Mapping the Israeli high tech industry Project: IFISE Work package 7 Arie Sadovski

Methodology Database from a commercially available source Eight hundreds companies were contacted in two cycles Companies: estb or later and hdqtrs in Israel Received 143 qualified, filled-in questionnaires Each company was contacted at least two times; in most cases three times: 1st call to identify the founders, then interview via fax/ and follow- up

The companies

Major industrial sectors Communication (hardware) and electronic components Software for internet Software for other applications Electronic medical instruments and devices Software for telecommunication (ex internet) Biotechnology (excluding pharmaceuticals) Computer (hardware) semiconductor devices and electronic components Optical instruments and materials (including optical communication items)

Industrial sectors

Number of employees The average number is 36 80% of the firms have < 50 15% of the companies have < 10 Mean employees' number having formal academic degrees is 23.4 on the average at least 65% of the employees have academic degrees

Companies’ age Companies Age # % 1 year years years years Total resp Mean 3.5

Number of employees* Employees companies % Total Mean 35.6 * From data base

Product development phases # % Research and development2115 Technological demonstration 6 4 Prototype12 9 ß site 1712 Initial sales 4331 Sales4129 Total respondents140100

Proportion of R&D expenditures to income* R&D Expend # % 0-10% % % % % % %4 5 Total Mean 74% * Approx., year 2000

The founders

Number of founders per company Founders # % Total

Founders’ formal schooling #% Non academic11 8 Vocational Engineers8 6 B.Sc. /B.A7351 M.Sc. /M.A6344 Ph.D.6747 Military courses1510

Founders’ professional training disciplines # % Engineering6445 MBA2417 Exact / Computer Science7754 Management/Economic2115 Life Science2618

Founders' age groups distribution Age # % Total

Women founders Per company Companies

Changes in the founders' position # % Yes, all of them are still in the lead 9467 No, part of them are in the lead3021 No, none of them are in the lead1611 Total respondents

The entrepreneurial environment and background

The geographical birth place of the new technology # % Israel12890 Abroad Both Total respondents142100

The working environment in which the new technology was borne # % Academic institution23 20 High Tech industry73 62 Academic + High Tech 4 3 Low Tech industry18 15 Total respondents

Previous occupation of the founders # % Unemployed 2 1 Students 9 6 Academia, Research Institute Industry Total respondents

Founders’ previous industrial positions # % R&D Manager7855 Staff3122 Production Manager10 7 Staff 1 1 Marketing /sales Manager3323 Staff 6 4 Total responses 159

Fund raising patterns

Number of rounds used for fund raising Rounds Companies % Respondents

Sums raised in the different rounds Sums raisedSeed1st 2nd <150K K M Total

Sums raised in the different rounds

Non-government financial sources for new start ups * Number Percent Self Family and friends Private investors (Business Angels) Private incubator 7 5 V.C Bank loan Stock exchange; IPO 8 6 Investment Company Strategic investor in Israel Strategic investor abroad 13 9 Other source 10 7 *Multiple responses per company were given. N=143

Non government financial sources

Yozma VC funds as a funding source Companies* Yozma VC funds Number Percent Eurofund 4 15 Medica 1 4 Walden 4 15 Gemini 3 11 Nitzanim 1 4 Apex 3 11 Inventech 4 15 Polaris 9 33 Vertex 2 7 Jerusalem Pacific Ventures 0 0 Star 4 15 *Multiple responses per company were given. N=27

Government financial sources Companies* Number Percent Government Incubators2115 R&D grant – Regular4934 R&D grant - For start-up 5 3 R&D grant - “Magnet” 7 5 Bi-National programme – BIRDF 11 8 Bi-National programme – Other 1 1 Investment Center – Grant/capital equipment 11 8 Investment Center – Income tax benefits 2115 *Multiple responses per company were given. N=143

Incubators and Yozma programs affiliated companies- comparison of sales and growth- rates to the other respondents companies

Difficulties encountered

The six most difficult areas and expectations for government assistance Areas of activity - Difficulty index (mean) * Gov. assistance Companies responding “YES” Fund raising % Marketing % Networking with strategic partners % Connection with international collaborators % Recruiting % Connection to funding sources % Protection of IPR – % * The respondents were asked to rank each difficulty on a scale of 1-5.

Other areas of activity Areas of activity - Difficulty index (mean) * Gov. assist. Locating the company in a building facility – % Networking with suppliers – 1.9 7% Sources for technical information % Training of personnel % Advice on legal matters – % Advice on management matters – % Networking with experts – 2.4 7% Information on trends in the market & tech % Networking with other firms – % Advice on strategic matters – %

The areas of higher difficulty

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