI
This is actually means that most things we use everyday are made, produced or developed by Israel. If you will boycott Israel, you will have to, as the guy said ” Kill your self”.
Troll rating: 3 out of 10
Technical Difficulty: 2
Execution: 4
Style: 1
Better to have one dollar in Israel then two in your ass
once they’ve been in his ass, he’ll throw them your way. don’t worry.
Like Ahuvah said, this article does ignore the fact that many Israeli start ups move their headquarters to Silicon Valley. Furthermore, many are listed as US companies to begin with – even before they have US offices, so the numbers of return may be off.
However you look at it, so much coming out of such a tiny country has to be admired.
And if you really want to meet those companies while you’re in Tel Aviv, I suggest you get a tweet or two out. There’s a very active Twitter community who would love to prove you wrong.
And if you’re there for 2 more weeks, you can make the Beer Tweet Up in TA. Look it up on Facebook.
Riiiiight!
then Israel its the new India?
Dork!
sir, i am from india and i will request you to kindly not insult my country.
india has always had a principled foreign policy stand in favour of palestinian freedom. multiple governments in india have had favourable relations with the PLO.
we do not support the mass murder of innocent palestinians in their own land.
When my start up couldn’t get private capital in 2002-2003 we got funding from the Israeli Chief Scientist which saved the company, so a mix of privet money and government money is a good stabilization system in turbulent times, and it is working well for Israeli companies.
At that time I moved to NYC to run the business from here and was staggered by the different state of minds, and I am now convinced that if you have a good idea for a company, come and live with your target market in NYC or the Valley and use the people you know from back home in Israel, India, China, Ireland or wherever to help you cut costs.
I think that some Israelis are talented, the same as Jews in the US as a group is doing relatively well. Much of the 90s boom was thanks to Jewish Russian immigration to Israel with highly educated-creative / low paid people, now they have been assimilated and developer hourly rate is closer to the rate in US and Europe. All in all, the Israel, its extremists and its neighbors are dragging everybody down.
well, the numbers sara published is just wrong. I will mention at least three acquisitions of israeli companies of over a USD Billion each: m systems to sandisk, mercury to HP and chromatis to cisco…so 860M is way off!
I would go more to above 10B in acquisitions only. Sara mention yossi vardi who sold mirabilis to AOL for almost half the sum she wrote about…
nice thesis based on very wrong numbers.
that was in 1999 was it not?
her numbers are new investments since 2001, and the IRR on the same.
check http://www.ivc-online.co.il for more details, m systems and mercury happend more recently, no way the numbers are right anywa
The reason Silicon Valley tech and Israeli tech get along so well is that they are both filled with cynics who think they know everything, can learn nothing from the past or any other field and look at long-term planning as if it was a mental illness.
why did I even bother reading comments on this post.
You’re right, Herman, seems like a waste of time when you already know everything.
+1
I honestly think Israel is one of the most innovative nations. In other wards they got balls. Try living in a hostile environment and churn out these great tech products and services. Please stop posting random comments about how we oppress Palestinians and at the same time provide them with free electricity and water. This article is not about politics its about technology. Sarah you should visit Machon Weizmann and some of the major Universities with engineering programs. Those have some amazing innovations they would love to show you.
You do realize that as an occupying power Israel is bound under international law to provide everyone in the West Bank and Gaza with the same standard of life as its own citizens.
If Israel does not want that responsibility it could end the occupation and pull out. However, Israeli forces continue to blockade Gaza and physically occupy the West Bank, thus the upkeep of the people in those regions is their responsibility.
Instead Jewish Settlers in the West Bank drive on Jewish only roads, while Palestinians have their land taken away from them to create those roads for Jews only. One group of people (the Palestinians) live under the laws of a brutal military dictatorship, while another group (Israeli Jews) live under a progressive egalitarian law. An Israeli settler can kill a Palestinian boy and be punished with community service, while if a Palestinian did the same thing he would be jailed for life or simply shot.
Anyway, every single argument that Israeli apologists continually shove in our faces is dispelled here:
http://rocktheq...-gaza-massacre/
News flash, Israel left Gaza and has no such commitments.
Also by the same “international law” you speak of, weren’t the Arabs suppose to accept the Jewish partition and not launch countless violent attacks against them? Because they lost – they are now the victims? Interesting you only use so called “international law” when it is convenient for you.
* China has approximately 1,322,860,544 more humans beings and a GDP that is $3,089,100,000,000 greater than Israel.
I would hope that China could muster up a bit more foreign investment.
Its when you account for its minuscule size and population that you realize how significantly Israel “one-ups” every other nation.
As an Israeli entrepreneur of many years I mostly agree with the facts although It think the compliments to Israeli ingenuity is a bit over the top.
I think the failure here is not of the people but of the Israeli VC’s. I run a company that actually makes money but I will never get funding from any VC because… I make money.
VC’s in Israel invest in dreams not reality, people raise money for schemes that are just technically ridiculous and have limited market potential. But they sound good to people with shallow understanding of the market.
