Tal Elyashiv

IVC Data and Insights report on the Israeli venture market for Q1-Q3 2024 reveals: - $7.4 billion invested in Israeli startups, surpassing the entire 2023 total of $6.9 billion. - $13 billion generated from exits, a 26% increase from 2023's $10.4 billion. - 23% surge in foreign investments year-over-year. - 67% of capital sourced from global investors, with 33% from Israeli funds. - $2.7 billion secured by early-stage startups, the second-highest figure in Israeli startup ecosystem history (after 2022's record). These figures demonstrate investors' confidence in the long-term sustainability of the Israeli startup ecosystem. Trust received, challenge accepted. We're building the future, brick by brick.

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Eleven developer-first startups were involved in transactions last week 👨🏻‍💻 💰 Here is what happened the week of October 28th, 2024: On the fundraising side, 1 pre-seed, 3 seed, 5 Series A and 2 Series B were announced, totalling $166 million. 🇮🇱Tel Aviv-based Zenity, a leader in securing and governing copilots and low-code development, addressing gaps left by traditional AppSec tools, raised the biggest round: a $38M Series B funding led by Third Point LLC and DTCP. Congratulations to the other companies that announced fundraising last week:  🇫🇷 Filigran 🇺🇸 Browserbase 🇺🇸 GMI Cloud 🇺🇸 Speakeasy 🇺🇸 Matia 🇬🇧 iGent AI 🇺🇸 Verax AI 🇬🇧 Diffblue 🇩🇪 GlassFlow 🇺🇸 Moondream AI That’s all for last week. If you know a startup that should have been included in this list, please ping them in the comment section.

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BlinqIO, a startup founded by Israeli entrepreneurs Tal Barmeir and Guy Arieli, has raised $5 million in a Seed funding round. The funding was led by Flint Capital and included investments from Inovia Capital Precede Fund I, TAL Ventures, and SeedIL. BlinqIO has developed autonomous human-like virtual testers operated by AI, providing companies with an infinite pool of testers that can be integrated into the development process. This allows companies to allocate higher value work to their human workforce. The platform leverages generative AI and Large Language Models (LLM) to enhance its operations, with the AI test engineer being able to comprehend requirements and autonomously create and maintain test automation code. The funding will enable BlinqIO to establish new offices in the U.S. and expand its workforce. Impact on the generative AI industry: Positive. BlinqIO's platform, which combines generative AI and Large Language Models, offers a solution to remove bottlenecks in test automation and provide developers with instant feedback. This advancement in autonomous software testing can greatly enhance efficiency and productivity in the software development industry. Question for discussion: How do you think the integration of human-like virtual testers into the development process will impact the software development industry? #AItesting #SoftwareDevelopment #Automation

