US venture capital firm Battery expands Israel office

Both Tobin and Sokolic will continue to work globally, sourcing and making investments in Israel and the Middle East, Europe and the US, the firm said in a statement.

Tobin said, 'We have always been global investors and believed early on in Israel as a technological powerhouse. The overall Israeli economy remains strong, with steady growth and solid fundamentals. Beyond the numbers, there is an entrepreneurial culture, a supportive government and an appreciation for technology that continues unabated.'

Tobin joined Battery in 1997. Prior to that, he had experience in investment banking at First Albany Corp. and was previously the director of corporate development at venture-backed software company Future Vision, which was later sold to Softkey International.

Sokolic joined Battery in 2007. Previously, he was the group programme manager for Mobility in the Office Communications Group (OCG) at Microsoft and also spent time in the company's Mobile and Embedded Devices division.

The firm has offices in Boston, Israel and Silicon Valley. Earlier this year, it announced plans to open an office in Mumbai by the end of 2008.

Battery has $3bn in capital under management and is currently investing its $750m BV VIII fund. The firm invests across all stages, from seed/start-up and expansion financing, to growth equity and buy-outs. Key technology sectors for the firm are advanced materials and cleantech, communications services and infrastructure, financial services, internet and digital media and semiconductors and components.

Investments in Israel include fabless semiconductor company Anobit Technologies, technology company Freshpoint and software security business Neocleus.

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