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YL Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2010 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with additional offices in New York and Mill Valley, California. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in cybersecurity startups, leveraging a network of over 100 Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from Fortune 100 companies for customer validation and product feedback. YL Ventures has successfully raised $800 million across five funds, establishing itself as a significant player in the cybersecurity investment space.
Recognized as the only cybersecurity-focused venture capital firm in PitchBook's top 10 for three consecutive years (2022-2024), YL Ventures has also been named a TIME Magazine Top US VC in 2025. The firm has a concentrated portfolio of 69 companies, including notable unicorns such as Axonius and Orca Security, and has achieved successful exits with companies like Twistlock and Spera.
YL Ventures specializes in investing in early-stage cybersecurity startups, with a concentrated focus on seed-stage investments. The firm primarily targets sectors such as application security, data loss prevention, cloud security, and identity management. Their average seed check size is approximately $9.99 million, and they have made 31 seed investments and 4 Series A investments out of their total portfolio of 69 companies.
The firm emphasizes the importance of Israeli innovation in cybersecurity, seeking startups founded by Israeli entrepreneurs that are developing core security infrastructure. YL Ventures' investment strategy is supported by a robust network of over 100 CISOs, which provides valuable insights for customer validation and product feedback, ensuring that their portfolio companies are well-positioned to meet market demands.
YL Ventures has built a diverse portfolio of 69 companies, focusing exclusively on cybersecurity. Notable unicorns in their portfolio include:
Recent investments include:
Other notable companies in their portfolio include:
Yoav Andrew Leitersdorf - Managing Partner. Yoav has extensive experience in venture capital and cybersecurity, having led numerous successful investments in the sector.
Ofer Schreiber - Senior Partner. Ofer brings a wealth of knowledge in technology investments and has been instrumental in guiding portfolio companies.
Kirk Manoogian - Partner. Kirk specializes in early-stage investments and has a strong background in cybersecurity.
Dave Reed - CFO. Dave oversees financial operations and fund management.
Nadav Lev - CTO. Nadav provides technical guidance and support to portfolio companies.
Merav Ben Avi - VP Marketing. Merav leads marketing strategies for the firm and its portfolio.
Gye Cohen - VP Operations and HR. Gye manages operational functions and human resources.
Maeve Juday - Associate. Maeve supports investment analysis and portfolio management.
Or Salom - Analyst. Or conducts market research and due diligence on potential investments.
Adi Greenwald - Associate. Adi assists in evaluating investment opportunities.
Gal Spiner Abramovich - Marketing Partnerships Manager. Gal focuses on building partnerships and marketing initiatives.
Julianna Somaini - Business Development Analyst. Julianna supports business development efforts.
Shiloh Shaeffer - Chief of Staff. Shiloh manages administrative functions and strategic initiatives.
Adi Shamai - Office Manager. Adi oversees office operations and logistics.
YL Ventures prefers to receive pitches through their website at ylventures.com. Founders should include a clear overview of their business model, market opportunity, and how their solution addresses specific cybersecurity challenges. Response times may vary, but interested parties are encouraged to follow up if they do not receive a timely response.
In 2025, YL Ventures made significant investments in cybersecurity startups, including a $20 million seed investment in Opti and funding for Hush Security. The firm has been recognized as a TIME Magazine Top US VC in 2025, further solidifying its reputation in the venture capital landscape.
Q? What are YL Ventures' investment criteria?
YL Ventures focuses on early-stage cybersecurity startups, particularly those founded by Israeli entrepreneurs. They invest primarily in seed and Series A stages, with an average seed check size of approximately $9.99 million.
Q? How can startups apply or pitch to YL Ventures?
Startups interested in pitching to YL Ventures can visit their website at ylventures.com for more information on the application process.
Q? What makes YL Ventures different from other VCs?
YL Ventures is distinguished by its exclusive focus on cybersecurity investments and its extensive network of over 100 CISOs, which provides unique customer validation and product feedback opportunities for portfolio companies.
Q? What is YL Ventures' geographic scope?
YL Ventures invests in startups located in Europe, Israel, and the United States, with a particular emphasis on Israeli cybersecurity innovation.
Q? What is YL Ventures' post-investment involvement like?
YL Ventures provides strategic support to its portfolio companies, including access to their CISO network for product-market fit validation and go-to-market strategies.
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