This caused the entire country to “tailor” solutions that VC’s will fund rather than building quality products. The boom of the 90’s existed because VC’s were weak to none-existent, the current slowdown is because VC’s are only funding bad ideas.
E.g. a friend of mine built a relatively innovative startup that already had a product at production stage. The well known VC decided to break a contract and do a 180 on a product that was already developed and went out to production. He was able to get a beta site running with very positive feedback but that didn’t change the VC’s mind who kicked him out of the company and went in a different (failed) direction.
Two other unrelated companies formed in the meanwhile to pursue the original direction of the company quite well…
VC is generally a scam and I think we would do far better without it. I am.
Interesting perspective Shai.
Shai Agassi then?
Shai Agassi’s Better Place has raised over $200 million, lots of it coming from VCs. Couldn’t be him.
Finally someone has pointed out that VCs aren’t geniuses or any more perceptive than say Mike Arrington (who isn’t much more than a cigar smoking hack). They’re people with access to a lot of institutional investor funds, who spread their investments widely and then peddle hype through channels such as…TechCrunch. Eventually people bite and buy into the hype to the tune of millions or even billions of dollars. That in the end it’s just hype, not justifiable by any real return calculation doesn’t matter. If VC manages to overhype a company they can make a killing, even if the rest of their investments fold.
Take YouTube which was heavily hyped through TechCrunch and other clown-media. It sold for billions which Google will never recoup (decades of operation till it just breaks even).
So Sarah Lacy’s calculations are bunk. This is a confidence game as much as anything else. Few companies who IPO successfully or get bought have any sustainable profit potential, and don’t say Google, because that’s one rare event.
So why is Israel getting less VC now? Because VC lives off of hype. If the buzz is moving to China, so must they, because that’s where the new chumps are going to be, buying up companies at overinflated prices like suckers. It has everything to do with con-artistry, and little to do with business nor technology.
Actually, most of Israeli innovation is out of your coverage niche, Sarah.
Israel develops core technology on far bigger scale, and far less pseudo-tech like Twitter and fluffy AJAX services with stupid names.
My advice would be looking into startups like nTrig, Better Place, etc… and not necessarily blog-tech-coverage sort of companies…
Juding by the news, Israel is the new South Africa.
Judging by your comment. You’re the new village idiot.
Judging by your comment, you are not a new jew
Judging by your comment you’re yet another Arab antisemite. How surprising.
Judging by your comments, you have a lot of time on your hands.
there was previously a comparison with my country, india, and now south africa… i don’t think either india or south africa can in anyway be compared to israel. these are two peaceful countries and israel is daily murdering palestinian women and children. these comparisons with israel defame other nations. please stop this.
israel is israel and at the moment there is no country as shameful and despicable.
yes israelis get american money, american education, the ability to learn skills in america, and then they come back and build things in american funded buildings that they sell back to america. i think it would be cheaper for america to just put all israelis on the dole and not even bother with this long complicated financial chain.
You are so clever. Did you know India is also fighting its fanatic Muslim neighbor Afghanistan? But hey, the Muslim bombed Bombai so you must be anti-Indian as well.
Israel is already fighting destroying peace in the middle east, why must you now interfere in the affairs of India and its neighbours? You have some kind of bloodlust? Is it some sick state of mind that you are suffering from that you have to spark conflict and killing everywhere? What do you have to do with either India or Afghanistan. You worry about your own abysmal fate.
Truly, what a sorry thing you have done by bringing Afghanistan into this. I suppose you are failing to defend Israel because its actions are morally reprehensible and it is a terrorist state. So you are now expanding your hate speech to South Asia.
We in South Asia will deal with our own affairs. Muslims are the second largest group in India and there is a lot of mutual respect between Hindus and Muslims. We are fine. Stay away from us and keep your hate mongering firmly within the boundaries of Israel.
What are you talking about, dude.
There was just a heinous Islamic terror attack in Mumbai, did you forget?
South Africa has the highest murder (per capita) rate in the world
There are not “daily murdering” in Israel – that’s just anti-Israel propaganda.
But maybe the Interest is blocked by your backward government so you may not know all this.
Mr. “To hyderabadi”,
Please analyse what you are saying.
You first insulted a religion. I am hindu myself, and live in a community with hindus and muslims. There is no problem. There is no ‘islamic’ or ‘hindu’ terorrism. Only terrorism committed by criminals. The religion is not to be insulted. Perhaps if you took this approach in your own country, the whole world would not hate you.
Then you insulted South Africa. Would you like it if I said Israel has the highest rate of state oppression per capita? Or the highest rate of militarization of society per capita? Or the highest number of undeclared illegal nukes per capita? Or the highest number of government-created refugees per capita? I mean South Africa has nothing to do with this. Why are you insulting other people. Just because you have so much hate in your heart and your own society has made you so hardened and racist, that it comes naturally to you?
