Zendesk acquires Israeli co Unleash

Avigdor Willenz, investor in Unleash  credit: Intel
Avigdor Willenz, investor in Unleash credit: Intel

The acquisition, estimated at $40-50 million, will enable the US software company to open an Israeli development center.

US software company Zendesk is opening a development center in Israel through the acquisition of a small artificial intelligence company called Unleash. The company was founded by Itay Itzhaki and Omer Koren, and is believed to employ a few dozen employees. It has never sought publicity.

The acquisition price was not disclosed but is estimated at $40-50 million; not a large deal but enough to yield a reasonable return to the early-stage investors, headed by the TLV fund and private investors such as Avigdor Willenz, Benny Schneider, Zvi Limon, Yuval Cohen, and Glilot Capital managing partner Arik Kleinstein. Later investors are believed not to have made an adequate return. The company has raised an estimated $20 million in two rounds, but its valuation in the second round was similar to the estimated acquisition price.

"This acquisition aligns directly with our mission to make information accessible and actionable right where work happens," Itzhaki said. "Our AI-powered search and retrieval technology will help companies deliver faster, smarter employee support by making knowledge easier to access and use - all while keeping security and privacy at the forefront."

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 18, 2025.

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.

Avigdor Willenz, investor in Unleash  credit: Intel
Avigdor Willenz, investor in Unleash credit: Intel
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