Boston's deep security talent pool and proximity to Tel Aviv make the city seem like a natural fit for an Israeli cyber-security company looking to expand to the U.S.
But when Cybereason CEO Lior Div was considering where in the U.S. to setup the company's headquarters, Boston wasn't a contender. San Francisco was his top choice, Div told The Boston Globe today.
“Boston is not the first name that you will hear. But when you do the math, Boston is the answer," Div said.
Ultimately, Boston's extensive tech workforce contributed to Div's decision to base Cybereason here instead of San Francisco or New York City. “The fact that more entrepreneurs choose to come to Boston independently, to me, is fascinating,” Div said in the article, which looks at how several Israeli companies are establishing offices in Massachusetts and contributing significantly to the state's economy.
Div's decision has paid off for Cybereason. Since moving to Boston, the company has raised $90 million from investors, expanded to Japan and grew its headcount from a handful of people to more than 100 employees in three countries. By the end of 2016, Cybereason will add 80 jobs, most of them in Boston, Div said.
"Basically we moved very quickly from three founders sitting on a sofa in 2012, to a 120-people company today with offices in Tel Aviv, Boston and Tokyo," he said.
Fred O'Connor is Cybereason's senior content writer.
