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Re: Linux-IL meeting



Hi,

Before "fixes" and "patches", let me thank Chen for her great help
and for the summary, of course together with Ira - the main organizer
and Marc, who was found to be a great lecturer (although he insists
that his expertize is cooking...  Nu, BeEmet...). Chen - next time
don't forget to credit the lecturer, especially after a so success-
ful lecture.

Chen Shapira wrote:

> - Eli suggested making a list of all companies that are willing to stand
> behind Linux publicly, that will go ahead and state that they use linux and
> love it

Not only it was not my suggestion, it even doesn't have any connection
with it.

I didn't have any intention to detail it here, but since it was
already raised, I'll do it. Before, let me tell you that I thought
about it DURING the meeting (contrary to most of the other ideas),
which proves that brain-storming sometimes may help.

Anyway, the idea is a venture capital fund which will focus on Linux
and OSS Israeli start-ups.

There is a very short list of new hot fields which attract investors
in start-ups. Two of the hottest fields are Linux (the amazing IPO of
RedHat which jumped to market-cap. of $20 billion in a short time will
not be forgotten so quickly), and Israeli start-ups. This led many
wise investors to look for Israeli start-ups which focus on Linux and
OSS (the killer combination). I can witness that friends of me from
Europe and America ask me to recommend investments in such companies.

The problem is not lack of such companies; I know many, and you know
many. The problem is that most of them are not traded in any stock
exchange, so the only simple investment in them is possible through
venture-capitals, unless you are a seed investor.

Of course, the main motivation of such a venture capital fund will not
be the PR it will make for Linux in Israel, but the help it will give
these companies, as well as the big potential for the investors. But a
side effect will be that Israeli Linux start-ups will come "out" and
will want everybody to know that they use, develop, and breath Linux.

The idea is not too ambitious; Since it makes a lot of sense, I
believe it will be easy to convince the "right" persons to found such
a venture-capital fund; After all, they will be the first to benefit.

(after I finished detailing the idea, one asked me for names of such
companies, and I promised him, personally, to provide him with my
humble and short list; It was probably what Chen heard, and thought -
mistakenly - that this was the idea).
-- 
Eli Marmor
marmor@elmar.co.il
El-Mar Software Ltd.
972-50-237338

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