Israeltech

What if the hardest startup to build is actually a VC fund?Most founders think raising money is brutal. According to Eran Savir, Founder and Managing Partner of Savyon Ventures, building the fund itself is a tougher climb than any startup he built. And after three exits and one painful failure, he has the scars to explain why. In this episode, Eran breaks down the real mechanics behind seed investing, why early traction matters far more than pitch decks, and the parts of founding that still surprise him even after years on both sides of the table. This is the rare interview where a VC speaks like a founder who still remembers every late payroll, every rejection, and every moment a company comes apart or breaks through.We cover:- Why Savyon Ventures focuses on AI, digital and commerce, and what “internet companies” really means in 2025 - The difficulty of getting your first real customer who is not in your personal network- Why Israelis excel at bold outreach and using the diaspora as a hidden distribution channel- How Eran evaluates initial traction and why three to five real transactions matter more than any warm intro- The surprising gap between being a founder and being a VC and why switching mindsets is so tough- What transparency looks like in practice and why most founders never get real feedback from investorsand more.Watch now and let us know your takes. Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Wadi Digital. Wadi drives growth for B2B tech, cybersecurity, and SaaS companies with expert-led performance marketing, turning strategy into real results.IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Eran on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eransavir/

What if the future of AI isn’t just about faster chips - but about how people, teams, and entire countries will work once AI operates at massive scale?In this episode of IsraelTech, Yoel Israel sits down with Boaz Touitou, CTO of Impala AI, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves far beyond GPUs and hardware limits.We dive into:- Impala AI’s focus and why compute is the limiting factor- Training vs. test-time scaling and what changes at massive run counts- The GPU race and why new hardware overtakes the old instantly- What AI-first companies look like in practice- Employees guiding AI systems as part of their daily workflow- AI at national scale - from codebases to continuous video feeds- Why humans and AI aren’t as different as we assume- Self-play and reinforcement learning as drivers of rapid improvement- A landscape where knowledge is open and compute is the main hurdleBoaz offers a grounded, expansive view on where AI is headed - not just as a technology, but as a force reshaping work, responsibility, and the structure of modern organizations.Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Wadi Digital, the leading tech marketing agency. Check them out at Wadidigital.com IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Boaz on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boaz-touitou/

Remote work isn’t a perk anymore - it’s a real test of how a company operates.Some teams handle it with focus and speed. Others fall apart.In our latest conversation, Yaron Lavi, CTO of Deel, broke down what it actually looks like to run a fully remote company of 7,000 people across 61 countries - and why so many teams still get it wrong.Deel, a proud partner of IsraelTech, has built one of the most global tech workforces on the planet. Yaron explained why their model works:• Small teams, clear ownership, almost no bureaucracy• Hiring talent in places most companies never look• Engineers deploying 50 times a day• Parents often being the most reliable operators• And why juniors struggle without daily, hands-on mentoringHe also didn’t shy away from the Israeli angle:We’re world-class at solving problems fast, but we still cling to habits that make remote work harder than it should be.Deel isn’t theorizing about the future of work - they’re living it at scale.And we’re proud to collaborate with them as part of IsraelTech’s mission to highlight the people shaping global tech.Hosted by Yoel Israel---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feed:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Yaron on your fav social media feed:https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaron-lavi-vp/

If you want to know where global investors get Israel wrong, ask someone who has built billion-dollar businesses and now backs founders for a living.Yevgeny Gelfand is a serial innovator and business builder who spent 15 years in financial services and SaaS, launching and operating new businesses that either exited through IPO or grew privately into multi-billion-dollar operations. After that run, he shifted into venture investing, backing and scaling startups across sectors and geographies.Yev, now a Partner at Alumni Ventures, joins IsraelTech to explain why so many investors still misread both the real risk and the real opportunity inside Israel’s tech economy.From New York’s political shifts to the quiet support he sees for Israeli founders, he shares what he’s observing firsthand:• Why global investors still misprice Israeli companies• How the economy strengthened after two difficult years• Why experienced investors treated October 7th as a moment to pay attention, not a moment to pull back• The reactions he gets wearing a kippah across the US• What happens when founders pitch during a rocket alert• And why he believes Israel is positioned to become a major center of techIf you want a grounded look at Israeli innovation, how VCs actually make decisions, and what may be coming next for the ecosystem, this conversation offers clarity most people don’t have.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Yev on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yevgeny-gelfand-cfa-%F0%9F%8E%97%EF%B8%8F-2b655335/

When it comes to startup success, Israelis don’t just build - they connect.In this episode, Lirone Glikman, CEO of the Human Factor and author of The Super Connectors Playbook, joins Yoel Israel to unpack what really makes the Israeli tech ecosystem thrive and why connection is the biggest competitive edge.From cultural clashes in Tokyo to the empathy that drives founders to help competitors, Lirone shares her insights on building authentic relationships, developing a founder-led personal brand, and creating meaningful opportunities through human connection.You’ll learn:- Why Israeli founders stand out in global networking- How to build credibility and visibility through personal branding- The biggest mistakes Israelis make when pitching abroad- Why introverts might actually be better networkers- How The Super Connectors Playbook turns human skills into business successBecause behind every great Israeli startup is a network that believes in giving back.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Lirone on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lironeglikman/Get Her Book Here: https://lironeglikman.com/tscp-book/

