WORK
Over the past two decades I have been focusing on connecting startups with the world's largest corporations. In my current role I am leading SAP.iO Rising Stars team at SAP, a global team of portfolio development experts with a mission to secure SAP partnership with cutting edge startups.
Before that I have led SAP.iO Foundry in Tel-Aviv, which is part of SAP global network of top-tier startup program. Before joining SAP, I have led Deloitte Technology Scouting Services in Israel, where I have supported large multinational companies in engaging with Israeli startups, scout for collaboration, investments or acquisitions, define open innovation strategy, form new partnerships and build their innovation or R&D centers. Before Deloitte I spent 11 years at IBM, while in my last role I have led IBM Israel's Startup & Developer Ecosystem team and was responsible for IBM's first startup accelerator in the world ("Alpha Zone").
In my free time I invest in startups as an angel investor while supporting their journey as a mentor. I have an MBA from Tel Aviv University and B.Sc. in Software Engineering.
Short Bio
Skills
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Corporate innovation
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Strategy & business
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Forming & leading global partnerships
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Team building & People management
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Technology Scouting
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Startup investment
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Startup acceleration & mentorship
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Business & sales operations
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Sales and marketing
- Networking – An ecosystem player
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Public speaking and professional blog writing
Work Experience
Director, SAP.iO Rising Stars
SAP
2022 - To date
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The goal of the SAP.iO Rising Stars team is to secure SAP.iO Foundry investment in cutting edge startups, by working with SAP.iO Foundry graduates, helping them to achieve initial business momentum with SAP.
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We do that by executing advanced portfolio-development activities to generate joint pipeline, facilitate client discussions and support deal closing.
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In addition, our team promotes various SAP strategic initiatives, and supports ongoing opportunities such as events, client meetings, thought leadership content, external communication etc.
Director, SAP.iO Foundry Tel-Aviv
SAP
2020 - 2022
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SAP.iO Foundries mission is to build SAP's next generation of partners. SAP.iO Foundry Tel-Aviv was part of a network of 10 Foundries around the world, in leading startup ecosystems, each is running 2 corporate-accelerator programs a year, with a different focus area.
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My team worked closely with SAP industry and product groups to identify white spaces, scouted globally for suitable early stage-startups to partner with, and run acceleration programs to effectively build joint value propositions that will bring new value, insights, and services to SAP clients.
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Learn more:
Director, Head of Technology Scouting Services
Deloitte Israel
2017 - 2020
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My mission was to support large multinationals in their journey to engage with the Israeli startup ecosystem, from the first visit, strategy and operation planning, and up until establishing their innovation or R&D centers, labs, or performing investments and acquisitions.
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Frequent forms of engagement will include: Technology scouting for product collaboration, scouting for investment or acquisition, executing proof of concept (PoC) projects, forming new partnerships with ecosystem players, large scale projects of opening innovation or R&D centers, and corporate innovation consultancy.
Head of Startup & Developer Ecosystem
Leader of IBM Alpha Zone Accelerator
IBM Israel
2015 - 2017
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Managing a team of Sales, Tech Experts, Business Development, Marketing and Program Managers, with a mission to build and execute the relationships between IBM and key Israeli startups and ISVs.
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Responsible for IBM Alpha Zone Accelerator - The first IBM accelerator in the world.
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Leading IBM relationships with the Israeli VCs, Angels, OCS, Communities, Accelerators, Incubators and local ecosystem.
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Lead IBM cooperation with the Israeli academic institutions.
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Responsible for the development of IBM Israel developers' community; Setting meetups, Hackathons, Challenges and large community events.
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Learn more:
Global Alliance & Business Development
IBM Israel
2012 - 2015
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Building and executing the relationships between IBM and the large Israeli based Telecom, Energy and Utilities companies.
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International sales & business development. Yearly revenue of ~50M$.
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Evaluate and develop a new generation of partners for IBM.
Head of Sales & Business Operations
IBM Israel
2010 - 2012
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Setting the group work plans. Yearly revenue of ~80M$.
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Owner of the solution design process.
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Highly involved in leading complex and large deals.
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Ongoing analysis and reporting of signing, revenue and profit.
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Management of employees' utilization, deployment, and expertise.
Bid Manager
IBM Israel
2006 - 2010
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Leading teams within IBM process of delivering large and complex proposals.
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Expert in IBM business solution design process and procedures.
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Linking between IBM internal functions (Sales, technical experts, legal, quality assurance, pricing, etc.) during solution design process
Languages
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English - Fluent
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Hebrew – Fluent
Investments
Seed Investor
Kahoona.io
2021
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Kahoona is a 1st Party Data activation platform for the open-web, provides an essential solution for a cookie-less and identity-less digital ecosystem. By utilizing proprietary technology, with a focus on 1st Party Data alone, Kahoona's solution is able to analyze user interactions and translate it to audience segmentation and real-time personalization.
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I've joined the company as an investor in its seed round.
Edication
Tel Aviv University, Israel
2011 - 2013, MBA; Technology, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, In Dean's List
Shenkar College of Engineering, Israel
2004 - 2008, Bachelor's Degree, Software Engineering
Courses:
Tel Aviv University, Israel
2022, Directors and Senior Officers Holders
SAP Sales School, Germany
2020, SAP Sales Bootcamp
Deloitte University
2018, Deloitte facilitation excellence program
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
2016, Fundraising for startups & VC
London Business School, England
2015, Business and Industry Insight Program
IBM, Global Sales School, England
2013, Graduated with distinction
IBM, Leadership Program, Germany
2010, IBM training program for managers