Israeli Innovators Fuel Global Giants: From Waze to Teva

Israel, a nation of just over 10 million people, has become a significant source of globally impactful companies, extending beyond its well-known tech startup scene. Over decades, products originating from Israeli founders and technologies have become integral to daily life worldwide, spanning navigation, web development, pharmaceuticals, cybersecurity, and agricultural irrigation. Many of these companies, while now owned by international corporations or headquartered abroad, maintain their Israeli roots in technology, founders, and core development.

The scale of Israel's high-tech sector is substantial. In 2025, it generated approximately 352 billion shekels in products and services, with exports reaching $85 billion and employing around 400,000 people. High-tech accounted for 58% of Israel's total exports. The country also leads globally in research and development spending, with civilian R&D reaching 6.3% of GDP in 2023, significantly higher than the OECD average of 2.7%. This innovation boom has roots stretching back to the mid-1980s and early 1990s, a period marked by a sharp increase in patenting activity.

Several prominent companies exemplify this success. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, originating from a small Jerusalem wholesale business in 1901, is now a global leader in generic drugs, with 2025 revenues around $17.3 billion and operations supporting 240,000 jobs in 26 countries. Check Point Software Technologies, founded in 1993, pioneered commercial firewall technology and cybersecurity, achieving $2.725 billion in revenue in 2025. Mobileye, founded in 1999 based on academic research in computer vision, became a leader in driver-assistance systems before being acquired by Intel for $15.3 billion in 2017, and has since grown to over 2,500 employees.

Navigation app Waze, founded by Israeli entrepreneurs, revolutionized traffic data by leveraging user-generated information. Acquired by Google in 2013 for approximately $1.1 billion, it continues to operate as a distinct product. Wix, launched in 2006, empowered individuals without coding skills to build websites, growing into a global platform with 304.2 million users and $1.99 billion in revenue in 2025. monday.com, a workflow and project management platform, has become a significant international SaaS business, with revenue growing 27% in 2025. Fiverr, a global marketplace for digital services, also originated in Israel, transforming how individuals and businesses find freelancers.

Other notable companies include CyberArk, a leader in cybersecurity and privileged access management with $1.361 billion in revenue in 2025; NICE, a global provider of contact center solutions and AI; and Viber, a messaging app acquired by Rakuten for $900 million in 2014. In agriculture, Netafim, founded in 1965, pioneered drip irrigation and now operates in over 100 countries. Industrial tool manufacturer ISCAR was acquired by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in a multi-billion dollar deal. SodaStream, a consumer brand for home carbonation, was acquired by PepsiCo for $3.2 billion in 2018.

The Israeli innovation ecosystem has evolved into a complex network of startups, corporations, investors, and universities. This success is attributed to decades of development in university research, engineering talent, venture capital, defense technology, and entrepreneurship, driven by a small domestic market that necessitates a global outlook from inception. Today, Israeli technologies are embedded in various sectors, often unrecognized by the end-user but fundamental to global operations.