Startup brief
Valuation Surges Propel Israeli AI, Cloud Security, and Early-Stage VC
Late-stage valuation surges for Wonderful and Upwind highlight global institutional appetite for Tel Aviv AI software and defense innovation.
Startup
Wonderful's $5B valuation proves global investor appetite for Israeli enterprise AI orchestration is reaching unprecedented heights — proving deep tech talent commands top-tier multiples.
BackgroundWonderful was founded in 2025 by Israeli serial entrepreneurs Bar Winkler and Roey Lalazar to build AI agent orchestration layers for enterprise clients. The firm has grown rapidly to 650 employees across global offices, retaining core R&D in Tel Aviv.
- The round included $170 million in secondary share purchases, allowing early employees and seed investors to monetize equity.
- Salesforce joined existing venture backers Index Ventures, IVP, and Bessemer, cementing strategic integration with major enterprise software ecosystems.
- Approximately half of Wonderful's workforce remains centered in Tel Aviv, focusing core development on enterprise governance features and proprietary algorithms.
Startup
Upwind's surging valuation shows Israeli cloud security founders are capturing market share left open by Wiz's acquisition — turning runtime visibility into late-stage growth.
BackgroundUpwind was established in 2022 by CEO Amiram Shachar and former Spot.io founders to provide real-time cloud threat detection and runtime observability. The firm captured market share quickly as enterprise cloud infrastructure expanded into real-time AI workloads.
- Bessemer Venture Partners and TCV co-led the round alongside Salesforce Ventures, Craft Ventures, Greylock, and Cyberstarts.
- The platform provides unified visibility across cloud infrastructure and containerized AI stacks, positioning Upwind against incumbent security vendors.
- Capital will support global expansion and accelerate R&D investments at Upwind's primary engineering headquarters in Tel Aviv.
Startup
Salesforce's strategic backing positions HiBob to lead consolidation in workplace software — turning HR data into the context layer for corporate AI deployment.
BackgroundHiBob was founded in 2015 by CEO Ronni Zehavi to offer modern workforce management software for mid-sized and enterprise clients. The platform serves more than 5,500 global corporate customers across North America and Europe.
- Farallon Capital Management joined Salesforce in supplying the growth equity, bringing total capital raised to over $700 million.
- Proceeds will fund international M&A targets and accelerate platform transformation into an organizational context layer for enterprise AI agents.
- The round underscores sustained global investor interest in mature Israeli software firms that generate strong recurring subscription revenues.
Startup
Omri Casspi's firm is arming early-stage Israeli startups with $250 million in capital — directing institutional money into defense and physical AI.
BackgroundSwish Ventures invests in seed and early-stage technology companies across Israel and the United States. Its portfolio includes high-profile artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure providers such as Cognition and Eon.
- Swish III plans to lead concentrated rounds with average check sizes of $20 million across roughly a dozen high-tech startups.
- Investment verticals focus on cybersecurity, physical AI, autonomous systems, and dual-use defense technology to strengthen Israel's tech ecosystem.
- Prominent US institutional investors provided anchor commitments, reflecting durable foreign LP demand for early-stage Israeli innovation.
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