Invested by Aleph

On this special episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg curates the most compelling conversations and sharpest ideas from across our 2025 episodes. From Gavin Baker’s contrarian argument that climate change is already economically solved, to Nas Daily’s declaration that followers - and organic reach - are effectively dead, this episode captures the ideas that sparked the most debate, reflection, and conviction. We revisit investing legends through Sender Cohen’s comparison of George Soros and Stan Druckenmiller, explore post-acquisition realities inside Big Tech with Noam Bardin’s unfiltered reflections on Google, and unpack how companies like Fiverr and Wix reinvent perception and scale by building boldly for their next ten million users. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 00:46 – Gavin Baker: Why Global Warming Is a Solved Problem 03:54 – Sender Cohen on George Soros vs. Stan Druckenmiller 06:52 – Nas Daily: “Followers Are Dead” 07:45 – Noam Bardin’s Letter After Leaving Google 11:11 – Gali Arnon: the Genius Strategy for Growing Fiverr 13:01 – Micha Kaufman: Companies Don’t Owe You Career Growth 17:19 – Omri Casspi: Life After the NBA 19:07 – Adam Fisher: Sacrificing a Million Users for the Next 10 Million RESOURCES Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Ron Baranov, Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with David Magerman, a co-founder and Managing Partner at Differential Ventures, a New York-based venture capital fund investing in deep technology companies that help power the data-driven economy. Previously, he spent the entirety of his career at Renaissance Technologies, widely recognized as the world’s most successful quantitative hedge fund management company. He helped found the equities trading group at Renaissance, joining the group in its earliest days, playing a lead role in designing and building the trading, simulation, and estimation software. David holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University where his thesis on Natural Language Parsing as Statistical Pattern Recognition was an early and successful attempt to use large-scale data to produce fully-automated syntactic analysis of text. David is also the founder and president of Tzemach David, an education-focused foundation working to make education in Israel more accessible to English-speaking immigrants. Outside of his foundation's work, he is a significant contributor to the OU-JLIC in Israel, Koren Publications, Lori Palatnik's Momentum Unlimited, The City of David, and Rabbi Shlomo Katz's Shirat David, as well as some other more under-the-radar projects supporting the development and strength of the Land of Israel. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 02:55 - Why Wall Street’s Smartest Fund Rejected Finance People 06:04 - If You Can’t Close, You’re Useless 08:42 - The Hedge Fund That Invented Google Culture 12:58 - We Got Rich Solving Problems That Didn’t Matter 15:55 - How Jim Simons Proved Economists Were Wrong 17:23 - Success Was the Only Thing That Made Me Happy 18:28 - Why My Team Was Afraid of Me 21:56 - The Day I Realized No One Actually Cared 25:42 - Why Renaissance Was a Moral Failure 27:51 - I’m Glad I Made All the Wrong Choices 39:08 - AI Has Always Been a Scam 41:53 - The Truth About AI Demos No One Admits 44:55 - We Gave a Dangerous Technology to Children 45:33 - This AI Bubble Makes the Dot-Com Crash Look Small 52:38 - AI Is Killing the Next Generation of Engineers 55:47 - We’re Raising a Workforce That Can’t Think 56:42 - Most AI Use Cases Are Stupid 1:03:39 - How Tech Makes Money by Hurting People 1:08:34 - Why “Startup Nation” Is the Wrong Story RESOURCES Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-magerman-954b25174/ Learn more about Differential Ventures: https://www.differential.vc/  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Sofi Levak Video and Editing: Ron Baranov, Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Jeff Clavier, the Founding Partner at Uncork Capital, a seed-stage venture firm in Palo Alto and San Francisco. Clavier founded Uncork Capital in 2004 (then called SoftTech VC) to provide active support and capital for companies in their first 18 months of life. Jeff has helped numerous companies reach successful outcomes, including Fitbit (NYSE: FIT), SendGrid (NYSE: SEND, Twilio), Eventbrite (NYSE: EB), Postmates (Uber), and Poshmark (NASDAQ: POSH). His current investments include ClassDojo, DroneDeploy, Shippo, Front, Loft Orbital, and Carrot Fertility. Jeff was born in France and graduated from Université Paris Descartes with an M.S. in Computer Science. He was formerly the CTO and an early employee at Effix, a fintech startup that sold to Reuters. In 2000, he immigrated to the U.S. and joined RVC, Reuters’ $450 million corporate venture capital fund, as a general partner. He recently wrapped up his four-year term on the board of the National Venture Capital Association. One of the early VC bloggers in 2004, Jeff is now a popular conference speaker and social media/TV commentator. When he is not spending time with Uncork’s portfolio companies, Jeff enjoys traveling, skiing, hiking, scuba diving, collecting wine, and hanging out with friends and family. