Leading global equity crowdfunder will explore Maryland companies for potential investment
BALTIMORE, MD (February 18, 2015) – The Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC) today announced its new partnership with OurCrowd of Israel, the leading global equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors. As part of the collaboration, OurCrowd has pledged to look at promising Maryland companies for investment opportunities. The MIDC will assist OurCrowd’s portfolio companies with their U.S. market entry, helping attract them to business opportunities in Maryland, as well as introduce OurCrowd to potential investors. OurCrowd CEO Jon Medved will host a presentation on Friday, February 27 from 8 –10 a.m. in Washington, D.C. for companies that want to learn more about the partnership. To register, click here. The MIDC is a partner of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
“We’re excited about the partnership with OurCrowd,” said MIDC Chairman Rob Frier. “It will give Maryland companies access to a potential new funding source and help Israeli companies enter the U.S. market further expanding the Maryland/Israel trade relationship.”
“Israel is known as the StartUp Nation. With the US Chamber of Commerce’s ranking of Maryland as the #1 state for entrepreneurship and innovation for the third consecutive year, Maryland is really the StartUp State” said OurCrowd Founder and CEO Jon Medved. “It’s appropriate that we work together to commercialize technology, build companies and create jobs.”
“Technology commercialization is a global enterprise,” said DBED Secretary Mike Gill. “Capital flows to good ideas wherever they are found. The MIDC-OurCrowd partnership shows that Maryland and Israel share strengths in innovative scientific discovery that attracts global investment capital.”
Since its inception just two years ago, OurCrowd has raised more than $100 million and invested an average of $1.6 million in 56 companies. OurCrowd has established itself as a major international leading force in the equity crowdfunding industry with 7,000 investors from 94 countries. The company was the top ranked equity crowdfunding platform on KPMG’s top 50 FinTech innovator list. One of their portfolio companies, BillGuard, won Google’s best Android app in 2014. OurCrowd also invested in Trendlines, the MIDC’s Israeli investment partner. Among Trendlines’ investments is Johns Hopkins University’s “LapSpace” technology, an inflatable balloon retractor for use in laparoscopic procedures. Trendlines has twice won Israel’s Best Incubator of the Year award with many of its companies receiving the Best StartUp award.
About the Maryland/Israel Development Center:
The Maryland/Israel Development Center is a non-profit membership organization that promotes bi-lateral trade and investment. It is a “public-private partnership” of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Israel's Ministry of Economy, and The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.
About OurCrowd:
OurCrowd is the world's largest equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors to invest in Israeli and global companies. Managed by a team of well-known investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd vets and selects opportunities, invests its own capital and brings these startups to its accredited membership. OurCrowd investors must meet stringent accreditation criteria and invest a minimum of $10,000 per deal of their choice. OurCrowd provides post-investment support to its portfolio companies, assigning industry experts as mentors and taking board seats. OurCrowd has raised over $100 million in equity crowdfunding for its 57 portfolio companies which include leading companies, such as: Borro, BillGuard, Consumer Physics (SCiO), BioCatch, Abe’s Market and ReWalk, OurCrowd’s first portfolio company to complete a successful IPO on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.ourcrowd.com.
ABOUT DBED:
The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development stimulates private investment and creates jobs by attracting new businesses, encouraging the expansion and retention of existing companies, and providing workforce training and financial assistance to Maryland companies. The Department promotes the State's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development and international investment, trade and tourism. For more information, visit www.ChooseMaryland.org.
CONTACT:
Barry Bogage, Executive Director, Maryland/Israel Development Center, 301-325-3654, bbogage@marylandisrael.org
Leah Stern, Chief-Story-Teller, OurCrowd, Israeli Cell: +972-54-341-4861;
U.S. Phone: +1-877-848-0964 ext. 2; Email: leah@ourcrowd.com
