Ofir Ehrlich

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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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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"AR computing!" Say goodbye to traditional laptops. An Israeli entrepreneur has innovated a technology that bids farewell to our traditional laptops. Tamir Berliner- founder of Sightful and the innovator behind the Spacetop G1! What is the Spacetop G1? Spatial computer that seamlessly integrates the functionality of a laptop with the capabilities Of Augmented Reality (AR). A 100-inch virtual workspace replaces the need for a physical screen. Spacetop G1 adapts to various environments, whether at home, in the office, or on the go. This represents a step forward in integrating AR technologies with daily tasks. Spatial with AR transforms how we interact with digital content, personally and professionally. The real test will be in its execution. The usability of the AR interface, the battery life, the comfort of AR glasses, etc., are crucial. I believe Sightful has managed to address these practical concerns effectively. And I am awaiting the official release in india. Congrats to Tamir Berliner and the team for their bold move and fantastic innovation. The Spacetop G1 is an evolution in how we think about personal computing. Soorya Narayanan | AppLogiQ #applogiq #innovation #entrepreneur #techentrepreneur #augmentedreality #spatialcomputing #management #startups

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Israeli tech is at a crossroads On the one hand, we see a surge in tech, particularly with AI. On the other hand, we're dealing with a decrease in economic activity and a potential shift in the job market While it's true that the current situation in the country has led to a decrease in economic activity, we must also consider the impact of AI on the job market. Companies may be using the current economic climate as a cover to transition to AI-driven operations, a move that isn't typically popular… The rapid development of AI, such as OpenAI's GPT-3, suggests that we may see a big shift in the job market sooner than anticipated. While this is great for efficiency, it also raises concerns about job security, and the future of jobs Furthermore, the job market, especially in the tech sector, is becoming increasingly competitive There are fewer jobs than there are people looking for work. This issue is particularly pronounced in the Haredi community, where job opportunities are even scarcer. The community faces additional challenges, including bias and a lack of experience. Most training programs today don't offer job experience or placement, leaving individuals to navigate the job market on their own Given these circumstances, #entrepreneurship emerges as a viable path… knowing how to run a business and possessing skills that can't be easily replicated by AI can be a real advantage Along with those challenges, another major question is… is Israel a conducive environment for setting up a business?   The Israeli government's stance towards businesses, particularly #startups, plays a big role in shaping the country's economic landscape. High taxes and stringent regulations can deter entrepreneurs, pushing them to relocate their businesses to countries like the US This trend is worrying… as startups and new businesses are the key drivers of economic growth. A decrease in the number of companies not only reduces job opportunities but also hampers growth The government's role in fostering a supportive environment for businesses cannot be overstated Initiatives to ease regulations, provide tax cuts, and offer support can significantly enhance the business landscape, encouraging entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses in Israel While it's true that thriving businesses may not always equate to more jobs, particularly because of #AI, they do contribute to economic growth. The profits generated by these businesses can be reinvested into the economy, catalyzing further growth The next few years in this country are about striking a balance between embracing tech, entrepreneurship, and ensuring job security, as well as creating an environment conducive for building businesses What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the Comments section below Safra-Tech Calcalist כלכליסט CTech by Calcalist #startupnation #artificialintelligence #israelunderfire

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In today’s fast-paced and uncertain environment, accessing top tech talent often means expanding internationally. At COMMIT Offshore, with 200+ team members across four global centers, I’ve found that thriving in global hiring depends on two main factors: 🔑 Cultural Compatibility: Embracing cultural diversity is key. For instance, Israel’s direct style can differ greatly from the more reserved approach of Ukrainian, Armenian professionals. 🤝 Emphasis on Soft Skills: Technical expertise is critical, but it’s the adaptability, communication, and teamwork skills that truly bind a team. Identifying and understanding personality types can transform team dynamics: 🔍 The Analyst – Detail-oriented, thorough, and structured. Perfect for roles that need data-driven decisions and precision. ✅ The Task-Oriented – Mission-focused, efficient, and punctual. Ideal for tasks with tight deadlines and clear objectives. 🎤 The Promoter – Charismatic and engaging, they light up the room. Great fit for Sales and Marketing! 🤝 The Supporter – Calm, empathetic, and reliable. Perfect for roles in care-giving and customer support. Creating successful international teams goes beyond recruitment—it's about building a shared culture that resonates globally. Read the full article 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dXVPZ4nd #GlobalTalent #RemoteTeams #TechHiring #ITOutstaffing #ITSolutions #OutstaffSolutions #ITOutsourcing #StaffAugmentation #TeamAugmentation

