Jerusalem Venture Partners
Jerusalem Venture Partners is an international venture capital firm founded in 1993. The fund specializes in investments in startup companies, focusing on Digital Media, Enterprise Software, Semiconductors, Storage and Cyber Security, having raised close to 1.4 billion US Dollars across nine funds. JVP is headquartered in the JVP Media Quarter in Jerusalem with offices in Be'er Sheva, New York City and Paris.
History
JVP, founded in Jerusalem in 1993 by Erel Margalit, has overseen at least 35 exits, more than any other Israel-based investor, including the IPO of business intelligence software company QlikTech- valued at more than $2.5 billion, and the sale of Chromatis Networks to Lucent Technologies for $4.8 billion, the largest sale of an Israeli company ever to that point. On May 2012 JVP portfolio company XtremIO, established in 2009, was sold to EMC Corporation for $430 million. Additional notable companies backed by JVP are Allot Communications, Altair Semiconductor, AnyClip, Cogent Communications, Cyber-Ark, Fundtech, Jacada, Navajo Systems, Netro, Playcast Media Systems, Precise, Sheer Networks, Qlipso, XMPie and more.In 2005, Forbes international business magazine selected Margalit as the top-ranking non-American venture capitalist on its "Midas List". In 2010, named him the best venture capitalist in Israel.
In 2010 and 2011, JVP was named "Firm of the year in Israel" by the financial information group Private Equity International.
In 2013, JVP signed an agreement to sell CyOptics Inc. to Avago Technologies, a developer of analog interface components, for $400 million.
In 2018, JVP increases its 8th VC fund to $200m.
In May 2019, JVP announced it would team up with Mars, Incorporated to invest in Israeli food tech.
In June 2019, it was announced that Kobi Rozengarten was leaving to lead GigCapital's activities in Israel.
JVP Media Quarter
In 2007, Erel Margalit established a Media Quarter in and around the historical train station compound in Jerusalem. Beside the main venture capital firm, the Media Quarter houses the JVP Media Labs, a technological early stage investment incubator; 10 start-up media companies; "Zappa Jerusalem in the Lab," a music club and concert venue for some of Israel's leading singers, and "JVP Community", a youth empowerment program supporting up to 3,000 youngsters in 5 underprivileged Jerusalem neighborhoods.JVP Media Quarter employs about 150 entrepreneurs, engineers, developers and artists.
Exits (partial list)
Company | Industry | Description | Exit Date | Exit Type |
Scorpio Communications | Communications and networking | Asynchronous Transfer Mode networking systems and sub-systems. | August 1996 | Acquired by USRobotics for $72M |
Summit Design | Electronics and Semiconductors | The electronic design automation company that pioneered the field of Electronic system-level design and verification | October 1996 | IPO on NASDAQ in 1996, acquired by Mentor Graphics in 2006 |
Fundtech | Software | A leading provider of software and services to banks, including: Payment systems, ACH origination systems and Cash management systems. | March 1998 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Netro | Communications and networking | High-speed digital wireless networking equipment for the “Last mile" | August 1999 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Jacada | Software | Unified service desktop and process optimization solutions that simplify and automate customer service processes | October 1999 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Ultracom Communications | Communications and networking | Supplier of broadband system-on-chip solutions | March 2000 | Acquired by Terayon for $32m |
T.sqware | Communications and networking | Network processors for edge equipment | April 2000 | Acquired by Globespan for $200m |
Chromatis Networks | Communications and networking | Optical transport systems for data and voice communications on metropolitan fiber optic networks | May 2000 | Acquired by Lucent Technologies for $4.8 billion |
Precise Software | Software | A global leader in Application performance management and Business transaction management solutions | June 2000 | IPO on NASDAQ |
ViryaNet | Software | Mobile workforce management solutions | September 2000 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Magnifire WebSystems | Communications and networking | Web application firewall products | June 2004 | Acquired by F5 Networks for $29m |
PowerDsine | Communications and networking | Power over Ethernet pioneers | June 2004 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Dune Networks | Communications and networking | High speed network switches | December 2009 | Sold to Broadcom for $178M in cash |
Qliktech | Software | Business Intelligence Enterprise Software | June 2010 | IPO on NASDAQ |
Navajo Systems | Software | Security for SaaS applications | August 2011 | Sold to Salesforce.com |
XtremIO | Electronics and Semiconductors | Flash memory Computer data storage | May 2012 | sold to EMC Corporation for $430 million |