Ben Lang

Founder: “It feels like everything is possible in AI right now.” Me (VC): “That’s true. And that’s exactly what makes this moment tricky.” Investing in pre-seed Israeli AI startups never felt more exciting or more disorienting... At Remagine Ventures, we’re falling in love with ideas at an unprecedented rate. - Companies are adopting new tools, enabling young startups to get traction - Models are improving monthly. Tooling is cheap. - It genuinely feels like the entire market is up for grabs. But beneath the excitement, there are real headwinds. - OpenAI reportedly ran at an ~$8B loss in 2025, with some predicting insolvency by 2027. It needs massive funding to keep the lights on - VC funding hit record highs, but AI now takes half of all VC dollars (which is increasingly concentrated in mega-deals) - Enterprise pilot → paid conversion sits at just 12% (McKinsey & Company, 2025) So while it feels like everything is possible, not everything is viable. If we're realistic, most AI startups will fall in one of these buckets: - Some companies will build enduring businesses - Some will find strong strategic buyers - Many will struggle quietly as economics, competition, and buyer expectations catch up. At pre-seed, the hardest part isn’t spotting what’s impressive. It’s spotting what’s resilient: 1) real wedges, not demos 2) painful problems, not cool tech 3) credible paths to distribution, not just early usage 4) founders who can navigate model shifts, pricing pressure, and buyer fatigue 5) a reinforcement learning advantage - the more data we get, the better the product becomes So when a founder tells me “everything is possible,” my next question is usually: What makes this company one that can last when the excitement fades? Pictured: an AI photoshoot with Chewbacca

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Last week, we held the LUNA Semi-Final 2026 — and this cohort is truly exceptional. 20 space-tech ventures went through a rigorous three-stage evaluation: written One-Pagers, live technical booth assessments with physical prototypes, and final-stage pitching. Nine Israeli startups advanced to the Grand Final, alongside three outstanding international teams from the U.S., Nigeria, and India. This year’s selected ventures span critical space domains: • SKYSHIELD – Biodegradable, re-entry-safe thermal insulation for CubeSats. • ASTRELAX – Closed-loop neuroregulation wearable for astronaut stress stabilization. • ASTROFLEX – Smart fine-motor rehabilitation system for microgravity, with strong Earth applications. • BIO-CYCLE – Microgravity bioreactor converting plastic waste into usable chemical feedstock. • NOMAD – Autonomous robotic platform for hazardous lunar and Martian environments. • MARCELL – Lab-grown protein platform using local Martian resources. • LUNAR-WHISPER – EMG-based silent communication interface for high-noise missions. • VESTA – Wearable neuro-visual stabilization system to mitigate space motion sickness. • STARHOLD (India) – A physics-based authentication layer anchored in celestial coordinates. • FLEXISTRIP (Nigeria) – Advanced reflective emergency signaling for extreme environments. • US–Israel CubeSat Challenge (USA) – A joint mission to design a CubeSat capable of stable orbital control while performing controlled multi-axis rotation for remote sensing — including simulations, control algorithms, and physical attitude-control development. In the coming months, the teams will deepen scientific validation with professional mentors, refine their engineering models, and build full business and market strategies. The momentum is strong — and we are heading full speed toward the Grand Final in Budapest this June. Congratulations to all the teams advancing to the next stage. See you in Budapest. 🚀 Out of the Box #LUNA2026 #space_entrepreneurship Israel Space Agency Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Ella Barzilay Ayelet Weizman Roy Yaniv, PhD paul zilberman Tal Inbar Yoav Yair