Then you go on to insult my government by calling it backward. There are problems everywhere, but we coexist relatively peacefully in our region. We have not had a war with any of our neighbours in last 38 years. There are issues now and then but of course we are moving towards a resolution. Now look at your government. You are fighting wars and making invasions on a 6-monthly basis. Who is a backward government? I think Israel is not just a backward criminalized government, but also is posing a threat to entire world due to propagation of violence and killing innocent people which results in creation of thousands of terrorists.
I have to point out that your ex president is being tried for rape. Your ex prime minister is facing criminal charges. And the son of the prime minister before him is also facing criminal charges. So much corruption in your government and you are calling others backward?
First, I am American – my president is Obama.
Second, the “criminals” that committed the Mumbai terrorist attacks last year were radical Islamists who targeted Hindus (like you) and Jews ( the habad house) so stop playing the innocent – there is a global Islamac Jihad – get your head out of the dark place it is in.
Let’s back up Sarah Lacy. What exactly is an “Israeli startup?” or an “Israeli Company”? In fact what exactly is an “Israeli”?
Most smart start-ups these days design IP at home, build and scale IP in a low wage country, outsource back-office stuff in another low wage country, and export globally to the biggest markets for their products.
In other words, nationalistic jingoism doesn’t cut it anymore. If any company wants to be successful it needs to be a global country from the get go. The fact that the ceo lives in a specific country is inconsequential. In fact if the CEO gets successful, he should live in London anyway for the best tax treatment…
kimbjo, according to your logic – No company can be associated to a specific country? Maybe a company that was founded in a specific country or HQed in a specific country, or has most of its installations in a specific country – is associated to that country.
By the way, an Israeli is someone who is a citizen of the State of Israel.
fair point! We use Chinese developers
Oh, please. The US has whipped the pants off of every other country when it comes to tech for how long now? The win goes to the best and the brightest, regardless of geographical location.
“Most smart start-ups these days design IP at home,”
True…
“build and scale IP in a low wage country, ”
False…
“outsource back-office stuff in another low wage country,”
False…
“and export globally to the biggest markets for their products.”
true.
If you have nothing valuable to say why don’t you bug off? Shouldn’t you be trolling me on ValleyWag right about now or visiting White Aryan Nation.com instead of wasting your time on this post? You’re trying to start an issue but you’re too damn inarticulate and uneducated to get your idea off the ground.
“What is an Isreali?” Seriously?
You need to stop wasting your time here.
The entire post is based on the aquisition numbers, and the numbers are way way off.
Tech Crunch we expect better!
-John
Boston and Israel are both awesome. Wouldn’t dream of doing a startup anywhere else (the valley excluded).
No link China-Israel
Bad piece of writing. So many factors not being considered.
Many “Israeli” companies merely have their R&D out of Israel but their corporate structures elswhere.
When they aquired their not being acquired as “Israeli” companies!
- John
I think there is more success in Israel than you’re giving credit. Beyond that I think there is some stabilization in the tech world there. Many major entrepreneurs have left to follow money and many others are innovating within larger companies. Just look at Microsoft’s tremendous R & D program there. Sometimes I think money raised (or returned to VCs) is a poor way to measure the entrepreneurial success of a country. Country’s go through cycles with entrepreneurs. Instead I’d look at the education system, the number of engineering related graduates and the amount of patents and publishing there. That would smooth the curve of the cycles and still be an adequate measure of a country’s possible investment returns for VCs. In those respects Israel is tremendously strong per capita.
It’s the economy stupid. Israel’s merely the canary in the coal mine for the rest of the development world. As Israel goes, so goes the West.
- Brett
Lacy whether indented or not, youv’e provided an opening for Israel bashers of all stripes.
Those who are bothered by the fact that a country sorrounded by sworn enemies, a country half the size of California (not even), and a country with not much in natural resources is producing mind boggling products year after year; on the same level as the world greatest superpowers.
This posts gives them the hope that maybe the Jewish mind , drive, and instincts isn’t what it once was. Maybe if they can’t be defeated militarily, they can be depleted financially.
Sorry folks, but the gift of Jews aint going away. They will continue providing the world with the most innovative and revolutionizing products in the fields of medicine, science, security, and software etc… They have been doing it for the past 4000 years and no post will change that, etc!
Especially one with so many holes in it.
What are their neighbors producing other than hate and violence. I read TechCrunch everyday and I haven’t seen one innovative product out of the Middle East other than from Israel which seemingly has one every other day.
G-D bless the Jewish people
-Brett
Techcrunch forgot to cover this innovation.
http://tinyurl.com/27tyda
Sometimes people bite the hands that feed.
Awwww, she’s so cute !!!!
This is true non sense spin. Occupation is illegal and immoral. Let’s not try smoke and mirrors here. Zionism is the true problem.
Computer says “no”.
Haha…What country do you live in Ben?
God bless the Jewish people and may he destroy the terrorist Zionists who have the blood of innocents on their hands. Amen.
OK. There are maybe a handful of Zionists that are terrorist – the overwhelming majority of us wants to live in peace with our neighbors. I wish I can say the same about the other side.
“Half the size of California…”???
much smaller than that.
