A promising Israeli startup. A local partner who knows everyone. A company you are about to acquire, or an executive you are about to appoint. The deck looks good and the references are warm. But what matters most is rarely in the deck. Israel Background investigates the people and companies behind the deal: who they really are, who they are connected to, what their track record shows, and what they did not tell you. At the end you receive a factual report you can base a decision on.
Who we work for
- Investors, VC and private equity funds before investing in an Israeli company or its founders.
- Acquirers before a merger, acquisition or joint venture with an Israeli party.
- Foreign companies entering the Israeli market that need to know their local partners, distributors or agents.
- Law firms advising on a transaction that need factual verification of the counterparty, beyond the legal review.
- Boards and HR leadership before appointing a senior executive with an Israeli background.
- Compliance and KYC teams that need enhanced checks on an Israeli client or counterparty.
What we investigate
Identity and background
Who the person really is: career history, previous roles, education, and the claims they make about themselves. We check whether what you were told matches what can be verified.
Companies and holdings
Mapping the companies the person or company is linked to: shareholders, directors, related companies in Israel and abroad, and companies that were closed or struck off. A company that closed with debts is not necessarily a reason to walk away, but it is certainly a reason to ask questions.
Litigation and insolvency
Lawsuits, judgments, insolvency proceedings, enforcement files at the Israeli Execution Office, and official publications. We look at what happened in past cases, not only whether they exist.
Charges and debts
Research in the Israeli Pledges Registry and other registries: what is pledged, in whose favor, and whether there are signs of undisclosed financial difficulty.
Licensing and regulation
Whether the person or company holds the licenses required for their activity, and whether regulators have taken action against them.
Reputation and media
What has been written about them in the media, on social networks and in professional forums, in Israel and abroad and in several languages, including archived content that has since been deleted. Much of what matters about an Israeli party is published only in Hebrew, and we read it in the original.
Connections and conflicts of interest
Who they are connected to, in business and in family. Whether there is an undisclosed link between the counterparty and someone involved in the deal on your side.
Verification on the ground
Where needed: confirming that the offices, the factory or the business activity actually exist as presented, and speaking with people who have worked with them before.
Red flags that stop a deal
- A gap between the CV and what can be verified.
- A string of companies opened and closed, sometimes leaving debts behind.
- Frequent changes in shareholders or directors, especially close to the deal.
- Former partners who will not talk, or who tell a very different story.
- Litigation that was not disclosed to you.
- Pressure to close quickly, combined with resistance to checks.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT)
Much of our work relies on open-source intelligence: information that was lawfully published but is scattered across hundreds of sources. Government registries in Israel and abroad, court rulings, financial filings, official publications, media, social networks and web archives.
The skill is not only finding the information. It is connecting small details: an address that appears in two companies, a relative's name on a shareholder list, an old profile someone forgot to delete. That is how connections surface that appear in no document.
Competitive intelligence
Before entering the Israeli market, bidding in a tender or starting a negotiation, it pays to understand the players: who the competitors are, who stands behind them, what they have done before and where they are strong. We collect and analyze this from open sources and by lawful means only. We do not obtain other companies' trade secrets.
What a licensed investigator may and may not do
A licensed private investigator in Israel may:
- Research open sources and public registries in Israel and abroad.
- Conduct lawful field work.
- Speak with people willing to provide information, such as former partners, clients and suppliers.
- Analyze documents the client lawfully holds.
A licensed private investigator may not:
- Obtain information from banks, credit card companies or closed government databases.
- Obtain a person's criminal record. Israeli law strictly limits access to the criminal register, and employers may not demand it from job candidates, except for specific roles the law defines. This is stricter than in many other countries.
- Break into computers, phones or online accounts.
- Impersonate an official.
On pre-employment screening: background checks on job candidates are also subject to Israeli employment and privacy law. We tailor the scope of the check to the role and the law, and recommend coordinating it with the company's legal counsel.
How the engagement works
- 01Confidential first call
We learn about the deal, the counterparty, what is already known and what concerns you.
- 02Scope and budget
A baseline check, an enhanced check, or a full investigation with field work. We agree in advance on what will be researched and what it will cost.
- 03Research and mapping
Registries, open sources in Israel and abroad, and mapping of the links between people and companies.
- 04Verification, where needed
Field work and conversations with people who have dealt with the counterparty.
- 05Factual report
Documented findings, sources, a link chart and clearly marked red flags. No speculation and no opinion. Delivered in English.
- 06Debrief
We go through the findings together so you can decide: proceed, change the terms, ask for security, or walk away.
What you receive
- A structured factual report with an executive summary on the first page.
- Marked red flags, with an explanation of why each one matters.
- A link chart of people, companies and assets.
- Source documentation for every finding, so it can be reproduced and verified.
- A basis for managing risk: questions to put to the counterparty, terms to ask for in the contract, or a good reason to walk away.
Why Israel Background
- Licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Justice. License number: 100209001
- Facts, not impressions. Every finding is documented and verifiable.
- Built to work with counsel. Our factual investigation complements the legal and financial review.
- Local reach, international delivery. We read Hebrew-language sources in the original and report in English. Five working languages: English, Hebrew, Russian, Arabic and French.
- Absolute discretion. The counterparty does not know they are being checked. Client identity and deal details are kept confidential, and all materials are deleted on request.
Frequently asked questions
How is investigative due diligence different from legal or financial due diligence?
Lawyers review the legal documents and accountants review the financial statements. Both work mainly with what the counterparty has provided. An investigator checks what was not provided: who the people really are, who they are connected to, what happened in their previous businesses, and whether what was presented matches reality. The three reviews complement each other.
Why use a local investigator for an Israeli counterparty?
Much of the information that matters about Israeli people and companies is published only in Hebrew, in local registries, court rulings and media. International database checks often miss it. A local licensed investigator reads these sources in the original, knows which registries to search, and can verify on the ground.
Will the counterparty know we checked them?
No. The investigation is carried out discreetly, without contacting the counterparty and without revealing the client's identity.
Can you check whether someone has a criminal record in Israel?
Not directly. Access to the criminal register in Israel is strictly limited by law. What can be checked is court rulings, public records and published indictments. These usually reveal what you need to know before a deal.
How long does due diligence take?
A baseline check of a person or company in Israel can be completed within days. An enhanced check with companies abroad and field work takes longer. In the first call we tell you what to expect and fit the timeline to your deal.
Do you also check companies and people outside Israel?
Yes. We research public registries and open sources in many jurisdictions, and work with local professionals where needed.
How much does it cost?
The fee is set according to the scope of the check and agreed in advance, before any work begins. In the first call, at no cost, we tell you what can be checked and what it will cost.
Start with a confidential conversation
About to invest, acquire, partner or appoint? Tell us who the counterparty is and what concerns you. In the first call, with no obligation, we will tell you what can be checked, how long it will take and what it will cost.
The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. Every matter is assessed on its own facts.