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 03:52 - Is Seed Investing Just “VC Tourism”? 06:08 - Why Being a “VC Lifer” Matters 08:35 - How Uncork Wins 91% of its Term Sheets 11:59 - GP Fundraising is Harder Than Startup Fundraising 14:15 - Capital Bottleneck in Private Markets  16:38 - Now it Takes 15 Years to Prove You’re a Good VC 20:46 - The Real Choke Point in Venture Isn’t Seed 26:13 - The “Three Asses” Rule 29:00 - Gut Feel vs. Process 32:54 - Passing on LinkedIn and Uber 37:45 - How Do You Know if You’re Actually Good at Venture? 41:19 - Succession Planning: Stepping Back After 21 Years 46:09 - Uncork Can’t Depend on One Person 47:05 - From Venture to Winemaking  52:15 - Go Narrow First RESOURCES Follow Jeff on X - https://x.com/jeff Learn more about Uncork Capital - https://uncorkcapital.com Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Sofi Levak Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Dr. Jacques Benkoski, a seasoned technologist, operator, and venture capitalist with a career spanning research, corporate, startups, and international investing. As a partner at U.S. Venture Partners (USVP), Jacques brings decades of experience investing in the U.S. and Israel across cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and cybersecurity. A speaker and mentor, he has taught his Market Entry Strategy seminar to over 5,000 entrepreneurs and released an expanded version of these materials in the eponymous book to help entrepreneurs turn vision into execution, and scale with purpose. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 03:59 - Riding the Dot-Com Wave  08:09 - Joining USVP & the Israel Strategy 12:06 - Bubbles Are Good 14:50 - AI Adoption Will Follow Workflows, Not Replace Them 17:44 - 95% of AI Projects Fail - and That’s Normal 19:21 - Israel’s Biggest Founder Weakness 20:45 - Why Being Founder-Friendly isn’t Helpful  24:16 - The Wiz Effect 31:20 - Jacques’s Market Entry Strategy 38:49 - Why ‘Crossing the Chasm’ Is Obsolete 47:19 - War Doesn’t Affect Investment in Israel 52:00 - Israeli Trait That Hurts Sales 56:16 - The Galapagos Syndrome RESOURCES Follow Jacques on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacques-benkoski-ab9133 “The Market Entry Strategy” Book: https://a.co/d/etw96SX Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Sofi Levak Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Henry Ward, the CEO and co-founder of Carta. Carta is trusted by more than 50,000 companies, over 8,500 investment funds and SPVs, and over 1.6 million equity holders to manage cap tables, compensation, valuations, liquidity, and more. The company has been included on the Forbes World’s Best Cloud Companies, Fast Company’s Most Innovative list, and Inc.’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Prior to Carta, Henry was founder and CEO of Secondsight, a portfolio optimization platform for retail investors. He also held leadership positions at software companies including Reddwerks Inc. and BetweenMarkets. Henry graduated from University of Michigan with a BGS in Mathematics and Computer Science and holds a MSC in Market Finance from EDHEC Business School. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 – Intro 01:24 – The Value Proposition of Carta 03:56 – Disrupting Traditional Professional Services 09:18 – How Carta Implements AI 17:16 – The Future of Accounting and Determinism vs. Stochasticism 20:39 – Branding vs. Product Quality in Professional Services 24:46 – Competing, Copycats, and Execution at Scale 27:02 – Core Values: Transparency and EQ 28:48 – Missionaries vs. Mercenaries: Carta’s Hiring Philosophy 31:37 – How to Find Missionaries: Recruiting Strategies 34:55 – Writing, Transparency, and Thought Leadership 36:32 – Clock Speed: Becoming a Fast-Execution Organization 48:03 – Work–Life Integration and Parenting as a CEO 51:01 – Navigating Crises: Trust, Resilience, and the CartaX Shutdown 53:57 – Future Predictions: What Will Shock Us in 20 Years RESOURCES Follow Henry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/heward/  Follow Henry on X  - https://x.com/henrysward  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Sofi Levak Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Nuseir Yassin - better known as Nas Daily. Nuseir rose to fame by taking on an ambitious challenge: creating 1,000 videos in 1,000 days. After graduating from Harvard, he made the bold decision to leave a stable engineering job in America to pursue content creation full-time. More than eight years, 68 million followers, and thousands of videos later, Nuseir has connected people from 197 countries through his signature one-minute videos across platforms.Today, while continuing to be one of the world’s most influential content creators, Yassin is the Founder and CEO of Nas Company - an ecosystem of businesses transforming how people connect, both online and offline. