Israeli high-tech startups raised $1.55 billion in the first quarter of 2019, or a 28 percent increase compared to the first quarter last year, according to a report published Tuesday by Tel Aviv-based market research firm IVC Research Center Ltd. and law firm Zysman Aharoni Gayer & Co.
Venture capital figures consisted of 71 deals worth $1.3 billion of the overall sum.
However, compared to the last quarter of 2018, the first quarter figure is a 25 percent decrease due to less funding in both initial and seed funding rounds.
“The median amount of these early rounds increased, while mid and late rounds continued the uptrend seen since 2016, with series C rounds attracting the most capital of all rounds, $476 million in total,” reported Calcalist.
Deals of more than $20 million consisted of 64 percent of overall investments accumulated.
Software and life sciences accounted for the strongest sectors with 42 percent and 17 percent raised, respectively, in the first quarter.