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NEBIUS GROUP 60,000 GPUs CEO & Founder Arkady Volozh Nebius Group Team of "1,000+ top notch AI engineers" as Tom Blackwell write in his post, and "$2.5 billion in capital" as TechCrunch Paul S. highlight... this is like you read in my prev highlights "🏴‍☠️ 1200+ people globally, company Ai . Tech founder Div Turakhia 🇦🇪📈"... billionaire AI competition is kind of cool to watch! Of course your truly Chief Visionary Officer Aleksei Dolgikh 2025 Scout Venture Capitalists+Private Equity+Family Offices after seeing in #Linkedin: "Will we be the first publicly traded AI Cloud?" (c) Roman Chernin Co-founder, Growth at Nebius start to do some research for Crunch/??? (surprise in 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸) and of course because GITEX GLOBAL Largest Tech & Startup Show in the World x Expand North Star event where for 🇦🇪 crunch/DUBAI – Dubai's StartUPs and people W 🇸🇦 Crunch/RIYADH - Riyadh's StartUPs and People | #RiyadhTech #Vision2030 #RiyadhExpo2030 W 🇪🇬 Crunch/Cairo – the Media about Businesses and People W 🇧🇷 🇦🇷 Crunch/LATAM - CrunchLatAm.com StartUPs and People. and THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING there's 20+ more on the way Hyper Local New Media in the network of Glocal SEO Platform 2024 | EN.Gloc.al International Search Engine Optimization & SEO For Startups as you know :) Ok let's go from self PROMO to the team of exec and visionary in PDF and linkedin: Nebius post in LinkedIn that catches your truly attention: "A lot of our employees are going to be at #GITEXGLOBAL for tech creators, investors and enthusiasts... - CMO Anastasia Zemskova... - Ranvish Vir, our Growth Lead for the Middle East and APAC... - Andrey Gorbunov, Sales Enablement Lead... - Aleksey Golubitsky, GTM Lead... - biotech or healthcare Ilya Burkov CBDO - Dmitry Levner, Engagement Manager... - Sales Manager Leandro Salvador and Sales Executive Hasan Göktuğ Çolak... " Here’s a summarized version of the key ppl of Nebius Group: Ophir Nave - COO: Proven leader with expertise in legal and corporate finance, previously led Corporate M&A at Arnon, Tadmor-Levy. Ron Jacobs - CFO Andrey Korolenko - Chief Product & Infrastructure Officer: 20 years overseeing IT infrastructure, including top-20 supercomputers. Roman Chernin - CBO: 12 years developing B2B/B2C, experienced startup mentor. Tom Blackwell - CCO Business Unit CEOs: - Olga Megorskaya (Toloka): 10+ years in AI and Data Labeling. - Ilya Zalessky (TripleTen): 6+ years in edtech ventures GTM strategies. - Dmitry Polishchuk (Avride): 7+ years in self-driving tech, 13 years in mobile services. Board of Directors: - John Boynton Chairman, tech venture founder with 30+ years in IT. - Charles Ryan: Almaz Capital founder, former Deutsche Bank CCO. - Rogier Rijnja: Management consultant and former HR executive. - Arkady Volozh: CEO, visionary founder, co-founded Yandex and Comptek. - Esther Dyson: Wellville founder, investor. - Kira Radinsky: CEO of Diagnostic Robotics. - Elena Bunina: Head of Science & Education.

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Tel-aviv has improved its position among the top startup ecosystems worldwide according to Startup Genome's 2024 report (https://lnkd.in/dN3aUa_h). What a powerful evidence of Israeli startup and innovation environment's resilience and the unshaken trust of the global investor community. The Israeli high-tech sector remains to be the engine of the nation’s economy, accounting for 18% of GDP, 48% of exports, and 11% of workforce. At Tachles VC we are proud we can back the next generation of cyber, cloud and infrastructure AI Israeli-born start-ups. Karel Tušek, Sivan Kanev, Boris Chovnik, Robin Bienfait

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East Jerusalem based medtech accelerator JINNOVATE launches with 14 Arab-Israeli led portfolio companies https://lnkd.in/d35gczUz Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem Techlinic Mahmoud Khweis Israel Innovation Authority רשות החדשנות USAID ARC Innovation Takwin VC Ezadeen Alsaad Jafar Mahfouz Muawyah Akash ISRAEL21c — Good News From Israel

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Huge move for the future of AI in Israel. The incredible founders of Aporia - Liran Hason and Alon Gubkin - have built one of the greatest AI teams in Israel. Today we celebrate their success and announce its acquisition by Coralogix (link in the first comment). Quick recap - Aleph's portfolio company Coralogix is a data infrastructure company in the observability field. They offer a real-time streaming analytics pipeline for logs, metrics, tracing and security. This move will help them expand into AI observability - a critical new market. But there's more to the story. Coralogix is going to invest tens of millions of dollars into a dedicated AI research center in #Israel. While everyone is talking about the importance of AI excellence in Israel, it's people like Ariel Assaraf and Yoni Farin who actually deliver. Well done friends! Congratulations team Aporia, welcome home!