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  02:00 – The First 270 Failures and One Viral Video 03:40 – When Success Makes You a Target 06:20 – Redefining Winning 08:40 – The One-Minute Revolution 11:30 – Using AI to Bridge Cultures 15:23 – “I Feel Israeli”: Identity and Belonging 21:07 – From a Village in Israel to Harvard 24:47 – The Power of Saying Yes 27:18 – The Golden Age of Solopreneurs 29:28 – Building Nas.io and the Future of Work 33:30 – Finding Talent Where Others Don’t Look 38:00 – Why Organic Reach Is Dead 44:45 – Discovering Hidden Global Talent 45:54 – Founders, Investors, and Control 49:50 – The Hardest Videos to Make 52:00 – Creator. Entrepreneur. Bridge Builder. 56:00 – The Cost of Bridge-Building 57:50 – Gratitude and the People Who Believed First RESOURCES Follow Nuseir on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyassin/  Follow Nuseir on X  - https://x.com/nasdaily/  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Sofi Levak Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Gavin Baker who is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Atreides Management, LP. In addition to overseeing investments and research at Atreides, he is responsible for the firm’s day-to-day portfolio management. Prior to founding Atreides in 2019, Gavin was at Fidelity Investments from 1999 to 2017, most recently as the portfolio manager of the Fidelity OTC Portfolio from 2009 to 2017. He also helped spearhead Fidelity’s venture capital investing from 2013 to 2017. Prior to managing the Fidelity OTC Portfolio, he was a portfolio manager of the Fidelity Select Wireless Portfolio from 2007 to 2011, the Fidelity Select Telecommunications Portfolio from 2007 to 2009 and the Fidelity Select Pharmaceuticals Portfolio from 2002 to 2005. Gavin started his career at Fidelity as an analyst, and focused on semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, retail, consumer packaged goods and telecommunications. Gavin earned an AB in economics and history from Dartmouth College. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  00:00    Intro 02:10 Foundation Models: From Fastest Appreciating to Depreciating Assets 05:46 The Trillion-Dollar AI Club: OpenAI, Anthropic & xAI 10:25 The “Free Agency” Talent War and Religious Belief in ASI 12:55 Weaponizing Capital and the $600 Billion GPU Question 16:30  The 30-Year “Overnight Success” of Nvidia 20:22 Cerebras, NextSilicon, and the Power of Picking Niches 23:49 TSMC, Intel, and the Semiconductor “Chocolate Cake” Problem 26:40 Why Taiwan Semi’s Lead May Be Stabilizing, Not Existential 30:48 ”Intel Made Two Crucial Errors”  32:42   When Washington Bought a Piece of Intel 37:00 Israel’s Role in the Allied Semiconductor Supply Chain 40:54 The New Semiconductor Cold War 47:11 Toward an “Allied Supply Chain” for Chips and AI 50:54 Why Gavin Says Global Warming is a Solved Problem 55:34 Mars, Neuralink, and the Next Human Frontier 01:00:19 Would You Always Bet on Elon Musk? 01:03:01 Mission-Driven Investing and Avoiding “Bad for the World” Bets 01:07:37 Why Tel Aviv Feels Like the Most Exciting City in the World 01:09:43 The Charlie Kirk Assassination and the Return of Political Violence 01:15:37 X Saved the Truth About October 7th  01:23:57  SpaceX, Starlink, and the Future of Human Ambition RESOURCES Follow Gavin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbaker-portfoliomanager/ Follow Gavin on X - https://x.com/GavinSBaker Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts David Fialkow, co-founder and Managing Director of General Catalyst, one of the world’s leading venture capital firms managing over $40 billion. From early investments in companies like Airbnb, Stripe, and Warby Parker, to scaling global category leaders, General Catalyst has consistently backed transformative founders and ideas. David’s own career bridges entrepreneurship, film, and philanthropy. Before co-founding General Catalyst, he built and sold several companies across travel, specialty retail, and payments/financial services. Beyond investing, he’s an Academy Award–winning documentary producer, with credits including Navalny and Icarus, which exposed Russia’s state-sponsored doping scandal. David is also deeply involved in civic and philanthropic initiatives. With a unique blend of business vision, creative storytelling, and social impact, David brings a rare perspective on how capital can be a force for both innovation and positive change. