Hetz Ventures News
29 articles
growth-positive
"Israel doesn’t have to remain just the 'Cyber Nation'. It can also become the 'Data Nation.'," writes Guy Fighel, a Partner at Hetz Ventures and Head of the Hetz Data (SPARQL) Program.
The article, written by Guy Fighel, a Partner at Hetz Ventures, discusses the potential for Israel to transition from being known as the Cyber Nation to becoming the Data Nation. Fighel highlights the growing importance of data and AI, comparing it to the early days of cybersecurity in Israel. He emphasizes the potential for Israeli companies to lead in the data domain due to their technological talent, systems-thinking approach, and mature entrepreneurial ecosystem. The article suggests that Israel could capitalize on the global shift towards data and AI, positioning itself as a leader in these fields. The article is growth-positive for Hetz Ventures as it aligns with their focus on data and AI.
growth-positive
Pavel Livshiz: Next Israeli cyber unicorn: It’ll be agentic, not dashboard-driven - opinion | The Jerusalem Post
The article discusses the emergence of a new Israeli cyber unicorn that is expected to focus on agentic systems rather than traditional dashboard-driven approaches. These systems are designed to enhance contextual exposure management and workflow automation, allowing micro-agents to respond more efficiently than human teams. The emphasis is on leveraging AI technology to improve cybersecurity measures. This development is seen as a positive growth opportunity for the Israeli tech sector, particularly in the field of cybersecurity.
growth-positive
Fueling the Next Generation of AI: Announcing the Databricks AI Accelerator Program
Databricks has launched the Databricks AI Accelerator Program, an initiative aimed at supporting early-stage AI startups. The program offers financial investment, technical mentorship, and access to a network of venture capitalists and partners. It targets pre-seed and seed-stage startups building applications on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. Participants receive up to $250K in funding, product credits, and professional services credits. The program is part of Databricks broader strategy to foster innovation in data and AI, alongside initiatives like the Databricks for Startups Program and the Databricks Free Edition. The initiative is supported by a coalition of venture investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Battery Ventures, who provide strategic capital and ecosystem impact.
InvestmentPartners
growth-positive
Judah Taub: Israeli AI lacks a “Flywheel”. Hetz Ventures wants to change that | CTech
Hetz Ventures, led by Managing Partner Judah Taub, is focusing on early-stage AI investments, emphasizing deep tech and fast execution over hype. The firm is concerned about Israels lack of a coordinated national AI strategy, unlike its successful cyber strategy. Hetz Ventures is investing in AI infrastructure and data engineering startups, with a significant portion of its portfolio dedicated to AI. The firm values conviction in founders and the potential for exponential growth over traditional financial metrics. Despite the rapid pace of AI advancements, Hetz Ventures is optimistic about the transformative potential of AI in traditional industries and is actively seeking to back founders who can leverage global demand and technical edge.
Investment
growth-positive
WATCH: ‘How To Move Up when the Only Way is Down’ by Judah Taub | CTech
The article features an interview with Judah Taub, co-founder and managing partner at Hetz Ventures, discussing his new book How To Move Up when the Only Way is Down. The book aims to transform decision-making by recognizing Local Maximums and applying lessons from AI. Taub shares insights from his experiences in the IDF and as a venture capitalist, emphasizing the importance of questioning and exploring different paths in business. The book uses examples from companies like Netflix and Blockbuster to illustrate its points. It encourages readers to adopt a local maximum approach to problem-solving, which is inherently optimistic. The book is available on Amazon.
growth-positive
Over 220 VCs come out in support of Israel | CTech
Over 220 venture capital funds have signed a letter of support for Israel following a terrorist attack by Hamas. The letter condemns the acts of terrorism and acknowledges Israels right to defend itself. The venture capital funds also recognize Israels contribution to the global innovation ecosystem. Some funds, including Insight Partners and General Catalyst, have made donations to various Israeli rescue organizations. Insight Partners has donated one million dollars and pledged to match additional donations up to one million dollars. General Catalyst has committed to investing $250,000 in local support organizations.
InvestmentPartners
Neutral
Judah Taub: Redefining Economic Growth For A Climate-Conscious World
Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, proposes a new economic metric called Gross Climate Impact (GCI) that integrates the impact of climate change. This metric would retain the core components of GDP but add a data point for climate impact. Taub suggests that this could incentivize businesses and governments to prioritize climate-friendly policies, add transparency to the process of assessing the impact of economic actions on the climate, and raise public awareness about the urgency of the climate crisis. He also highlights the role of data and AI in making sustainability efforts quantifiable, actionable, and transparent.
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Neutral
Judah Taub: Two Reverse Trends Shaping The Future Of Venture Capital And Startups
The article discusses the impact of geopolitical events on the venture capital and startup industries. The author, Judah Taub, a managing partner at Hetz Ventures, highlights two reverse trends that he believes will shape the increasingly deglobalized world. The first trend is the emergence of multiple winners in different regions due to geopolitical disruptions. The second trend is the increasing importance of the source of capital for both founders and VCs. The author suggests that geopolitical trends will make the question of where? more critical for founders and investors.
