Israel's Secret Weapon: It's Not What You Think!

Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK and as part of our annual VC survey, and as part of our annual VC survey, and as part of our annual VC survey, we're here today with El Titus Brook, we're here today with El Titus Brook, we're here today with El Titus Brook, investor at Planfin. L, thank you so investor at Planfin. L, thank you so investor at Planfin. L, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you for much for joining us today. Thank you for much for joining us today. Thank you for having me. Thank you for having us. having me. Thank you for having us. having me. Thank you for having us. >> It's an absolute pleasure. Uh L, to >> It's an absolute pleasure. Uh L, to >> It's an absolute pleasure. Uh L, to start off with, I wanted to ask you, uh,

start off with, I wanted to ask you, uh, start off with, I wanted to ask you, uh, when it comes to pitching Israel to the when it comes to pitching Israel to the when it comes to pitching Israel to the rest of the world, all things rest of the world, all things rest of the world, all things considered, over the past few years, do considered, over the past few years, do considered, over the past few years, do you think the story, the selling point you think the story, the selling point you think the story, the selling point is still about its innovation, or is it is still about its innovation, or is it is still about its innovation, or is it the extreme resilience? Um, so I think

the extreme resilience? Um, so I think the extreme resilience? Um, so I think it's a very good question because when it's a very good question because when it's a very good question because when we are pitching Israel to LPs, we're we are pitching Israel to LPs, we're we are pitching Israel to LPs, we're speaking about the whole Israeli story. speaking about the whole Israeli story. speaking about the whole Israeli story. And when we're speaking about the And when we're speaking about the And when we're speaking about the Israeli story, it's for sure not only Israeli story, it's for sure not only Israeli story, it's for sure not only about innovation. It's about in the about innovation. It's about in the about innovation. It's about in the macro resilience and how like this macro resilience and how like this macro resilience and how like this ecosystem is very is very strong and ecosystem is very is very strong and ecosystem is very is very strong and very much meaningful also when it comes very much meaningful also when it comes very much meaningful also when it comes to um global ecosystems. So we're seeing to um global ecosystems. So we're seeing to um global ecosystems. So we're seeing acquisitions of Israeli companies during acquisitions of Israeli companies during acquisitions of Israeli companies during war. We're seeing Israeli companies that war. We're seeing Israeli companies that war. We're seeing Israeli companies that are raising meaningful amount of funding are raising meaningful amount of funding are raising meaningful amount of funding during war and I think that that shows during war and I think that that shows during war and I think that that shows the stability of this ecosystem even the stability of this ecosystem even the stability of this ecosystem even during the war. I think that innovation

during the war. I think that innovation during the war. I think that innovation is part of the story and you know when is part of the story and you know when is part of the story and you know when we are looking down uh to the micro we are looking down uh to the micro we are looking down uh to the micro level we're looking at the entrepreneurs level we're looking at the entrepreneurs level we're looking at the entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurs are super talented and the entrepreneurs are super talented and the entrepreneurs are super talented when it comes to tech when it comes to when it comes to tech when it comes to when it comes to tech when it comes to thinking out of the box when it come to thinking out of the box when it come to thinking out of the box when it come to being strong and being prepared to being strong and being prepared to being strong and being prepared to events that are un unpredictable. And I events that are un unpredictable. And I events that are un unpredictable. And I think that that's part of the pitch when think that that's part of the pitch when think that that's part of the pitch when we're speaking about the Israeli story. we're speaking about the Israeli story. we're speaking about the Israeli story. We're speaking about the entrepreneurs We're speaking about the entrepreneurs We're speaking about the entrepreneurs and we're speaking about how resilient and we're speaking about how resilient and we're speaking about how resilient and strong they are. And for me, it's and strong they are. And for me, it's and strong they are. And for me, it's part of the story. It's part of the the part of the story. It's part of the the part of the story. It's part of the the the special the special thing behind is the special the special thing behind is the special the special thing behind is red. red. red. >> Absolutely. Well, well put there. Um

>> Absolutely. Well, well put there. Um >> Absolutely. Well, well put there. Um Ella, looking now ahead, it's hard not Ella, looking now ahead, it's hard not Ella, looking now ahead, it's hard not to touch on AI when we're looking at to touch on AI when we're looking at to touch on AI when we're looking at this year in review and looking into the this year in review and looking into the this year in review and looking into the future of 2026 with AI agents starting future of 2026 with AI agents starting future of 2026 with AI agents starting to take over. which do you think will be to take over. which do you think will be to take over. which do you think will be the first industry that lets them fully the first industry that lets them fully the first industry that lets them fully run on autopilot?