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  00:00 Intro 02:30 College at Colgate and an ESL Shock 04:19 Discovering Storytelling and Filmmaking 09:06 Founding Last Minute Travel with Joel Cutler 11:32 Duty-Free Cruise Business and Sale to LVMH 13:55 How to Win Mentors: Relevance, Time & Opinions 15:53 Storytelling and “Hot Buttons” in Pitching 18:18 Crohn’s, Children’s Hospital Gift & the Ironman Bet 21:40 Why David Started General Catalyst 23:23 “Shots on Goal” and the VC Mindset 25:19 Starting Fund I and Raising Capital 28:11 Succession Planning 33:01 Ken Chenault Joins General Catalyst 39:28 Filmmaking with his wife Nina Fialkow 41:28 The Vow and Bringing Down NXIVM 46:16 Icarus: Pivot to Russian Doping Scandal 48:45 Navalny, Sugarcane, and Storytelling as Justice 57:00 Raising $12M through Film Screenings 59:26 Pan-Mass Challenge 01:01:27 Dana-Farber’s Impact on Oncology Drugs 01:02:21 On Luck, Teams, and Keeping Ego in Check 01:03:50 Why Israel: Mission, Resilience, and Tech Future RESOURCES Follow David on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fialkow Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Mati Gill, CEO of AION Labs, Israel’s first global biotech venture studio. Backed by Pfizer, Merck KGaA, AstraZeneca, Teva, and AWS, AION Labs pioneers a new model for company creation: uniting pharma giants, tech leaders, and investors to collaboratively build AI-first startups in drug discovery and development. Instead of the typical biotech trajectory—where most startups fail—AION ensures founders start with the right problem, data, talent, guidance, and backing from day one. Mati brings a rare blend of experiences across pharma, government, and security. Before AION, he was a senior executive at Teva Pharmaceuticals, leading global public policy and advising the CEO during major restructuring. Earlier, he served as Chief of Staff at Israel’s Ministry of Public Security, and as an IDF reserve officer he coordinated international operations with UN peacekeepers. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  01:13 Early Life in Ohio and Moving to Israel 04:55 Military Service and Law School: Path to Public Service 06:43 Teva’s Origins and Growth into a Global Leader 11:24 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Teva’s Challenges 13:59 Leaving Teva and Founding AION Labs 14:12 What AION Labs is and Why the Name Matters 18:10 Merck, Teva, AWS, and VC Partners Joining AION 20:22 DenovAI and Antibody Discovery 23:08 Accelerating Drug Development with AI and Pharma Partners 24:43 AI in Gene Editing and the Baby KJ Case 27:39 Why Biology Expertise Must Balance AI 34:01 From Doubt to Investment: DenovAI’s Validation 36:59 Government Support and the Israel Innovation Authority 39:33 Which Startup Could Be AION’s First Mega Hit? 40:17 Core Values: Israel, Family, and Mission 44:21 Why Most Drugs Fail and How AI Can Help 45:59 Enhancement vs. Health: The Ethics of Gene Editing 48:18 Theranos, Transparency, and Governance Lessons 51:25 The One Disease to Cure: Alzheimer’s 55:41 What Teva Taught Mati About Scale and Missed Opportunities 57:01 Being Shot Near Gaza and Lessons from Survival 01:02:05 Public Service: Always on Loan to Israel 01:02:45 Will AI Cure Cancer? RESOURCES Follow Mati on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matigill Follow Mati on X - https://x.com/matigill Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Nir Zohar, President and former COO of Wix.com, who helped transform the company from a scrappy Tel Aviv startup into a global platform serving hundreds of millions. A former naval officer and Chief Engineer on a missile boat, Nir reflects on how military discipline and his years leading the Israeli Scouts shaped his philosophy that management is service, not status. He recounts pivotal moments in Wix’s journey—from the risky Super Bowl campaign to the bet-the-company decision to rebuild on HTML5—and the creation of Wix’s “companies and guilds” structure to empower teams at scale. Nir also discusses leading through crises, from evacuating hundreds of Ukrainian employees during the war to navigating Israel’s upheavals, and why he believes resilience, empowerment, and values-driven leadership are the keys to building enduring companies. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 – Intro 02:17 – Wix’s $10M Super Bowl Gamble 08:52 – Reinventing Retired NFL Legends 13:28 – Being in the Navy Taught Nir to Run a Startup 16:02 – Business Lessons from the Scouts 18:55 – Why Management Should be Service, Not Status 21:43 – Wix Strategy Offsites in the Water 27:25 – Why Wix Employees Bought Their Own Chairs 30:38 – Betting Wix on HTML5 39:41 – The Breakfast That Sparked Wix's IPO 46:18 – How Wix's Leadership Team Stayed Together for 18 Years 50:24 – Why Going Public Gave Wix More Control, Not Less 53:08 – Hiring a Chief Politeness Officer to Say "No" 55:57 – The $80M Bet on Base44 and Vibe Coding 01:02:31 – Cutting Off Russia While Protecting Small Businesses 01:03:33 – Chartering Planes and Building a Kibbutz in Krakow 01:12:22 – How to Lead a Company Through War 01:18:47 – Why Wix Runs on "Companies and Guilds" 