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2023 was a tough year for Israeli startups. After a few slow quarters, the Israeli startup ecosystem is starting to show signs of recovery and stability. According to the latest tech review for Q1 2024 (by LeumiTech and IVC Data and Insights): - Israeli startups raised $1.74 billion in Q1 2024, just 1% below Q1 2023 - Q1 2024 had more seed rounds than each of the 3 previous quarters in 2023 - Cyber dominated in M&A and large rounds Link to the my post (and the report) in the first comment 👇

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Founders’ Corner: Trusting Instincts, Making the Move, and Finding Your Investors’ ‘X Factor’. On my recent visit to Tel Aviv, I caught up with Maor Levran at the Slice | Global Equity office. Maor is the CEO and co-founder of Slice, a company R-Squared Ventures is proud to be Seed investors in. Their global equity compliance platform empowers finance and legal teams to manage equity awards across multiple countries, monitoring and flagging compliance risks according to local laws and regulations. I asked Maor to share some insights and advice from his journey so far. Trusting your instincts. Reflecting on his early days, Maor says, “I wish I had known how important it is to trust my instincts. Sometimes, you just have to go with your gut, especially when hiring the right people to join this crazy journey.” Co-founder trust. He’s grateful for the trust he has in his co-founder, Yoel Amir “I trust him 100%, with my eyes closed.” Personal observation, he’s right :) Moving to the US. If he could do one thing differently, he’d have relocated to the US sooner. Breaking into a market where your customers, partners, competitors, and investors reside thousands of miles away adds extra hurdles to an already challenging task. As Maor says, “I would have relocated sooner. I’m now making the move to New York.” Advice for first-time founders. Connect with peers: “Share your concerns, stress, and ideas with founders at your stage and those with more experience. Being a founder is challenging and often requires sacrificing a lot. Seek advice, it really helps!” Working with investors. Maor advises finding each investor’s unique “X factor”: “Find it and embrace it.” Maor and team Slice, your commitment, passion, teamwork, and execution are inspiring. Thankful to be a partner in your journey, and excited to see you and the company continue to grow and make a lasting impact.

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This is very exciting! We’ve been maintaining the #Israeli #fintech map for over 10 years, but now we've taken it a step further. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞!! 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫, designed to provide more value to the entire ecosystem (link in the comments).   The map brings together over 300 trailblazers in the financial technology sector, each contributing to how the world saves, invests, and transacts. Alongside the map, we’re presenting a 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, providing an overview of the latest developments in the FinTech industry globally and in Israel. Check out the first link for the map - and ping me if you think we're missing a logo! Omry Ben David Uri Lampert Adam Shalem

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Exciting insights from Startup Nation Central’s new Q1/24 report point to unique #investment opportunities! Learn more here >> #innovation #startupnation Israel Innovation Authority רשות החדשנות Israel Innovation Authority

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Yesterday at the Calcalist כלכליסט, Google and Playtika Gaming summit in Israel, I spoke about the impact of GenAI on the future of gaming. I was followed by Ilan Graicer, co-founder and CEO of our portfolio company Playo.ai who gave a live demo of their awesome AI-generated game and tech (sharing my slides below) According to the recent survey by Andreessen Horowitz (of 650 game developers) 73% of game devs already use generative AI and 88% plan to implement it soon. In my presentation, I highlighted: ✨ How developers are using AI for asset creation, procedural world-building, and animation ✨ The growing adoption of AI for intelligent NPCs, real-time narratives, and personalised gameplay ✨ The fact that GenAI for gaming is expected to grow by 100% in the next four years (with annual CAGR of 18.7% according to reports). We’re excited about the future of gaming and its intersection with generative AI, and we’re proud to support this evolution at Remagine Ventures. Pre-seed Israeli founders in this space - do get in touch! Link to the CTech by Calcalist article on our session in the first comment below!

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Very interesting report of Israel's AI ecosystem by F2 Venture Capital, Google Cloud and Deloitte. 🔍 On a high level: - The AI startup ecosystem in Israel is booming, with over 2,150 active AI companies, representing ~30% of the local tech sector. - Startups leveraging AI attracted over 60% of all capital raised in 2023. - The country ranks 3rd globally in private AI investment, demonstrating its strong position in the global AI market. 💡 Key takeaways from the report: - Vertical AI is a stronghold. It attracts the largest share of private funding, with Life Sciences, Healthcare and Fintech (banking, financial services and insuretech) leading the charge. Israel's deep domain expertise in these sectors positions it as a potential global leader. - Autonomous Enterprise (Horizontal AI) shows promise. Cybersecurity is a particular strength, capturing 56% of the segment's funding However, the development of multi-modal, end-to-end solutions and AI agents presents further opportunities for cross-industry applications. - AI & Data Ops is a key area for growth. Israel's strong talent pool and focus on enhancing existing infrastructure make it well-suited to address the growing demand for cloud-based AI Ops platforms and efficient data management solutions. There are also plenty of challenges: securing and nurturing AI talent, sustaining investment and navigating the global AI landscape/competition. Link to the report in the first comment 🔗