Investment
Growth-Positive
The clock is ticking for effective GPT data management | CTech
Judah Taub, founder and managing partner of Hetz Ventures, discusses the importance of data management and infrastructure in the age of AI. He notes that while many are focusing on the utilization of data, the overall management of it is often overlooked. Taub suggests that investment is going towards startups building on top of Generative AI, but those building solutions for data management and infrastructure are equally important. He predicts an increase in Israeli startups operating in data management, and emphasizes that effective data management is key to better utilization of AI-based applications.
Investment
growth-positive
Hetz Ventures launches program to support data and AI engineers and entrepreneurs | CTech
Israeli Seed VC fund Hetz Ventures has launched the Hetz Data Program, aimed at supporting startup entrepreneurs in the data/AI space. The program is designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to data executives from companies like Salesforce, Twilio, Shopify, and Meta. The program is led by Guy Fighel, a Hetz Venture Partner and Head of the Hetz Data Program. Hetz Ventures, which has nearly $300 million under management, invests in startups in DevOps, Dev Tools & Open Source, AI/Data, Cybersecurity, Fintech, and other enterprise verticals.
InvestmentManagement ChangesExpand
Neutral
Judah Taub: What Startups Need To Know To Navigate The Next Phase Of Remote Work
The article discusses the challenges and strategies for startups navigating remote work. Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, suggests that consistency in rules and expectations is key for remote work to be successful. He also highlights the importance of fostering a positive remote work culture and effective communication. Outsourcing is considered a cost-effective solution, but it requires careful consideration to avoid problems in the long run. Startups also need to address the challenges of managing teams across different time zones and higher employee churn rates. By proactively addressing these challenges, startups can thrive in remote or hybrid workplace settings.
Management Changes
Growth-Positive
Judah Taub: Three Tech Sector Standouts Venture Capitalists Should Watch
Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, highlights three key trends in the tech sector for 2023. Firstly, generative AI, such as ChatGPT, is expected to become mainstream and generate 10% of data by 2025. Secondly, due to an increase in hacktivism, companies are investing in cybersecurity, with the market size for information security and risk-management spending expected to reach $188 billion in 2023. Lastly, DevOps and developer productivity tools are becoming increasingly important, with 58% of companies utilizing DevOps teams. Taub believes these trends present investment opportunities.
Investment
Neutral
Becoming A Macro Analyst: Three Trends Founders And Investors Need To Watch
Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, discusses the impact of macro events on the tech market and investment decisions. He highlights the importance of considering long-term fundamentals and underlying trends rather than focusing on short-term indications. Taub suggests three variables to watch: the cost of a developer, the decisions of large endowments, and the difference between a companys valuation if it fundraises more compared to if it were sold. He emphasizes the need for founders and investors to understand broader influences on growth to make informed investment decisions.
Investment
growth-positive
Pavel Livshiz: Spotlight on 2023 DevSecOps Trends
The article discusses the key trends in DevSecOps for 2023, including automation, tool consolidation, infrastructure as code (IaC), remediation, and software bill of materials (SBOMs). Automation and AI are expected to streamline decision-making and offset manual labor. Companies are likely to consolidate security tools to avoid inefficiencies. IaC will manage the growing number of services and configuration options. Companies will focus more on remediation rather than mere detection of cyber threats. SBOMs, which provide an inventory of the codebase, could become a benchmark for industry standards.
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growth-positive
Banks Will Bend or Bust as Embedded Finance Transforms Centuries of Traditional Commerce
The rise of embedded finance is forcing traditional banks to adapt or risk losing customers to more convenient, digital alternatives. Embedded finance integrates financial products into everyday transactions, making services such as loans and insurance more accessible. This shift has led to increased competition for banks from digital alternatives. Banks are now investing in customer-centric technology and partnering with third-party providers to accelerate embedded banking. It is estimated that embedded financial services will generate $230B in revenues in 2025, a significant increase from $22.5B in 2020. Banks are also collaborating with fintechs to deliver more innovative, digital-first solutions.
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קרן הון סיכון ישראלית פיתחה כלי בקוד פתוח שבודק סטארטאפים והמוצר שלהם | גיקטיים
growth-positive
Hetz Ventures launches network of engineering and cyber experts to help foster startup growth | CTech
Hetz Ventures, a seed venture capital fund, has announced the launch of the Hetz Executive Network. This network consists of over 200 industry experts chosen to assist early-stage companies from Seed to Series A. The network is designed with the needs of technical startups in mind and provides access to management-level leadership across various departments at large companies. Hetz Ventures will leverage the collective expertise of its members to offer relevant insights to startups, as well as collaborative opportunities. The company also plans to introduce startups to their first-paying customers through its wider corporate network.
