Under Fishback’s proposal, the divested funds would be used to create a $385 million down-payment assistance program called “Rise and Shine,” offering $10,000 grants to married Florida couples.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

James Fishback, a Florida gubernatorial candidate in the 2026 Republican primary, has pledged to direct all state government entities to “divest” from bonds issued by the Israeli government on his first day in office – a move that could pose a range of economic hurdles in Florida and has previously been lambasted by critics for singling out the Jewish state for political punishment.

In a campaign statement over the weekend, Fishback, chief executive of the investment firm Azoria, said that Florida state agencies and taxpayer-funded colleges have invested approximately $385 million in Israel Bonds over the past two years.

He argued that public funds should never be invested abroad and vowed to redirect the money toward a statewide housing assistance initiative if elected.

“That money should have been invested in our communities. Instead, it was foolishly sent abroad to a foreign government,” the statement read.

Despite Fishback’s suggestion that Floridian money was “sent abroad,” however, Israel Bonds are investments, not aid.

According to the Israel Bonds website, they are loans that investors make to the State of Israel, which are expected to be paid back in full, with interest.

Israel Bonds have historically yielded a positive return for Florida taxpayers. State and municipal funds across the US have invested in such bonds for years because they are considered low risk, consistent performers, and maintain creditworthiness among democracies with advanced economies.

Observers have argued these bonds are valuable because they are predictable interest income and diversify public portfolios.

Fishback’s proposal echoes elements of the global boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to isolate Israel economically and has been condemned by lawmakers in Florida and across the US as discriminatory and counterproductive.

Florida currently has anti-BDS laws on the books and has repeatedly affirmed its strong political, economic, and security ties with Israel.

Fishback’s antagonistic stance toward Israel represents a stark contrast to sitting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has repeatedly signaled support for Israel and condemned anti-Israel movements as a symptom of antisemitism.

Florida has been among Israel’s strongest allies at the state level, with successive governors expanding trade ties, supporting Israeli innovation, and opposing international efforts to isolate the country.

Any attempt to reverse that policy would likely face legal challenges as well as resistance from lawmakers in both parties.

Last month, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton purchased $5 million in Israel Bonds, bringing its total investment up to $8.2 million and making it the largest university investor in the US.

Under Fishback’s proposal, the divested funds would be used to create a $385 million down-payment assistance program called “Rise and Shine,” offering $10,000 grants to married Florida couples.

The candidate also outlined a broader housing agenda, including restrictions on institutional and foreign ownership of single-family homes and calls to eliminate property taxes and reduce insurance premiums.

Fishback, a successful investor, entered the gubernatorial race on a slate of populist agenda items. He has raised eyebrows in recent weeks by flirting with members of the antisemitic Groyper movement and signaling acceptance of its leader, Nick Fuentes.

During a December appearance on Rift TV, a podcast hosted by antisemitic social media pundit Elijah Schaffer, Fishback said that he finds “the audience of young men who follow and watch Nick Fuentes to actually be incredibly informed and insightful.”

Observers have noted that Fishback’s attempts to entice younger, more online portions of right-wing audiences are a microcosm of the growing rupture between Gen Z and older conservatives on the topic of Israel.

Recent polls have indicated a collapse of support for Israel among young Republicans, with this portion of the party expressing more skepticism of providing military aid to the Jewish state.

Large swaths of GOP voters under 30 have more broadly voiced vocal criticism of US support for Israel and the supposed influence of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, a prominent pro-Israel lobbying group, in US politics.

Recent surveys have also shown a substantial rise of antisemitic views among younger cohorts of the Republican Party.

Fishback’s candidacy remains a longshot, however. A recent poll from The American Promise showed US Rep. Byron Donalds leading the field with 38 percent support among likely Republican voters.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins trailed far behind at 9 percent, while Fishback registered just 2 percent and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner garnered 1 percent. Nearly half of respondents, 49 percent, said they remained undecided.

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A media report on Norwegian investment in an Israeli defense company sparked public backlash and government review.

By World Israel News Staff

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is pulling significant investments from Israel, citing concerns over the ongoing war in Gaza and Israeli policies in Judea and Samaria.

The move includes selling shares in numerous Israeli companies and ending ties with certain Israeli asset management firms.