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The Time to Build is Now: Capital is Aggressively Chasing Quality in Israeli Tech. I've been seeing a significant surge in funding for Israeli startups, often raised in stealth mode. Recently, companies like Tenzai secured a $75M seed round, expanding rapidly beyond their initial plan due to high demand from investors like Greylock Partners, Battery Ventures, and Lux Capital. Other major rounds include Majestic Labs ai, Wonderful, and Sweet Security as well as companies in stealth that raised tens of millions, like Shai Morag's new startup. Funding is flowing to experienced Israeli teams with a clear vision. This conviction is driven by top-tier US VCs (including Bessemer Venture Partners, Lightspeed, Accel and Sequoia Capital) who are accelerating their investment pace in the region. We at Remagine Ventures are excited by this concentration of talent and market validation. We are actively looking to back the next wave of ambitious Israeli founders building significant companies in stealth mode at the very beginning of their journey. If you are currently building, we would love to connect. The message to founders is clear: If you are building groundbreaking technology, the capital is here for you! And if you'd like to get the weekly funding news from Israel in your inbox, sign up to the #FIRGUN newsletter (link in the first comment) #Israel #startups #funding #venturecapital #founders

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🧠💪 From sweat to science: Meet the Israeli startup turning everyday workouts into life-saving insights. What if we tell you that your sweat tells a lot about your physical and health state? Yopi Tech, founded by Hemi Re’em and Dr. Menachem Genut Ph.D, is redefining cardiovascular monitoring with a wearable device that does more than count steps. Their AI-powered armband analyzes sweat electrolytes in real time to measure oxygen consumption (VO₂), carbon dioxide emission (VCO₂), and other critical health metrics. A device offering far beyond what traditional fitness trackers offer. The idea was born after Re’em, an active and health-conscious individual, unexpectedly required triple bypass surgery. That wake-up call led to YOPI’s mission: to bridge the gap between fitness tech and real preventive healthcare. With mass production since early 2024 in southern Israel, Yopi Tech is bringing lab-grade metabolic monitoring to the masses and transforming how we train, recover, and stay ahead of heart health risks. #HealthTech #Wearables #IsraeliInnovation #CardiovascularHealth #FitnessTech #AI #PreventiveCare

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I am filled with optimism and inspiration every time I read the periodic reports about Israel's Tech Ecosystem by Startup Nation Central. It is truly exciting. I'm honored and happy to be part of this amazing ecosystem. Here are my key take aways on the first half of 2025 that showed continued growth, in both private funding and M&A: Funding: * In H1 2025, Israel’s private tech sector raised $9.5 billion across 367 rounds based on reported and estimated deals, marking a 58% increase in capital raised, compared to H2 2024.  * Early-stage activity gained some momentum in H1 2025, with capital invested in pre-seed and seed rounds rising by 50% compared to H2 2024 (from $406 million to $607 million). * Compared to the previous half (H2’2024), Private funding in the U.S. rose by 23%, while Israel saw a significant 62% jump.  * Compared to the first half of 2024, U.S. private funding is up 62%, while Israel’s is up 41%. * In the EU, funding is down by 20% compared to the first half of 2024. In Asia, funding saw a sharp 42% fall, compared to the first half of 2024. M&A * Compared to H1 2024, first-time M&A rose 734%, and 30% excluding the $32B Wiz acquisition by Google. * M&A activity in H1 2025 remained strong, with 60 first-time deals totaling $38.9 billion, making it one of the most active recorded first halves. Even excluding the high-profile Wiz acquisition, which closed in Q1, the remaining 59 deals still totaled $6.9 billion, a clear sign of broad-based strength in Israel’s exit market. * Compared to H2 2024, first-time M&A activity rose 20% in H1 2025 (60 vs. 50 deals), while total deal value fell slightly from $7.2 billion to $6.9 billion (excluding Wiz).  https://lnkd.in/dSpFXn5X

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📢 ICI Fund Backs Biostream: Revolutionizing Neurological Diagnostics with Urine and AI We’re excited to share that ICI Fund has invested in Biostream, an Israeli deep tech company developing the first urine-based neurodiagnostic platform for early, non-invasive detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. Led by Meital Segev-Bar, a nanotech PhD and former CTO of Feelit Technologies, and Alex Dehtar, an experienced deep tech product leader, Biostream is building a game-changing diagnostic tool that combines nanotech, computer vision, and AI. Meital and Alex, welcome to the ICI family! We are excited to join your journey! 🍾 #deeptech #preseed #investment #Israelifounders #nanotech #AI #computervision #SEALTHEDEAL #BRINGTHEMHOMENOW 🎗️