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Growth-Positive
"I am super bullish for the long term" | CTech
Judah Taub, Managing Partner at Hetz Ventures, discussed the changes in the market during the current crisis at the Mind the Tech NY Conference. He noted that the KPIs for raising the next round of funding have been decreasing, while the round sizes have been increasing. However, this trend is now reversing. Despite this, Taub remains optimistic about the future of startups, particularly those that can provide solutions to issues such as rising wages and increased regulation. Hetz Ventures is an early-stage, $300 million fund that focuses on leading Seed deals in Israel, specifically in software businesses with broad total addressable markets.
Investment
Neutral
"Founders really need to focus on how to move the needle with growth without doing it at all costs" | CTech
Whitney Bouck, Managing Director at Insight Partners, participated in a panel discussion at Mind the Tech NY. Other panelists included Yaron Elad, CEO of Elron Ventures, Merav Rotem Naaman, General Partner at State of Mind Ventures, Pavel Livshiz, General Partner at Hetz Ventures, Barak Platt, leading partner, M&A, and High-tech at Yigal Arnon-Tadmor Levy, and Salvatore A Melilli, Partner at KPMGCTech15:14.
Partners
Growth-Positive
Embedded finance is already here - what comes next? | CTech
Pavel Livshiz, General Partner at Hetz Ventures, discusses the rise of embedded finance and its potential to revolutionize financial transactions. He notes the growing number of Israeli fintech companies and the increasing interest from investors. Livshiz highlights the benefits of embedded finance, such as payments, lending, and other financial services, which can be integrated directly into a businesss infrastructure. This not only streamlines processes for customers but also opens up additional revenue streams for businesses. Livshiz also mentions the firms active pursuit of investments in embedded payments and lending.
Investment
Why founders need to think hard about where their money is coming from
Neutral
How to Value Your Startup Today: Look Toward Tomorrow
Judah Taub, managing partner at Hetz Ventures, discusses how startups should ascertain their valuation in the current economic climate. He suggests that looking back to previous funding rounds to determine valuation is flawed, and instead companies should look ahead to where the company is going. He advises using a multiple in line with the industry and looking far enough ahead, then working backwards. Taub also suggests checking with later-stage investors to reinforce the model and align with expectations.
Investment
How early-stage startups can adapt to the new VC landscape
growth-positive
Hetz Ventures closes third fund of $123M to focus on DevOps tools, open source, fintech and cyber
Hetz Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm based in Israel, has closed its third fund at $123 million. The fund, Hetz III, was oversubscribed and brings the firms total assets under management to nearly $300 million. The company focuses on seed and pre-seed investments in DevOps and dev tools, open source software, enterprise/data software, fintech, and cybersecurity. Hetz Ventures has previously backed companies such as Granulate, which was acquired by Intel last month.
InvestmentAcquisition
Neutral
On the road to fusion energy, something's missing: Israel
The article discusses the potential of fusion energy and the lack of Israeli startups in this sector. Fusion energy, a clean and sustainable power source, has seen increased interest and investment from private companies, including tech giants like Bill Gates, Peter Theil, and Jeff Bezos. Despite Israels reputation for overcoming tech challenges and its strong engineering-focused high tech labor force, the country has not produced a single fusion energy startup. The article argues that Israel should get involved in the fusion energy sector, as it has much to gain geopolitically and is well-equipped for engineer-led development.
Investment
Britain sets up 'VC club' to boost investor activity in Israel
growth-positive
Becoming a founder's first choice
Pavel Livshiz, a partner at Tel Aviv-based VC firm Hetz Ventures, discusses his journey into venture capital and the firms investment strategy. Hetz Ventures, which manages $130m across two funds, invests in enterprise software companies launched by Israeli entrepreneurs. The firms second fund was raised during the coronavirus lockdown and had its final close in July 2020. Livshiz highlights the importance of being a thesis-driven investor and the firms goal to become the go-to seed fund for Israeli startups in their chosen areas of focus.
Investment
growth-positive
Hetz Ventures closes $77m Israel VC fund
Hetz Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage Israeli startups, has announced the closing of its second flagship fund, oversubscribed at $77 million. This brings Hetzs total assets under management to $130 million. The fund specializes in investing in Israeli seed-stage deep-tech startups in B2B enterprise software, DevOps, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and fintech. The majority of Fund II contributors are experienced international investors, but the fund has also attracted investment from founders of its portfolio companies and local entrepreneurs.
Investment
growth-positive
UK's Hetz Ventures sets up $50m Israel VC fund
Hetz Ventures, a new UK venture capital fund, has been launched to invest in Israeli startups. The $50m fund is the first all-UK fund to invest exclusively in Israeli ventures. The funds founders are Andrew Feldman, a member of the British House of Lords, Stuart Roden and Judah Taub. The fund has met with over 60 Israeli companies over the past three months and plans to invest in no more than 12 companies. Hetz Ventures is looking for startups whose technology can serve companies in the retail, financial and holding companies sectors.
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