Google purchases Israeli startup Quiksee

American tech giant invests an estimated $10 million to acquire an Israeli company for the second time in six months.

By KALINDI O’BRIEN / THE MEDIA LINE
google logo 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
google logo 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
American tech giant Google has bought an Israeli startup for the second time in less than six months.
Google forked over an estimated $10 million on Tuesday to purchase Quiksee, an Israeli firm that has created a way to easily integrate personal videos into the popular Google maps application. The purchase follows the April acquisition of LabPixies, which specializes in web gadgets, for $25 million.
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“Quiksee is very excited,” Gadi Royz, CEO and founder of the Herzliya Pituach based company told The Media Line. “We are very fortunate to work with Google in the future.”
The technology developed by Quiksee is billed as the missing link in Google's Street View service, allowing users to virtually enter a hotel, business office, or other property, without GPS or any other medium.
"Quiksee lets you quickly and easily create stunning virtual tours," the company said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing our experience, creativity and insight to Google… Both Google and Quiksee share the same innovative vision.”
Both LabPixies and Quiksee were seen as companies that could enhance other Google applications.
Google has acquired 75 companies and become a massive tech conglomerate since it catapulted to the forefront of information technology in 2001. The company’s first interest in Israeli firms came this year, with the unprecedented purchasing of two startups in less than six months.
For years Israel has drawn international attention to their technology sector.
“Israeli technology attracts a lot of foreign companies,” Noam Froimovici, CEO of A.N. Power Communication told The Media Line.
Google opened its Tel Aviv office to much fanfare in 2007 to expand the company’s presence in the Middle East.