New Jersey is the usual comparison
>>>>Internationally, China has become the new obsession, with India a close second.
I disagree.
China is the obsession now because they are the worlds de facto bank, ie., funding Americas bailout. They’ve been the obsession prior to the economic crisis because of their manufacturing footprint…. NEVER because of entrepreneurship.
India is clearly leading in entrepreneurship, just look, they own half of Silicon Valley… compared with how many Chinese owned valley firms? next to none.
India will continue to lead China in entrepreneurship primarily because English is their native language (for business and education). And all tech entrepreneurship begins with creating new apps… programming.
It’s much more difficult and time consuming for the Chinese to learn the QUERTY keyboards and English based programming languages than it is for Indians… Ergo, Indians have and will retain the advantage/lead for the foreseeable future.
India owns half of silicon valley? say what?
Have you done business in India? Until both of those countries get their business accumen together they will still lag behind. Their cumbersome political systems, rules, and messy bureaucracies do everything they can to stifle true innovation.
China is among the world leaders in tech, electronics, drugs, biotech & more but not usually in sexy things like “web2.0″ ….
You can’t be serious. If you had said that it’s harder for a Chinese to read “Java for Dummies” because of the language skills, you might have had a point. But the keyboard stuff is nonsense.
Israel is the most complete form of an apartheid state. It needs to be boycotted for the pain, suffering, genocidal policies it has inflicted upon thousands of palestinians.
Genocide? Clearly you’ve never been to a birth unit in an Israeli hospital. Easier to be vitriolic when you’re ignorant. I pity the fool.
Ben,
If you were not blinded by your hatred towards Israel and look at the facts such as the population of Gaza almost doubled in the past 25 years – does not lead to a conclusion of “genocide”. But then again your hatred has consumed the logical part of your brain and you would not understand this argument.
Imagine if Israel one day decided to partake in what every one falsely accuses them of.
No harm done because they are already faulted right? Couldn’t possibly be worse than apartheid, genocide etc…
I would imagine they would have much greater success, if they actually tried.
Amen, Brett, Amen.
If you guys didn’t read what Brett and John have to say about this article then you haven’t read about the full picture.
Ben, get a life….
You might wanna pull your head out so you can still catch a glimpse of the light of the day.
Eli – a truly brain washed fella. God bless!
Boycott Techcrunch because they support Israeli businesses; each post you make, each view you provide, gives them more ad revenue.
So why did you post? Tsk, secretly supporting Israel, huh? Or are you just a compulsive poster who doesn’t care what you post, as long as you can? Boycott Israel, please- without your computer maybe you’ll be less of a plague on the world.
The $10B total => $860M (avg. per year?) ROI seems extreme. Did you count M&As that took place inside this period for companies that started before 2001? (Mercury acquired by HP for $4.5B at ‘06, M-Systems by Sandisk for $1.5B…)?
Regardless of this metric’s validity, it is somewhat meaningless without showing similar numbers for other regions. What’s been China’s Investment to IPO/M&A ratio the last 10 years? what about Silicon Valley’s? maybe Israel’s numbers are in fact better than the rest of the world and the low ROI is just the sign of a general, worldwide slowdown…
Going out on a limb but if you were to boycott israeli products then you wouldn’t have a computer to blog complete nonsense on, you’d be forced to take off your pants (please no) and probably would go crazy from the lack of sugar intake you’re used to after u give up starbucks.
Good luck.
Agreed… Without Israeli innovations, many markets would not have developed as they did, or in some cases – not ignited at all: IM (icq), VOIP (vocaltec), WIFI (broadcom), All new Intel processors since MMX onwards, including Dual Core (Intel), ONLINE POKER (pokerstars, 888), FIREWALL (checkpoint), CASUAL GAMES MONETIZATION (Oberon).
HAHAHAHAH!!!! new Intel processors could not have been invented in America by Americans??? Yes, all the processors from the 4004 onwards were invented by Americans and then suddenly, when the Intel center in Israel came online, all American CPU designers became idiots & oafs and had to depend on the intellect of the superior israeli engineers!
What bull#$@@@ You keep pointing to innovations EACH ONE OF WHICH is the result of american funding and largess towards Israel. No israeli would have had the opportunity to work on an x86 CPU had Intel NOT DECIDED to open a center in Israel. They did it because Americans have been helping Israel across the board. Not because no one else could do the work they employed the Israelis for.
Some other Israeli innovations: Sharon’s pincer movement on refugee camps to effectively wipe out unarmed civilians / financial scams / use of cluster bombs on civilian settlements / use of DU ammunition / use of chemical weapons against unarmed civilians.
The list is very long.
Who knows what could or could not have been invented. The fact is that it WAS invented in Israel.
Let me understand this conspiracy theory of yours: Intel, Cisco, Microsofot, Google… they all work for the US government and they set -up their R&D facilities in Israel – not because of the local brain power and ingenuity – but to “fund” Israel out of “largess”.
Wow! That is rich!
A good one Eli!
So, how does one drop Sarah a note on our awesome start-up?
