🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

The closure reverses ZoomInfo’s long ties to Israel

• In 2021, ZoomInfo was arguably “the largest public company in Israel,” said Henry Schuck, CEO, ZoomInfo 1. Its market cap topped US$30 billion, and the company said it was committed to the country 1.
• That stance grew from the company’s Israeli roots. It began as Eliyon Technologies, later renamed Zoom, and treated Israel as a central place for innovation 1.
• The Ra’anana site near Tel Aviv had about 40 research and development staff at the time of the 2019 deal 1. By 2021, about 400 of ZoomInfo’s roughly 3,000 employees were in Israel. Most of the company’s software was developed there, and the team was growing 100% year over year, said Schuck 1.

The shutdown adds to strain in sales tech after the Chorus.ai deal

• The closure would unwind much of ZoomInfo’s Israel buildout after it bought Tel Aviv-based Chorus.ai for US$575 million in cash in July 2021 1. Chorus.ai uses AI to analyze sales calls 1.
• The cutback also captures how overseas research and development centers bought through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can get harder to support when markets weaken 1.
• ZoomInfo’s valuation has fallen far from its 2021 peak. The Israel center is set to close by the end of 2026, with about 300 jobs cut 1.