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Unicorns aren’t the only goal, $100M exits build ecosystems too. But they’re overlooked by default, and that needs to change. “140 million shekels over five years.” That’s the headline from the latest Israel Innovation Authority call for new incubators. But here’s the fine print: Only those who’ve already raised 180M+ shekels ($50M) are eligible to apply… That unfortunately excludes the next generation of fund managers, operators, ex-founders, and ecosystem builders who actually reflect the future of early-stage innovation. It’s not that the capital isn’t welcome. It is. But real innovation doesn’t come from legacy institutions running the same model. It comes from bold thinkers solving for what’s next. We need structures that back: 1. Vertical-specific studios 2. $100–200M exit strategies 3. Underrepresented, global-first founders Because that’s where the new wave is already building. If we want to fund innovation, we have to fund the innovators. One idea: back 20 emerging managers with micro-funds. → $5M each, matched by $5M → Pre-seed focused → Hybrid models—part VC, part venture studio Not just capital, but real support, and real creativity. That’s how you fund the future. What would it take to rewire this incentive system to match today’s market?

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Most startup conversations begin with technology. But the companies that scale are often shaped much earlier - By people. We’re glad to share another episode of the Scale Up Nation Podcast, recorded live during Qumra’s annual CEO Summit, our yearly gathering where CEOs of leading Israeli companies across different stages of scale come together to speak openly about the challenges, opportunities and wins of building at scale. In this episode, guest host Boaz Dinte, Managing Partner at Qumra Capital, joins Ram Ben Ishay for a conversation with Pavel Gurvich - co-founder of Guardicore, a leading data center and cloud security company built around micro-segmentation, a Qumra Capital portfolio company acquired by Akamai Technologies, and founder of Tenzai, an AI-native #cybersecurity company building autonomous #AI hackers to help enterprises continuously find and fix vulnerabilities. One insight stood out in the conversation: Experienced #founders rarely start from scratch when building their next company. Over time, they develop a kind of “rolodex” of people they’ve worked with closely - people they trust, understand, and know how they execute. When the time comes to build again, those relationships often become the foundation of the new company. Because the early team doesn’t just build the product - They define the company’s DNA. Full episode in the comments 👇

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🚀 Big things are happening at AutonomyAI! The Israeli AI startup has raised $4M in pre-seed funding and reached $100K in monthly revenue! 💡 Specializing in AI-driven solutions, AutonomyAI is transforming industries like healthcare, finance, retail, and logistics by helping businesses improve efficiency, automate tasks, and make data-driven decisions. 🌐 Read More :- https://lnkd.in/g2GKjJh4 With a strong client base in Israel and the US, the future looks bright as they expand and innovate further. 🔥 #AutonomyAI #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #TechInnovation #StartupSuccess #PreSeedFunding #Automation #BusinessGrowth #AIRevolution #FutureOfTech #AIStartups #DigitalTransformation #SmartSolutions

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5 Israeli Startups to Watch Ahead As “Startup Nation”, Israel consistently launches more cutting-edge startups per capita than the rest of the world. Here are 5 Israeli startups that are riding the next tech wave.  - Base44, the AI-powered no-code app builder, was launched in 2025 by Maor Shlomo. The startup transforms a text prompt into a fully functional web app or game. Base44 had over 100,000 users and partnerships with Israeli tech leaders like eToro and Similarweb. In 2025, Base44 was acquired in 2025 for $80 million by Wix. - Decart restyles streams, webcam feeds, and gameplay with AI. The startup was founded in 2023. In 2025, Decart raised $100 million in Series B funding at a $3.1 billion valuation. Dean Leitersdorf co-founded the startup in 2023.  - VFR developed a dynamic ad player that powered by real-time user data and places ads where it makes sense. In 2025, VFR secured $10 million at a $150 million valuation. - Styletech is the AI-powered platform that makes a single image runway-ready in seconds. Brands can mix and match looks, models, and campaigns at the click of a button to cut both costs and complexity. - Prompt Security built the firewall to keep generative AI safe and under control in real-time. Founded in 2023 by Itamar Golan and Lior Drihem, it was acquired by SentinelOne. Photo: Prompt Security Source: https://lnkd.in/dXY23bZ7