In this episode of IsraelTech, Yoel Israel sits down with Dror Globerman, journalist, media personality, and founder of Jumpstart AI School, for one of the deepest and most provocative conversations yet.They dive into:- How algorithms reward hate and tribalism- Why human nature, not technology, is the real problem- The death of legacy media and rise of individual trust- The danger of unregulated AI capitalism- Why Israel is falling behind in AI education- And how Dror believes technology can still make us more humanFrom politics to philosophy, from social media addiction to autonomous cars, Dror and Yoel don't leave any stone unturned.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Dror on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drorgloberman/

NVIDIA is the world’s most innovative company.Israel is the world’s most creative nation.What happens when the two come together?At Reichman University’s first-ever ScaleUp Nation Conference, Yoel had the privilege of being invited to interview Nati Amsterdam, Senior Country Director of NVIDIA Israel, on stage in Hebrew. They discussed how Israel became one of NVIDIA’s most strategic global hubs and how a culture built on learning, speed, and accessibility drives growth at every level.Nati shared lessons on scaling globally, collaborating locally, and why more than 1,200 Israeli startups are already working with NVIDIA.Watch the full interview to learn how innovation, talent, and vision are shaping Israel’s next chapter as a true Scale-Up Nation.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Nati on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nati-amsterdam-184b9/Follow NVIDIA on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nvidia/

What if the future of autonomous cars isn’t powered by cameras or LiDAR, but by radar?In this episode, Kobi Marenko, CEO and Co-founder of Arbe, joins Yoel Israel to unpack how radar-on-chip technology could reshape the future of autonomous driving and why the giants of silicon may be standing in the way of true innovation.We explore:- How radar sees what cameras can’t, and why that matters for safety- The challenges of building semiconductors in a world dominated by mega-corporations- Kobi’s journey from TV reporter to deep-tech founder- Why philosophy and yoga play a role in how he leads and invests- Israel’s place in the global semiconductor raceIt’s tech, science, and a little bit of soul - all from the front lines of Israel’s deep tech ecosystem.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Unrecognised variableFollow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Kobi on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kobimarenko/Follow Arbe on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arbe-robotics/

Everyone talks about hackers. Almost no one talks about the access decisions that let them in.In this episode of IsraelTech, Raz Rotenberg, Co-founder & CEO of Fabrix, joins Yoel Israel to explain how Fabrix is building AI agents that finally understand identity - bringing reasoning, context, and trust into cybersecurity.We cover:- Why identity is cybersecurity’s blind spot- How Fabrix’s AI agents make smarter access decisions- Why humans still matter in an AI-driven security world- What makes Israel the perfect testing ground for cyber innovation- The emotional reality of building from zero againIf you care about how AI will protect people as much as data, this episode is for you.🎙 Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partner Deel at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Follow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Raz on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razrotenberg/Follow Fabrix on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabrix-security/

Quantum computers the size of football fields? How about something that actually fits in your office?In this episode, Oded Melamed, CEO of Quantum Source and former co-founder of Altair (acquired by Sony), joins Yoel Israel to explain how his team is building scalable photonic qubit technology that could shrink massive machines into something that fits inside a standard server room.We talk about:- Why today’s quantum computers aren’t big enough to matter- How photonic qubits can scale to millions (without burning a city’s worth of power)- Why Naftali Bennett joined Quantum Source’s board- Israel’s “modest” investment in quantum compared to the U.S. and China- Oded’s journey from semiconductors to deep tech- What quantum error correction really meansThis is one of the boldest bets in Israeli deep tech, and if Quantum Source succeeds, it could put Israel on the quantum map for good.👇 Do you think Israel should double down on quantum like the U.S. and China - or stay “modest”? Tell us in the comments.Hosted by Yoel Israel---Thank you to our incredible partners for making this all possible!IsraelTech is proud to partner with Deel, the global all-in-one HR and payroll platform for teams in 150+ countries. To support the show, please go check out our partners at: https://www.deel.com/israeltechyt/ IsraelTech is also proud to partner with The Recruitery, helping Israeli cybersecurity startups find top GTM talent across global markets. Find out more at: https://therecruitery.com/---Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 👉🏼 https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/26afeab9-4044-458e-8b61-3bf45783da65?email=Follow IsraelTech on your fav social media feedX (Twitter): https://x.com/IsraelTechLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/israel-techFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsraelTech48Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israeltech48/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@israeltech48Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7fkZX1RJk3kRvsumMNfwZ2Follow Yoel on your fav social media feedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoeltisrael/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoeltisrael/X [Twitter]: https://twitter.com/YoelTIsraelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoeltisraelFollow Oded on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oded-melamed-86b4b71/Follow Quatum Source on your fav social media feedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quantum-source-labs-ltd/