Vaccination Nation

Welcome to The Israeli Startup Review, a curated newsletter where I share insights from thought leaders, news, and opportunities around Israel's tech ecosystem. Every week you’ll receive timely analysis from off-the-beaten-path, perspectives from the ecosystem, and selected opportunities to further engage with Israel, the Startup Nation.

While the shameful images in the US of protestors storming Capitol Hill are shocking (and a rough start to 2021) we can take comfort in the fact that vaccines are being rolled out across the world.

The Startup Nation is not without its challenges, with a ballooning infection rate and the tightening of the country's third lockdown we’re not out of the woods yet. At the current pace of inoculation however, herd immunity is within reach by the spring, but only if Israel continues to receive the vaccine doses in a timely manner. Welcome to 2021.

Vaccination Miracle Brings Israel Back to Its Roots by Daniel Gordis: It is still not clear to me how organized countries such as Germany, Holland, or Japan have not been able to get on top of distributing the vaccines (and let’s not get started on the US…). Despite the general sense of chaos (balagan) in Israel, the Startup Nation is leading the world by a large margin with the number of vaccinations per population.

I’ve heard from others similar experiences in what the author of this piece describes, that during this crisis time the vaccines are being distributed effectively to those at risk. Could this go side-ways? Possibly. If the supply chain is disrupted, and there are not enough vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna which reach the country. Earlier in 2020 Israel declared that it had ‘beat’ the pandemic, only to relapse into two additional lockdowns (with the current one going to be severely tightened). But Israel’s story is that of a startup, shoot high, stumble (almost fail), learn the lessons, and eventually succeed.

It’s strange to think it has been a year since we first heard of a mysterious virus that was spreading in China… and look at how far humanity has come in working to eradicate this threat which has killed millions. If only politics were not involved (not just in Israel) one may imagine how much suffering could have been avoided.

Key Takeaways:

With vaccinations politics (mostly) are not driving the ship: 2020 was a year where we could have overcome the pandemic if not for politics

Briefly, together: For once, a story about solidarity

Finally, a time to be optimistic: Though with the lockdown we’re not out of the woods yet

Down a point but still good :)

Clique: They're announcing a super cool initiative at Clique. A 10 days digital walkthrough for marketers aiming to learn and master their "Community Marketing" strategy for 2021. The end goal: Introduction to & practical steps on how to best ignite and grow your community to achieve business goals. They have limited space for January so no time for hesitation :) Signup to get more info here.

 ISRAEL21c: Program Coordinator. The primary role of the Program Coordinator is to assist the Program Director in running ISRAEL21c’s Digital Ambassador Program. ISRAEL21c's Digital Ambassadors are student interns who are passionate about Israel and use social media to play an active role in engaging with and developing ISRAEL21c’s audience. Apply here.

Rox: Vice President of Investor Relations. ROX Financial is an asset management fintech focused on real estate investments. Currently operating in stealth mode, they're backed by notable financial and real estate investors including Citibank and Silverstein Properties. Their mission is to make single property commercial real estate investing accessible, transparent and liquid for everyone. Apply here.

Taboola: Copywriter. If clickable headlines, persuasive calls to action, and punchy prose send pangs of excitement through your core, this role is for you! Taboola is looking for a Content Marketer and Copywriter who’s really comfortable with words—the kind that connect customers with the information and data they need to live better lives. Social that people want to share. Emails that people read all the way through. Blog posts that make people’s day. You’ll write and edit it all for three different audiences—working across multiple channels with a team of like-minded professional marketers. Apply here.

Vimeo: They just opened lots of new roles in Israel, UK and US - here and here.

Audioburst: They are on a mission to organize the world’s audio content and make it universally accessible. Audioburst is looking for a full-time marketing manager for its growing marketing team. The marketing manager will play a critical role in educating the market, building awareness, driving demand for Audioburst products, and positively influencing the business growth of the company. Apply here.

Bizzabo: Director, Account Management. Bizzabo is hiring a revenue leader to build their first Account Management organization. You will be responsible for managing a growing team of Senior and Global Account Managers focused 100% on renewing and expanding relationships with customers including Amazon, SFDC, BBC, FT and other Enterprise organizations. Apply here.