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𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. In CTech by Calcalist’s 2026 VC Survey, I shared why markets are rewarding scale, efficiency, and durable products, and why selective IPO windows and AI-driven growth will shape the next phase of Israeli tech. Thank you to the CTech team for the thoughtful questions! Read my full responses for the survey here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dwzaH7DE

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🇮🇱 When people think of Israeli tech, Tel Aviv usually comes to mind. But the reality? Israeli founders are often already in the U.S. — building global-first companies from day one. At Tachles VC, we invest in Israeli talent wherever they launch — whether scaling from Herzliya or starting up in New York. And here’s the real story: 2025 is shaping up to be a once-in-a-decade moment for Israeli deep tech. 📥 Download our new whitepaper: “Why 2025 is the Best Time to Invest in Israeli Deep Tech” Link in the comments below. Tachles VC 🚀 - Karel Tušek, David Marek, Sivan Kanev, Boris Chovnik, Robin Bienfait, Dan Dinnar

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New Israeli women-led AI startup receives a $6 million investment for at-home breast cancer screening. Introducing FeminAI, emerging from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. FeminAI is an AI-based solution empowering women to screen themselves for breast cancer from home, confidently and independently. This week, Feminai was featured in TheMarker following the $6 million investment, highlighting groundbreaking innovation coming out of Israel. Founded by Dr. Karny Ilan, MD, Shani Klein Antman, and Gal Yanuka, FeminAI is a proud Yazamut 360° success story. From an early $100K investment by Cactus Capital, Ben-Gurion University’s venture fund, to continued mentorship and support, this journey reflects the power of university-backed, women-led entrepreneurship. Another strong example of how Israel’s south continues to lead in innovation with global impact. 👏 👉 Learn more at feminai.com Daniel Chamovitz Dana Gavish

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🎯 Want to know how top VCs spot billion-dollar PropTech companies before they explode? Our CEO Daniel Shaked sat down with Sivan Blasenheim, Managing Partner at REACH Israel – Second Century Ventures and the investor behind 300+ PropTech startups to break down his playbook. Here's what you'll learn: 🔍 The exact signals that predict which PropTech startups will succeed (and which will fail) 💡 Why "real estate being stuck in the 1960s" is actually your biggest opportunity 🏗️ How construction tech is preventing million-dollar project mistakes right now 🤖 Which AI PropTech solutions are overhyped vs. the ones actually making money 📈 The fundraising reality: what VCs actually want to see in 2026 🚀 How to shortcut 1-2 years of startup development using accelerator programs Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or just want to understand where real estate is heading, this episode gives you the insider perspective most people never get access to. 👇 Full episode link in comments - 60 minutes that could change how you see PropTech forever. #PropTech #RealEstateInnovation #VentureCapital #Startups #PropertyTech

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Our portfolio company, Sequent Tech, has been named one of N12 News Israel and Valley Bank’s most promising startups of 2025 🎉 Founded in 2022, Sequent received its first check from us and has since raised a $1.35M pre-seed round led by RUNI Ventures and Tom Livne. Sequent’s platform enables secure digital voting from anywhere in the world and has already been used in more than 200 #elections. The company also managed one of the largest verified digital elections in history: the national elections of the Philippines, where 1.23M overseas citizens voted through the platform - a landmark moment for digital #democracy. At the core of the technology lies a unique cryptographic protocol and Zero-Knowledge Proof, ensuring both complete ballot secrecy and mathematical verification of every vote. The system is fully open-source, allowing governments, security researchers, and independent parties to review the code and validate its integrity. Sequent is shaping the future of digital voting, and we’re proud to be part of their journey toward global impact. Shai Bargil | Eduardo Robles Elvira | David R. Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter

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Early data from Startup Nation Central’s 2025 report shows a $10M median deal size, with mega-rounds making up nearly 50% of capital, marking a shift from rapid growth to high-conviction, scale-focused investments in Israeli tech *** Startup Nation Central, a nonprofit promoting the Israeli innovation ecosystem globally, has released early numbers for its 2025 Annual Report, offering an early view into how Israel’s tech ecosystem evolved over the past year. Based on known deals and estimates from Finder platform data as of Dec. 17, 2025, the report captures a year marked by a sharp return of capital, alongside a fundamental shift in how and where that capital is deployed. Figures may still change as additional data is finalized through Jan. 1, 2026. According to Startup Nation Finder data, estimated private funding in 2025 reached $15.6 billion, signaling a decisive rebound after two volatile years. At the same time, deal volume declined to 717 rounds, the lowest in the last decade. This divergence tells a clear story: investors are doing fewer deals, but committing significantly more capital to each one. The median private deal size reached a record $10 million, up 67% year over year, reflecting a market that has recalibrated toward scale, maturity and higher conviction. “2025 was not about a return to business as usual; it was a pivot toward high-conviction maturity,” said Avi Hasson, CEO of Startup Nation Central. “When we see global giants like Nvidia doubling down on their physical and talent presence here, alongside a record $74.3 billion in M&A activity, it confirms that Israel isn't just a source of innovation, it is the global anchor for critical technologies like AI and cybersecurity.” Full article: https://bit.ly/4s7LOq3 Avi Hasson Sharon Shalmon Esman #ynetgobal #Technology #Ecosystem #StartupNationCentral #Nvidia #Israel

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The Share of Serial Founders in Israel’s Tech Is Rising IVC Data and Insights analysis reveals a shift in the profile of founders establishing new tech companies in Israel. The data points to a rising share of serial founders, alongside a decline in the share of first-time founders. While in 2021–2022 serial founders accounted for around 25% of all active founders, their share rose sharply to 35% during 2023–2025 (through July). The 2025 data is still partial, and some moderation in the dominance of serial founders is possible. However, based on trends observed in 2023–2024, their share is expected to remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, the number of new tech companies founded in Israel each year has been declining for more than a decade. According to IVC Data and Insights estimates, around 650 new companies were established in 2024. The final figure will only be confirmed by mid-2026, but the data already shows a roughly 60% decline compared to 2023. The rising share of serial founders likely reflects tighter funding conditions. As capital became harder to raise from 2023 onward, founders with prior fundraising experience were better positioned to establish new ventures.

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Our partner Raz Mangel sat down with CTech by Calcalist to share our trends for 2026, and while the conversation covered everything from deep tech to AI infrastructure, one theme cuts through it all: Israeli companies are mastering the discipline of scaling. For years, the Israeli tech narrative centered on innovation. But what's changing now, and what global LPs are increasingly excited about, is the pairing of that innovation with systematic go-to-market execution. We're seeing it firsthand: multiple Greenfield portfolio companies that were at single-digit ARR when we invested are now approaching or crossing $100M+ ARR with line of sight to $1B. This didn't happen by accident. It's the result of implementing the right operational frameworks early - what we call the Seven Pillars of Efficient Growth: Strategy, Operational Framework, People, Pipeline, Sales Process, Partnerships, and Account Management. Our G²M Excellence program exists to help companies build this GTM infrastructure from the start, avoiding costly cycles and enabling the rapid yet efficient growth required to reach sustainable scale. This year, whether it's deep tech, AI infra, or cyber, the companies that will define Israel's next decade won't just build great technology. They'll build enduring global businesses with the go-to-market muscle to match their technical depth. Read Greenfield Partners full trends and predictions for 2026 in the comments:

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