97212 Ventures

Google’s record-breaking $23 billion acquisition of Wiz is a game changer for Israeli tech. This is not just a landmark deal for Israel, but a powerful statement by Google in supporting the Israeli tech ecosystem. This is huge news during regular times… not to mention during a time of war where many VCs and corporates are shying away from investing in Israel. It is the largest acquisition in Israeli history, and Google’s largest acquisition ever. Yes... EVER! Wiz was swinging for the fences from day one. The team scaled the business to $100 million in ARR within 18 months, becoming the fastest-growing software company ever. And yet… selling it for $23 billion at this point in time? This is a game changer.   I believe this acquisition signals a turning point for Israeli tech, and that this deal will undoubtedly have a ripple effect, encouraging more investment in Israeli startups. In a way, it reminds me of the acquisition of Waze by Google (do you see a pattern here?🙂) Outside of this being great news for Israeli #founders, it’s some good news for the people of #Israel, who after close to 10 months of war, get validation that the world appreciates Israeli innovation, and provides a sense of hope… We’re going to see tremendous momentum in the Israeli tech ecosystem going into the fall. It’s an exciting time to be an Israeli founder. 97212 Ventures #startupnation #venturecapital #israelinnovation

The conventional wisdom of avoiding #fundraising during the summer months is something that many Israeli founders grapple with. No doubt, summer is a slower time for many of us. But #VC is changing, and so are the norms around fundraising. While it's true that many #investors may be less active during the summer… it doesn't mean that all activity comes to a halt. I’d say that we’re as active as we’ve ever been, and I know that many other seed investors have the same mindset. We’re in the business of backing amazing founders year-round, and that includes the summer. That being said, for Series A or later rounds, it might be a good time to have your ducks in a row, so when you go for a full swing come September, you’re in a great position to close a round of funding. In the end, the “right” time to raise capital can vary greatly depending on the specific circumstances of each startup. Founders should focus on their company's needs, growth plans, and the readiness of their business to take on additional capital. Bottom line, the hustle never stops 😉 My friend Hadley Harris sums it up perfectly in his recent tweet here: https://lnkd.in/eJZGzbNX 97212 Ventures #venturecapital #mondaymotivation #foundersjourney

Let’s talk about intro calls over video (Zoom, Teams, etc.). I feel like these calls are becoming more difficult to handle for both #investors and founders. They lack the personal connection, and many times I come out of these calls feeling less excited about a company then when I was reading their deck… Stories, narratives, and personal connections matter a lot in today’s busy world! Here are some tips for #founders looking to truly ace an intro call with an investor (or a customer) via video: ⏰ Make the first few minutes personal. Be interesting, but more importantly, be interested... it’s about 2-way communication, not a monologue. Make the investor or customer interested in getting to know you, your product, and your company. 🎧 Listen! It’s easy to get lost on a video call… especially when you want to achieve so much in a short amount of time. Is there any feedback on the other side? Are there specific topics they are more interested in covering? Make it about the person on the other side. Not you.   ⁠ 👩🔬 Do your research. What were the last few investments of the investor you’re meeting with? Is there a particular technology your potential customer is interested in? Anything you can find on their website, social media, and the like, will help you come up with some points of interest and engagement. 👫 If you’re coming to the call with another colleague (co-founder, partner, etc.), make sure to be aligned on who is taking what parts. Make it collaborative. ⏭ Finish with action items. Questions like “what would be a good next step”, or "is there anything in particular you’re interested in that we can shed more light on” … something that helps move the conversation forward. If at all possible, try to move it to a face-to-face meeting. That is what I’d consider a win. Anything I missed? Happy to incorporate more suggestions as we’re all still trying to figure out the post-pandemic world. Let me know in the Comments section below! #venturecapital #foundersjourney #fundraising

There is no sugarcoating it. The last couple of years have been hard on Israeli tech, and both founders and investors are trying to sort out a very complicated reality. I’ve shared my take on the current situation with Sophie Shulman at CTech by Calcalist, alongside other top #founders and #investors. We share a similar passion for the continued success of Israeli startups, but also a real concern for how things are evolving, and the impact of the war on everything Israeli tech. Like many, I believed the war would end within a couple of months, but it is far from being over. This has clear implications on how VCs in the US look at investing in Israeli companies. It adds a new layer of uncertainty and risk. Hard to blame investors shying away from making bets on Israel now. But not all is gloomy. I truly believe that we’re seeing a new wave of #innovation that will ultimately create the next unicorns. And yes, Israeli founders are resilient and will get through this difficult stage. They have no other choice. To read the full article click here: https://lnkd.in/eg4Vwief Calcalist כלכליסט #israelunderfire #venturecapital #startupnation

LPs have lots of investment options these days. With the growing number of emerging funds, and high interest rates, LPs can sort through a variety of #investment opportunities. That means it’s all about making it easier for them to say yes, and be a real part of the fund. When speaking with LPs during the process of raising #capital, many mentioned that they don’t want to be an afterthought once the capital is committed. They want to be real partners.  For me, it’s not just about offering LPs favorable terms, but rather hooking them into the fund so that they feel they are more than just a “check”. As my friend Rosie Bradbury mentioned in her insightful PitchBook story… within the venture world, co-investing has taken off full steam. And for LPs flooded with the decks of emerging and established managers, “fee-free, carry-free co-investing” can get LPs over the finish line.   Co-investing has been an integral part of our model at 97212 Ventures. Our unique approach of offering co-investing rights on a no-fee, no-carry basis to our LPs has been well-received, with many of our LPs investing directly into some of our portfolio companies. It’s truly a win-win. A huge thank you to Rosie Bradbury for including my thoughts in this piece. #venturecaptial #investing #nyctech https://lnkd.in/eSRgA2mX

We wanted to build a fund that provides the best of all worlds to Israeli founders at the earliest stages, so that they have the opportunity to build very meaningful companies. We like to be in the trenches with founders, as it makes it much more meaningful and empowering. Excited to share the story Gil Press wrote for Forbes about 97212 Ventures, and what makes it unique and different. He truly captured what we’re all about. We’re excited to continue investing in pre-seed and seed Israeli startups, while supporting their expansion to the US.    A big thank you to Gil Press for the feature and for capturing our mission so well… and to our own Michal Tsur at Remepy for sharing her take on what makes for a good early-stage #investor. Earning her respect given her tremendous success as a #founder is not a given. To read the full article, click here: https://lnkd.in/gSYaY4S4 #venturecapital #nyctech #foundersjourney

Investing in Israeli tech these days is different. These are not normal times. As such, I’ve been asked by quite a few US reporters about the investment landscape, why Israel, why now… as we launched the fund in the media last week. Startup Nation has a unique story. And when this war is all set and done, a lot of amazing companies will start to take off... Like many other active #investors, I truly believe that. Which is why it was great to chat with my friend Gerrit De Vynck at The The Washington Post about the launch of 97212 Ventures, and why we’re so bullish on investing in Israeli #startups at the earliest stages. He totally got it. Despite current challenges, we see immense potential in this space. Feel free to reach out if you’re working on something new. To read the article click here: https://lnkd.in/eDgQwg-6 #startupnation #nyctech #venturecapital

We're excited to formally announce the launch of 97212 Ventures Fund I! #startupnation #venturecapital #israelinnovation https://lnkd.in/e-seJfJr

Congratulations to the Remepy team! #startupnation #healthcare #fundraising https://lnkd.in/dK7DwAca

Israeli founders... make the most of Q2! #fundraising #venturecapital #nyctech