Cybint Solutions: The Head of Customer Success will support Cybint’s Certified Cyber Centers and partners globally in launching, operating and making an impact by delivering Cybint’s cyber education programs. The Head of Customer Success will work with strategic accounts to ensure their growth and will build and manage an international team to support Cybint’s growth across North America, EMEA and APAC. The Head of Customer Success will have monthly, quarterly and yearly activity and results goals. To apply: [email protected]

Goren Capital Group: Mergers and Acquisitions Intern. Goren Capital Group is a leading independent investment banking firm active in Israel and globally. Due to its successful history and track record, GCG has established a strong network with key players in the Israeli and international capital markets. GCG has advised top-tier companies and Boards of Directors on matters of financial policy, capital structure, financing alternatives (including local and global debt issuance) and credit rating. Apply here.

Interai: They are a no-integration, no-API, no-code platform helping organizations to optimize business processes by solving disparity and complexity of existing enterprise systems and applications rapidly and without IT effort. They are on a mission to change everything you know about enterprise software. Opportunities here.

Mindspace: Junior SDR. Mindspace is a rapidly growing global provider of inspiring workspaces for teams of all sizes. This full-time position is based in Tel-Aviv, and you will be reporting to the SDR team lead. As the Junior SDR, you’re a natural with sales, want to be on the front line, and to be instrumental to the company's growth. Apply here.

Okapi AI: Sales Development Representative. The ideal candidate is an energetic self-starter with the ability to identify influencers and key decision-makers within accounts. You will discover qualified opportunities by responding to inbound interests and targeted outbound prospects to build rapport and establish long-term relationships. Apply here. 

REMOTE Technical Evangelist role for a Devops startup: An exciting Series A devops startup seeks a Technical Evangelist for a career-defining opportunity to build thriving data science and open source and AI communities around their platform. You can be based anywhere in the US or potentially Israel. East coast US is preferred. If this may fit please email [email protected]

Rakuten Viber: Director of Marketing & Communications. Hundreds of millions of people around the world choose Viber as their top messaging and calling app every day. Viber is looking for a sharp-minded, true marketing professional experienced in digital marketing in B2C companies to lead and manage our product marketing, creative and global communications team. Apply here.

SentinelOne: Technical Recruiter. A true TALENT, that is hungry to drive their recruitment agenda, who can lead complex situations by challenging hiring managers and at the same time taking a major role as their trusted advisor, that is eager to hire the best fit for S1 and by that helping them drive their business strategy for the entire organization. Apply here.

SQream: SQream is calling YOU, they are looking for:

*C++ Software developer

*C++ Team Lead

*Senior Java Developer

*DevOps Engineer DevOps Team Lead

*Senior Product Manager

*Senior Product Marketing Manager

*Technical Writer (Part-time)

*Customer Success Manager

*QA automation Expert

*R&D Group Manager

*QA Automation Engineer

Apply here.

WSC Sports: COVID-19 won't stop them! They're looking for BizDev Manager EMEA and Sales Manager EMEA to help them grow their presence... in EMEA. Opportunities here.

Webeyez: Webeyez is a successful SaaS startup whose solution detects and measures the critical site issues that disrupt online conversions. Their clients are worldwide and most are in the eCommerce B2C space, where site performance is a key element to success.  This role will work with the CEO and take a leading part of their company’s technical development. Apply here.

Tmura (online) event: They are delighted to invite you to a Tmura online event on Tuesday, January 12th from 17:30 – 18:30 (Israel time). Update on some of Tmura’s latest stats: now over NIS 75,000,000 generated for charity, some exciting exit developments, and a record number of new donor companies in 2020! Special presentation: Tahnoon Saif – CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub in Dubai South (the world’s largest airport and logistics hub). MBR Aerospace Hub , a 7 sqkm hub, since 2015, budget expected to reach $4.6B by 2030. Former VP for Corporate Strategy at Dubai South, leading development strategy for Dubai government. Register here.

Cyber Ladies Panel - Women Who Invest in Cybersecurity: Join them to meet the women who invest in Cybersecurity! During the panel, you will have the opportunity to hear from a very inspiring group of women investors about their path and what is required to become an investor. We will also discuss the challenges in the field and 2021 predictions. Jan 12, 12:00 PM in Eastern Time. Register here.

