Who Are Israels Most Valuable Startups?

When looking at the countries in the world with the most unicorns, a surprising name enters the top 6: Israel.

With a population of just 10 million people, only 1 million larger than London, this small Middle Eastern country has certainly made a name for itself on the global unicorn stage.

In fact, Israel boasts 42 unicorns which is 4.2 unicorns per million people, making it the third most successful country when it comes to population:unicorn ratios.

Why Is Israel A Big Startup Hub?

Israel’s reputation as a startup hub has grown a lot over the last decade for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the country has always adopted an entrepreneurial spirit, with many speculating that this could be a result of difficult international relations and a need to stand on its own two feet. It also has a strong VC scene, with interest from global investors and a willingness to share connections.

Another reason is that Israel as a country lacks natural resources, this has meant that its people have had to innovate in areas like farming and technology to boost their economy. The result? One of the smallest but mightiest startup nations in the world.

But who are the country’s most valuable startups? Let’s take a look…

StarkWare Industries

Valuation: $8 billion

Founded in: 2018

Sector: Blockchain – StarkWare Industries makes tech that helps with blockchain scalability (allowing more people to make more transactions) whilst also maintaining privacy. The company is able to check transactions on the blockchain without revealing the data itself, helping elements stay private.

Melio

Valuation: $4 billion

Founded in: 2018

Sector: Fintech – Melio is a B2B onling payment platform for small businesses, allowing them to pay vendors, manage cashflow and more. It integrates with software like QuickBooks and Xero, helping businesses make their payments more integrated.

Cato Networks

Valuation: $2.5 billion

Founded in: 2015

Sector: Cybersecurity – Cato Networks provides a single-vendor Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform. What this means is that IT security can happen through a single server, making it easier for companies to stay secure without needing to track individual devices.

eToro

Valuation: $2.5 billion

Founded in: 2007

Sector: Fintech – eToro is a fintech platform that allows users to trade crypto, ETFs and more through its app. One of its main features is ‘CopyTrader’, which allows users to copy moves made by successful traders and replicate the returns for themselves.

DriveNets

Valuation: $2.5 billion

Founded in: 2015

Sector: SaaS – DriveNets designs and sells infrastructure to communications networks. Using the principles of cloud-sharing, it applies them to building networks for easier and more scalable options.

Lightricks

Valuation: $1.8 billion

Founded in: 2013

Sector: Software – Lightricks is an AI company known for creating photo and video editing apps. The company is revolutionising how content is created, helping people create more engaging images and videos.

Orca Security

Valuation: $1.8 billion

Founded in: 2019

Sector: Cybersecurity – Orca Security is a cloud security company that helps businesses detect cyber risks without impacting their performance. It has become known for helping businesses automate cloud defence, helping protect them from cyber attacks.

Gett

Valuation: $1.5 billion

Founded in: 2010

Sector: Transport – Gett is a on-demand ride hailing service known in the UK for black cabs and more formal corporate travel. With real-time tracking, eco-friendly options and an easy to use interface, it connects users with regulated taxis and private cars when they need them.

NextSilicon

Valuation: $1.5 billion

Founded in: 2018

Sector: Semiconductors – Next Silicon is a deeptech company that develops high-performance computing (HPC) tech. The company helps speed up supercomputers and AI by creating a way for hardware and software to work together more closely, vastly improving performance.