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AgriCapital Corp eyes Israeli Agribusiness
Agribusiness-specialized investment bank partners with local financial firm to boost local agricultural technology industry
The AgriCapital Corporation, a specialized investment bank that works exclusively in agribusiness, is venturing into Israel.
AgriCapital has been somewhat of an external player in the Israeli agro-tech market, which has seen a robust year in 2011, with the acquisitions of Netafim and Makhteshim Agan Industries.
Chairman and Founder Rurik Halaby, who was born in Jaffa, moved with his family to Lebanon in 1948 and to the United States in 1958, noted that a need exists for an investment bank that would help Israeli agribusiness cope with the many challenges it faces, including access to capital and to global markets.
"When it comes to things like the food crisis – it has no borders, no country, race or color. We operate outside of politics and I'm proud to collaborate with an Israeli investment bank."
Halaby said that he recognizes at least 150 companies in Israel's agro-tech industry which have investment or acquisition potential.
"These are companies that have introduced technological revolutions – the kind that can greatly appeal to large company; or the kind that are big enough to acquire smaller companies."
Halaby said that AgriCapital works exclusively as advisors on M&A and financing deals, and provides strategic and financial advice, including for IPOs.
In Israel, AgriCapital will partner with Cukierman Investment House. Chairman Edouard Cukierman said that "Israel is considered a world-class center in cleantech, but there's no one here who can raise funds from bodies that specialize in the field, like it is in the field of biotech, for instance.
"The agricultural technology industry is not an easy one and bodies looking to exit in this field are different. Still there are many international companies looking to make deals," he said.