At $1.9 trillion in value, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is the largest in the world and is managed by the private Norwegian firm Norges Bank Investment Management.

Announcing the decision, Norges Bank Investment Management CEO Nicolai Tangen pointed to “extraordinary circumstances,” explaining that the fund will scale back its investments in Israel.

“We are invested in companies that operate in a country at war, and conditions in the West Bank and Gaza have recently worsened. In response, we will further strengthen our due diligence,” Tangen said.

Norwegian media reports estimate that in 2024, the country’s investments in Israel totaled around $216 billion.

The fund confirmed it has holdings in 61 Israeli companies but is working to divest from 11 of them, citing an “unacceptable risk of contribution to serious norm violations associated with business operations in” Judea and Samaria.

Going forward, the fund said its investments in Israel will be limited to companies listed in its equity benchmark index.

The announcement came shortly after a report in Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten revealed that the fund had invested in an Israeli company manufacturing parts for Israeli fighter jets.

Public backlash to the revelation prompted Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to ask Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg to review the nation’s investments in Israel.

In May 2025, Norway’s Finance Ministry decided against a blanket withdrawal of all its assets in the Jewish State.

“If a company sells a generic product, which Israeli settlers buy, then this should not be sufficient to sell the fund out of the company,” a source privy to internal debates over the matter said at the time.

“But if we are speaking of specific products for, say, surveillance that are made specifically for the needs of Israeli settlers, then that is something completely different.”

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While the plunge sounds quite disheartening, 2021 was an absolutely record-setting year for investments in Israeli firms, which puts the news somewhat into perspective.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Investment in Israeli high-tech startups dropped a whopping 43% in 2022 according to a report published by Start-Up Nation Central (SNC), a nonprofit organization that connects such companies to financial backers, and its independent policy think-tank, SNPI.

Total investments fell from $27 billion in 2021 to $15.5 billion, with startups in the fields of fin-tech and cybersecurity feeling the investment pinch in particular. The number of funding rounds also dove by about a third, from 1,103 to 826, the SNC report noted.

While the plunge sounds quite disheartening, 2021 was an absolutely record-setting year for investments in Israeli firms, which puts the news somewhat into perspective. As SNC CEO Avi Hasson told Calcalist, “Had I said at the end of 2020 that startups would have raised $15 billion in 2022, we would have been delighted by that.”

On the other hand, such a bounty raises expectations.

“After what happened in 2021, we now know this is a difficult time,” Hasson continued. “I believe that the ramifications of 2022 will continue into 2023 and 2024.”

The major part of the financing drop-off occurred during the second half of the year, when markets in general started to slow down as a result of recession fears due to the war in Ukraine that began in February, subsequent supply problems that hadn’t yet recovered from the global Covid-19 crisis, and rising interest rates as governments tried to stop escalating inflation.

Israel’s hi-tech sector was not the only one hit by the bad global financial news. Silicon Valley investments last year fell by a similar 40%. And all these issues are still on the table as 2023 begins.

There are glimmers of good news. Seed investments in Israeli startups actually rose from $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion, a rise of 22% from 2021 to 2022. One reason for the jump is that investors swung from putting their money into later-stage companies to financing firms that were in earlier stages of life.

According to the SNC report, the previous, wildly successful funding rounds of the later-stage companies led to their valuations increasing to the point that it discouraged investors in a more cautious mode, considering that most of the companies had yet to even make a profit.

While the media in Israel has prominently noted thousands of recent layoffs in the high-tech sector in recent months, Hasson was optimistic for the long run.

“There was a bullish market for a long time, and at the macro level the current situation is healthy and necessary,” he told the financial paper. “There were many companies that should have never been founded or raised big follow-up rounds. A lot of money will now be freed to enter the right places, and the coming years can also be positive for the industry.”

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Israel is considered a world leader in food tech and has seen the launch of over 50 local start-ups in the food substitutes sector.

By Aryeh Savir, TPS

Alternative proteins, a fascinating new industry that offers a way of transforming our food system, moving away from animal products and toward cultivated meat and fermented and plant-based alternatives – are attracting Israeli scientists, entrepreneurs, and government investments, and signaling the rise of a promising field in the Israeli innovation ecosystem.

Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Good Food Institute Israel (GFI Israel), a science-based nonprofit, announced on Wednesday a NIS 4 million strategic government investment in alternative proteins.

Israel is considered a world leader in food tech and has seen the launch of over 50 local start-ups in the food substitutes sector.

The alternative proteins industry, which includes food products made from plants, cultivated meat produced from animal cells, and fermentation processes that incorporate microorganisms in animal-free systems, is attracting considerable research interest in academia, in addition to the attention of institutional and government investors.

Beyond the immediate profit line, alternative proteins also provide an opportunity to repair the global food production system and work toward better food security, and they are rapidly gaining momentum in Israel’s innovation ecosystem.

A recent study by GFI Israel shows that Israel’s plant-based alternative protein sector has attracted $161 million, 22% of the global investment in the field. In fermentation-derived protein, Israel ranks second after the US, with $152 million, representing 38% of the global investment.

Israel is also one of the world’s two largest investment targets in alternative protein companies, with $320 million, accounting for 18% of the investments worldwide.

Aviv Oren, GFI Israel’s Business Engagement and Innovation Director, noted that “Israel continues to establish its leadership of global innovation in the field of food tech.”

“While there was an 18% decrease in total investments in Israeli high-tech in the first half of 2022 in comparison to the corresponding period last year, we are witnessing a 160% increase in the field of alternative proteins,” he said.

‘The first step in a comprehensive strategic plan’

The engine driving this industry is academia, which generates studies leading to potential new avenues of applied research, and then business opportunities.

Groundbreaking scientific studies conducted in labs in academic and research institutes address bottlenecks and, together with the vigorous activity of academic institutions’ commercialization arms, lead to an increase in the number of companies in the field with the ability to raise significant funds.

The field has also become a funding priority for the Israeli government, as attested to by a new strategic investment collaboration between the ministries.

This collaboration includes the new NIS 4 million fund to be distributed as grants for Israeli research, centered on alternative proteins as substitutes for dietary proteins from meat, fish, eggs, and milk.

“This initiative will greatly contribute to maintaining Israel’s competitive ability as an innovator in the field and position it at the forefront of global knowledge and research,” said Hilla Haddad Chmelnik, Director-General of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

“This program is the first step in a comprehensive strategic plan that will benefit both local agriculture and the high-tech industry, and which is essential, especially in light of increasing global concerns about food security and climate impact of animal-based products,” she added.

The steak was ‘unbelievable, tasty with compassion’

The global food system has broad ramifications beyond one’s plate. Meat, eggs, and dairy production are unsustainable and inefficient, and effects climate change, environmental degradation, and antibiotic-resistant disease.

Naama Kaufman-Fass, Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that “the increasing demand for animal-based food products requires us to act responsibly – and meet the current demand while seeking alternative sustainable solutions for the sake of future generations.”

One example of such an Israeli company is Aleph Farms, a cultivated meat company that produces meat from animal cell cultivation. This eliminates the need to raise and farm animals for food and provides a sustainable alternative to farmed animal-based protein.

Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Farms in December 2020 and noted that “meat is a major part of pollution in the world. In order to have a cut of regular meat, one needs a cow and use so much pasturage with waste, pollution, and investment of energy, and here they do this directly.”

After tasting the steak, Netanyahu said that it was “unbelievable, tasty with compassion. There is no difference here.”

The alternative steak boasts various advantages in comparison with traditional steak.

The time necessary for the production of such meat would take only three weeks, compared to two years with traditional beef growing. Additionally, lab-grown meat avoids harmful antibiotics, has a lower environmental footprint, and ultimately will reduce animal slaughter and suffering.

The startup was set up in cooperation with the Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology, and food producer Strauss Group’s incubator “The Kitchen.”

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The investment firm has not been cleared of wrongdoing and will continue to be monitored. 

By World Israel News Staff

Multibillion-dollar investment firm Morningstar, which came under scrutiny earlier this month for providing investors with an analytics tool that was found to be biased against Israel, has committed to resolving “anti-Israel attitudes” within its company in a bid to avoid being blacklisted, the Jewish Insider reported on Wednesday.

The Committee on Israel Boycott Restrictions, a subdivision of the Illinois Investment Policy Board (IIPB), unanimously voted in a meeting last week not to place Morningstar on the state’s “prohibited investment list,” on the condition that the Chicago-based firm commits to implementing a series of measures combating its anti-Israel bias.

