TAU Ventures News
13 articles
Zilbershtein previously served as the Economic Attaché of Israel in San Francisco and VP Value Creation at Glilot Capital Partners.
TAU Ventures, the venture capital arm of Tel Aviv University, has appointed Moran Zilbershtein as a General Partner. The fund, founded in 2018, manages approximately $70 million across two funds and focuses on early-stage technology startups. Zilbershtein brings extensive experience from her previous roles at Glilot Capital Partners and as Israel’s Commercial Attaché to San Francisco. TAU Ventures invests in Israeli startups at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages, leveraging resources from Tel Aviv University. The fund has invested in 27 companies, including Swimm, Xtend, and Cyabra, and operates an accelerator in partnership with Israel’s Security Agency. The funds LPs include private investors, family offices, and international funds.
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TAU Ventures’ Nimrod Cohen has joined CTech for its 2025 VC Survey to share insights on how Israeli tech will evolve in the year ahead.
Nimrod Cohen, Managing Partner at TAU Ventures, shares insights on the future of Israeli tech in a 2025 VC Survey. Despite a challenging 2024 due to political instability and war, Cohen is optimistic about 2025, anticipating a turnaround driven by improved security and political unity in Israel. He highlights the potential for significant investment inflows, normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia, and a wave of Jewish immigration. Cohen also discusses the impact of American leadership on Israels tech sector and emphasizes the importance of maintaining Israel as a liberal and democratic state. TAU Ventures completed five investments in 2024, with notable companies like Xtend and Finout poised for growth in 2025.
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Hoopo raises $10 million Series A to digitize fleets | CTech
Israeli startup Hoopo has raised $10 million in a Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $17 million. The round was led by ZIM and theDOCK, with participation from TAU Ventures, HICO, and others. Hoopo provides asset and fleet visibility solutions, helping businesses track and manage their operations, inventory, and equipment. The new funding will be used to further Hoopos growth in the transportation, aviation, and waste management sectors, and to develop a tracking solution for the maritime industry.
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Inbal Perlman appointed as Partner at TAU Ventures CTech
Inbal Perlman has been promoted to Partner at TAU Ventures, an investment fund of Tel Aviv University. Perlman previously served as VP Business Development at the fund and managed Israels Google for Startups community. TAU Ventures invests in early-stage startups and provides founders with guidance, access to investor networks, and mentoring. The fund currently manages two funds totaling $70 million and has made several investments. Perlman expressed her motivation to work closely with entrepreneurs and help scale and strengthen portfolio companies.
Management Changes
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-701707
Tel Aviv University-based venture capital fund TAU Ventures has launched a program for managers in hyper-growth start-up companies. The program aims to provide managers with the tools and techniques needed to handle the challenges of rapid growth and develop strong managerial infrastructure. TAU Ventures recognizes that as start-ups grow, their organizational systems and management capabilities may struggle to keep up, resulting in falling behind. The 11-week program is designed to support start-ups in building a strong management structure and developing leadership skills. The program was created in collaboration with the consulting agency MileStone. TAU Ventures is committed to empowering the next generation of top founders in Israels start-up ecosystem.
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TAU Ventures raises $50m second VC fund
TAU Ventures, a venture capital fund founded in 2018 by managing partner Nimrod Cohen and Tel Aviv University, has raised a second fund of $50 million for investments in startups. The fund has the opportunity to grow to $70 million. TAU Ventures focuses on investing in early stage startups, particularly in the initial capital or after angel investment stage. The fund plans to invest in 15 to 25 companies founded by Israeli entrepreneurs, with investment amounts up to $1 million per venture as a first investment. All investors from the previous fund have reinvested in the current fund, and new investors include family offices in the US, Canada, and Europe. TAU Ventures first fund of $20 million, launched in 2018, has made 18 investments and has an IRR in the top 10% compared to US funds of the same size and vintage.
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"I really believe that most of the things that happen to us in life happen by coincidence"
Nimrod Cohen, managing partner at TAU Ventures, discusses his journey from professional basketball player to serial entrepreneur and investor. He emphasizes the role of coincidence in his success and highlights the importance of having a strong team in a new company. Cohen also talks about the establishment of TAU Ventures, an independent entity that invests in early stage companies and aims to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs. The article mentions the gap in funding for companies at an earlier stage and how TAU Ventures aims to fill that gap. Cohen shares his approach to evaluating early stage entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of personal connection and feeling. He also briefly mentions his involvement with Hapoel Ramat Gan, a basketball team.
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"מי שנכנס למשרדים שלנו מרגיש מהר מאוד שמדובר בקרן מסוג אחר"
TAU Ventures, the venture capital arm of Tel Aviv University, has been investing in startups since its establishment in 2018. The fund, managed by Nimrod Cohen, has invested in 17 companies over the past two and a half years. These include SWIMM, XTEND, MEDORION, CASTOR, Cyabra, and Gaviti. The funds first round was $20 million and it is currently in the process of raising its second fund. TAU Ventures invests in early-stage startups, usually as the first investor, and prefers to invest alongside other investors.
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Amid a decline in early-stage funding, TAU Ventures invites tech startups to its campus community
TAU Ventures, a venture capital firm, is welcoming young Israeli tech startups amid a funding drought. The firm operates out of a co-working office space on the Campus of Tel Aviv University and offers portfolio companies value beyond seed funding through its close ties with the university. TAU Ventures launched with a $20 million fund and has so far invested in 17 companies. The firm aims to serve as a home base for founders in the early stages of their journey and provide a full ecosystem of support. TAU Ventures is among the most active funds in the Israeli tech investment field, particularly for early-stage companies.
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TAU Ventures appoints Inbal Perlman as VP of Business Development
TAU Ventures has appointed Inbal Perlman as its new VP of Business Development. Perlman will lead the funds Business Development department and provide support to the portfolio companies while building strategic relationships with partners. Perlman previously managed Google for Startups community and led its startup ecosystem development. TAU Ventures is affiliated with Tel Aviv University and invests in early-stage technologies based in Israel.
Management Changes
Israel's Shin Bet Security Agency, Tel Aviv University Announce Second Accelerator Cohort
The Israel Security Agency, also known as Shin Bet, and Tel Aviv University venture arm TAU Ventures are launching the second cycle of their accelerator program, Xcelerator. The new cycle will host nine startups in fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and fintech. The Shin Bet will grant $50,000 to participating startups without acquiring equity. The program is set to start in January 2019.
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ISA and TAU Ventures launch startup accelerator
The Israel Security Authority (ISA) and venture capital fund TAU Ventures have announced the launching of a startup accelerator in Israel. The program, called The Xcelerator, is aimed at early-stage entrepreneurs working in artificial intelligence (AI), primarily natural-language processing (NLP) technologies, robotics, and data science. The first group of the program will begin in June, with six startups participating. Each startup will receive a $50,000 grant from the ISA, with no equity and no restrictions.
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אוניברסיטת תל אביב מקימה קרן הון סיכון של 20 מיליון דולר
Tau Ventures, a venture capital fund, is launching with an estimated fund size of around $20 million. The fund will focus on early-stage startups and plans to make 8-10 new investments per year. Among the investors in the fund are CHT, a Japanese investment firm, and other investors from the US and Canada. Tau Ventures will also operate various incubation programs in collaboration with international partners. The first program, in partnership with NEC, focuses on cybersecurity. The fund aims to identify unique opportunities in the early stages and provide value to entrepreneurs from the university. The funds offices will be located near Tel Aviv University.
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