* Israel allots 85% of the water resources in the occupied territories for Jews and the remaining 15% is divided among all Palestinians in the territories. For example in Hebron, 85% of the water is given to about 500 settlers, while 15% must be divided among Hebron’s 120,000 Palestinians?
* More than 80% of Palestinians killed are civilians who had nothing to do with terrorism
* There are no more than 6,000 Israeli settlers in Gaza, surrounded by 1,000,000 Palestinians, and yet, 25% of Gazan land is set aside for the settlers
* Hebron is kept under constant “curfew” — i.e., Palestinians are physically confined to their homes 23 out of 24 hours — simply so that Israel can guarantee the security of 450 settlers living among 120,000 Palestinians
* At his most “generous”, Ehud Barak offered a Palestinian state composed of 4 disconnected territories, with the proviso that the Palestinian state retain in its midst hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens, and that the settlements where those citizens were to live would be guarded by the Israeli army, with the territory of the army bases being Israeli sovereign territory
* Only two nations in the world oppose the International Treaty on Terrorism: The United States and Israel
* Israel allows anyone who is Jewish to “return” to Israel, even if they, and all of their ancestors going back hundreds or thousand sof years, had never been in Israel, and yet denies Palestinians with valid land deeds to return to their their home towns, their villages, their houses
* Israel has a stated policy of ensuring that its population must retain a Jewish majority: how can Israel be a democracy and yet pursue a race-based policy?
* Israel has been “cracking down” against terrorism for three decades now, and yet to this day suicide bombings continue to take place — why does Israel continue following a policy that is patently a failure?
* If Israel were serious about a long-lasting peace with the Palestinians, then why did it double the size of its settlments in the occupied territories between 1993 and 2000?
* If Palestinians were only intent on destroying Israel, then why did attacks against Israelis taper off to nothing when Barak seemed to be making progress towards peace?
* If Israel really wanted Arafat to reign in militants, as it says it does, then why does it make it both politically and physically impossible for him to do so by humiliating him, dennouncing him as a criminal, and physically dismantling his security aparatus and the infrastructure of his authority?
* If Israel were really interested in ensuring the security of its citizens, then why does it carry out assassinations, knowing full well that such assassinations will only trigger another wave of suicide bombings and escalate the cycle of violence?
Right, and “silence is golden” doesn’t mean putting a silencer on a gun before you pull the trigger.
Since you are so into the numbers, here is one for you.
“One/Single” – The way you’ll be your whole sad, sad life. You can’t actually say what you say and also convince someone you love them. It would probably sound just as fake as your last post.
“* There are no more than 6,000 Israeli settlers in Gaza, surrounded by 1,000,000 Palestinians”
Huh? Your numbers are a little off – there is in fact just one israeli in gaza – Gilad Shalit – he has been held hostage there for several years now. He gets no red cross visits, no contact with the outside world, no human rights.. nobody knows if he lives or what condition he is in.. is this your “israeli settler”?
Compare that to palestinian terrorists held in israeli prisons.. not only do they get red cross visits but also family visits and many other ‘benefits’ that prison in a civilized country provides – education, health care, no suicide missions.. etc
The rest of your “facts” are equally wrong.. arafat?! He’s dead you know, many years ago.. didn’t you get the memo?
Israel left Gaza (i.e settlers and military installations) in 2006.
They left greenhouses for the Pals but they in return used them to make home made rockets and fire on Israeli towns
To the person who posted 101- if this is from a web-site, please hit the refresh button. Most of the lies stated here are referencing out-dated events.
Occupation101:
This post is for the benifit of anyone reading this, not necessarily you, since I doubt you care, but-
*Where are you getting your numbers?! As a person who’s spent a year *living* in Israel, I can tell you that many of your assertations are blatantly wrong. Which Palestinian propoganda website did you cut and paste them from?
* I hate to break it to you, but Judaism is not a race, it is a religion. There are black Jews, white Jews, Chinese Jews, even Arab Jews. But maybe like most ignorant people you confuse Muslims and Arabs.
* Since when is there a curfew in Chevron (Hebron)? Have you even ever *been* to Chevron? I was there a few times and let me tell you- no such thing. It’s a large town with shopping malls, parks, ect. I sure Israel has nothing better to do than enforce a non-existent curfew there.
* Israel keeps, and keeps, and keeps giving land back. Do you know that Israel is smaller than New Jersey? The way you want things, we’ll be down to the Turnpike.
* How can Israel stop people from blowing themselves up? Suicide is illegal in the US, but people still manage it.
Please, get a life. Or go there and see for yourself. On second thought, maybe Israel’s safer the farther away you are.
@Shai – Agreed.
I’ve worked in both VC-backed companies and founder-financed companies…
The *key* difference is that employees and executives in VC-backed companies generally don’t understand the value of a dollar, much like a spoiled child who is given money doesn’t understand its true worth. Money becomes a commodity instead of a precious resource.
