Huge exit for the Israeli company that Intel almost closed: Most employees will receive at least one million shekels each
RealSense, an Israeli robotics company spun off from Intel just 14 months ago, is being sold to American Cognex for $600 million. Most of the 135 employees in Israel will receive at least one million shekels each. CEO Nadav Orbach said Intel almost shut down the operation, but he convinced then-CEO Gelsinger to spin it off. The company is growing and profitable, with expected revenues of $80-90 million in 2026.
The Israeli robotics company RealSense, spun off from Intel just 14 months ago, is being sold in a cash-and-stock deal worth $600 million to the American company Cognex, traded on Nasdaq with a market cap of $10 billion. The payment consists of $500 million in cash and an allocation of stock grants, cash, and options worth $106 million to RealSense employees. The company employs 180 people, 135 of them in Israel at its Haifa offices. According to CEO Nadav Orbach (46), most employees in Israel will receive at least one million shekels under the deal, and many will receive higher amounts. RealSense develops depth cameras and computer vision technologies for robots and autonomous systems, with over 4,500 customers worldwide. It began as a research activity at Intel over a decade ago. In July 2025, as part of a reorganization at Intel led by then-CEO Pat Gelsinger, it was decided to spin it off. Orbach said Intel almost closed the operation, but he convinced Gelsinger to let him take it out. Since the spin-off, the company has expanded its operations, significantly increased its workforce, and tripled its revenues. The company is expected to record revenues of $80-90 million in 2026, growth of more than 50% compared to the previous year. In the last two quarters, the company turned profitable. Intel, which still holds 20% of RealSense shares, will benefit from the exit alongside investors. Cognex plans to use RealSense to make a leap into the robotics market. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of the year, and RealSense employees will continue with the company, with the Israeli operations serving as Cognex's development center.