The recommendations were outlined in two reports: the first was published by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and the second was the result of an independent inquiry by the White & Case LLP law firm. They include a focus on transparency, internal consistency, addressing conflicts of interest and an end to Morningstar’s reliance on reporting from “anti-Israel sources.”

The FDD also requested that the firm “address [the] unfair policy of punishing businesses just for operating in Israel.”

Morningstar’s decision earlier this month to drop the human rights radar tool, which was employed by its subsidiary Sustainalytics, came after it received the findings from the inquiry.

The company concluded that the tool marketed to investors consciously steered them away from Israel by misguiding them on how the Jewish state deals with a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, including climate change, treatment of employees and impact on neighboring communities.

According to the Jewish Insider, Morningstar characterization of the meeting contradicted accounts provided by other attendees. Morningstar failed to mention the condition of implementing the FDD’s proposals, the report said, prompting one attendee to comment that the investment firm was “playing fast and loose with the truth to avoid a shareholder backlash.”

Andy Lappin, who chairs the Committee on Israel Boycott Restrictions, described Morningstar’s characterization of the meeting as “disturbing”.

A vote to clear Morningstar of all wrongdoing and end monitoring of the company failed to garner enough support to pass, Lappin told the news site, and added that the firm was due to face the board again in September.

“They’re still under the microscope and the investigation from our perspective is on a lower flame, but still ongoing,” said Lappin.

In 2015, Illinois became the first state to push a law requiring state pension funds to divest from companies that support the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

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The investment firm cut the biased Human Rights Radar tool amid pressure from Jewish groups. 

By World Israel News Staff

Multibillion-dollar investment firm Morningstar has severed ties with a human rights research product after it found that it was biased against Israel.

The Chicago-based company concluded that the Human Rights Radar marketed to investors consciously steered them away from Israel by misguiding them on how the Jewish state deals with a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, including climate change, treatment of employees and impact on neighboring communities.

Morningstar’s decision to drop the HRR tool, which was employed by its subsidiary Sustainalytics, came after it received the findings an independent inquiry by the law firm White & Case.

“The decision was made because Human Rights Radar, which Morningstar picked up in its acquisition of Sustainalytics, exhibited bias in its outcomes by overrepresenting firms linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” a letter from Mornigstar’s Executive Chairman Joe Mansueto and Chief Executive Officer Kunal Kapoor read.

While White & Case concluded that the HRR “sometimes used inflammatory language and failed to provide sourcing attribution clearly and consistently,” it found.that there was no evidence of pervasive or systemic bias against Israel across Sustainalytics products.

JLens, which represents a network of Jewish investors, put Morningstar on its “do not invest list” over alleged support of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) campaign.

In its letter, Morningstar conceded that it had been “overly dismissive” of concerns raised by JLens and other groups.

“We stated then — and reaffirm today — that neither Morningstar nor Sustainalytics supports the anti-Israel BDS campaign. However, in retrospect, our initial review was overly dismissive of the serious bias concerns raised by the organization JLens, the Illinois Investment Policy Board (IIPB) and other entities,” it read.

Rachel Lerman, vice-chair of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, an advocacy group that fights antisemitism on college campuses, said that while “Morningstar is to be commended for halting its use of HRR, the investigators’ findings raise bright red flags, not only about HRR but about […] ESG in general.”

“Using the opinions of [BDS] groups to assess a company’s performance, legal status, or behavior raises series concerns about objectivity. ESG research companies should base risk assessments on verifiable facts and legal expertise, not biased reporting,” Lerman said in article published in The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

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If Israel’s third try to enter MSCI’s Europe index is successful in February, over 100 Israeli companies could benefit.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

If global asset managers and analysts give the OK next month, one of the largest index providers in the world will reclassify Israel financially as part of Europe, potentially bringing billions of dollars in investments to over 100 local companies.

MSCI, which oversees some 34,000 securities across all its indices, gave Israel a gift that backfired in 2010. It shifted the country from its place in the developing market class into its developed market when Israel joined the prestigious list of OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries.