In founder-financed (bootstrapped) companies, the value of a dollar drives EVERY SINGLE DECISION. Where is the next sale coming from and how can we constantly increase efficiency? It’s literally a matter of life and death…
That being said, a small percentage of “dreams” do become reality as a result of VC-financing, but that’s just a numbers game rather than any particular talent in alchemy…
Ben..did you just finished reading Jimmy Carters book for the 4th time. You have nothing to back your stupid comments up with, so just shut the fuck up.
Israeli Arabs have the highest standard of living in the Middle East. You know nothing about the region nor its history you’re a class act marijuana smoking moron.
I bet Ben is just your alter name. I bet you drive a taxi in Damascus and your real name is Salam “The Toilet Cleaner” Jihadista.
Tech Crunch shame on you for inviting all these creeps here today.
Actually, Ben’s comments have a lot of backing. But for me to explain it you then that would have to involve you having a solid educational background. Sorry.
And your profanity just proves my point. Lol. Tisk tisk.
And clearly being a toiler cleaner in Damascus is a bad thing to Tim Lazaro, but being an “israeli” (whatever that means?) is a good thing.
Who’s racist now?
You are the racist kimbjo.
Israeli is a person born in Israel.
You are trying to demonize a nation out of pure hatred. If the Arabs accepted the UN partition in 1948 there would have been NO wars. The Arabs use the Pals as pawns to deflect any criticism from their totalitarian governments. It’s the first paragraph of Dictatorship for Dummies. Ask Asad for a copy
Right… in conclusion, ‘ARABS’ are evil, and ‘ISRAELIS’ are pure. Now if only someone could explain to me what an arab is, and what an israeli is? I presume this means that if I’m ukranian and i was born in israel than I’m an arab, but if i’m a ukrainian and i was born in an ‘arab’ country (if there is such a country) then i’m an arab?
I never said Arabs are evil and Israelis are pure.
I just wish the Arabs could have agreed to the 1948 UN partitioning and accepted Israel. There would have been a Palestinian state (if Jordon and Eygpt would have allowed it) and more importantly no wars in the holy land.
If you were born in Israel and you have Israeli citizenship – yes – then you are an Israeli. There is no such country as Arab, but there are countries that consider themselves Arab: Syria, Lebanon, Jordon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Yemen, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
Israel has innovation I give them that.
But I guess after the 2006 war against Lebanon, they have lost a lot of humanitarian credibility. Most Israelis were against the war that Summer.
But again, if they innovate in order to kill faster, makes them less human, but innovators.
Joseph, out of your hatred to Israel you might forget the fact that Israel was attacked without any provocation by Hezbollah – the military arm of Iran – in the summer of 2006. Iran is trying to cause upheaval in the region so the Iranian people would be distracted from their problems at home such as high inflation and unemployment. But your hatred is blinding you from this important fact.
Israel is a renegade state
How so Sam? Just stating something doesn’t make it true.
Who did Israel betray?
It was never accepted by its neighbors even though it was accepted and recognized by the international community (the UN) and that is the tragedy.
History Professor, please take your head out of the ground. Israel always attacks first, and then works the PR to justify.
That is simple not true. Israel only attacked first in the 1967 war. In the other wars: 1948, 1956, 1973, 2006 and 2008 it was attacked and responded.
Please don’t distort the facts and please don’t use fowl language.
And Tim, I got mixed up with the names. That last post was against Ben. Not to back him up.
Sarah,
It’s a shame you jumped to post this misguided conclusion before spending your two weeks in Israel, but thanks for igniting the important conversation. The companies you need to meet are here: http://www.techaviv.com and I’m happy to introduce you to any of the 300 founders you see in the startups tab. The tech movement you’re completely missing is the new generation of new media/web/mobile startups that are bursting onto the global scene from Israel. Yes, we’ve been historically strong in deep technology, but the kids graduating from the elite programming units of the IDF are building killer Internet-powered startups, not semiconductors. The seeds being planted now … Boxee, Kaltura, Outbrain, fring, Face.com, plaYce, Gigya, Innovid, Dapper to name a few are ushering in a new era of Israeli hi-tech — light companies focused relentlessly on user experience, not technology.
I’m a little confused, as perhaps you are, about your stance on the matter. Why would you ask if we’re a relic of the 90’s if you don’t believe so? As for your stats on M&A/IPO returns, why didn’t you mention their source? Please do. BTW, they’re wrong. Happy to send official data if interested.
Most importantly, have a great time in Tel Aviv.
What about Mexican innovation? We produce the most creative drywall hangers in the world.
Btw, Sarah Gonzales is actually of Mexican heritage. She changed her name to Lacy to hide her true heritage, but every now and then, the true Mexican still manages to slip through (ex: that infamous interview… you know, the one where the crowed interviewed her in front of Mark Zuckerberg).
Yaron,
Too bad that Sarah won’t read your comment. Her husband might though (at least according to her video interview with Loren Feldman, link above).
So, Sarah’s hubby, if you happen to read Yaron’s comment, please let Sarah know that she has some wrong facts in her post, actually too many.