The Global HR Medtech community launch: Join them on January 18th for a special session aimed at helping the Global HR Medtech community in Israel. Over the last year, thanks to COVID, technology and medical advancements have advanced rapidly, which has brought opportunities for many Israeli Medtech start-ups to develop and flourish. Mon, January 18. Register here.

THE FIRST ONLINE GOFORUAE - ISRAEL FOOD SECURITY INVESTMENT CONFERENCE: Connecting between the most innovative Israeli Food Security companies & leading Investors from the UAE. The UAE, a desert country with an arid climate, insufficient water and arable land is determined to address the issue of food security in order to deal with the growing population and its rising consumption needs, especially now during the pandemic. Monday, 18 January, 09:00. Apply here.

Doing Proptech in NYC: Proptech Zone is excited to host 3 successful Israeli Proptech Founders, and a special guest - Israeli Mapped in NY! This event is a unique chance to first hand hear authentic insights about a critical milestone in a startups' lifecycle - Operating ( or moving your company) globally. Mon, Jan 18, 10:00 AM EST. Register here.

Building Bridges: Strengthening Startup Links Between Israel and Singapore: Israel has the highest number of startups per capita anywhere in the world and Singapore consistently ranks among the top of global competitiveness indexes and ease of doing business lists. It's no wonder that a recent article by the World Economic Forum of 5 startup hubs to watch globally put both Singapore and Israel on that list in the number one and two spots respectively. Wednesday, Jan 27, 12:30 PM (IST). Register here.

8200 Impact 6th Cycle Showcase Event: 8200 Impact is proud to present its 6th cycle startups in an international Showcase Event, taking place on January 28th, 17:30-18:30 IL time (GMT +2) online. Join them and the hundreds of leading investors, international innovation hubs, and acclaimed professionals in the industry to watch the 10 graduating startups of 8200 Impact’s 6th cohort. Thu, January 28, 10:30 AM EST. Register here.

AI WEEK 2021: Combining technological leadership, applied AI and cutting-edge research, AI Week will highlight the way in which AI technology is revolutionizing business strategy, policy and future development. In November 2019, the first ever AI Week took place at Tel Aviv University, welcoming over 3,000 attendees to a week filled with workshops and lectures. Feb. 22-24. Register here.

The Xcelerator by the Israeli Security Agency (Shabak) and TAU Ventures: They're kicking off 2021 with an open call for applications for Cohort 5 of the TAU Ventures & Shabak - Israeli Security Agency - Career Xcelerator program. The Xcelerator program includes: 4 month program tailored to your needs. Exclusive validation. POC opportunities to develop your technology with Champion advisors in the Shabak. Guidance from business and technology experts. Free workspace, benefits & access to the TAU Ventures community and innovation ecosystem. Apply here.

Quantum SPARK: 2021 is finally here and so is their new Quantum SPARK cohort! Got an innovative solution in Automotive and Mobility? Their first cohort just graduated with 9 POCs, and they are now looking for the next super-stars to join them in SPARKing innovation with their partners! Apply today to join the second cohort of Quantum SPARK - the first program that connects you with 200+ industrial companies in Israel and abroad, for the purpose of creating a joint POC. Deadline to apply: January 15, 2021. Apply here.

365x ScaleUp Batch#7: Applications are open. They enhance scalability for your Software or IoT Startup Company. Surrounded by talented Executives and Entrepreneurs, sharpen your business, product and technology, while accessing an international customer and distributors network to affirm solid traction towards scalability. Apply here.

ICONYC labs: Hey Israeli founders… they’re looking for new investment and amazing pre-seed and seed startups to have join the ICONYC labs family. So far they’ve invested in 50 Israeli startups who went on to raise $200M in follow-on funding from some of the best VCs in the US and globally. If you’re working on something big, differentiated and highly technical, get the idea that you need to be in the market as early as possible, and ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work, they want to hear from you. They’re always available via email ([email protected]), chat, phone, zoom, or whatever way that works :-)

Jonathan 'Yoni' Frenkel heads a content marketing agency, YKC Media, and works with VCs, corporates, and startups in creating written content, social, and advising on marketing strategy focused on engaging a US audience. He is currently in Israel working with the Tulsa-based fund Atento Capital. He can be reached on LinkedIn here.