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  1. Israel’s AI sector emerging as a pillar of the country’s tech ecosystem. Currently, approximately 25% of Israel’s tech startups are dedicated to artificial intelligence, according to The Jerusalem Post, with these companies attracting 47% of the total investments in the tech sector (Startup Nation Finder). This strong presence highlights Israel’s focus on AI-driven innovation and entrepreneurs’ belief in the growth opportunities related to AI. The Israeli AI market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 28.33% from 2024 through 2030, reaching a value of $4.6 billion by 2030 (Statista). This growth is driven by increasing demand for AI applications across diverse industries such as health care, cybersecurity, and fintech. Government-backed initiatives, including the National AI Program, play a critical role in supporting startups by providing accessible and non-dilutive funding for research and development (R&D) purposes. Despite facing significant challenges since the start of the war in Gaza, Israel has continued to produce cutting-edge technologies that are getting the attention of global markets. Additionally, Israel’s highly skilled workforce and partnerships with academic institutions provide a steady supply of talent to meet the sector’s demands. With innovation, resilience, and collaboration at its core, the Israeli AI landscape is poised to remain a global force in 2025 and beyond.
  2. Mergers and acquisitions to remain a cornerstone of deals. According to IVC Research Center, 47 Israeli AI companies successfully completed exits in 2024, showcasing the global demand for AI-driven innovation. Investors are continually identifying the differences between companies whose foundations were built on AI, versus those leveraging AI to enhance other core elements of their value proposition—sometimes only marginally. Savvy buyers look beyond the “AI label” and seek out companies with genuine, scalable AI solutions rather than superficial integrations, understanding that value lies in robust and transformative applications. AI is also sector agnostic and may disrupt virtually every vertical. From health care and finance to retail and manufacturing and others, numerous industries are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance or even change their core competency to gain competitive advantages. Deals in this space are coming from strategics such as automobile manufacturers, banks, digital marketing companies and life science firms, among others. As AI continues to permeate multiple sectors, Israeli companies are poised to receive increased attention from strategic M&A buyers looking to unlock new technologies and business opportunities in the market.
  3. Intersection of PropTech and AI to further revolutionize the global real estate industry. Israeli innovation is expected to be at the forefront of this trend. According to IVC Research Center, over 70 PropTech companies headquartered in Israel are leveraging AI to develop cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping the industry on a global scale. We anticipate these companies will continue advancing AI-driven tools and third-party solutions to streamline acquisition strategies, enhance underwriting processes, and drive operational efficiencies. By harnessing AI to identify leasing opportunities, forecast rental trends, and optimize costs, Israeli PropTech firms are set to solidify their position as global leaders in real estate innovation in the year ahead.
  4. AI to become increasingly important across global industries. Israeli companies have demonstrated genuine thought/R&D leadership in AI innovation. Some of the AI-centric legal trends that may stand out in 2025 include (1) a greater focus on data rights management as Agentic AI continues to carve new learning standards; (2) regulatory advancements in science, highlighted by two AI-related Nobel Prizes in science, that will likely materialize in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration adopting new rules for AI-driven drug approvals, as well as new AI patenting standards and requirements; (3) greater emphasis on responsible AI usage, particularly around ethics, privacy, and transparency; (4) the adoption of quantum AI across many industries, including in the area of securities trading, which will likely challenge securities regulators to address its implications; and(5) turning to AI-powered LegalTech strategies (both in Israel and in other countries). Israeli entrepreneurs are likely to continue working within each of these industries and help drive the AI transformation wave.
  5. AI-based technology to continue changing how companies handle recruitment and hiring. While targeted advertising enables employers to find strong talent, and AI-assisted resume review facilitates an efficient focus on suitable candidates, the use of AI to identify “ideal” employees and filter out “irrelevant” applicants may actually discriminate (even if unintentionally) against certain groups protected under U.S. law (for example, women, older employees, and/or employees with certain racial profiles). In addition, AI-assisted interview analysis may inadvertently use racial or ethnic bias to eliminate certain candidates. Israeli companies doing business in the United States should not assume their AI-assisted recruitment and hiring tools used in Israel will be permitted to be utilized in the United States. Also, Israeli companies should be mindful of newly enacted legislation in certain U.S. states requiring companies to notify candidates of AI use in hiring, as well as conduct mandatory self-audits of AI-based employee recruitment and hiring systems. AI regulation on the state level in the United States is likely to increase, and Israeli companies that recruit and hire in the United States will be required to balance their use of available technology with applicable U.S. legal constraints.