Here are just a few other Israeli internet/media companies acquisitions/exits to mention:
* eBay acquired Shopping.com for $634MM (Aug 2005)
* AOL acquired Quigo for ~$340M and Yedda for several tens of millions
* Gaming company 888 raised $1.1B in an IPO at the London Stock Exchange
* Yahoo acquired Farechase (and now shutting down) & FoxyTunes
And a few other M&A of non-media companies:
* Warren Buffett paid $4B for 80% of Iscar Metalworking (true, that was not a VC backed company and not internet/media but a home grown business built by Israel’s biggest entrepreneur and visionary)
* Intel paid $1.6B for DSPC
and the list goes on and on and on…
Thanks Jay. Its actually over $40B in Israeli hi-tech M&A returns from 2000 to 2008.
http://bit.ly/40UQcg
Yaron,
Not to diss the “light” user-experience companies, but there are some very innovative core infrastructures technologies currently in development in Israel. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
using profanity and attacking people is a sign that you are deeply insecure and you know you can’t stand up and handle the truth.
Down with apartheid israel, down with zionism and racism.
Free Free Palestine
sophie – you are the one attacking people – you are attacking the people of Israel. You are the racist.
Sophie, the definition of Zionism is that Jews have a right for self determination. Surely you wouldn’t deny people their right for self determination based on ethnicity? That is, actually, the definition of Apartheid – creating the distinction of political and human rights based on ethnicity. So you see, in essence, if you advocate an end to racism you should direct your critique at those calling for an end to Zionism. Yes, Sophie, that means that you are actually the racist.
Sophie appears to have Ugly Woman’s Syndrome.
No David, Sophie is making a widely accepted argument amongst “pro” Palestinian groups across the world. The problem is that their liberal premise is built on scathing racism. Instead of legitimately debating a real conflict with real people involved they indulge in self righteous banter without having a clue on what is going on in Israel and \ or “Palestine” to be. People like her only damage the Palestinian cause (which is pretty shaky as is on account of their terrorist tactics used by Fatach and Hamas, to name but a few).
Wake up and smell the coffee. Be a real man and call things for what they really are. Israel is a bloody racist state. Israel is the shame of humanity and of Europe in particular.
Cheers mate!
Patrick, actually Europe is the shame of Europe. That is if someone wishes to discuss racism, or coffee for that matter – which you seem fond of. Coffee, for example, is the product of the historical exploitation of Europeans of South America. The bloody and brutal history of Europe leaves a sour taste in the mouths of those who know it.
Israel, is a young state faced with extreme challenges and, considering the neighborhood, is doing a fine job upholding the European theorized code of civilized behavior.
Patrik, mate, why don’t you pop over for a visit and get a taste of a country that isn’t actually built on the crushed bones of slaves, vassals, and crusades? Get a sense of a nation that is struggling to find its way, something warring and sometimes making peace, sometimes failing and at most times succeeding at being one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
L’Chayim mate! (that’s cheers in Hebrew – literally meaning “to life” – Patrick, I suggest you get one).
Good one Nicholas. Wish I had time to write.
The writer’s “hostile nieghbours” statement without the ability to further explain his point (as this is a tech blog) is very offending.
Samar…No one cares that your offended.
Which part of “hostile nieghbours” do you not understand.
Cut the garbage.
Not a surprising reply for someone who didn’t spell my name correctly.
Don’t blame him that your name is ugly Samir!
The part about Israel having all the nukes (and never admitting it), committing war crimes (but never signing up to the ICJ), flouting every basic principle for human decency by starving and poisoning the Palestinian people in a state of apartheid.
Stop crying and shooting and YOU cut the garbage!
kimbjo you can spew all these false accusations but the they are still baseless. If the Palestinians would not have torn apart the greenhouses that Israel left them in Gaza and use them to launch rockets at Israeli towns then Israel would not need to blockade them.
Interesting that you have nothing to say about Egypt that also borders Gaza. Your hate towards Israel is blinding you to the facts. Stop the hate and look at the facts.
Wow K, you are one ugly person. How do you look at yourself in the mirror?
If the Palestinians would stop firing rockets at Israel, stop blowing up busses etc, the hostilities would end. Period.
I’m actually quiet good looking.
And this is a 2 way street ladies. The Palestinians need to stop sending rockets, and the Israelis need to stop building illegal walls and occupying territories that don’t belong to them.
THEN the hostilities would end.
But ofcourse when you’re rabidly on one side and you consider yourself an ‘israeli’ (whatever that means), then you’re blind to the truth.
LIke i said, crying and shooting and denying that you’re building an apartheid state.
False Accusations?
Does Israel have all the nukes in the middle east? Ask Vanunu. What would he say? Does it not make you upset that an “Israeli” spent 20 years in jail for the truth?
Does Israel steal water and arable land from the Palestinians?
Is Israel part of the ICJ?
How are these false accusations?
I guess the truth hurts the most, and the only retort is ‘lies lies lise!’
Even better. You eat the garbage. Or do you solely consume the blood of innocents?
The reason why they are hostile is not really relevant.