01:25:10 – AI Inside Wix: Productivity, Process, and Team Flow 01:26:14 – Why Nir Is Bullish on Small Business in the AI Era RESOURCES Follow Nir on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirzo  Follow Nir on X  - https://x.com/nirzo  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Gigi Levy-Weiss, a former Israeli attack helicopter pilot turned entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of the seed fund NFX. Gigi reflects on his journey from combat missions to leading companies like 888 and Playtika, highlighting lessons in leadership, military-style debrief culture, and the value of “good failures.” He shares his founder-first philosophy as a VC, his cautious stance on replacing CEOs, and his thoughts on the ethical complexities of tech - from online gambling to AI. Amid Israel’s political and security upheavals, Gigi also discusses civic responsibility and the vital role of grassroots leadership. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 – Intro 02:00 – Why My Name is Gigi: A Personal and National Story 03:10 – From Helicopter Pilot to CEO: Gigi’s Unconventional Career Path 05:05 – The Israeli Air Force Method of Failure 09:30 – Teaching Civilian Teams to Debrief Like Fighter Pilots 11:45 – How to Build a Culture That Embraces (Good) Failure 14:25 – Celebrating Failure at Playtika 16:50 – Experience vs. Fresh Eyes: Who Should Lead After Failure? 20:10 – Why Gigi Rarely Replaces Founders, Even When They Fail 23:59 – Gigi Selling His First Company and Learning What Not to Do 26:45 – 888 and the Crash: From Private Jet Dreams to Crisis Mode 35:30 – Gigi’s Biggest Lessons from Running 888 38:55 – Hire for Talent Over Experience 40:00 – Building Playtika and Accidentally Creating Slotomania 46:50 – Wrestling with the Ethics of Online Gambling 52:20 – Facebook, Games, and Losing Faith in Tech’s “Goodness” 54:10 – If Gigi Were the AI Ethics Czar, He Would… 56:00 – The AGI Arms Race and the Collapse of Trust in Truth 59:20 – Are the Ultra-Orthodox Ahead or Behind? 01:01:00 – Founding NFX: From Angel Investor to Seed VC 01:06:00 – The Startups Gigi is Most Proud of 01:08:50 – Building Line Five: A Response to October 7th 01:10:55 – Why Gigi Took a Public Role in the Judicial Reform Protests 01:13:30 – Israel’s Founders Agreement Problem 01:16:30 – October 7th and the Rise of Civilian Emergency Networks 01:19:25 – Feature or Bug? When Citizens Replace Government 01:20:10 – The Next Generation of VCs That Give Gigi Hope 01:21:53 – Reflections on Responsibility, Legacy, and Leadership RESOURCES Follow Gigi on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigilevy/  Follow Gigi on X  - https://x.com/gigilevy  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Micha Kaufman, the founder and CEO of Fiverr - the global freelance marketplace that helped define the gig economy. Since launching the platform in 2010, Micha has led Fiverr from a scrappy, bootstrapped startup into a publicly traded company offering millions of services across hundreds of categories. Before that, he built three other companies and began his career as an intellectual property lawyer, where he was involved in drafting what he describes as Google’s first patent in Israel. A vocal advocate for self-reliance in the age of AI, Micha believes freelancers are better equipped than corporate employees to adapt, automate, and thrive. He recently led Israel’s high-tech delegation to Auschwitz, a personal and national mission to preserve memory and meaning for the next generation. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  00:05:40 Why Fiverr Launched With a $5 Price Tag00:09:28 The Things You Can Do for Five Bucks00:17:42 The Infamous Four Seasons Debacle00:24:20 AI and the End of Low-Skill Tasks00:27:54 Freelancers Upskill Faster Than Employees00:33:30 You’re Responsible for Your Career Growth, Not Your Boss00:49:14 Automate Yourself, Then Create More Value00:58:00 Fiverr’s Mission in an AI-Driven Future01:04:32 Going Public: Lessons and Regrets01:16:17 Why Micha led a High-Tech Delegation to Auschwitz RESOURCES Follow Micha on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michakaufman/  Follow Micha on X  - https://x.com/michakaufman  Subscribe to Invested here: ⁠https://content.aleph.vc/invested⁠ Learn more about Aleph:⁠ aleph.vc⁠  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter:⁠ ⁠⁠https://newsletter.aleph.vc/⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/⁠ Follow Michael on Twitter:⁠ twitter.com/mikeeisenberg⁠ Follow Michael on LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/⁠ Follow Aleph on Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg⁠ ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/⁠ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/⁠ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Samuel Arbesman, the Scientist in Residence at Lux Capital. In addition, he is an xLab senior fellow at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management and a research fellow at the Long Now Foundation. He is the author of The Magic of Code, Overcomplicated, and The Half-Life of Facts, and his writing has appeared in such places as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and Wired, where he was previously a contributing writer. He lives in Cleveland with his family. The first computer he used was a Commodore VIC-20. