The Israeli TeleMessage Company has raised $ 9 million, at a corporate valuation of $ 27 million after the money. Five funds participated in the funding, two Israeli funds and three European funds. The three European funds - Holland Ventures, German Wellington, and Belgian FLB - were the largest investors in the current round of capitalization.

"This is the first time that three European funds, from three different countries, invest in an Israeli start-up,"   said Amir Gal-Or, co-manager of the Infinity fund (member of the Clal group). The fund led the Israeli funding, and undertook an investment of $ 1.5 million in the company.

TeleMessage was founded in '99 by Guy Levit and developed a service that makes it possible to communicate with people worldwide. The service is unique in that it makes it possible to send a single message simultaneously to a large number of communication media, including mobile phones, faxes, or instant messaging software. The recipient can respond to the sender and enter into interactive communication, even if they are connected via differing medium. In other words, he could communicate from the mobile phone to a recipient connected to him via instant messaging software.

The TeleMessage technology can be received via an Internet site or a mobile phone.

The company will provide the service to the population at large, but its income will be based on selling communication services to commercial organizations, such as Internet sites, Internet service providers, and commercial organizations.

Haaretz, June 19th, 2000