Real Life SuperpowersAviad Harell: "Today's founders are more professional in how they think about the problem."
Real Life Superpowers
Aviad Harell: "Today's founders are more professional in how they think about the problem."
In a conversation with Noa Eshed and Ronen Menipaz on the podcast Real Life Superpowers, Aviad Harell discusses what he looks for in founding teams and the role grit plays in entrepreneurship
"I think one common denominator that I see with today's founders, they strike me as more professional in how they think about the problem, how they think about building a venture, and how they think about go-to market," said Aviad Harell, Managing Partner at Team8 and co-Founder Sisense. "Maybe it's because of the founders, probably a lot of it is because of the knowledge that is being curated over the years of what it means to build a company and you have many more people to consult with. And you have an ecosystem of very experienced angel investors. 18 years ago, it wasn't the case, at least in Israel in our smaller swamp in Israel."
In this episode Ronen and Noa speak with Aviad Harell - the Managing Partner at Team8 a global VC with deep domain expertise that builds and invests in companies specializing in enterprise technologies, cyber, AI, and fintech.
He’s a seasoned angel investor and adviser to numerous startups, VCs, and executives.
Before joining Team8, he co-founded Sisense, a powerhouse in the business intelligence space. Under his leadership, Sisense thrived, achieving $150 million in annual revenue and growing to over 800 employees.
He's seen the highs and lows of the startup world, and his journey is full of valuable lessons.
Topics discussed:
- Aviad’s journey, including the early days of Sisense, working long hours and enjoying the "joy of creation" without much direction or success.
- The shift in expectations for new startups, from building a product to generating revenue quickly.
- Difficulties the Sisense team faced in raising institutional funding due to lack of professionalism in pitching and business model.
- Insights on company growth, funding, and pitching
- A professional CEOs' impact on startup growth
- What Aviad looks for in founding teams
- Where grit plays in
- And much more
Enjoy your listen!
Noa Eshed: recognized as a thought leader by the Daily Telegraph. Her book "The Smart Marketer's Guide to Google Adwords” was an Amazon no.1 bestseller. Her digital marketing agency Bold Digital Architects has acclaimed several industry awards. She previously co-founded and distributed Israel’s only national magazine for students, and is a certified lawyer (Hebrew U grad) and journalist.
Ronen Menipaz: an Israeli investor, entrepreneur, tech advisor, and founder of numerous business ventures in the entertainment, adtech, and fintech space. During his 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Ronen has been involved with over 100 startups in Israel, 30 of which he founded or co-founded. Two of those startups went public, while five were sold and four more are currently privately profitable companies.
