Israeli high-tech remains in demand in Europe despite the headwinds

Since our last conference in Berlin, we’ve taken the Israeli tech roadshow to New York and London several times, as well as to Tokyo and Dubai. This year we felt it was time to return to Berlin, a key gateway for doing business in Europe.

We are here despite the hostile winds blowing across parts of Europe toward Israel since Hamas’s horrific attack on October 7 two years ago, which ignited the war in Gaza and on additional fronts, from Lebanon to Yemen and Iran.

Yoel Esteron.

This is not a political conference, but I cannot avoid expressing the deep disappointment felt by many Israelis, including those who often criticize our own government, at the distorted attitude shown by quite a few politicians and media outlets in Europe toward Israel over the past two years.

It is painful to see how they are, in effect, encouraging terrorists and antisemites who seek to destroy the State of Israel. Yes, there is room for criticism of the Israeli government, but what we are seeing in Europe is not fair or legitimate criticism.

At the same time, I’m glad to note that Israeli tech remains valued and sought after in Europe, and there is ample room for productive collaboration between the Israeli tech community and Europe’s business community.

That’s why we’re here, to continue building strong economic bridges.

Throughout the two years of war, Israeli tech has continued to show its resilience. So investors who stayed on the sidelines in 2024 returned in 2025, pouring billions of dollars into Israeli ventures, especially in defense tech, cyber, and AI.

Governments that hesitated for a while to do business with Israeli companies have come back to the table, particularly since the ceasefire in Gaza, fragile as it may be.

The first three quarters of 2025 underscore the scale of the shift. Private funding totaled $12 billion, up 13% while M&A activity hit $71 billion, nearly five times higher than the same period in 2024. Exits accounted for $41 billion, three times last year’s total and the highest in Israel’s history.

There are still many challenges for Israeli startups, especially in the early stages, but the macro numbers show that global partners can rely on our strength our technology, our creativity,

So I want to repeat here what I’ve said in recent years in New York and London: investing in Israeli tech is a smart investment that delivers strong returns. My message this morning is simple: join us for the fantastic journey of Israeli tech. You won't regret it.

Yoel Esteron is Calcalist's publisher and co-founder of Shomrim.

Throughout the two years of war, Israeli tech has continued to show its resilience. So investors who stayed on the sidelines in 2024 returned in 2025, pouring billions of dollars into Israeli ventures, especially in defense tech, cyber, and AI.

Governments that hesitated for a while to do business with Israeli companies have come back to the table, particularly since the ceasefire in Gaza, fragile as it may be.

The first three quarters of 2025 underscore the scale of the shift. Private funding totaled $12 billion, up 13% while M&A activity hit $71 billion, nearly five times higher than the same period in 2024. Exits accounted for $41 billion, three times last year’s total and the highest in Israel’s history.

There are still many challenges for Israeli startups, especially in the early stages, but the macro numbers show that global partners can rely on our strength our technology, our creativity,

So I want to repeat here what I’ve said in recent years in New York and London: investing in Israeli tech is a smart investment that delivers strong returns. My message this morning is simple: join us for the fantastic journey of Israeli tech. You won't regret it.

Yoel Esteron is Calcalist's publisher and co-founder of Shomrim.