Fusion VC

𝗧𝗟;𝗗𝗥 - 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹’𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. This year brought its share of challenges, as the situation in Israel affected every aspect of the tech industry. From team members stepping away for months of reserve duty to navigating the cautious stance of foreign investors, the journey was far from easy. Yet, 2024 also showcased the remarkable #resilience of Israeli tech. Despite these hurdles, data revealed a record year for deals and exits, with startup acquisitions totaling $10.5 billion. These insights highlighted our 7th annual Trends & Forecasts event, where 200 investors and innovation leaders gathered to reflect on 2024 and envision 2025. The day was filled with meaningful discussions and future-focused perspectives. Key findings from a pre-event survey: ▪️43% of respondents voiced concerns about Israel’s security and political situation. ▪️38% reported difficulties in securing foreign investments. ▪️37% faced challenges in raising funds for new ventures. Amid these concerns, a silver lining emerged: most participants expressed optimism about Israel’s role on the global tech stage. Event Highlights: Asaf Horesh presented a special report showing a reduction in the number of VC investments but stability in overall #funding amounts. Gigi Levy-Weiss, Liad Agmon, Yifat Oron, Aviad Ariel and Daniel Shinar, shared perspectives on AI's growing role, cybersecurity’s dominance, and investors’ increased focus on later-stage companies with robust proof of viability. Key Takeaways: ▪️AI continues to transform non-tech industries by optimizing operations and driving value. ▪️#Startups aiming for global growth must integrate core AI capabilities into their operations. ▪️#Cybersecurity remains a stronghold for investor interest in Israeli tech. ▪️#Investor selectivity has increased, with a preference for mature startups demonstrating strong business fundamentals. While uncertainties persist, the determination and innovation within this ecosystem fuel optimism as we look ahead to 2025. Thank you all for joining us for our 7th-year conference, and a special thanks to Guy Lachmann and our friends at Pearl Cohen for their continued support. The Fusion Team. Full coverage in the comments below.

What’s Shaking Up Israeli Investors? Read The Times of Israel article summarizing the Trends & Forecasts conference 👇 Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter | Pearl Cohen | Guy Lachmann | Ofir Auslander | Gigi Levy-Weiss | Yifat Oron | Asaf Horesh | Liad Agmon | Aviad Ariel | Daniel Shinar

Our 2025 Trends and Forecasts annual event garnered significant attention and made headlines. How political and economic uncertainty in Israel is shaping the tech ecosyste - and what it could mean for the future. Full coverage in the comments below Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter | Pearl Cohen | Guy Lachmann | Ofir Auslander | Gigi Levy-Weiss | Yifat Oron | Asaf Horesh | Liad Agmon | Aviad Ariel | Daniel Shinar

Moving from Pre-seed to #Seed and Series A/B is a big milestone. It means your product has found market fit, your team is about to grow, and your company is gearing up for the next stage. It also means it’s time to move out of the garage - whether literal or figurative - and tackle the complexities of business communications. To help our #founders handle this shift, we invited Bar Mor (Agora RE) and Tomer Diari (Aleph) for a candid session on communicating with boards and investors as they move from seed to Series A/B. One major tip we took from the session: as you scale, divide your investors - and the updates you share with them - into three clear buckets: 🪣 Long-time investors: These are the ones who’ve been with you from the start. You can share more sensitive updates with them, even personal ones. 🪣 #Board members: Keep your updates concise, engaging, and detail-oriented. Short emails with substance go a long way. 🪣 Potential #investors: Here’s where you use a marketing-savvy tone. Highlight achievements, lean into #FOMO, and speak authentically to build trust and connection before you formally approach them. Lastly, schedule in-person board meetings whenever possible. The difference between turning off a camera and grabbing a coffee after the meeting is huge - it helps build real connections and trust among the team. Bar, CEO and Co-founder of Fusion portfolio company Agora RE, recently closed a $34 million Series B round, bringing their total funding to $63 million. Tomer, a General Partner at Aleph - one of Agora RE's investors -represents one of Israel’s leading VCs, focusing on Seed and Series A investments, particularly in Israeli startups. Bar & Tomer - Thank you for an exceptional session – someone even called it the best in Fusion over the past two years! Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter

#Music to our ears 🎵🎶 Singit, a Fusion portfolio company, is taking its musically-driven English e-learning platform global! Just this past month, they’ve: > Explored Ethiopia to find ways to reach millions of children and improve their access to English learning. > Secured approval to launch a 20,000-student pilot in Mexico City. > Announced an official partnership with Miss Universe, aiming to reach 150,000 kids with Singit and break #language barriers. > Initiated local pilots in Florida schools with #English Language Learner (ELL) students following participation in the U.S. Charter #Schools Conference. By 2025, Singit aims to impact the lives of over 1 million #students. Michael Peled and the team - we’re incredibly proud of your outstanding work! Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter | Ben Mizrachi | Tzvi Caplin | Julian Sommer | Amitay Kaufman | Ran Cohen | Oren Simanian | Yossi Abadi | Mario Adolfo Bucaro Flores #Edtech #elearning #kids #preseed

💡 Tip for Fundraising Success - Leverage your network! Our friend Uria Lin, Principal at Elron Ventures, shares his best fundraising advice: "Like everything else in the Israeli ecosystem - leverage your network. People love to help. Talk to founders who have raised funding from your target #investors or others who have invested alongside them". "Just like managing your startup, plan the best pipeline, process, and strategy for your fundraising. This doesn't mean pivoting your company (at least not necessarily), but rather pivoting your presentation. Approach groups of around five investors at a time, and try starting with at least five investors you're not particularly interested in raising money from. After each round, review the feedback, identify trends, and refine your presentation accordingly." Remember, #fundraising is a journey, and the right connections can make all the difference. Ready to put this tip into action? Start building your network (A link to our Fundraising MasterClass is in the comments below) Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter

This Thanksgiving, we’re feeling extra thankful for our growing community. We’re lucky to collaborate with the brightest founders, #partners, and innovators, and grateful for the opportunity to keep empowering startups and helping them reach new heights. 🎡 Wishing all our U.S. friends a holiday filled with gratitude, joy, and cherished moments with loved ones. #HappyThanksGiving Yair Vardi | Guy Katsovich | Amit Shechter

It’s getting cereal! 🥣 The Real Cereal Company from Fusion’s #portfolio just lit up the big screen in Times Square! Their cereal is proudly made in California and checks all the boxes: ✅ Kosher ✅ Gluten-free ✅ Sugar-free ✅ Fat-free ✅ USDA Organic ✅ And most importantly - taste-FULL! With a logistics center in L.A., their products are available on Amazon and stocked at over 1,200 major U.S. retailers. What a moment - huge congrats to the team! Here’s to many more milestones (and spoonfuls) ahead. 🥄 Daniel Abramovich | Tom Binder Jerry Wiener | Brex | Michael Morgenstern | Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter #TimesSquare #NYC

עוד כמה שעות נסגרת ההצבעה בתחרות של Geektime גיקטיים וזה זמן טוב להביט לאחור ולסכם הצלחות. גיא פגש את Ram Amedi לשיחה פתוחה בפרק האחרון של הפודקאסט "מבט לאחור". הם דיברו על מה אנחנו מחפשים ביזמים, איך להצליח בעולם התובעני של בניית סטארטאפ, ותוכנית האקסלרטור שלנו - וכל מה שהופך אותה ל"תוכנית הסטארטאפים של השנה"😉 גם הדרך של גיא לתוך עולם היזמות וההשקעות עלתה בשיחה, והתחברה לערכים שמובילים את פיוז׳ן - מיצירת פלטפורמה תומכת לחברות הפורטפוליו שלנו אל בניית קהילה חזקה באקוסיסטם. האזנה מומלצת, אבל לפני שמאזינים - מצביעים! לינקים בתגובות. Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter | Seedbiz

בשלוש השנים האחרונות זכינו לטייטל המכובד "קרן ההון-סיכון הפעילה ביותר" בשלבי ה-Pre-seed. אבל זה לא הכול - הנה עובדה נוספת שכדאי להכיר על הפעילות שלנו: אנחנו משקיעים בצוותים שפועלים בסקטורים לא טריוויאליים. בפורטפוליו שלנו תמצאו בינה מלאכותית ודאטה, מוצרי SaaS, תוכנות ורטיקלית (ביטוח, משפטים ונדל"ן), אנרגיה, חקלאות, מזון, חינוך, גיימינג ו-D2C ועוד. כדי שנמשיך להעניק הזדמנויות צמיחה לסטארטאפים חדשניים - נשמח לקול שלכם בתחרות השנתית של Geektime גיקטיים, בקטגוריית "תוכנית הסטארטאפים של השנה". כמעט יום אחד בלבד נותר עד לסגירת ההצבעה. אל תחכו - הצביעו עכשיו. לינק בתגובות🙏👇 Guy Katsovich | Yair Vardi | Amit Shechter #geekawards