Retail innovation is booming in Israel and corporate executives best take notice, as reported in a recent Forbes article. Hardly the first time Forbes has taken notice, this most recent article was inspired by a major retailer CEO’s visit to Israel. The article lists the staggering numbers boasted by Israel’s impressive retail technology start-up scene and advises, “if you are a retail executive, and you have yet to visit to Israel, it is time to book your ticket.”

Greenberg Traurig is the only major international law firm with a multidisciplinary, registered office in Tel Aviv and serves as a gateway for Israeli businesses and entrepreneurs seeking opportunities around the world, as well as for companies exploring opportunities within Israel. Our Emerging Technology Practice offers clients the global reach of Greenberg Traurig’s international network, connecting Israel’s booming technology scene to major commercial retail investors across the globe.

For more on emerging tech in Israel, click here.

May 22-23, 2017, Greenberg Traurig’s Atlanta office will host the second Atlanta-Israel FinTech Innovation Conference.

With over 100 guests expected, the conference brings together both U.S. and Israeli companies seeking synergy and collaboration opportunities. U.S. companies attend fin search of “cutting edge” Israeli technologies and Israelis leverage the event to showcase their technologies and make important contacts. The conference allows for many networking opportunities including one-on-one meetings.

The conference will be led for the second consecutive year by Greenberg Traurig’s David Schulman, Intellectual Property & Technology shareholder at the Atlanta office and an active member of the firm’s Israel Practice.

For more information please visit: www.usisraelexchange.com

2017 Atlanta-Israel FinTech Innovation Conference in the news: http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-to-aid-us-payment-security-task-force-1001137036

By 2050, the global population is expected to increase to 9 billion people — a dramatic increase of more than 35 percent. Given scarce natural resources and the uncertainties of climate change, feeding that growing population means food production will need to increase by 70 percent, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Florida, where agriculture ranks as the second-largest industry, is perfectly positioned to take the lead in combating world hunger through investments in agricultural research. One strategy for doing so involves attracting innovative agricultural technology companies to the market. There is no better ally to enlist in such an effort than the state of Israel, which is known for its innovation in this area. Many of these Israeli food and agricultural technology companies are actively seeking opportunities for U.S. expansion.

Israel has been investing in food and agriculture innovation since its inception 68 years ago. The result: the country is a leader in this area, despite the fact that the geography of Israel is not naturally conducive to agriculture. Israel’s climate, geography and lack of water resources, provide many parallels that would be relevant to Florida. Those success stories include leading Israeli Agtech companies like Kaiima, a genetics and breeding company that utilizes technology to enhance crop productivity. The work of Netafim, a leader in smart drip and micro irrigation solutions, helps to reduce water usage and increase yields. And, Afimilk provides technology that helps dairy farmers increase yields and profitability.

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Known to many as the “Start-up Nation,” Israel has also been dubbed “Silicon Wadi”; ranking 7th amongst all countries in venture capital activity outside of the U.S. In 2015 alone, there were 326 VC investments in Israel, approximately 60% of which were in the information technology sector. In a recent article entitled Inside Silicon Wadi: Why VC in Israel is a booming business, Kevin Dowd, a writer for Pitchbook, highlighted and explained Israel’s prominent position in the VC world.

Dowd pointed to two key factors in Israel’s success in obtaining such a large portion of VC investments. First, in 1993 the Israeli government implemented the “Yozma” program, which provided tax incentives to foreign investors and matched any foreign investment in an Israeli company with government funds. Subsequently, in the early 2000s several government reforms also helped in relaxing what was a more centralized economy, making Israel much friendlier to VC investment. Second, Israel’s high-tech market is constantly producing more companies with innovative ideas and products for companies to invest in. With the highest number of tech startups per capita in the world, Israel is ripe for venture capital activity.

Greenberg Traurig is the only major international law firm with a multidisciplinary, registered office in Tel Aviv and serves as a gateway for Israeli businesses and entrepreneurs seeking opportunities around the world, as well as for companies exploring opportunities within Israel. The Tel Aviv location offers clients the global reach of Greenberg Traurig’s international network, connecting Israel to major commercial centers across the globe. GT Tel Aviv is deeply involved in the venture capital world and has connected U.S. investors with Israeli companies as well as helped Israeli companies raise money and increase operations abroad.