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Fundraising is the number one focus for Israeli #founders. In taking feedback from my recent survey, https://lnkd.in/efvpYYCT, fundraising seems to be what most founders are focused on this quarter. The beginning of 2024 has been much more active on the #VC side, and the market seems to have stabilized. This is good news for many CEOs who have delayed #fundraising to the point where they have more to show… and where the timing feels more “right”. Yet, navigating the world of fundraising for early-stage Israeli startups in today's economic climate is a challenging endeavor. Rounds take longer to close. #Investors look for more data points. Relationship-building between founders and investors is a real thing again. Here are some points to keep in mind as you get ready to raise your next round: Get your story right - Seriously. I see many founders creating complicated decks and diving into unnecessary details. Make it simple... investors are flooded with decks, emails, texts, and phone calls. Getting the story right, and grabbing their attention is a good place to start, no matter the stage of the company. Leverage your network - The importance of a strong network cannot be overstated, especially now. Reach out to your current investors, advisors, and strong connections for advice, warm intros, and potential funding opportunities. Many of them cannot just open doors, but follow-up with their contacts after the connection is made. Backchanneling is one of the most underestimated elements of fundraising. Do your research - Don’t just ask for an intro to fund X, Y, or Z. Which partner in the firm is most interested in your space? How many investments have they made in the past 12 months? Does the fund have fresh capital or is it towards the end of their investment period? These are all important things to know before asking for an intro or meeting with VCs. Resilience is paramount - Fundraising can be a long and difficult process, but resilience and adaptability are key. Keep refining your pitch and keep your eye on the ball. Eventually, a lot of it is about consistency, and not giving up.  Remember, fundraising is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay positive, stay focused, stay connected, and keep your energies high. As we’re deep into Q2, many funds are looking for interesting opportunities and startups to invest in. We, at 97212 Ventures, are extremely active so feel free to reach out if you’re at the pre-seed or seed stage. #venturecapital #startups #nyctech

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We in the Israel Innovation Authority רשות החדשנות are dedicated to ensuring that the Israeli innovation ecosystem makes a significant global impact. Our initial step is to pilot the product, allowing the Israeli companies to gain valuable insights and progress effectively. Here is the consolidated information in one click: You can share this post with startups you think will benefit and grow from it.  Child development pilot with Israeli healthcare providers : https://lnkd.in/dB3bfk3Q    Companies offering innovative solutions for Israel's national security organizations    https://lnkd.in/ddHqtSjY    Israeli startups providing solutions for the future of mobility and last-mile delivery with the Israeli Ministery of Transportation     https://lnkd.in/dKv83Drc    For companies ready to take off and soar, see this call for submission for international collaboration.  https://lnkd.in/ds5Uvycc  Tzlil Neeman Renassia

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The first time I interviewed Alon Arvatz was 6 months after the sale of his company IntSights, a Rapid7 company for $350 Million, and since then we've developed an incredibly deep friendship that I truly cherish. Since his last company, he wrote a best-seller book called "The Battle For You Computer" all about the Israeli Cyber ecosystem and launched another company PointFive So I'm super excited to have round #2 and talk about his new company PointFive and everything else he's accomplished since our last interview. What You'll Hear: • Why he started PointFive. • Why it's important to do more than make money in business. • How he teaches his kids about money and helping others. • Tips on hiring good people, working with investors, and building a successful company. • Moving to the U.S. for his business. • Dealing with doubts and difficulties in his work. • What he hopes to achieve with PointFive and his other projects. For the full experience, I would highly suggest you watch it. All links in the comments Enjoy!

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What does money mean to you? Beyond the necessities, what value does it have? It was a question I asked Yotam Segev CEO Cyera, because I believe there is something to be learned how everyone connects with money. Link to the full episode in the comments

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