Chicago (IL) – Intel and the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist have agreed to provide local software companies with equipment, technology and access to distribution channels. According to Intel spokesperson Christos Georgiopoulos, the chip manufacturing giant will initially invest $25,000-$50,000 in the joint project.
“Intel has increasingly invested in software development in recent years,” Georgiopoulos told Globes. “The number of Israeli companies with which we collaborate will rise dramatically after the start of the program.”
Georgiopoulos explained that Intel had bolstered its cooperation with various entities in an effort to ensure that “all software will run in the best possible way on Intel architecture.”
Georgiopoulos added that Intel currently counts 18,000 partners along with 400,000 users and developers. The corporation already maintains cooperative programs with 65 software companies in Israel.
Intel has recently stepped up the pace of its investments in various countries, such as India, Taiwan and China. For example, the company confirmed plans in October to establish a Moblin enabling center with the Taiwanese government. Intel also expects to invest NT $386 million (US $11.5 million) in Taiwanese carrier VMAX, enabling the provider to deploy the island’s first commercial mobile 2.5GHz Wimax network.
At least a third of Intel Capital’s total investment is located in Asia, particularly in China, Taiwan and Korea. Intel Capital, which recorded a $2.3 billion portfolio in June 2008, made less than five percent of its investments outside the US in 1998. However, offshore investments had risen to 37 percent by 2007.