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YL Ventures is thrilled to partner again with Seattle-based Eran Barak having led the $11 million #seed round of his new #startup MIND! YL Ventures also seeded Eran's last #venture Hexadite, which was acquired by Microsoft. Together with cofounders Itai Schwartz and Hod Bin Noon, and CRO Tyson Hempel (former CRO of exited YL Ventures portfolio company Medigate), Eran is launching today the first-ever platform to put Data Loss Prevention (#DLP) on autopilot! Other investors in the round included #cybersecurity luminaries from CrowdStrike, Adobe, ADT and FireEye, Inc. MIND is a new breed of DLP that leverages #AI and smart #automation to instantly and comprehensively identify, detect, and prevent #data leaks. With the capacity to monitor billions of data events 24/7 in #realtime, MIND is a DLP solution completely reimagined for today's complexity, already ripping & replacing painful legacy solutions at enterprises across America. Read more here: https://mind.io/ And in Reuters: https://lnkd.in/gRhBEkbV

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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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Is it shopping season for Israeli technology? The recent surge in M&A activity in Israel is the most significant sign of hope and optimism I’ve seen since October 7th. It demonstrates the potential of Israeli tech and the faith placed in it by top global companies. When technology leaders choose to further expand into Israel and acquire local teams, you know financial outlooks are positive. In cybersecurity - often the poster-child of Israeli tech - we’ve seen five acquisitions in quick succession totaling more than $1Bn. Flow Security by CrowdStrike (~$200M), Avalor Security, a Zscaler Company ($350M), Gem Security (acquired by Wiz) ($350M), Silk Security by Armis ($150M) and Entitle by BeyondTrust (~150M). All are led by exceptional individuals, well done! Perhaps more telling is the emerging AI industry. Last week NVIDIA announced its acquisition of two companies for a combined value of $1Bn. Congratulations RunAI ($700M) and Deci AI ($300M). Mainstream media is so focused on the voices of a racist minority calling for boycotts and divestments that they fail to capture actual news. Antisemites might yell the loudest, but the actions of multinational corporations speak louder than words. I am optimistic about the future. Are you?

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Over this past year, we’ve learned anew the strength that we have as a nation. And if you’ve read recent headlines regarding funding rounds and exits of Israeli startups, you will see a clear demonstration of resilience in action. According to a recent report by Startup Nation Central, the Israel tech ecosystem has recently completed: - 220 private investment rounds - An estimated $3.1 billion raised - $3.7 billion in M&A transactions - 20 new venture capital funds were established, raising $1.7 billion And it’s not just internal optimism. A recent poll conducted by the global accounting company Ernst & Young showed that about 60% of multinational companies expressed confidence in the Israeli tech industry. Some might say that what happens in Israel is simply miraculous. I say that it’s because of the resilience, grit, determination, creativity, innovation and perseverance of our people. And Google Cloud Israel is proud to support our hi-tech community, from early stage to enterprise and everyone in the middle. 76 years and counting… Israeli tech continues to deliver No Matter What. https://lnkd.in/dbpvwcuW. #GoogleCloud #CloudForIsrael #StartupNation #Resilience #NoMatterWhat

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🚨 24-hour countdown! 🚨 Tomorrow, we're pulling back the curtain on how Israeli startups can ace #SOC2 compliance without breaking a sweat. And it’s all happening in Hebrew! Ready to see how Scytale can transform your compliance game? Join us for a live demo with Matan Ephron, our compliance solutions consultant, who’ll walk you through: • The must-know secrets of SOC 2 compliance for Israeli companies • A foolproof roadmap to SOC 2 compliance • A live tour of our platform that automates the SOC 2 process  • Expert tips on how we handle your audit-readiness from start to finish Don’t miss this chance to get ahead of the game. Set your alarms and get ready to level up your compliance game with us. 🚀 See you tomorrow! Register here: eu1.hubs.ly/H0cm8sn0

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As we close out 2024, we’re reflecting on a year that pushed Israeli tech to its limits—and once again, we rose to the challenge. At F2, our portfolio companies hit major milestones, with several securing significant growth rounds (shoutout to Faye, Astrix Security and justt). We also welcomed a wave of new founders who are applying AI to tackle untapped opportunities in overlooked markets. 2025 will be all about focus. For our founders, that means honing go-to-market strategies — doubling down on what works and cutting what doesn’t. For the founders we’re looking to back, it’s about breaking through the noise, outpacing incumbents and bringing bold vision to underserved markets. We're more optimistic than ever and if this is what you’re looking to build, let’s talk :) Check out our full 2024 recap here: https://lnkd.in/d-qUZGT3 F2 Venture Capital

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InNegev pledges continued support for deeptech in 2025 amid Israeli resilience Amir Tzach and Karina Rubinstein joined CTech to discuss InNegev's role in the sector and how it can help pre-seed and early-stage companies.

