Evgeny Lyandres

Beny Rubinstein, Eng., M.B.A., Ph.D. candidate 🎗, Advisor at Israeli Ecosystem Development, sheds light on the transformative potential of AI in wealth management. First, it's important to distinguish between predictive and generative AI. Predictive AI generates forecasts using existing data, while generative AI creates new data by recognizing patterns within existing datasets. Additionally, machine learning, a branch of AI, trains computers to identify patterns in datasets. Beny emphasizes AI's promise for wealth managers, streamlining tasks like data entry and client onboarding to free up time for strategic pursuits. Moreover, it enhances decision-making, tailors advice, and assesses/manages risks effectively. However, potential risks loom large: overreliance on AI, data privacy concerns, biased decisions from skewed datasets, and lack of model transparency. To mitigate these risks, embracing Explainable AI and fostering human-machine collaboration are crucial. AI should complement human expertise, not replace it.  Israeli startup @evolution.inc built a generative AI platform that creates predictive AI systems that are Explainable and autonomously improves over time; data scientists who embrace AI to build and optimized AI systems will replace data scientists who don’t embrace AI-for-AI. Let's chart a balanced path forward in wealth management, harnessing AI's potential while safeguarding against its pitfalls. #AI #WealthManagement #Finance #Innovation

2

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐔𝐒 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐔𝐒 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥.    Founders of US-based VC-backed companies who graduated from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology are 21 times more likely than average to achieve unicorn status in the US.    Odds ratios for other universities in Israel:    Reichman University: 10.5 more likely  The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: 5.9  Tel Aviv University: 5.6  Ben-Gurion University of the Negev: 5.2    In three cases – Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Savitribai Phule Pune University – we could not determine a ratio because EVERY founder graduating from these universities ended up with a unicorn (at least, in our sample)!     These are all astonishing odds.     The following schools with at least 10 founders among their undergraduate students also had good odds of producing unicorn founders:    Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (3.0 times more likely than average)  Bar-Ilan University (2.2)  Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (2.0)  University of Waterloo (1.6)  Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (1.6)  Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1.4)  Queen's University (1.4)    Any other universities you expected to see in this post?    Thank you to the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Venture Capital Initiative team for spearheading this research.    Note: In our sample of 2,897 founders of 1,110 US-based VC-backed unicorns, 607 founders earned a bachelor’s degree outside the US. Among the 2,337 founders from the random sample of 1,027 US-based VC-backed companies, 345 did so. Undergraduates from the Israel Institute of Technology include 26 unicorn founders and 1 random sample founder. Dividing one on the other, and correcting for the different number of unicorn founders and random sample founders, the odds ratio is 21.      #stanford #stanfordgsb #venturecapital #startups #innovation #technology 

364

24 תגובות

Join me, Fusion VC, Deloitte Catalyst, and Google for Startups Israel for a special event dedicated to the future of #fintech in Israel! This event will host Venture Capital investors, rising founders, and industry experts to discuss latest industry trends and tech. Registration link in the first comment. See you there!

170

1 תגובה

Today, Koby & I had the privilege of meeting Adv. Hila Rom 🎗, the dynamic Founder & Managing Partner of RUNI Ventures, a venture capital fund affiliated with Reichman University in Israel. Hila is a true powerhouse, blending her extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and business leader to drive innovation and empower the Israeli startup ecosystem. Under her leadership, RUNI Ventures has quickly become a game-changer, providing early-stage funding and resources to extraordinary tech founders. During one of the most challenging years in Israel, Hila and her team managed to build a new fund, partner with top-tier investors and already made 9 (!) investments in groundbreaking startups – a testament to the confidence investors have in Hila’s leadership and in the brilliant founders she backs. RUNI Ventures offers unparalleled support to startups, including access to top talent, expert mentorship, and a global network, all aimed at nurturing the next wave of Israeli innovation. It’s inspiring to see Hila Rom and Reichman University working hand in hand to fortify Israel's visionary innovators building disruptive tech companies 💡✨ If you’re as passionate about supporting visionary founders and driving innovation as we are, RUNI Ventures is definitely a group to watch! As far as we at Sakal Group Family Office are concerned, we've already spotted a few collaborations between our portfolio companies. #Leadership #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #ReichmanUniversity #RUNIVentures #WomenInBusiness #Israel

52

6 תגובות

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?

291

16 תגובות

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

30

4 תגובות

We all have choices. Israeli entrepreneurs choose to thrive

41

"If we analyze the events of October 7th, we can see how analysis and overreliance on technology can create a "fog" obscuring financial risks.” In her recent paper, Dr. Keren Bar-Hava, head of the Accounting Department at the Hebrew University Business School, argues that professional auditors, like informed and accurate intelligence forces, are essential for companies' survival warning signs. "The paper that I've written compares reported intelligence failures with auditors ignoring 'red flags' in company auditing processes. The importance of audit regulations increases in light of catastrophic events which emphasizes their critical role, the need to look at the big picture, and the holistic integration of critical thinking to ensure that auditors, along with the board of directors, prevent financial disasters." Dr. Bar-Hava proposes four work models derived from the events of October 7th that can help mitigate risks: • Identifying potential risks – flawed risk assessment relying heavily on technologies may provide a false perception of the company's economic situation. • Communication barriers – the attack on October 7th highlighted the importance of information sharing among different military units; similarly, effective communication between board members and the audit committee is necessary to identify and address control weaknesses. • Audit planning – potential flaws exist in internal control systems that do not adjust adequately to the reality; continuous evaluation and improvement are necessary to prevent failures. • Organizations must be open to and continually improve their control systems by avoiding organizational complacency and acting proactively for change – boards should be prepared to challenge the status quo and embrace continuous improvements in oversight. Dr. Bar-Hava's article demonstrates that auditing is an asset, not a liability! It significantly contributes to understanding and mitigating financial risks, and enables strong internal control systems, capable of preventing catastrophic outcomes. Link to article: https://lnkd.in/djKg-iMy

3

At Aption, we’re constantly uncovering fascinating insights from our data. Today, we’re highlighting some of the fastest-hiring companies that are making waves in the market. Check out the list below to discover these incredible organizations. If they’re not already on your radar, they should be: Who else do you you know of that is growing fast in the Israeli startup market? Let us know in the comments!

