Microsoft, Qualcomm back Israel's Team8 cybersecurity firm
Microsoft, Qualcomm back Israel's Team8 cybersecurity firm
The venture arms of Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Qualcomm (QCOM.O) have invested in Team8, an
Israeli creator of cybersecurity start-ups, as big multinational companies get
behind Israel's burgeoning cyber industry in the face of growing threats.
Team8, which also announced on Monday a strategic
partnership with Citi (C.N) to help develop its products, said the most recent
investment brings its total raised to more than $92 million.Its other investors are Cisco, AT&T, Accenture, Nokia,
Singapore's Temasek, Japan's Mitsui, Bessemer Venture Partners, Google
executive chairman Eric Schmidt's Innovation Endeavors and Marker LLC.
While the number of attempted cyber attacks was 20,000 a week
two or three years ago, that figure had now risen to 600,000-700,000, said
Yoram Yaacovi, general manger of Microsoft Israel's development center.Israel has some 450 cyber start-ups, which receive 20 percent
of global investment in the sector. Although the need for security is growing
quickly, the proliferation of start-ups means that several companies compete in
every subsector."A large part of companies created won't get to the
finish line," Nadav Zafrir, Team8 chief executive and former commander of
the Israeli army's technology and intelligence unit 8200,told a news conference.He said he believes Team8's strong partners and its plan to
build a portfolio of different technologies gives it an edge. Team8 confirmed
that Microsoft had been an investor since last June."The expectation of our investors is to build
independent companies that will lead their sectors," he said.Israel has a well established high tech industry, using
skills of workers trained in the military and intelligence sectors. Tax breaks
and government funding have encouraged start-ups, and also drawn in
entrepreneurs from abroad.
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