While Israel rejoiced at the upgrade, it immediately lost all the investments made by those who put money specifically into developing markets. In addition, “Israel became a very small fish in a much bigger pond,” as country chief of Citi Israel Neil Corney told Reuters last month. From having a 3% share of the emerging market index, it dropped to less than half a percent in the developed market one.

The next decision MSCI made that hurt Israel’s markets was one of omission, according to Offir Eyal, director of International Affairs and Business Development at the Israel Securities Authority (ISA).

“Strangely, and unusually, Israel was not added to any of MSCI’s regional indices, the only country not to be included in one of these indices,” he said in a Globes report Sunday. “The result is that foreign investors who choose to invest in products in a regional index are not exposed to the Israeli market.”

Getting Israel into the MSCI Europe Index would thus be a “game changer,” he said, as the index “has investment products to the tune of some $170 billion that track it, and Israel’s weighting, if it is added, will be between 1% and 1.5%. That could have huge significance for the Israeli market.”

The cash inflow would not be limited to Israel’s biggest companies, such as the Azrieli Group, Teva, Elbit and the major banks, said the report. Some 100 firms could be included in specialty sub-indices that track such fields as transportation and various kinds of technologies.

This will be Israel’s third attempt to be reclassified since 2010. The arguments the ISA is using to bring Israel over the finishing line this time include the potential upside to investors in capitalizing on the strong shekel, which has been one of the top currencies in the world for the past few years.

Another important point, says the ISA’s Director of Markets Development Ron Klein, is the vast potential in being exposed to Israeli technology stocks, including its “unicorns” (companies valued at over a billion dollars).

“The technology sector currently accounts for just 8% of the index, whereas in the Israeli index compiled in accordance with MSCI criteria it represents 37%, and so including Israel will enable the Europe Index to strengthen considerably in the area of technology,” he said.

MSCI is conducting its consultations through the end of the month, and its decision is expected by mid- to late February.

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2021 is turning out to be a record-breaking year for the Israeli Fintech sector.

By Daniel Farber-Ball, Calcalist

2021 is turning out to be a record-breaking year for the Israeli Fintech sector, according to a Start-Up Nation Central report released Monday. The report found that even though 2021 just passed its halfway-point, in terms of venture capital investments it is already displaying historically strong numbers.

The report revealed that Israeli Fintech companies raised $2.3 billion in the first half of 2021, representing a staggering 260% increase over the same period last year, and even surpassing the 2020 full-year total of $1.8 billion by 28%. Furthermore, investments in Fintech made up 19% of the total funding in Israeli innovation technology companies during the first half of this year, amounting to $12.2 billion.

Why Israel?

“People are looking to Israel, the technology is respectable, the fact that we surpassed last year’s annual funding in May shows there is attention and dollars coming this way,” Start-Up Nation Central FinTech Analyst, Nicole Krieger, told CTech.

“Within Israel, there is a lot of activity, for example, this year Apple Pay came in, there is a big push for EMV terminals across all establishments, the central bank is looking at introducing a digital currency, so when talking about the Israeli person, day-to-day domestically, given that there is so much taking place within Fintech around the world and with the success of Israeli companies, the game is being upped locally as well.”

The total number of fundraising provided additional proof of investors’ interest in Israel’s Fintech sector. A total of 68 rounds were secured halfway through 2021, closing in on the 2020 total of 74. An increase in the number of Seed rounds, 26 in 2021 so far, compared to 18 in all of 2020, and in C+ rounds, 15 this year versus 13 in all of 2020, indicates that the mature sector, still has plenty of room for newcomers. And as for mega-rounds (investments of more than $100 million) 2021 has already seen seven companies raise nine-figure sums, compared to only five throughout all of 2020.

The first half of 2021 also displayed a strong momentum for big plays. Seven acquisitions, one IPO, and one SPAC merger completed in the Israeli FinTech sector are on a path to surpass 2020’s eight acquisitions and one IPO. ”Covid-19 drivers aside, Israeli Fintech companies have grown rapidly and globally, building commercial partnerships and contributing significant technology to payments and enterprises,” Krieger stated.

Where did the funding go?

It is important to note that over the past two years, 70% of the Israeli Fintech funding was funneled into three subsectors: payments, anti-fraud and insurtech. This trend has continued in 2021, with payments retaining the top spot, comprising 35% of funding and “growing by 68% above last year’s investment into that sub-sector,” according to Krieger.

