Key1 Capital

Yesterday, our Managing Partner Danny Akerman had the opportunity to speak to a room packed with students for the opening event of the TAU VC Club. From the basics of how a VC fund operates and how we have built our portfolio, to his personal backstory and motivations behind founding Key1, they covered it all! But in Danny's words, the best part of the evening was to feel the incredible energy of the students and their tremendous curiosity about the world of entrepreneurship and investing. We are always privileged to be part of student-led initiatives and hope for many more to come!

Today, we are excited to unveil our new digital home: https://lnkd.in/dSupbGK3 🎉 When we launched Key1 Capital in late 2021, our laser focus was on partnering with visionary founders disrupting industries. Over the past three years, we've forged incredible partnerships, made strategic investments, and expanded our Key1 team. As we've evolved, so too has our need to share our story more comprehensively. Our new website reflects our growth and showcases our values, portfolio companies, insights, and expanding team. We remain steadfastly committed to our partners, founders, and overall ecosystem, and this new website is an extension of that commitment, a place where we can better connect, share, and grow together.

Welcome Ofir Foggel to the Key1 team! 🎉 Ofir has been with Key1 for the past six months as an intern, and we are thrilled to announce his transition to Investment Analyst. His deep technological expertise and unwavering commitment to our ethos - being true partners to founders who think big and their industry-disrupting companies - will continue to be an asset to our team. Slide on to get to know him better ➡️

Recently, our managing partner, Amit Pilowsky, had the privilege of teaching the first VC course at Reichman University to students looking to become entrepreneurs or investors. In these challenging times, our thriving tech industry continues to be a beacon of strength and innovation - investing in Israel's next generation of resilient and capable tech leaders is more crucial than ever. See more about this new ongoing course and the impact on students (and lecturer!) in The Times of Israel piece →  https://lnkd.in/dk9Bjr2Y

Earlier this week, we hosted our third CFO roundtable, featuring CyberArk's financial powerhouses: Josh Siegel, CFO, and Rami Milrod Senior Director, Finance and Corporate Controller. Attended by some of the incredible CFOs in our ecosystem, the night was a masterclass in scaling finance operations for high-growth companies. Some of the most powerful key takeaways included: ➡️ Be the CEO’s “Co-Pilot”: Cultivate a strong relationship with the CEO from the outset, be part of every strategic decision-making process, and prioritize company growth and sustainability, even if it means making sacrifices within your CFO office. ➡️ Master the boardroom: Strengthen your credibility with the board and executive management by skillfully managing meetings and setting strategic agendas. ➡️ Evolve your finance function: While accounting and reporting are crucial early on, mature companies need a robust team of SVPs, FP&A experts, and trusted advisors. ➡️ Organizational fit between the Senior finance team and the executives is critical: Involve the executive team in the hiring process and leverage your network to find candidates who align with your company's DNA. ➡️ Invest in tech and talent: Prioritize implementing finance-enhancing IT systems and building a top-tier FP&A team early. ➡️ Finops in Focus: Finops has become a core focus area in controlling expenses, both for the CFO and IT organization.   Thanks to all of you who joined us and contributed to the discussion and of course, a special thanks to Josh and Rami for sharing their incredible insights and experiences gained through building a financial powerhouse at CyberArk.💪 Until the next one!

Last week, we gathered the extended Key1 Capital team for a festive Rosh Hashanah dinner. In light of the challenging year we've faced nationally, one which seems to get more complex by the week, taking the time to reflect on the dedication of our team members, Key1 and Ace Capital Partners, was incredibly meaningful. From our team to our community: May this year bring safety, health, and abundance for all. We pray for the safe return of our hostages, the safety of our soldiers, and a peaceful year ahead. Shana Tova 🍎

Why did we invest in SuperPlay? Last week, we saw our first fund exit when SuperPlay announced their sale to Playtika, marking one of the top ten exits in the history of mobile gaming and creating one of the largest and fastest-growing global mobile gaming franchises.   In this piece Sarel E., our Managing Partner, dives into the factors behind our investment decision in late 2022 and what we believe Gilad Almog, Eyal Netzer, and Elad Drory's journey reveals about succeeding in the gaming industry, one ripe with both challenges and immense potential.  Give it a read ⬇️

We are super excited to share that SuperPlay, the leading mobile casual gaming company, recently announced its merger with Playtika. Key1 was fortunate to lead the latest funding round for Superplay in late 2022, and with that, we are officially marking our first exit since Key1’s inception in early 2022.    Success in the gaming sector requires a truly differentiated vision, a deeply talented team, and an outstanding product. SuperPlay had all and then some.    When we met Gilad Almog, Eyal Netzer, Elad Drory, and Amir Hanin, and got to look at Superplay up close, we recognized their potential to excel in this challenging yet rewarding industry. Their success is a testament to the hard work, innovation, and relentless execution of the entire Superplay team.    We are thrilled at this outcome and feel privileged to have been a part of Superplay's successful journey. Congratulations to the team and we look forward to Superplay’s continued growth and success in this new chapter! 🎉 For the full press release ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dzEs3EPK

Welcome Elad Baron to the Key1 team! As the Key1 fund grows and matures, so does our incredible team, and we’re excited about our newest addition. Below, Elad shares why he chose the investor path and his optimism about the Israeli high-tech landscape. Scroll through to get to know our newest team member 🤩 ➡️

"If any industry is built to handle extreme situations like war, it’s Israeli high-tech." - Amit Pilowsky In a recent CTech by Calcalist piece, top VC Partners including Amit, Rona Segev (TLV Partners), Kobi Samboursky (Glilot Capital Partners), and Michal Kissos Hertzog (Poalim Tech) share their takeaways on the challenges and opportunities facing Israeli entrepreneurs in these turbulent times. Some key points include: → Israeli high-tech shows remarkable resilience → Investor confidence remains strong despite (understandable) global caution → Cybersecurity and defense tech sectors have seen greatly increased activity As we approach the Calcalist כלכליסט Roadshow+ event, where promising Pre-seed to Series A startups will pitch to these industry leaders and more, these insights underscore the unique value proposition of Israeli entrepreneurs. 👉 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d-c2Pqd7 👉 Hebrew version: https://lnkd.in/dtjZ3Yp2 👉 Are you an early-stage founder ready to showcase your innovation? Apply now for Roadshow+: https://lnkd.in/dsj7hMhj #nomatterwhat