3

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.

29

3 תגובות

The Q3 2024 Israeli capital raising preliminary report is out with some positive trends/ momentum, which is pretty remarkable, given the war. 🔹 Israeli startups raised $2.43 billion in the third quarter of 2024, across 99 rounds, representing a 32% increase compared to the same period in 2023 (pre war). Excluding the large transactions (6 transactions of over $100 million), the investments in the third quarter amounted to $1.33, a 5% increase compared to the previous quarter. ♦️ Despite the growth, Q3 2024 saw a 20% decrease in funding and a 17% drop in deal volume compared to Q2 2024, highlighting volatility. 🔹 In contrast to the dominance of the cyber sector in the previous quarter (62% of the total capital raised), in the third quarter the scope The transactions amounted to about 14% of the total of all rounds. SSI Inc. $1 billion round accounted for 41% of total Q3 investments. ♦️ Foreign investor participation remained strong, while local investor activity declined due to geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Link to the IVC Data and Insights preliminary report in Hebrew and my post on VC Cafe in English the first comment 👇

14

2 תגובות

It was a pleasure to discuss with Forbes how #AI, and more specifically, #GenerativeAI, or AI-for-AI (Evolution.inc's Earth platform powered by genetic algorithms), can optimize results and reduce costs of AI research & development in the #financialmanagement and #wealthmanagement world. #innovation

2

"If any industry is built to handle extreme situations like war, it’s Israeli high-tech." - Amit Pilowsky In a recent CTech by Calcalist piece, top VC Partners including Amit, Rona Segev (TLV Partners), Kobi Samboursky (Glilot Capital Partners), and Michal Kissos Hertzog (Poalim Tech) share their takeaways on the challenges and opportunities facing Israeli entrepreneurs in these turbulent times. Some key points include: → Israeli high-tech shows remarkable resilience → Investor confidence remains strong despite (understandable) global caution → Cybersecurity and defense tech sectors have seen greatly increased activity As we approach the Calcalist כלכליסט Roadshow+ event, where promising Pre-seed to Series A startups will pitch to these industry leaders and more, these insights underscore the unique value proposition of Israeli entrepreneurs. 👉 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d-c2Pqd7 👉 Hebrew version: https://lnkd.in/dtjZ3Yp2 👉 Are you an early-stage founder ready to showcase your innovation? Apply now for Roadshow+: https://lnkd.in/dsj7hMhj #nomatterwhat

115

4 תגובות

🚀10 Israeli Startups Enter Deloitte Accelerator Program 🚀 We are thrilled to share that 10 pioneering Israeli startups have been selected to join the prestigious Deloitte Accelerator Program! These startups are set to drive innovation and transform industries with their cutting-edge solutions. 🌟 Congratulations to the following groundbreaking companies: Aidoc BeeHero BlueGreen Water Technologies Clarifruit Compira Labs Jifiti MDClone Namogoo Run:ai Upstream Security Each of these startups is leading the charge in their respective fields, from #healthcare and #agriculture to #cybersecurity and #AI. Their inclusion in the Deloitte Accelerator Program highlights #Israel's role as a global leader in #technological #innovation. At CWS Israel, we are committed to supporting and fostering such innovative initiatives that contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation. We believe in the power of #technology to create positive change and are excited to see the impact these startups will make. Let's celebrate this achievement and continue to support #Israeli innovation! #Innovation #IsraeliStartups #DeloitteAccelerator #TechLeaders #CWSIsrael #SupportInnovation Raz Chorev 🇮🇱🇦🇺🎗️Yulia Lavie 🇮🇱🇦🇺 Jackline K. Photo by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash

9

2 תגובות

As a result of the war, the Israeli defense industry and defense-tech companies have been at the forefront. A recent article I wrote for Calcalist כלכליסט explains how we can leverage the significant investments made in defense industries and their outstanding achievements for environmental sustainability and overcoming climate change. Dual-use technology refers to technologies that can be used for both military and civilian purposes, thereby maximizing the advantages of advanced technologies. A drone is a great example of dual-use technology – on one hand, it can be used for military surveillance, and on the other hand, it can also be used to monitor climate-related changes such as methane and other GHG emissions monitoring, weather patterns, etc. In the article, I provided more examples of dual-use technologies, including satellite technologies and green transportation. Defense industries and Israeli defense-tech companies can play a central role in dual-use technology. Investing in dedicated bodies like Capital Nature can provide the necessary network and market access for these technologies. This can revolutionize both sectors and drive progress towards a safer and more sustainable future. #DualUseTechnology #Defensetech #ClimateCrisis

108

6 תגובות

Change is at the heart of our business.   For 25 years, throughout innovation waves and economic cycles, Viola Ventures stayed committed to its vision of building global category leaders out of Israel.   In line with this, we continue to implement strategic plans to ensure continuity and adapt to the challenges and opportunities in the next 25 years.   Today we announce that Viola Ventures' next fund (the seventh) will be led by GPs Zvika Orron and Omry Ben David, together with Viola co-founder Shlomo Dovrat, who will continue as a General Partner in the seventh fund to complete the transition.   More on this at CTech by Calcalist piece below

63