The demand for online payments skyrocketed during Covid restrictions, and providers like multi-currency mobile wallet Rapyd ($300M Series D), eCommerce fraud prevention company Forter ($300M Series F), and supplier payment platform Melio ($110M Series D) were well-positioned to benefit from the new reality.

The first half of 2021 also saw investment growth in enterprise solutions, “62% above last year, according to what we have seen.” This new demand was largely spurred by the pandemic-induced rush for corporate innovation which created an opportunity to modernize legacy processes.

When asked about what trends will continue to grow in the future, Krieger said that “we think that payments will continue, now that the capabilities are there it is likely to be improving efficiency, so doing things faster and setting the stage for other industry standards. Something else we see emerging is the crypto space.”

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The investment fund was meant to strengthen regional ties between the signatories to the Abraham Accords.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The new American administration has decided to put on hold its mega-investment fund that was supposed to help strengthen regional ties after last year’s signing of the Abraham Accords, Globes reported Wednesday, based on American and Israeli sources.

The Abraham Fund was established immediately after Israel signed the historic normalization agreement with the UAE and Bahrain in September 2020.

It was to be underwritten by some $3 billion from both the U.S. government and private financial institutions to “promote economic cooperation and to encourage prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.”

After getting off to a running start, approving more than 10 projects in such fields as energy and fin-tech and reviewing hundreds more, it came to a sudden stop when Joe Biden won the presidential elections. The Fund’s head, appointed by former president Trump, left, and a successor has yet to be chosen.

According to Globes, the administration has told Israel that the Fund’s activities were being “reassessed.”

It also cited “a senior U.S. source” who said that while the White House wants the Abraham Accords to succeed, it will only promote the diplomatic side and has “indefinitely frozen” the Fund.

At least one of the reported reasons for the kibosh is that the Biden administration wants to focus its spending internally, in order to pull the country out of the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Congress is now discussing a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure spending plan as part of these efforts.

It is also no secret that the Democrats want to overturn almost everything their hated Republican predecessor did. As soon as he was sworn in, Biden froze a multi-billion-dollar weapons deal with the UAE, which included 50 of the most advanced F-35 aircraft that had been a specific Trump incentive to get Abu Dhabi to the table with Israel. It was only given the green light in April, with a target delivery date of 2025 or later.

UAE Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed announced in March that his country would set up a different fund in Israel with the same stated aims as the Abraham Fund. This one, he said, would have $10 billion to invest primarily in the private sector, in many fields including health, space, energy and industry.

As of yet, the fund is on paper only, and Globes reported that other economic opportunities have not been realized by Israel’s new government, either.

When Foreign Minister Yair Lapid went last week to inaugurate the new Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi, he signed an umbrella trade and economic agreement with his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also took the time to meet with online influencers – but he cancelled a meeting with leaders of the business community, even though he had told the paper that strengthened trade ties was at the top of his priority list during his visit.

“We’re in a tough period economically, with a need for solutions for deficits and budgets, and the answer is economic development – that’s what’s happening here. The ties with the Emirates and the diplomatic and trade agreements are a real win-win,” he told the business daily.

One of the snubbed Emiratis told Globes, “The foreign minister preferred a meeting with Internet influencers who have tens of thousands of followers, instead of with businesspeople who have the capacity to invest billions in Israel.”

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The Abu Dhabi Investment Office will expand the cooperation between the two nations to unlock opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

By James Spiro, CTech via The Algemeiner

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced on Sunday that it will establish eight new offices, one of which will be in Israel, as part of a series of strategic opportunities to boost support for investors around the world. The global network, which is in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), will help businesses capitalize on opportunities across the UAE.

In total, the eight new markets include New York, San Francisco, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Beijing, and Seoul. The inclusion of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv is a testament to the dedication both nations have to the Abraham Accords and the normalization between the two nations.

“Abu Dhabi offers global investors an attractive business environment, world-class infrastructure, and major growth opportunities,” explained H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Director General of ADIO. “Our network of international offices will serve as a gateway to greater opportunity, enabling us to reach companies of all sizes wherever they are operating. Our global teams will provide a window into Abu Dhabi, with local understanding and capabilities, to ensure investors have the holistic support needed for their growth and expansion.”