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  00:00:00 The Intersection of AI and Creativity 00:03:11 What it Means to Be a Scientist in VC 00:05:55 The Frontier of Computation and Biology 00:08:51 Biology as a New Computing Paradigm 00:11:45 The Future of Personalized Simulations 00:15:10 Applying Complexity Science 00:17:49 Sci-Fi Ideas in Biotechnology 00:21:07 Ethics of Biohacking and Human Enhancement 00:24:14 Humility and Personal Values in Science 00:36:57 Embracing Uncertainty in Knowledge 00:39:20 The Power of Incremental Progress 00:40:38 Learning from History and Tradition 00:43:59 Reconciling Science with Tradition 00:46:01 The Role of Community in Modern Life 00:48:41 Individualism vs. Community in Tech 00:50:06 Cultural Foundations in Tech Development 00:57:09 AI: Evolution or Revolution? 01:03:06 Finding Meaning in a Post-Scarcity World RESOURCES Follow Samuel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arbesman/  Follow Samuel on X  - https://x.com/arbesman  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Myron Shneider, Yoni Mayer Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts two of the co-founders of Dream, Shalev Hulio and Sebastian Kurz.  Sebastian Kurz is a former Austrian politician who served as Chancellor of Austria from 2017 to 2019, and again from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), he began his political career in the party's youth wing, rising to prominence as State Secretary for Integration (2011–2013) and Foreign Minister (2013–2017). Kurz led the ÖVP to victory in the 2017 election, becoming one of the world's youngest heads of government at age 31. Since leaving politics, Kurz has worked as a global strategist and entrepreneur. Shalev Hulio is a serial entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert. He co-founded NSO Group in 2010, serving as CEO until August 2022, where he oversaw the development of Pegasus, a controversial spyware used by governments to track criminal and terrorist activity. Prior to NSO, Hulio co-founded several tech ventures, including CommuniTake and Kaymera Technologies.  Together with Gil Dolev, Sebastian and Shalev founded Dream Security in January 2023, which specializes in AI-powered cyber defense. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  00:00:00 The Unexpected Birth Story of Dream 00:05:50 From Politics to Tech Entrepreneurship 00:11:48 Cybersecurity: From Offense to Defense 00:14:35 Why AI Matters in Cybersecurity 00:17:32 Cyber Attacks and National Security 00:20:55 NSO & Building Trust in High-Stakes Environments 00:23:54 The Future of Cybersecurity and Ethics 00:26:53 Investing in Times of Crisis 00:29:34 Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Tensions 00:32:59 Dream’s Vision and Market Strategy 00:35:42 Cybersecurity: Challenges and Opportunities 00:44:48 The Importance of Leadership 00:56:29 The Birth of Dream 01:02:01 Cybersecurity as a National Threat 01:06:23 The Changing Landscape of Defense Spending 01:10:32 The Growth of Dream 01:12:01 Navigating Ethical Boundaries in Cybersecurity RESOURCES Follow Sebastian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-kurz/  Follow Shalev on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalevholy/  Follow Sebastian on X  - https://x.com/sebastiankurz  Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer, Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

In this deeply personal episode, Michael Eisenberg pauses the usual cadence of Invested to deliver a powerful message about the unfolding war between Israel and Iran. Five days into a conflict triggered by Iran’s escalating aggression, Michael shares an unfiltered account of the situation on the ground, from nightly missile attacks targeting civilians to Israel’s unprecedented precision response across 2,000 kilometers. He explains the motivations behind Israel’s military strategy, the human toll on Israeli families, and the indomitable resilience of a nation innovating under fire–including the story of Shalev Hulio, the CEO of Dream and IDF reservist, who is currently saving lives by day and taking customer calls at night. This episode is more than a wartime update. It’s a call to understand the moral clarity of the moment, the sacrifices being made, and the profound implications for the future of Israel, Iran, and the broader Middle East. Listen for a rare, intimate window into a pivotal moment in history–and what it means for the world. Listen and subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested RESOURCES Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom Producer: Yoni Mayer Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Gali Arnon, former Chief Business Officer at Fiverr, the global freelance marketplace that connects businesses with independent talent. Gali joined Fiverr in 2017 as Chief Marketing Officer, helping lead the company’s transformation into a globally recognized brand and guiding its growth through a successful IPO. She later served as Chief Business Officer, overseeing Fiverr’s core marketplace operations and strategic business initiatives.           