Jerusalem Venture Partners Explained

Jerusalem Venture Partners LLC
Type:Limited liability company
Key People:Erel Margalit
(Founder and Chairman)
Fiona Darmon
(General Partner)
Yoav Tzruya
(General Partner)
Location:Jerusalem
Industry:Venture Capital
Products:Investments
Aum:US$1.4 billion

Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) is an international venture capital firm founded in 1993. The fund specializes in investments in startup companies, focusing on digital media, enterprise software, semiconductors, data storage and cyber security, having raised close to $1.4 billion USD across nine funds.[1] JVP is headquartered in Margalit Startup City Jerusalem with offices in Be'er Sheva, New York City and Paris.

Approach

Aside from investment, JVP operates Margalit "startup cities" in Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva and New York.[2] In May 2021, JVP founder Eren Margalit met with French officials, including minister of finance Bruno Le Maire, to discuss a Startup City in Paris.[3] The cities operate like business incubators, providing portfolio companies with office space, mentoring, guidance and other business support. The fund also operates startup hubs in locations like Kiryat Shmona.[4]

History

JVP was founded in Jerusalem in 1993 by Erel Margalit. The company oversaw the IPO of business intelligence software company QlikTech, and the sale of Chromatis Networks to Lucent Technologies for $4.8 billion, the largest sale of an Israeli company at the time.

In May 2012 JVP portfolio company XtremIO, established in 2009, was sold to EMC Corporation for $430 million.[5] Additional notable companies backed by JVP are Allot Communications, Altair Semiconductor, Cogent Communications, Cyber-Ark, Jacada, Navajo Systems, Netro, Playcast Media Systems, Precise, Qlipso, and XMPie.

In 2005, Forbes selected Margalit as the top-ranking non-American venture capitalist on its "Midas (The Golden Touch) List".[6] In 2010, TheMarker named him the best venture capitalist in Israel.[7]

In 2013, JVP signed an agreement to sell CyOptics Inc. to Avago Technologies, a developer of analog interface components, for $400 million.[8]

In 2018, JVP increases its 8th VC fund to $200m.[9]

In May 2019, JVP announced it would team up with Mars, Incorporated to invest in Israeli food technology.[10]

In February 2020, JVP opened the International Cyber Center in New York City, New York, Margalit Startup City New York.[11] In November 2020, JVP announced an expansion of the Margalit Startup City in Jerusalem.[12]

In September 2022, JVP opened a climate change center in its NYC location, in partnership with car company Mini and a startup accelerator called URBAN-X.[13]

Investments

Notable investments for JVP include CyberArk, Altair Semiconductor, Qlik and Cogent Communications.[14] [15]

Exits (partial list)

