Screenshot of the Wiz website, a cloud security software company. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Described as the “largest exit in the history of the Israeli hi-tech industry, Google and even the entire cybersecurity field,” Google’s recent acquisition of Wiz has shattered multiple records and could even provide a much-needed boost to Israel’s battered economy.
Wiz was founded just five years ago by Israeli business leaders Assaf Rappaport, Ami Luttwak, Yinon Costica and Roy Reznik. Within a year, the cloud security company was valued at $1.7 billion. Now, it is being acquired by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, for nearly 20 times that amount – $32 billion.
The deal is equivalent to about 20% of Israel’s entire national budget last year. The transaction could not only change the lives of the entrepreneurs behind the fastest-growing software company in the world but also generate a tax windfall significant enough to impact the whole of Israel.
In a bid to compete with rival company Microsoft in AI readiness, Google sought a robust cybersecurity solution similar to Microsoft’s acquisition of Adallom. However, Wiz outstrips Adallom in multiple ways, offering a far more advanced product and giving Google the edge – an edge, apparently, well worth $32 billion.
“Wiz and Google Cloud are both fueled by the belief that cloud security needs to be easier, more accessible, more intelligent, and democratized, so more organizations can adopt and use cloud and AI securely,” said Rappaport. “Becoming part of Google Cloud is effectively strapping a rocket to our backs: it will accelerate our rate of innovation faster than what we could achieve as a standalone company.”
Regulatory approval is still required from the United States but if finalized, the deal could result in an estimated NIS 13 billion ($3.5 billion) in tax revenue for Israel.
Since Wiz is registered in New York, not all tax proceeds will go to Israel, but a significant portion will, as its founders and many of its employees are Israeli citizens.
According to estimates from the Israeli Tax Authority, Calcalist reported that the deal will generate an extra NIS 12 to NIS 13 billion ($3.2-3.5 billion) in revenue, equivalent to 0.6% of Israel’s GDP in the coming months.
This amount is significant enough to prevent budget cuts looming on the horizon, or slowing down the increase in the country’s deficit from 4.7% to 4.9%, according to Ynet News.
Naturally, the company co-founders are expected to explore ways to minimize their tax liabilities, and the final amount reaching Israel will depend on factors such as shareholders’ residency status. Nevertheless, the injection of billions into the Israeli economy could bring significant relief, potentially even reversing a planned tax hike for the general population. Currently, the Knesset is proceeding with tax legislation discussions without factoring in the extra billions.
However, the deal’s impact extends beyond immediate tax revenue. As Calcalistech noted, half of Wiz’s 1,800 employees are Israeli and will receive millions of shekels each, predicting not only an “unusual surge of cash into the local ecosystem” but a large number of talented millionaires who no longer need to work.
The Ctech news outlet wrote, “In five to seven years, it will be interesting to see how many former Wiz employees have founded their own companies, fueling Israel’s high-tech sector, which continues to thrive despite government policies that some view as hostile to the industry.”
After purchasing whatever luxury goods strike their fancy in Israel, they are likely to go on to innovate and generate even more prosperity for the country.
If this extraordinary deal goes through, it may prompt a shift in Israel’s approach to the tech sector. Despite ongoing concerns about government policies, the massive success of Wiz could push policymakers to adopt a more supportive stance toward high-tech innovation.
