Fusion VC News
10 articles
Israel’s VC community gathered for Fusion VC’s annual Trends and Forecasts conference to discuss concerns about Israel’s geopolitical instability and lack of foreign investment. Participants were cautiously optimistic regarding the stability of the tech ecosystem amid a year which saw a record $10.5 billion in tech M&As.
The Fusion VCs annual Trends and Forecasts conference highlighted concerns about Israels geopolitical instability and its impact on foreign investment. Despite a record $10.5 billion in tech mergers and acquisitions, the Israeli tech ecosystem faces challenges due to its heavy focus on cybersecurity and a lack of consumer-focused companies. The conference revealed that 43% of investors are worried about political and security instability, while 38% are concerned about difficulties in raising funds for new ventures. Non-American foreign investment has decreased significantly, with European and Asian investors finding the Israeli market complex. The event also addressed the emigration of Israeli entrepreneurs due to political turmoil. Despite these challenges, there was optimism about the stability and growth of startup fundraising, with $8.1 billion raised in the first three quarters of 2024.
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Guy Katsovich continues to invest in our Startup Nation on multiple fronts | CTech
Guy Katsovich, a Founding Partner at Fusion, a pre-seed fund, has been supporting his founders with capital and psychological guidance during the ongoing war. He also formed the High Tech Operations Room, an initiative that played a key role in locating victims of the Nova festival and collecting funds and equipment for the IDF. Fusion has also invested in nine new companies and made three follow-on investments since the war began. Despite the war, Katsovich remains optimistic about the resilience of Israeli entrepreneurs and the growth of the tech industry.
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Accelerator Fusion secures $20m for investments into Israeli early-stage startups
Fusion raises $20 million pre-Seed fund for Israeli startups | CTech
Fusion, an accelerator program, has announced the final closing of its $20 million fund. The fund invests in pre-Seed startups built by Israeli entrepreneurs and has already invested in over 30 Israeli startups. Fusion aims to make 60-80 new investments by 2026. The fund is backed by industry leaders and venture capitalists from Israel and the U.S. Fusion provides a value-add platform for entrepreneurs, similar to Y Combinator, and supports entrepreneurs targeting the American market. The company has invested in over 100 startups since its founding in 2017 and plans to continue investing at the same pace.
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Start-Up Nation Central launches 'UAE-IL Tech Zone', a shared innovation community
Start-Up Nation Central (SNC), Nobex, Hybrid, and Fusion LA have launched the UAE-IL Tech Zone, a platform to connect the innovation, technology, and business ecosystems in Israel and the UAE. The platform was established following the signing of the Abraham Accords and aims to provide a cultural and business bridge between the two countries. The community already includes over 1,000 people from the business, innovation, and technology sectors, as well as investors, developers, and government entities from both countries.
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Silicon Valley Boot Camp: Fusion LA accelerator marched out 49 startups in 3 years
Fusion LA, a venture-backed accelerator for Israeli startups in the U.S., has made 13 seed-stage investments since March despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The accelerator, founded by Guy Katsovich and Yair Vardi, partners with GoAhead Ventures and currently invests $110,000 for 8% equity in early-stage companies. Fusion LA has supported 49 companies to date, with its portfolio companies raising over $100 million and employing around 300 people. The accelerator provides a 10-week go-to-market and mentorship-driven program, free office space, and access to a network of investors and executives. Fusion LA aims to help its entrepreneurs raise their next significant funding round. The accelerators new process offers entrepreneurs a term sheet for investment within three weeks of their approach.
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Los Angeles VCs Are Placing Some Big Bets on Israeli Startups
Fusion LA, an early-stage accelerator, is increasing its initial investment to $110,000 and partnering with GoAhead Ventures. The goal is to create a more competitive applicant pool and provide Israeli startups with top-tier investors who understand the U.S. market. Fusion LA aims to be the leading launchpad for Israeli startups in the United States and plans to invest in over 100 companies in the next few years. The accelerator has already invested in 36 companies, with more than half going on to raise a seed round of at least $1 million. Israel, known as the startup nation, has a high number of startups per capita and saw a record $21.7 billion in exit value in 2019.
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אלו הזוכים הגדולים בטקס פרסי ה-GeekAwards לשנת 2020
The annual GeekAwards ceremony in Israel has recognized several companies for their contributions to the tech industry. Lightricks, known for its popular Facetune app, was awarded CEO of the Year. Monday.com, a task management platform, was recognized for its technological development. Habana Labs, which was acquired by Intel for $2 billion, was named Startup of the Year. Trigo, a company developing a system for checkout-free shopping, was named New Startup of the Year. RightHear, which develops a navigation system for the visually impaired, was recognized as the Bootstrap Startup of the Year. Mindspaces Efrat Fenigson was named CMO of the Year, while JFrogs Keren Massad was named HR Manager of the Year.
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Israeli Startup Accelerator Fusion LA Partners With VC Firm GoAhead Ventures
Fusion LA, an accelerator for Israeli startups, has partnered with GoAhead Ventures to increase access to Silicon Valley investors. Fusion LA is now accepting applications for its next cohort, offering selected startups a $110,000 cash investment, free office space, and access to a network of investors and executives.
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Israeli Tech Hits Silicon Beach with Fusion L.A.
Fusion LA, an accelerator program that helps Israeli companies gain traction, raise capital and work with industry leaders in the U.S., has brought 20 Israeli companies to Silicon Beach over the past year. The program, co-founded by Yair Vardi and Guy Katsovich, provides a three-month program in Los Angeles where participants meet investors, entrepreneurs and executives who help them adapt their companies’ branding, marketing and sales strategies to the U.S. market. Vardi and Katsovich invest $20,000 in each of the companies in exchange for 5 percent equity.
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