For the sake of the argument, it can be the same way the Allies were to Nazi Germany. They were hostile towards Nazis.
(I don’t hold the above opinion, and currently live in Israel)
Considering the context, there is absolutely no need to elaborate on the nature of the hostility…
The Jews have had a presence in the land of Israel for 3000 uninterrupted years now. That’s a full 1500 years before Mohammad showed up on his Donkey. “Palestians” is a myth!
What in the world is it about Israel that atrracts all these ugly comments. I bet if it was Syria, Sudan, Iran ( truly oppressive regimes) being written about, everyone would just yawn. But than again, they would have to actually innovate new technologies to merit a post. No chance there.
Stop the propaganda!
Non sense STEVE!!! Stop smoking your own crap
That’s your reply, Sophie? That’s it. No counter argument? Just shows how baseless your arguments have been. Stop your hatred.
Selective history professor – you and the israeli flag waiving bandits here are truly hopeless bunch…I won’t waste more key strokes with fear filled people who invade the land of others and impose apartheid and manage to fill the airwaves with fallacies. The record is clear, look up the UN resolutions and the UN documented facts, not the neo con and zionist propaganda.
Sophie,
I understand that for people like you it’s hard to carry an intellectual conversation. You only know how to spew lies and short sound bites. That is why you “won’t waste more key strokes”. But if you want to reference the UN – be my guest. The UN partitioned the land between Jews and Arabs in 1948. If the Arabs had agreed to it there would NOT be any wars. But they did not and kept attacking the Jewish state until today. Sometimes the truth hurts.
Booo History professor. You are disgracing your profession by carrying such discourse. Israel is a foreign and alien like entity and should not have been created to beging with. A state with no constitution, and with religion at its core is doomed to fail, sooner or later. Too bad for the poor palestinians, they got butchered and looted by your likes.
Hmm Patrick… a state with no constitution and with religion at its core is doomed to fail, eh? Are you suggesting the United Kingdom is about to crumble? Last time I checked the UK didn’t have a constitution and the Queen was the head of the church of England. Too bad for all the nations “Great” Britain ruled over and got butchered and looted by your likes.
Seems like Sophie has no answeres, I wonder why.
Sophy you say “Israel invaded the land of others” who were the “others” ? What nation did they invade ? What civilization did they replace ?
I’m listening !
Patrick,
Unfortunately attacking me does not improve your knowledge of history. The world community DID recognize and accept Israel as a Jewish state in the 1948 UN resolution. Therefore it was created and approved. The problem is that the Arab countries did not accept it. Please shut off the computer and read some history books. its not too late to enlighten yourself.
What if…
1) God doesn’t exist.
or
2) God exists, but doesn’t care about who lives where.
Where they the only people present in the ‘Land of Israel’ during that time period? Does it really give them the right to murder/terrorize non jewish people? I’m not talking about today – I’m talking about 50-60 years ago.
MBlueD,
According to facts, and not your lies, the Arabs attacked the Jews and try to throw them into the sea. They did accept the UN partitioning in 1948 and many (probably you included) still don’t accept the existence of a Jewish homeland.
Please stop your hate and do your homework.
hi professor.
i’m sorry to teach you that even ben gourion said that jews steal arab’s land and that it was normal arab leaders attacked israel…
but even nowadays israel continues to steal palestinian land, in violation of all UN resolution since 1967
Bernard,
Please support your comments with evidence. I don’t recall Ben Gurion saying so. Is this a new myth that you would like to spread?
there are no BUTs – the fact is the Arabs never accepted Israel’s existence – even though the UN partitioned the land. They attacked Israel and lost and now they are playing the victims and using the UN’s resolutions even though they ignored it in the beginning. How convenient.
Great post, Sarah, and definitely a red flag for Israeli tech community.
Having said that, I think Israel is going through interesting phase. If, as you stated, in the past Israeli tech export was mainly for security and infrastructure technologies, now more and more web applications are starting to emerge. Just look at the video space as an example.
Israeli entrepreneurs are maturing too. I is encouraging to see that those who thought a great company requires early VC money now realize it’s best to wait a while and raise cash for expansion rather than development.
I may be wrong but it sure looks like Israeli VCs are still more risk averse than their North American/European colleagues. A new bread of entrepreneurs coming out of the latest layoff wave will hopefully prove them wrong and change that.
What is up with this post? I’m sure this was a fantastic conversation over bonghits late at night, but this doth not a TC post make. Your romanticized notions about Israel are going through an evolution? How interesting for you.
Agreed. This is not for TC. Let’s move on…
I like bong hits.
I’m with you Andy, I don’t look for spewing gysers of political ignorance in my tech blogs. Honestly people need to realize when everyone is shouting at the top of their lungs no one hears anything.
Now how bout that Palm Pre, ill take any of you on in a Pre vs iPhone matchup, at least only CEOs get their egos bruised in that one
Maybe Israel is working on a computer brain to be placed into all these Palestinian Blogger’s heads…
That probably would take some time, resulting in a slight timing setback.
This explains everything