Israel is justifiably known as the Startup Nation, with more than 6,000 active startups and an unmatched entrepreneurial spirit. The exit value of Israeli tech firms has rapidly grown during the last decade, with more than 1,200 deals arranged between 2010 and 2019, totaling over $111 billion. In 2019 alone, there were four exits of over $1 billion each.
How can a serious investor find the right Israeli investments with the greatest potential in today’s fast-paced, complicated world? Beyond the profit potential, what investments will truly benefit Israel, humanity, and the environment?
Smart Funding Ltd., founded in 2018 by an experienced group of Israeli hi-tech experts with extensive experience in finance, entrepreneurship, technology, and marketing, assists the serious private investor (Angel) in locating the most promised Israeli investments that can help the world in life-changing fields such as medical science, green energy, cyber, the ‘Internet of things’ (IoT), and more.
CEO and founder Eitan Caspi explains, “Smart Funding’s vision is to make leading Israeli startups that can help humanity available to international angel investors so that they can invest in a rigorously tested company and perhaps be part of the next exit while supporting the Israeli economy.”
Caspi, who has been involved in the world of software development and project management as an IT director for more than twenty-five years for companies such as SAP, Motorola, Red Bend Software, and numerous startups, has a wealth of experience in evaluating and assessing the value of new technologies for mergers and acquisition.
He explains that while many companies have outstanding technology, most do not know how to approach investors to raise funds for their product development. “Throughout my career, I have met many groundbreaking and world-changing entrepreneurs. Most of them are highly capable in their field of expertise. However, the need for strategic assistance in raising funds, and the process itself is noticeable.” This is how Smart Funding began – helping companies craft their roadmap of where they are going, assisting business development, and raising funds.
Smart Funding offers three primary benefits to the serious investor. First, investment with Smart Funding is a secure, regulated investment. Smart Funding is licensed from the Israel Security Authority (ISA) as an “Offer coordinator,” and is regulated under cyber and privacy laws, such that the investment is secure and supervised. Second, the company conducts a professional and rigorous testing process, examining each company that has applied for funding, thereby lowering the risk for the investor. Finally, by performing advance screening, Smart Funding saves the time of the serious investor, and reduces the risk of his investment by thoroughly investigating the company, including product testing, patents, business activity, budgets, business plan, management team, customers, competitors, market potential and potential realization capabilities.
Company CFO Leemor Cykert Ganot says, “We get tens of requests from companies each week, but we choose carefully, selecting just a few – those that have the best chance of success. We check their business plans, their background, their chances of success, and product patents. By lowering the risk to our investors, we increase their chance of profit.”
Both Caspi and Ganot stress that investment in technology products during the uncertain financial situation caused by the Corona pandemic is a sound decision. “These products are in development and have not been affected by Corona,” says Caspi. “They are just developing the products now and haven’t begun sales yet.” Ganot adds, “Now is a good time for alternative investments like these, and it is an excellent time to investigate this market.”
Smart Funding has a vast network of private angel investors, and the company provides regular updates and news about potential investments, company exits and updates, partnerships, and events. Investors become shareholders and receive equity and shares in the companies in which they have invested.
The company not only advises individual investors, but itself invests in the companies which it recommends. Caspi explains that Smart Funding works with four and ten companies at one time, building an attractive portfolio for different types of investors, with varying times of exit and potential profit amounts. Smart Funding changes company investments every three months, rotating to another set of recommended investments.
Smart Funding invests in products that benefit humanity, such as life sciences, agro-tech, medical, and Corona-related technologies. For example, Smart Funding is currently working with Thomas Medical Ltd., which has developed an innovative and revolutionary medical device that will help the almost 1 billion people in the world who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
A second company selected by Smart Funding, Killer Whale Ltd., develops revolutionary products for automatic disinfection and cleansing of toilets and elevators and protection against bacteria and viruses such as Coronavirus (COVID-19). The company has developed an automatic and autonomous disinfection and cleansing device that sprays the toilet bowl and its seat, as well as particles in the air that may be a risk to the health of the user. The spray is composed of a unique antiseptic liquid, which is applied after every use and leaves behind a pleasant odor and a restroom free of bacteria.
Another company funded by Smart Funding is Ela Pharma, which is developing an innovative treatment for necrosis. Until recently, necrosis has been considered an unregulated process of cell death leading to organ and tissue death in many diseases. Ela Pharma’s treatment may revolutionize the treatment of illnesses such as heart attack, stroke, liver, and pancreatic disease, gangrene in diabetes and pressure ulcers, age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS – thereby slowing down death processes and prolonging life.
In addition to funding medical and environmental companies, Smart Funding is very active in promoting, funding, and mentoring startups in Israel’s periphery. The company is based in Herzliya, and CEO Eitan Caspi, Chairman Robert Leonard Phillips, CFO Leemor Cykert Ganot, and their expert team are busy selecting the next great batch of Israeli high-tech companies that will make the world a better place.
For more information, visit Smart Funding at smartfunding.co.il
This article was written in cooperation with Smart Funding ltd.