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~10% of Israeli workforce, ~50% of exports, ~25% of corporate tax revenue. Concentrated in Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Ramat Gan, Beersheba. The pipeline runs through 8200 (military intel), Talpiot (elite officer track), the Technion, Hebrew U, Tel Aviv U. Major exits: Mobileye ($15.3B to Intel, 2017), Waze ($1.1B to Google, 2013), Wix ($600M IPO, 2013). Acquisition-led, not Apple-style platform-led.
Cultural note, "אֶקְזִיט" (exit) is a normal Hebrew word now, with no equivalent native term. So is "סְטָארְט-אַפּ" (start-up), "פִּיצָ\'\'ר" (pitch), "רַאוּנְד" (round). The Israeli founder cliché: ex-8200, mid-30s, second startup, lives between Tel Aviv and Palo Alto. The phrase "אֵיזֶה רַאוּנְד גִּיּוּסְתֶּם?", "what round did you raise?", is normal small talk on Rothschild.
Startup Vocabulary
Funding Stages
Israeli VCs & Accelerators
Famous Israeli Tech Companies
The Talent Pipeline
Pitching to a VC: Standard Phrases
Hebrew + English code-switching is standard in Israeli VC meetings. Below is roughly what gets said in any pitch on Rothschild Boulevard.
"Two Israelis, Three Startups": Founder Conversation
A composite of typical Israeli founder small-talk at a coffee shop. Notice how casually huge sums and existential failures get discussed.