Prior to Fiverr, Gali held executive roles at Brightcom, an ad tech company, where she served as CEO, and at 888 Holdings, where she led multiple departments and business units and served as VP of Professional Services. She began her career at Wall Street Institute Israel, eventually becoming its CEO. Gali holds a BA in Communication and Psychology and an MBA, both from Tel Aviv University, and is a longtime advocate for women in tech and leadership. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] The Evolving Role of the CMO [00:03:05] Core Values and Personal Journey [00:05:58] Gali’s Competitive Drive and Leadership Style [00:09:03] Fiverr Rebranding from $5 Services  [00:12:02] How AI Is Shaping Freelancing and Work [00:15:08] Women in Tech and AI Adoption [00:17:58] The Future of Work: Humans vs. AI [00:21:08] Embracing Change in the Age of AI [00:25:50] AI FOMO and Information Overload [00:28:00] Choosing Between AI and Human Services [00:35:07] Branding as a CMO in a Changing World [00:38:59] Emotional Branding in the AI Era [00:46:55] Brand Lessons from Fiverr’s Journey [00:51:02] Personal Values and Branding Responsibility RESOURCES Follow Gali on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gali-arnon/ Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer, Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Eli Ben-Sasson, a co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, and Chairman of its Board of Directors. StarkWare is a Sequoia-backed startup whose latest fundraise was at a $8b valuation. StarkWare specializes in the productization of zero knowledge proofs via Starknet, a permissionless blockchain that scales both Ethereum and Bitcoin. Eli has been researching cryptographic and zero knowledge proofs of computational integrity ever since he received his Phd in Theoretical Computer Science from the Hebrew University in 2001. Eli is a co-inventor of the STARK, FRI and Zerocash protocols and a Founding Scientist of the Zcash Company. Over the years he held research positions at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, Harvard and MIT, and, most recently, was a Professor of CS at Technion, which he left to co-found StarkWare. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS   [00:00:00] The Core Innovation of Blockchain  [00:02:59] What Starkware Is and Why It Matters  [00:05:59] Zero-Knowledge Proofs Made Simple  [00:09:09] Building Trust and Integrity in Blockchain  [00:11:51] Foundational Principles of Blockchain  [00:15:02] Why Decentralization Matters  [00:17:52] From Academia to Blockchain  [00:21:09] Blockchain and the Future of Finance  [00:23:50] Barriers to Blockchain Adoption  [00:26:56] Israel’s Contribution to Cryptography  [00:30:08] Blockchain and the Future of Governance  [00:36:33] Rethinking Banking with Blockchain  [00:40:05] What’s Broken in Financial Systems  [00:42:13] Trust and Integrity in Transactions  [00:47:51] Making Sense of the Crypto Cycle  [00:51:05] Trust, Integrity, and What’s Next  [00:54:36] Why Math Will Always Matter  [01:01:27] Personal Reflections and Takeaways RESOURCES Follow Eli on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-ben-sasson Follow Eli on X - https://x.com/EliBenSasson Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer + Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Katie Stanton, the Founder and General Partner of Moxxie Ventures, which is an early-stage venture fund. Prior to Moxxie, Katie served in numerous executive operating roles at Twitter, Google, Yahoo, and Color. In addition to working in Silicon Valley, Katie served in the (Obama) White House and State Department and began her career as a banker at JP Morgan Chase. Katie sits on the Board of Vivendi, a French multinational media company headquartered in Paris, and previously served on the Board of Time Inc.  Katie started her venture career as a Founding Partner of #Angels and has invested in over 100 early-stage companies including Airtable, Calm, Cameo, Carta, Coinbase, Literati, Modern Fertility, and  Shape Security. