(The Tower) CloudEndure, an Israeli company, confirmed that it had been acquired by AWS, Amazon’s cloud computing unit, for $250 million, Globes reported on Thursday, Jan.10. “CloudEndure is now an Amazon Web Services company. As an AWS Advanced Technology Partner since 2016, CloudEndure has long joined forces to help customers future-proof their businesses. This acquisition expands our ability to deliver innovative and flexible migration, backup and disaster-recovery solutions,” a statement at the company’s website said. Amazon is the world’s top provider of cloud computing services. Amazon, Globes assessed, “wants to maintain its advantage over other major cloud computing suppliers and among other things, strives for smoother transfer of data.” The acquisition of CloudEndure, which makes it easier to transfer data from one computing cloud to another, “can help in this quest.”

In January 2015, Amazon purchased its first Israeli company, AnnaPurna Labs, located in Yokneam. AnnaPurna manufactures chips that are useful building platforms for cloud computing. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos  visited Israel in December 2016 and reportedly met with the management team at Annapurna. At the time, it was reported that Bezos was considering opening a research and development center in Israel. Currently, Amazon is reported to have 200 employees in Israel. Many of them are working at two R&D centers developing technology for its Alexa shopping platform.