Check Point Founder Gil Shwed First Israel Award Laureate in the Field of Technology and Innovation

Israeli software engineer and entrepreneur Gil Shwed is the 2018 Israel Prize laureate in the field of technology and innovation, Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett announced Sunday.

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Mr. Shwed is the co-founder and CEO of veteran network and cloud security provider Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., one of Israel's flagship technology companies. Founded in 1993, the Nasdaq-listed Check Point pioneered Firewall technology and is considered an information security market leader.

The Israel Prize is awarded annually by the state of Israel on the anniversary of Israel’s independence and is considered the country’s highest cultural honor. This is the first year the prize will be awarded in the technology and innovation category.

Mr. Bennet said in a post to his Twitter account on Sunday that he has initiated the new award category in celebration of Israel’s 70th Independence Day. “Gil Shwed is a pioneer of the Startup Nation,” Mr. Benner wrote. “His story is the story of the Israeli tech sector. As a graduate of the Israeli military’s Unit 8200 who went on to found Check Point, he paved the way for me, and for thousands of other Israeli tech entrepreneurs.”