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:02:57] The Value of Service  [00:06:01] Moving from Private to Public Sector [00:09:06] Getting into Tech and Innovation [00:11:52] Inside the Obama White House [00:14:59] Challenges of Government Work [00:18:09] Twitter and Social Media Dynamics [00:20:54] Trust and Safety on Social Platforms [00:23:59] Future of Social Media and Community [00:40:48] Today’s Role of Media Companies [00:45:33] Trust and Mistrust in the Media [00:49:07] How Media Shapes Society’s Future [00:50:23] From Operator to Investor [00:54:00] Why Katie Started Moxxie [00:57:06] Facing Challenges in Venture Capital [01:01:21] How AI Will Change Healthcare [01:06:32] Health Tech and Regulatory Hurdles [01:11:08] Reflections on Life and Loss RESOURCES Follow Katie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestanton/  Follow Katie on X - https://x.com/katies Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Sarah Tavel. Sarah is a General Partner at Benchmark, where she invests in network effect businesses and applications leveraging AI. Sarah currently sits on the boards of Agentio, Chainalysis, Hipcamp, Rekki, Glide, Cambly, Medely, and 11x. She is also a founding member of All Raise, the nonprofit organization working to accelerate the success of women in the venture capital and VC-backed startup ecosystem. Prior to Benchmark, Sarah was a General Partner at Greylock Partners, where she led their investment in Sonder ($SOND) and Gixo (acquired by Openfit), and represented Greylock on the board of both companies. Sarah joined Pinterest in 2012 after co-leading the Series A investment while at Bessemer Venture Partners. There she was the product lead for search, recommendations, machine vision, and pin quality at Pinterest. As one of the first 35 employees, her first order of business was to launch Pinterest internationally and close the Series C financing. She also led three acquisitions as she helped the company scale through a period of hyper-growth. Sarah graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Philosophy. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:04:45] Differences Between Bessemer and Benchmark  [00:09:11] Silicon Valley: Upside Mentality vs. Downside Protection [00:11:55] Underestimating Market Potential [00:14:53] Using AI to Reduce Friction and Unlock Market Size [00:18:02] Operator vs. Investor Mindset [00:21:05] Lessons from Building Pinterest [00:24:04] Transitioning from Operator to Investor [00:26:50] Female Partners and Their Perspective in VC [00:29:58] Equal Partnership Culture at Benchmark [00:37:00] Every Company is an AI Company  [00:41:59] AI’s Economic Value and Market Shifts [00:51:00] What Sarah Wants to See an AI Company Build  [00:55:04] Competing and Winning in Crowded Markets [01:01:12] Branding’s Role in Venture Capital [01:09:10] Identity, Growth, and Personal Reflections RESOURCES Follow Sarah on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel/  Follow Sarah on X - https://x.com/sarahtavel Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi

On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts Omri Casspi. Omri was a trailblazing Israeli professional basketball player, becoming the first Israeli-born athlete to play in the NBA. He enjoyed a 11-year career in the league, playing for teams including the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors—where he won an NBA championship in 2018—and Memphis Grizzlies, among others. After retiring Omri immediately transitioned into venture capital, co-founding Sheva in 2022 with $36 million to invest in early-stage startups, followed by Swish Ventures in 2024, raising $60 million to focus on cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and AI. Managing $200 million in assets, he backs standout companies like Upwind, Eon, and many others. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!  KEY TOPICS  [00:00:00] Intro [00:01:10] On Being the First Israeli NBA Player [00:03:30] Why Trailblazers Inspire Other People [00:09:02] Sports Experience Helps Omri Support Founders [00:11:15] Omri’s Pursuit of Excellence [00:14:51] Investing in Ohio Real Estate [00:19:10] Preparing for the Future [00:20:38] The Team Omri Wanted to Play For [00:22:20] Dealing With Setbacks [00:26:27] Omri’s Venture Fund & Understanding Investing [00:31:24] Founder Hesitations to Omri as an Investor [00:36:13] Different Investing Styles in VC [00:38:50] Why Do Israeli Startups Fail? [00:43:14] Omri’s Favorite Investors and Funds [00:45:02] Growing Jewish Identity in the U.S. [00:48:50] Omri’s Parenting Style [00:50:15] Admiring This Generation of Israelis [00:52:27] Bringing Elon Musk to Israel [00:54:46] Antisemitism in the NBA [00:55:27] Living in the Public Eye and Starting a Podcast [00:59:00] Parenting Children as a High-Achiever [01:01:35] Closing Questions RESOURCES Follow Omri on LinkedIn  Follow Omri on X Subscribe to Invested Learn more about Aleph Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow Michael on Twitter Follow Michael on LinkedIn Follow Aleph on Twitter ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Yoni Mayer Video and Editing: Ron Baranov Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring Design: Rony Karadi