Terra Venture Partners ramps up on clean tech investments in Israel.
It’s no secret that Israel has one of the world’s most prolific venture capital markets in the world. Not only is this fact true in the realm of advanced technology fields: it is also true in the areas of clean technology as well.
It now appears that the foremost VC fund dealing with clean energy and related fields is Terra Venture Partners, a Jerusalem-based venture capital fund (we’ve covered Terra Ventures here) focused on seed and early-stage cleantech investments.
This company, which made six first clean tech investments in 2009, was previously mentioned in Green Prophet last July by Marcus Sopher, in which this fund was reported to have had funding and investing in promising seed and early-stage start-ups led by top entrepreneurs in energy, water and other environmental sectors.
According to a write up in Israel Venture Capital and Research Center (IVC), Terra Venture Partners made six “first investments” in the following clean tech and environmental science companies:
Linum Systems, a start-up founded in 2009 that is developing an advanced, energy efficient air conditioning technology. Linum Systems was founded by Yuval Berson and Amir Hirshfeld, two veterans of Israeli solar power company Di.S.P. Lithium Force, a start-up focused on providing complete solutions for electric powered transportation fleets (buses, trucks, and taxis). PV Nanocell (no website), a stealthy start-up apparently focused on the development and production of nanomaterials for the solar photovoltaic industry. Silentium which is developing innovative noise reduction products and solutions. SmarTap, a company devloping innovative, efficient electronic water faucets. Wi-Charge, a start-up developing technology to enable the safe, reliable and efficient wireless transmission of power. Wi-Charge was founded in 2007 by Ortal Alpert.
Israeli clean tech companies, especially those involved in renewable energy projects, are some of the most innovative in the world. Although this sector has been affected by the world economic slowdown, the investments made by Terra Venture Partners clearly indicate the interest that the VC company’s investors have in the future of these industries in Israel especially when most of the investment funds come from either the USA or Europe.
The investment sectors for Israeli venture capital funds were broken down sector by sector by the IVC:
Software, Internet and Life Sciences: 22% each
Cleantech 16%
Communications: 10%
Semiconductors 5%
Other ventures 3%
Innovation success appears to be one of the key drivers in creating investment nterest in clean technology and other types of high tech projects being developed by Israeli companies, with some of these projects being the most novel in their fields.
To name just a few of these: Shai Agassi’s Better Place electric car and battery replacement company, which recently launched a Test Drive and Electric Car Education Facility in Israel and Shmuel Ovadia’s SDE Energy Company which is working with countries like India to create electricity from the power of ocean waves.
However innovative the idea or project may be, you can sure that VC companies like Terra Venture Partners will be involved to provide the financial “fuel” for the advanced technology innovation fire. Let’s hope.
Read more on clean tech enterprises from Israel:
SDE Energy Teams with India to Harness Ocean Wave Power
Better Place Opens Electric Car Testing and Education Facility
Capital Funding Accelerates Israel Clean Tech Projects
Author: Maurice Picow
Maurice Picow grew up in Oklahoma City, U.S.A., where he received a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. Following graduation, Maurice embarked on a career as a real estate broker before making the decision to move to Israel. After arriving in Israel, he came involved in the insurance agency business and later in the moving and international relocation fields. Maurice became interested in writing news and commentary articles in the late 1990’s, and now writes feature articles for the The Jerusalem Post as well as being a regular contributor to Green Prophet. He has also written a non-fiction study on Islam, a two volume adventure novel, and is completing a romance novel about a forbidden love affair. Writing topics of particular interest for Green Prophet are those dealing with global warming and climate change, as well as clean technology - particularly electric cars.
Mr. Kasimov,
Our firm can structure funding for your project, we will need you to contact us with a formal funding request via our website – http://www.iifg-eu.net.
Thank you.
Jess.
Russian venture business funding.
My name is Kasimov Iskander. I’ m a representative of “Alterism Venture Capital” company from Russia.
We have some venture projects in the sphere of energy-saving, safety plane landing when all the jets fail to operate, new type of propeller, which allows to fly at the high-speed , etc.
All the innovations suggested are carried on patent in many countries of the world.
We offer you to make investments in a united team of professionals in the sphere of innovations.
Why don’t we look for investors in Russia?
Russia is just accepting the way of innovational development. Now the raw material economy prevails. Moreover, most of our team are muslins.
We want you to be the representatives of the civilized business, the businessmen searching innovation sources of profit.
The representatives of our team will visit the UAE from 20 till 27 of August, Ras Al Hime. We can meet face to face and discuss the presentation and all the questions.
If the proposal is interesting to you, please, write [email protected]
Ask your questions, I’ll answer with great pleasure.