22 May 16 • 2019
jn

ADAM FINKEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Israeli Investor 

Founder of Our Crowd to speak at annual Breakfast for Israel.

T

he Jewish National Fund hosts 
its annual Breakfast for Israel on 
Tuesday, May 21, at Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek. This year, the speak-
er is Jonathan Medved, the founder 
of OurCrowd, which has funded 170 
companies across industries spanning 
drones, mobility, digital health and 
agriculture health. The crowd- 
investing 
platform is based in Jerusalem.
Although guests may show up at 
the day of the event, it is recommend-
ed they register by May 10 at jnf.org/
Detroit. In addition to hearing from 
Medved, JNF communications man-
ager Daniel Peri said, “Guests will 
learn more about the important work 
Jewish National Fund does each day to 
improve the land of Israel for all who 
call it home, from building new, afford-
able housing in the Galilee and Negev 
to investing in infrastructure, employ-
ment and water reclamation.
”
In anticipation of the JNF breakfast, 
the Jewish News caught up with Medved 
to discuss some of the leading questions 
about his views on technology, policy 
and Israel life.
JN: How do you think the Detroit 
business community can better partner 
and collaborate with Israeli mobility 
technologies?
JM: Israel has today emerged as the 
leading source of mobility innovation 
in the world, led by companies like 
Mobileye, the cohort of 500 Israeli 
startups is changing the world of sensor 
software, cyber security for autos, ver-
ification for next gen networks and so 
much more. By hooking up these inno-
vative companies with both the auto 
manufacturers and the supply chain, 
together with investors, Israel can part-
ner with Detroit and bring these inno-
vative ideas and technologies to market.
JN: When it comes to the internal 
rate of return (IRR) and the time-to-li-
quidity, what do you view as realistic to 
achieve for a seed investment?
JM: With a seed investment, you 
should be ready to wait several years 
before you see liquidity, and that can be 
three, five, or even more than 10 years 
till exit. Venture capital, like a good 
wine should not be rushed, and vintage 
is important. Giving companies the 
proper time to build value is absolutely 

essential. Mobileye took almost two 
decades until it was acquired by Intel 
from its founding.
JN: If you could write the next chap-
ter of Startup Nation, what do you envi-
sion would be trends that most embody 
Israel’
s next decade of technology 
growth?
JM: A truly global approach to part-
nership whereby it is no longer Silicon 
Valley and Boston together with Israel, 
but many other geographies hooking 
up to Israel’
s ecosystem, such as Detroit, 
Austin, Seattle, Miami and others. This 
phenomenon goes beyond the U.S., too. 
Israel is now playing an innovative role 
with partnerships all over the world, in 
a way that the first 
round of Start Up 
Nation did not even 
imagine possible.

ISRAELI POLICIES
JN: What do you 
think it will take to 
get more 
entrepreneurial- 
oriented leaders 
to be actively 
involved in Israeli 
policy-making and 
the broader civil 
sector?
JM: That is 
already happening 
in a major way. 
Political leaders such as Naftali Bennett, 
who was a startup founder; Nir Barkat 
who recently entered into the Knesset, 
was the founder of Check Point 
Software; Izhar Shay, new MK from 
the Blue and White party is a former 
GP at Canaan partners; Ayelet Shaked, 
very much a startup person … Turns 
out there are many tech people entering 
Israel’
s political rank and this is a good 
thing.
JN: If you were to be in the Knesset 
or in the prime minister’
s office, what 
policies would you prioritize?
JM: I would spend more money on 
education and research to make sure 
Israel keeps its competitive edge; fund 
programs to increase inclusion to get 
more Haredim, Arabs and women in 
the tech economy; and keep taxes and 

regulation low so we can remain com-
petitive with the best business locations 
in the world
JN: What is needed to get more suc-
cessful entrepreneurs to step up their 
philanthropic leadership?
JM: Israeli entrepreneurs are tackling 
philanthropic challenges with the same 
energy that they brought to their inno-
vative companies; however, they will 
play by the new rule book that they will 
pioneer. In particular, we are interested 
in impact investing whereby one invests 
money to benefit the world and society 
while gaining great financial returns. 
We believe you can do both and 
provide a double bottom line for the 
investor — making 
money while doing 
good. To this end, 
we just launched an 
impact investment 
fund to allow inves-
tors to back compa-
nies who are solving 
sustainable develop-
ment goals promul-
gated by the United 
Nations and we will 
be measuring the 
results of our com-
panies’
 considerable 
impact.
JN: As perhaps 
the most well-trav-
eled investor in the 
country, how would 
you define the Israel-diaspora relation-
ship today?
JM: It’
s complicated. I think today’
s 
diaspora Jewish community is more 
familiar with Israel than ever before 
because more of them are visiting Israel 
— whether it be the youth on Birthright 
trips or older individuals who have fall-
en in love with the country. The planes 
coming into Israel are now fuller than 
ever before with tourism breaking all 
prior records.
There are issues of differences in 
culture. Israel tends to be more politi-
cally conservative, more religious, more 
traditional, and yet I am convinced the 
underlying bonds of family, shared tra-
ditions and shared future will win out 
and prevent any chasm from opening 
between them.

LESSONS LEARNED
JN: What has been the greatest lesson 
that you’
ve learned over your career?
JM: Things take time. This business 
requires kishkas — intestinal fortitude 
— and a willingness to endure the ups 
and downs of the venture capital roller 
coaster. The other important lesson is 
that you must invest using a wide port-
folio approach. Failure in investments 
is part of this game; therefore, you do 
not put all your eggs in one basket, but 
in 10 or more individual investments or 
funds that diversify your risk.
JN: You spent your childhood years 
in America before making aliyah. What 
advice would you offer to a young adult 
today seeking to move to Israel?
JM: First: Come to Israel earlier 
rather than later. Don’
t “over plan” your 
aliyah. Don’
t try to get a job before you 
show up. Most importantly, you don’
t 
need to make “all or nothing” decisions 
about being or staying here. Everyone 
should come and spend 6-12 months 
in Israel, during a gap year or while 
traveling, at any age. Being in Israel and 
experiencing what it’
s like to live in a 
Jewish country is a spectacular goal and 
experience for all Jews. The more dias-
pora Jews participate in the building of 
Israel by coming to live here, the better 
off we will be as a people.
JN: What was it about your upbring-
ing that impacted your desire to make 
aliyah? How much different do you 
believe your life would be today if you 
had stayed in America?
JM: I was raised in a warm Jewish 
family in Southern California, which 
had highly meaningful moments of 
Jewish life, surrounded by a majority 
of non-Jews and a community with 
outside influences. When I encoun-
tered Israel, I realized that I could live 
Jewishly in a more full-time manner, in 
a place where the calendar synced up 
with my Jewish life, the surroundings 
resonated with me through the ages of 
Jewish history and where I was sure the 
future for Jews was being built. This is 
what attracted me. If I had stayed in 
America, I’
m sure I could have lived 
a good life, but I’
m not sure that the 
excitement, the meaning, the commu-
nity and the sheer fun would have been 
quite the same. ■

jews d
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Jonathan Medved