“ADIO’s opening of eight regional offices around the world reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to launch greater investment opportunities in collaboration with the emirate’s key international partners,” added H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED and ADIO. “The representative offices will serve as a bridge between key international markets and the exciting opportunities in some of our economy’s highest potential areas, opening up new areas for cooperation between the domestic private sector and its international counterparts.”

The decision to establish its first international office in Tel Aviv was announced in September 2020. The office will expand the cooperation between the two nations and unlock opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

The ADIO is a government entity responsible for attracting investments in the UAE. It helps investors and businesses to connect and partner with each other within the country’s ecosystem.

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Country on track to break record of $8.3 billion in 2019 as investors remain bullish on Israeli technology.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

Despite the global pandemic and a battered economy, Israeli tech companies have raised $7.6 billion so far this year, Globes reported Thursday.

After a record $8.3 billion of new investment was raised in 2019 and with three months still left in 2020, the country is on track to set a new record, showing high investor confidence in Israeli technology.

Even with COVID-19 on the rise over the summer, investors pumped $1.1 billion into Israeli startups in August alone, with the Start-Up Nation Central website reporting that the total might actually be higher due to some companies operating in “stealth mode” – maintaining secrecy as they develop new products that they do not want to reveal publicly yet.

While traditional industries, especially tourism, have been savaged by the pandemic, the coronavirus has prompted more investment in companies that specialize in healthcare, cybersecurity and especially technology that enables companies, organizations and governments to better utilize remote working. One example is Tyto Care, which produces a home health diagnostic device and telemedicine consultation app raised $50 million in April.

Companies that had investment rounds in September include Next Insurance with $250 million, cybersecurity company Snyk with $200 million, digital payments company Melio raised $80 million, cancer profiling company NovellusDX raised $57 million, facial recognition company AnyVision raised $43 million and payroll platform Papaya Global raised $40 million, Globes reported.

Investment also targeted existing companies that realized their technology could be used in battling the pandemic.

“In the beginning of the pandemic, I heard from many investors and entrepreneurs about companies that are repurposing their technology to address COVID-19,” tweeted tech marketing guru Hillel Fuld. “In other words, these are companies with otherwise ‘regular’ tech that now realized they can do some good in the war against coronavirus.”

Another investment area opened this year came from the recent peace treaties Israel signed with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While the crowd funding investment firm OurCrowd established a $100 million pandemic technology fund earlier this year, it sees the peace process as boosting investment during the global crisis.

“If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is this: Never have cooperation and peace been more urgently needed – and achievable,” tweeted OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved.

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The sum represents a 28% increase compared to the first quarter of 2018.

By Lilach Baumer, Calcalist

Israeli startups raised a total of $1.55 billion during the first quarter of 2019 involving 128 deals, according to a new report published Tuesday by Tel Aviv-based market research firm IVC Research Center Ltd. and law firm Zysman Aharoni Gayer & Co. (ZAG/S&W). The sum represents a 28% increase compared to the first quarter of 2018 and spread across 15% more deals. Venture capital players accounted for 71 deals and $1.3 billion of the total sum raised.

Compared with the fourth quarter of 2018, this quarter’s total deal number fell 25%, mostly due to a decrease in seed and series A rounds, a company’s first significant round of venture capital financing. The median amount of these early rounds increased, while mid and late rounds continued the uptrend seen since 2016, Series C rounds attracted the most capital of all the rounds, $476 million in total. Deals of over $20 million accounted for 64% of total investments raised.

16% of all capital raised in the quarter is attributed to two deals: LiDAR startup Innoviz Technologies Ltd., which closed a $132 million round in March, and networking software startup Drivenets Ltd., which emerged from stealth, a company’s temporary state of secrecy, with $110 million in February.

Three other deals that surpassed the $50 million mark accounted for 10% of the total funding raised. Database software developer Redis Labs Inc. raised $60 million in February. Cybersecurity company Cato Networks Ltd. raised $55 million in January. Datacenter software company Lightbits Labs Ltd. emerged from stealth in March with $50 million.

The two strongest sectors in terms of investment were software, which captured 42% of all capital raised in the quarter, and life sciences, which accounted for 17%.

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