Netmask

What Netmask does

Netmask (legal entity: Netmask (El-Mar) Internet Technologies Ltd.) is an Israeli private software company headquartered in Kfar Saba that develops proxy-based non-intrusive localization and content transformation technology. The company's core product, Netmask.IT!, is deployed as a front-end proxy in front of third-party websites or software applications, enabling privileged users — typically local software distributors, system integrators, and enterprise administrators — to translate user interfaces, banners, and graphics; reformat currencies, dates, and text direction (including BiDi for Hebrew and Arabic); apply branding overlays and customer-specific customizations; and add functional capabilities such as compression, caching, load balancing, copy protection, and co-browsing, all without requiring source code access or any installation on the server or client side. The technology is protected by three patent families, including the granted US Patent 6,601,108 covering 66 aspects of proxy-based localization and transformation, with two additional US applications covering proxy-based digital rights protection and proxy-based editing GUI.

The company traces its origins to El-Mar Software, founded in the early 1990s by Eli Marmor, initially focused on UNIX localization (notably becoming the de-facto standard for Hebrew Support across 20+ UNIX platforms, including Sun, HP, and Oracle). In the mid-1990s the company pivoted to web-based technologies, filed its foundational patent in 1997, and by 2003 had released the final version of Netmask.IT! with R&D approval from Israel's Chief Scientist. The customer logo set spans large enterprise technology vendors (IBM, Oracle, Sun, HP, Siemens, Motorola, Compaq, SGI), Israeli government and defense organizations (Israel Aircraft Industries, Israel Air Force, Israel Electric Company), telecoms (Cellcom, NetVision), and consumer firms (Tnuva), indicating a horizontal sell-through primarily mediated by software distributors and system integrators who need to adapt vendor products for local markets.

Netmask's revenue model is enterprise software licensing with a recurring/subscription component, sold via direct field sales targeting distributors, system integrators, and large organizations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is likely quote-based. The company is privately held, founder-led, and to date has raised only a single seed round from individual Israeli IT managers; no institutional venture capital, M&A, or follow-on funding is recorded. The company also participates in the Israeli OpenOffice Hebrew localization project alongside the Ministry of Finance, Sun Microsystems, and Tk Open Systems, which serves as an ecosystem and brand-building activity. All publicly visible corporate and investor materials carry a 2003 copyright, and no subsequent product launches, funding events, or strategic announcements have been recorded in the source data.

Name

Netmask

Legal name

Netmask (El-Mar) Internet Technologies Ltd.

Website

https://netmask.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Netmask is an Israeli software company whose Netmask.IT! product enables software distributors and system integrators to localize and customize third-party web and software applications without source code access, using a proxy-based non-intrusive transformation engine protected by three patent families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Software Localization Tools

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Network Architecture & Design Services (BPAEAEAA)

Keywords

• Software localization tools
• Proxy-based transformation
• Non-intrusive software modification
• Enterprise localization software
• Digital rights protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Kfar Saba

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: Netmask.IT! is sold as software to enterprise customers including software distributors, system integrators, and large organizations requiring localization solutions. Revenue appears to come from licensing the technology to distributors who need to localize software products for their markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Netmask sells Netmask.IT!, a proxy-based software tool that performs non-intrusive modification, localization, and functionality expansion of third-party websites and software applications. Installed as a front-end proxy, it enables software distributors and system integrators to translate UI text and graphics, switch directionality (including right-to-left for Hebrew and Arabic), apply branding changes, and add features such as compression, caching, load balancing, copy protection, co-browsing, and ad serving—all without source code access, server-side modifications, or client installation. The company also maintains a legacy Hebrew Support for UNIX product that became a de facto Hebrew standard across more than 20 UNIX platforms.

Product overview

Netmask offers a portfolio centered on Netmask.IT!, a proxy-based tool for non-intrusive web page and software screen modification. This core product enables localization and UI customization without requiring source code access. The company also maintains the legacy Hebrew Support for UNIX product, which established the company's de-facto standard Hebrew localization technology across UNIX platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Netmask.IT! Proxy-based software tool installed as a front-end that enables non-intrusive modification, localization (including Hebrew/Arabic BiDi and graphic translation), branding changes, and functionality expansion of third-party websites and software applications, without source code access or client/server installation. Targeted at software distributors, system integrators, and large organizations needing localization, copy protection, co-browsing, caching, and ad serving.
• Hebrew Support for UNIX (legacy) Legacy localization product that provides Hebrew language and BiDi support for UNIX workstations and servers, running on more than 20 UNIX platform types including Sun, HP, and Oracle systems. Adopted as the de-facto standard for Hebrew support in Israel.

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OpenOffice Localization ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetmask is involved in the Hebrew localization project of OpenOffice, a real Open-Source alternative to Microsoft Office. This project is led by the Ministry of Finance and Sun, in cooperation with Tk Open Systems. Netmask contributes its localization expertise to this initiative.
• Ministry of Finance (Israel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Finance leads the OpenOffice Hebrew localization project, with Netmask as a cooperating partner providing localization technology expertise.
• Sun MicrosystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSun Microsystems co-leads the OpenOffice Hebrew localization project with the Ministry of Finance, with Netmask cooperating as a technology partner.
• Tk Open SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTk Open Systems cooperates with Netmask on the OpenOffice Hebrew localization project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Phrase: Localization platform (formed via the merger of Memsource and Phrase) covering TMS, machine translation, and software-localization workflows. Competes with Netmask in enterprise software/content localization.
• Crowdin: Cloud localization management platform for apps, websites, games, and documents, with in-context visual editing and developer integrations. Operates in the same software-localization category as Netmask.
• Lingoport: Specializes in software internationalization and continuous localization for enterprise dev teams, with a strong focus on global-ready code. Comparable to Netmask in serving the localization-of-software use case, especially for engineering-driven buyers.
• Transifex: Software localization platform for web and mobile applications, offering continuous localization workflows. Competes with Netmask in the same enterprise software-localization category, with a modern cloud-native delivery model.
• Lokalise: Localization and translation management platform targeting software teams, with strong emphasis on developer workflows, in-context editing, and CI/CD integration. Directly comparable product category to Netmask.IT!, but cloud SaaS rather than on-prem proxy.
• Smartling: Cloud-based translation management and localization platform for websites, web apps, and mobile apps. Closest comparable to Netmask.IT! in addressing enterprise localization of software UIs, but delivered as a SaaS TMS/connector platform rather than a proxy.

Broad incumbents

• Lionbridge: Large, established language-services and localization provider offering translation, interpreting, and AI/data services. Overlaps with Netmask on enterprise localization of software but as a broad services portfolio rather than a niche technology product.
• RWS Group (formerly SDL): Global content and language services company offering translation, localization, and language technology (including Trados). A broad incumbent competing in the same software/web localization market that Netmask's proxy targets.
• Welocalize: Large-scale translation and localization services provider with technology-enabled offerings. Competes with Netmask in enterprise software and content localization as a broad services player with proprietary platform components.

Others

• Cloudflare: Operates a global edge/proxy network with transformation, Workers-based content rewriting, and translation features. Architecturally comparable to Netmask's proxy-based transformation approach, even though Cloudflare's primary business is broader web infrastructure/security rather than localization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Netmask