run on autopilot? run on autopilot? >> So I think that AI for sure is going to >> So I think that AI for sure is going to >> So I think that AI for sure is going to change the world and you know we are change the world and you know we are change the world and you know we are reading a lot we're educating ourselves reading a lot we're educating ourselves reading a lot we're educating ourselves a lot around the verticals and what a lot around the verticals and what a lot around the verticals and what should be the right like investments should be the right like investments should be the right like investments when it comes to AI and I think that we when it comes to AI and I think that we when it comes to AI and I think that we can definitely see some areas that will can definitely see some areas that will can definitely see some areas that will probably be easier to implement like to probably be easier to implement like to probably be easier to implement like to to make them autonomous to implement AI to make them autonomous to implement AI to make them autonomous to implement AI agents. I don't think it's a thing that agents. I don't think it's a thing that agents. I don't think it's a thing that will come just in one day like it's not will come just in one day like it's not will come just in one day like it's not a binary change. It's not that in one a binary change. It's not that in one a binary change. It's not that in one day a whole vertical will become day a whole vertical will become day a whole vertical will become autonomous. I think that we'll see some autonomous. I think that we'll see some autonomous. I think that we'll see some specific tasks within verticals that specific tasks within verticals that specific tasks within verticals that will become autonomous. It can be will become autonomous. It can be will become autonomous. It can be specific areas within uh for example specific areas within uh for example specific areas within uh for example customer support when you can see call customer support when you can see call customer support when you can see call centers that are being automated today. centers that are being automated today. centers that are being automated today. um we for example looked at a company um we for example looked at a company um we for example looked at a company that does it to the world of procurement that does it to the world of procurement that does it to the world of procurement and the logistics which I think it's a and the logistics which I think it's a and the logistics which I think it's a very interesting thing. So I think that very interesting thing. So I think that very interesting thing. So I think that you need to feel comfortable as a you need to feel comfortable as a you need to feel comfortable as a company as a corporate and to feel company as a corporate and to feel company as a corporate and to feel comfortable that this like AI agents comfortable that this like AI agents comfortable that this like AI agents won't make big mistakes that will cost a won't make big mistakes that will cost a won't make big mistakes that will cost a lot and they won't put you let's say in lot and they won't put you let's say in lot and they won't put you let's say in troubles. So I think that the change troubles. So I think that the change troubles. So I think that the change need to come also from the companies and need to come also from the companies and need to come also from the companies and corporates corporates corporates >> and them accepting

>> and them accepting >> and them accepting this change. Finally, L, do you think this change. Finally, L, do you think this change. Finally, L, do you think we're starting to see startups building we're starting to see startups building we're starting to see startups building more sovereign tech so that they're less more sovereign tech so that they're less more sovereign tech so that they're less reliant on international platforms?

reliant on international platforms? reliant on international platforms? >> I think that is a trend that we're >> I think that is a trend that we're >> I think that is a trend that we're seeing now around the world in specific seeing now around the world in specific seeing now around the world in specific geographies. For example, in Europe, geographies. For example, in Europe, geographies. For example, in Europe, we're seeing that it's very much we're seeing that it's very much we're seeing that it's very much important to European countries to important to European countries to important to European countries to strengthen their tech ecosystem and to strengthen their tech ecosystem and to strengthen their tech ecosystem and to be more independent or subverian when it be more independent or subverian when it be more independent or subverian when it comes to relationship with the US for comes to relationship with the US for comes to relationship with the US for example. And since we are pan European example. And since we are pan European example. And since we are pan European fund, we are investing also in Europe fund, we are investing also in Europe fund, we are investing also in Europe and we're seeing that like countries are and we're seeing that like countries are and we're seeing that like countries are injecting a lot of money into the tech injecting a lot of money into the tech injecting a lot of money into the tech companies and are trying to make like a companies and are trying to make like a companies and are trying to make like a stable and strong ecosystem. I think stable and strong ecosystem. I think stable and strong ecosystem. I think that Israel is a good example of a that Israel is a good example of a that Israel is a good example of a country that had to be sovereign and had country that had to be sovereign and had country that had to be sovereign and had to be independent. I think that we to be independent. I think that we to be independent. I think that we really enjoy global tech. I think we really enjoy global tech. I think we really enjoy global tech. I think we like working with you know Amazon and like working with you know Amazon and like working with you know Amazon and video of the world but I think that we video of the world but I think that we video of the world but I think that we have here everything needed. We have the have here everything needed. We have the have here everything needed. We have the infrastructure, we have the basics. We infrastructure, we have the basics. We infrastructure, we have the basics. We have like a strong um ecosystem. We have have like a strong um ecosystem. We have have like a strong um ecosystem. We have entrepreneurs, second timers, we have entrepreneurs, second timers, we have entrepreneurs, second timers, we have advisors, we have local ves that are advisors, we have local ves that are advisors, we have local ves that are here to inject capital whenever needed. here to inject capital whenever needed. here to inject capital whenever needed. So I think those thing those things are So I think those thing those things are So I think those thing those things are stabilizing the ecosystem and I think stabilizing the ecosystem and I think stabilizing the ecosystem and I think that Israel was smart to do it um in the that Israel was smart to do it um in the that Israel was smart to do it um in the past but I think we were pushed to do it past but I think we were pushed to do it past but I think we were pushed to do it right like I think uh like it's not it's right like I think uh like it's not it's right like I think uh like it's not it's not an easy decision to to build it for not an easy decision to to build it for not an easy decision to to build it for yourself because it's nice to be part of yourself because it's nice to be part of yourself because it's nice to be part of the global economy. It's nice to work the global economy. It's nice to work the global economy. It's nice to work with um your American companies, with um your American companies, with um your American companies, European companies etc. But it's very European companies etc. But it's very European companies etc. But it's very much important to have the core of it at much important to have the core of it at much important to have the core of it at home. home. home. >> Absolutely. And I really appreciate the >> Absolutely. And I really appreciate the >> Absolutely. And I really appreciate the international perspective there as well.

international perspective there as well. international perspective there as well. El, thank you so much for your time and El, thank you so much for your time and El, thank you so much for your time and I hope you enjoy it. It's been a I hope you enjoy it. It's been a I hope you enjoy it. It's been a pleasure and I hope you enjoy the rest pleasure and I hope you enjoy the rest pleasure and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day here at the conference. of your day here at the conference. of your day here at the conference. Thank you so much.