CTalk
“Anyone who has the courage and the capital to invest today is going to do very well”
Nicole Priel, Partner & Managing Director at Ibex Investors, explained to CTech during the Mind the Tech conference in London why this is the time fortunes are made
“We have a finger on the pulse with everything that is going on in the markets. We remain focused on valuations and opportunities when they arise. We believe that fortunes are made in bear markets and not in bull markets, so we think times of crisis present opportunities to invest,” explained Nicole Priel, Partner and Managing Director at Ibex Investors, speaking with CTech during Mind the Tech London last week.
“Anyone who has the courage and the capital to invest today is going to do very well,” she added. “I think founders who risk it all and come to the market and decide to build companies in the worst times will end up getting paid in spades for that bold and courageous move, so I'm very optimistic.”
Priel said Ibex Investors, which is a US-based investment firm that is focused on investments in Israel and manages over $1 billion in assets, plans to make several investments this year despite the crisis.
Priel spoke of how the changes in the market have affected investment processes. “It’s nice to return to a period of normalcy, like the 2018-2019 era when investors and founders could actually get to know each other and spend time together and not rush into a deal. There is a lengthening of the process so there is more time to do proper diligence. But we still try to be really mindful of a founder's time and return a quick no or run a very efficient diligence process. I am noticing a trend where companies are taking longer to raise now than they did 18 months ago.”
You can watch the full interview in the video above