A solar water heater on every Israeli rooftop

Israel is a garden of inventiveness and Israelis have a strong tradition of contributing to technology and life sciences. Breathing the innovation when I lived there, I was privileged to test PrimeSense’s 3D camera, help bring Notal Vision’s tool to gauge macular degeneration to the United States, deliver a turn-key VoIP network in Nigeria and Zambia on behalf of VocalTec, license ecommerce and security software to dozens of Fortune 100 companies, watch knee surgery with miraculous tissue-repairing Regentis hydrogel, play with a gear box created from an Objet (now Stratasys) 3D printer, and negotiate sponsored research, patent licenses and clinical trials on behalf of emerging pharmaceutical companies.

Figuring out what gives rise to the “start-up nation” character, with wildly disproportionate foreign direct investment and numbers of translated books, cited academics, filed patents, Nasdaq companies, successful exits, and tuneful children’s songs, is a pervasive new-age question. Many answers have been floated, including its world-class research institutions, the very first technology transfer offices for commercialization of academic R&D, raw skills honed in one of the best-trained and most-sophisticated militaries, a culture of questioning, and a flood of ex-Soviet engineering talent over three decades. Naturally one can’t discount that there are real issues to be addressed too. Israelis have done it — from discerning security risks through synthesis of big data to making the desert bloom with fruit, vegetables, fish, and minerals. Continue Reading Ingenuity in Israel’s Water

Greenberg Traurig’sshutterstock_104201342 Boston office will be hosting a breakfast presentation entitled “Trends in the Israeli Life Sciences Arena” featuring guest speaker Elka Nir from Israel.  The event is scheduled for 8-9:45 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015, with welcome remarks at 8:30 a.m. by David Dykeman, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group, and Roman Fayerberg, a shareholder in the Intellectual Property & Technology Practice.

Elka Nir has more than 25 years of extensive experience in senior executive positions in the area of medical devices. She is an active chairperson and board member of public and private life sciences companies, in Israel and globally.  A case study of Israeli medical device company Laryngoport Ltd., of which Nir is a board member, will follow her presentation.

For more information about the event, contact the New England-Israel Business Council, or register now for the event here.

Greenberg Traurig16731905477_47a7273653_o was a leading sponsor and participant in the exciting Israel Dealmakers Conference in NYC. About 1250 participants from around the world came to meet with Israeli companies and explore business opportunities. Attendees included senior executives of large corporations, leading investors, innovators and thought leaders. Some of Israel’s most exciting companies attended, in industries such as digital media, mobile, IT, software, digital health and cyber security.

On March 23, the evening before the Summit, Greenberg Traurig and Deloitte hosted a VIP Cocktail Reception for close to 300 leaders who were in NY to attend the Summit. GT’s CEO Richard Rosenbaum gave words of welcome, and GT’s Ephraim Schmeidler gave remarks in both Mandarin Chinese and Hebrew to welcome a large delegation of Chinese investors and companies.

The Conference featured numerous panels with industry and thought leaders. GT’s David Gitlin, Co-Leader of the Emerging Technology Group, moderated a panel called “Global Dealmaking: The Art of the Deal”, with Matt Olton, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, EMC, and Steve Ingram, VC Practice and Technology Practice Leader, Deloitte. David was quoted by Israel Dealmakers for his statement “What I love about Israeli startups is they’re not afraid to fail”.

There were smaller “speed dating” sessions where Israeli companies met one on one with potential strategic partners. GT’s Beth Cohen, Director of Global Emerging Growth Services, led the Digital Media & Mobile Innovation Showcase, where 9 Israeli companies met with 12 strategic partners. The partners included The Weather Channel, AccuWeather, Associated Press, GE, Macmillan, Nielsen, Publicis, Omers Ventures, Samsung, Univision, Wells Fargo and others.

Other attendees from GT included Gary Epstein, Tel Aviv Managing Shareholder; Chair, Global Corporate & Securities Practice; Co-Chair, Israel Practice; Senior Chair, Global Corporate & Securities; Bob Grossman, Co-Chair, Israel Practice; Barry Schindler, Co-Chair, Global Patent Prosecution Group; Ron Deutsch; Meital Stavinsky; and Adam Snukal from GT’s Tel Aviv office.

uSAOver the last few months I have had the chance to speak to entrepreneurs from Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Norway, Singapore and Ukraine seeking to operate and solicit investment here in the U.S.  As an attorney, I’m expected to focus on best legal practices.  They’re indeed important, but perhaps not worth quite so much energy if the company isn’t on a course to succeed as a business.

Among my first questions, I’m curious to know what a company has, why it’s great, who’s willing to pay, and how much.  Then, I explore other challenges facing the business.

For start-up companies that still want to talk, here’s my simplified rundown of business and legal items (for information purposes only, not legal advice):

Continue Reading U.S. Market Entry Top 10