Sept 25th 2018 — Israel America Tech List
It’s Sukkot here in Israel, the festival of booths. A harvest holiday that is somewhat akin to Thanksgiving. What better time than for some news from the Israel America Tech List. All about saving lives, through entrepreneurship and on the ground floor.
But first, an episode of YidLife crisis which provides a nice overview of the Sukkot holiday, in the context of marijuana, and all in Yiddish! I think it’s produced in Canada which is timely given the new federal law legalizing marijuana. Enjoy, and forgive the sacrilege.
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Necessity is the Mother of InventionThe story of Avi Yaron is remarkable. At age 26 he was in a motorbike accident and during an MRI discovered he had a benign brain tumor. He required multiple operations that could have left him with epilepsy. Part of the problem is that surgeons can’t see in 3D when removing tumors and thus have to chronically operate to remove new tumor growth.
Avi figured out that humans use two eyes to see depth, whereas insects use hundreds of eyes. Avi used this theory to build an endoscope that has saved hundred of lives. His company, Visionsense, was sold earlier this year to Medtronic, a US med-device company, for $75 million.
Avi talks about all this in a wonderful TED talk.
He also now has a venture firm called Joy Ventures that invests in consumer electronics technology that helps improves peoples well-being and neuro-wellness.
These stories are always inspirational. It’s similar to the story of Novazyme Pharmaceutical, founded by John Crowley after his kids were born with a rare genetic disorder. Here’s an amazing interview with Tim Ferriss and John Crowley on what he went through to save his children’s lives.
In Other News
Blumberg Capital is beefing up its Israeli presence. It recently hired Yodfat Harel Buchris (ex-Orbotech) as a Tel Aviv-based managing director; Ehud Schneorson (ex-commander of Unit 8200 in the Israel Defense Forces) as a Tel Aviv-based managing director; and Idan Nurich (computer scientist in Unit 8200) as a Tel Aviv-based principal. www.blumbergcapital.comJob of the Week Today we’re featuring three opportunities to get on the ground floor with wonderful organizations that are saving lives in one way or another. These are three executive assistant roles either helping the CEO or at the bottom rung. This is always a great way to get some experience, get to know an organization, shadow a successful leader, and learn a ton. All with very minimal entry requirements.
Save a Child’s Heart — phenomenal international organization focused on heart surgery for children. Seriously world renowned.
Nuvo Group — tech company using wearbles and sensors for improving pregnancy care. Directly with CEO — great opportunity.
aMoon Fund- a life sciences fund investing in cures for common killer diseases. Amazing mission, and any way in the door at an investment fund is a good step to take.
If you have a job or other opportunity of some kind, let me know and I will happily include it in future emails!Tech Deals
Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) agreed to buy Mazor Robotics (Tel Aviv: MZOR), an Israeli maker of guidance systems for spine and brain surgeries, for around $1.64 billion in cash (including of its existing $300m stake). Axios
XACT Robotics, an Israeli developer of a robotic surgery navigation and steering system for needle-puncture surgeries, raised $5 million in Series C funding. Axios
WalkMe, a San Francisco-based website usability startup founded by three Israeli co-founders, has raised $40 million in Series F funding at a $1 billion valuation l==ed by existing investor Insight Venture Partners with participation from Mangrove Capital Partners. Calcalist
MeMed, an Israeli company with a diagnositic test for distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections, has raised more than $70 million, with participation from new and existing investors including Ping An Global Voyager Fund, Foxconn, Caesarea Medical Holdings, Clal Insurance, Phoenix Insurance, OurCrowd, Social Capital, WTI, Horizons Ventures. Globes
Singular, an Israeli marketing intelligence platform, has closed a $30 million Series B financing round. No details about the investors were disclosed but Scott Beechuk, partner at Norwest Venture Partners, will join Singular’s board of directors. Globes
Seeto, an Israeli insurance and protection-as-a-service company, has closed an €8 million ($9.3 million) Series A financing round led by Kamet, AXA’s Insurtech startup studio. Globes
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