CompanyIndustryExit DateExit Type
Scorpio CommunicationsCommunications and networking August 1996 Acquired by USRobotics for $72M[16]
Summit DesignElectronics and SemiconductorsOctober 1996IPO on NASDAQ in 1996,[17] acquired by Mentor Graphics in 2006[18]
NetroCommunications and networking August 1999IPO on NASDAQ[19]
JacadaSoftwareOctober 1999IPO on NASDAQ[20]
Ultracom CommunicationsCommunications and networking March 2000Acquired by Terayon for $32m[21]
T.sqwareCommunications and networking April 2000Acquired by Globespan for $200m[22]
Precise SoftwareSoftwareJune 2000IPO on NASDAQ
ViryaNetSoftwareSeptember 2000IPO on NASDAQ[23]
Magnifire WebSystemsCommunications and networking June 2004Acquired by F5 Networks for $29m[24]
PowerDsineCommunications and networking June 2004IPO on NASDAQ[25]
Dune NetworksCommunications and networking December 2009Sold to Broadcom for $178M in cash[26]
QlikSoftware June 2010IPO on NASDAQ ($2bn+ Market Cap). Bought in June 2016 by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
Navajo SystemsSoftware August 2011Sold to Salesforce.com[27]
XtremIOElectronics and Semiconductors May 2012sold to EMC Corporation for $430 million [28]
CyberArkSoftwareCyber securitySeptember 2014IPO on NASDAQ
CyberArkSecuritySeptember 2014IPO on NASDAQ (CYBR), raising $92.5 million [29]
CyberfishSecurityApril 2021Acquired by Cofense for $100 million [30]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2012-05-10. Sweden loves Israeli high-tech. 2021-05-10. Ynetnews. en.
  2. Web site: Baird-Remba. Rebecca. 2018-11-09. Israeli VC Firm Nails Down Lease for City Cybersecurity Hub. 2021-05-28. Commercial Observer. en-US.
  3. Web site: Shemer. Simona. 2021-05-10. JVP's Erel Margalit In Talks To Set Up Innovation Hub In Paris. 2021-05-28. NoCamels. en-US.
  4. Web site: Halon. Eytan. Israel's northernmost start-up hub opens in Upper Galilee. 2021-05-28. The Jerusalem Post JPost.com. en-US.
  5. News: Shelach. Shmulik. EMC buys XtremIO for $430m. 10 May 2012. Globes. 10 May 2012.
  6. Web site: Forbes. The Midas List. Ynetnews.
  7. News: מלך האקזיטים: אראל מרגלית - איש ההון סיכון בעל מגע הזהב. The Marker.
  8. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Avago-buys-Israels-CyOptics-for-400m-309568 Avago buys Israel's CyOptics for $400m
  9. Web site: JVP increases 8th VC fund to $200m. Globes Israel's Business Arena. June 20, 2018.
  10. Web site: Mars teams with JVP to invest in Israeli food-tech. Globes Israel's Business Arena. May 15, 2019.
  11. Web site: Jerusalem Venture Partners in talks to open innovation hub in UAE. 2021-05-10. The Jerusalem Post JPost.com. en-US.
  12. Web site: Spiro. James. 2020-09-14. JVP founder launches Margalit Startup City as Israel prepares for second lockdown. 2021-05-28. CTECH - www.calcalistech.com.
  13. Web site: Dillon . Kassy . 2022-09-16 . Erel Margalit's Jerusalem Venture Partners launches a climate tech center in New York City . 2023-05-03 . JNS.org . en-US.
  14. Web site: Qlik Technologies Sells for $3 Billion. 2021-05-28. Fortune. en.
  15. Web site: Cohan. Peter. How CyberArk Became Israel's Best Venture Capital Investment. 2021-05-28. Forbes. en.
  16. News: U.S. Robotics buys Scorpio. Chicago Tribune. August 29, 1996.
  17. News: Summit Design Commences Initial Public Offering of Common Stock. EETimes. 1996-10-21.
  18. News: Cheung. Ken. Mentor Graphics Acquires Summit Design. EDA Geek. October 24, 2006.
  19. News: Strong Debuts for Netro, Wink as IPO Angst Lifts. Los Angeles Times. August 20, 1999.
  20. News: Jacada announces IPO. Washington Business Journal. October 22, 1999.
  21. News: Terayon Acquires Ultracom for Broadband Systems-on-Silicon; Expands Terayon's Broadband Silicon Portfolio to Wireless and DSL. Wireless Design Online. March 29, 2000.
  22. News: Wirbel. Loring. Globespan snaps up T.sqware for $200 million. EE Times. 2000-04-26.
  23. http://www.viryanet.com/press/4-year.2000_4-id.8388806.html ViryaNet Announces Initial Public Offering
  24. Web site: F5 snaps up MagniFire. . 2010-08-27.
  25. News: Israel's PowerDsine raises $59m in IPO. Israel21c. June 13, 2004.
  26. http://news.techworld.com/virtualisation/3207887/broadcom-to-buy-dune-networks-for-cloud-switches/ Broadcom to buy Dune Networks for cloud switches
  27. News: Correspondence . Globes. Salesforce buys SaaS co Navajo Systems. 10 May 2012. Globes. 28 August 2011.
  28. News: Shelach. Shmulik. EMC buys XtremIO for $430m. 10 May 2012. Globes. 10 May 2012.
  29. Web site: Harris. David L.. CyberArk Software raises $92.5M in initial public offering; shares up 65 percent. 2021-05-28. www.bizjournals.com.
  30. Web site: Solomon. Shoshanna. US firm Cofense to buy Israel's Cyberfish to better detect and avert phishing. 2021-05-28. www.timesofisrael.com. en-US.