Straight from the Jerusalem Boardroom #141, April 2, 2010
1. The Houston-based Noble Energy intends to invest $530MN, during 2010, in offshore natural gas exploration and in the enhancement of current off shore drilling in Israel (Globes daily, Feb. 22, 2010).
2. Intel-Israel's exports surged 145% in 2009, reaching a record $3.4BN. The record was facilitated by the completion of Intel's $4BN sixth plant in Israel. Intel is currently negotiation with Israel's government a possible $2.7BN expansion of the plant.
Intel employs 6,340 persons at its two plants and four R&D centers in Israel. 120 workers were recently hired by Intel. Intel has invested $6.1BN in its Israel presence, boosted by a $1.2BN Israeli investment (Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2010).
3. Siemens is investing $50MN in the expansion of its Israel plant, which was recently acquired for $418MN (Ma'ariv, Feb. 17).
4. Oracle has acquired its third Israeli company, Convergin, for $85MN (Globes, Feb. 11). China's Yifang Digital acquired Israel's Pegasus for $60MN (Globes, Feb. 4).
5. The California-based DCG Systems is establishing a R&D center in Israel (Globes, Feb. 4).
6. $20MN, $16MN and $5MN were raised on NASDAQ by Israel's Willy Food International, Rosetta Genomics and Nova respectively (Globes, March 15). $10MN was raised by Roth Capital as sale agent, for Israel's Orckit (StreetInsider.com, March 29).
7. Goldman Sachs led a $37MN round of private placement by Israel's Mobileye. In 2007, Goldman Sachs invested $65MN in Mobileye (Globes, March 17). $20MN raised by the Boston-based MVM Life Science Partners, the St. Louis (MO)-based Ascension Health Ventures and Germany's Bosch for Israel's Cheetah Medical (Globes, March 16). The NYC-based NGN and OXO Capital Valve Ventures led an $18MN round by Israel's Valtech (Globes, 3). $10MN invested by the $15BN Juniper Networks, the Palo-Alto-based DAG Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based Accel Ventures, the Menlo Park-based Foundation Capital in the US-Israel company, Altor (Globes, March 5). Battery Ventures led a $6MN first round by Israel's Pursway (Globes, Feb. 10).
