Monday, February 27th 2006
To read the article in IEICI Startup Center site click here

An online business-matching service, IsraelWise, has been established to help foreign countries locate investment opportunities in Israeli companies, amid growing international interest in Israeli startups.

The company recently launched its new Web site that includes a free search engine and highlights “hot opportunities” for investment and partnership in Israeli startups. 

IsraelWise CEO Maoz Tenenbaum got the idea for the company during his travels as a high-tech executive for several years. He says that he picked up on the great interest in Israeli high-technology companies among foreigners who were inquisitive about how to do business with Israel. Interestingly, IsraelWise has been very helpful to overseas companies in non technology areas specifically finance, manufacturers and service providers that wish to do business with Israeli companies.

“I saw there was a great interest among foreign businesspeople in Israel as a technological powerhouse,” notes Tenenbaum, who has also worked in high-tech sales.

Tenenbaum decided to establish his company, based in Rosh Ha’ayin, to help foreign businesspeople tap into Israel’s brainpower. “Our goal is to kick start business between suitable companies,” he says. 

The company offers a host of services for foreign companies and investors, including a free company directory, media and market research. IsraelWise also acts as a search agent for business partnerships and as an Israeli representative for foreign investors, including assistance in signing agreements.

The database also serves Israeli companies that are interested in posting requests for partners, investments and alliances. 

In the “hot opportunities section,” Israelwise is to expose five new innovative Israeli companies every month that have specific business search goals. “We are giving great exposure for Israeli companies,” he notes. After a month, published companies are moved into the archives and remain accessible, he says.  

At present most of the traffic on the site is from companies and venture capital in the US and Europe.  

Israelwise is also a sponsor of the upcoming US-Israel Venture Summit, taking place from March 20-21 in Newark, New Jersey.