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There is something very special about monday.com, ironSource, Yotpo, Lemonade, Fiverr, Playtika, and the other B2B startups that were founded in the early 2000s. They built the playbook that the current Israeli startup ecosystem stands on. I would love to interview these founders: Eran Zinman & Roy Mann CEO monday.com Tomer Tagrin. CEO Yotpo Tomer Bar-Zeev CEO ironSource Micha Kaufman ceo Fiverr Daniel Schreiber CEO Lemonade Or any founders that built from the early 2000s and still building. If someone can make an intro or ask them directly to come on the Founder StorieZ Podcast I would greatly appreciate it 🙏

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Israeli Cyber Startup Raised $70 Million Torq, an Israeli Cyber company, raised $70 million in a Series C round led by Evolution Equity Partners, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, Notable Capital, Greenfield Partners, and Strait Capital. In 2024, Torq has raised $112 million, following a $42 million expansion of its Series B in January. To date, the company has raised $192 million. Torq's AI-based cybersecurity platform connects an organization's security infrastructure to streamline the detection and response to cyber incidents. It automates complex processes on a large scale, reducing the workload on human analysts. Torq was founded in 2020 by Ofer Smadari (CEO), Leonid Belkind (CTO), and Eldad Livni (CINO). The startup employs around 180 people in Israel and the U.S. and plans to hire 130 employees. Source: https://lnkd.in/diPUaEMb

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Excited to share my partner Raz Mangel’s interview with CTech by Calcalist on Greenfield Partners’ outlook for 2025! The Israeli tech ecosystem continues to prioritize AI-enabled applications and vertical AI solutions, focusing on infrastructure and deep tech—true to its innovative DNA. Raz covers multiple topics over the course of this interview. Some key insights include: - Israeli innovation continues to attract global attention - 2025 presents unique opportunities for both early-stage startups and mature companies - Vertical AI solutions are gaining significant momentum Read the full interview below to discover Raz's take on market dynamics, emerging technologies, and what makes the Israeli ecosystem uniquely positioned for success in 2025.

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Congratulations to Cyera co-founders Yotam Segev and Tamar Bar-Ilan and the entire team on the $300 million Series D! We’re thrilled to co-lead this round and partner with a true innovator in cybersecurity, empowering businesses to secure their data at scale while driving innovation forward. 🚀 As AI adoption accelerates across industries, organizations face growing challenges in securing sensitive data amidst increasingly complex environments. Cyera's AI-driven platform is revolutionizing data security, harnessing advanced AI and machine learning to enable organizations to swiftly discover, classify, and safeguard their data. Learn more about why we’re excited to back Cyera and read the news linked in the comments. 👇 CC: Casber Wang, Adam Liu, Justin Liu & Julie Nguyen #CompaniesofConsequence #datasecurity 

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BRIA AI has been recognized by CTech by Calcalist as one of the most promising Israeli Startups for 2024, ranking at an impressive #20! 🎉 This past year has been challenging, but our success is a testament to the incredible talent and dedication of the Bria team, the unwavering support of our amazing investors, and the trust of our valued data partners. At BRIA AI, we are proud to be at the forefront of responsible generative AI, providing a powerful platform for developers, builders, and content creators to innovate and bring their ideas to life. 🌟 As we move forward, we remain committed to our mission of Responsible and Open Generative AI 🚀 https://lnkd.in/eKDdiCcY #BriaAI #GenerativeAI #IsraeliStartups #ResponsibleAI #StartupSuccess Thanks Entrée Capital, IN Venture, GFT Ventures, Intel Capital, Samsung Next, Atinum Investment, Z Ventures, Mirae Asset Global Investments and J-Ventures Fund for your ongoing support. Intel Ignite that is always there for the Israeli startup ecosystem. Last but not least, to all of our data partners, Getty Images, Alamy, Envato, Deposit Photos, Freepik (apologize not adding the entire list) who share the vision for #responsibleai and create a win-win economy for #visualgenerativrai Israeli startups always deliver 🇮🇱

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Episode #8: XOLTAR - AI companion for patients. Don’t miss this 90 second video about one of the hottest new startups in Israel; and FOLLOW us so you don’t miss another episode! In this video, Gerson Panitch interviews Asaf Shiloni. #whatsnextinisraeltech

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speaks for itself...

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