Fusion VC

Yair Vardi is a Founding Partner at Fusion, Israel's pre-seed venture capital fund, which manages $50M in assets and has made over 140 investments with a portfolio value exceeding $3B. He previously served as an intelligence officer in Israel's Unit 8200 and led US-Israel technology partnerships at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles. Vardi serves as a board member of American Jewish University and is involved with several Jewish and Israeli entrepreneurship organizations.

Amit Shechter is a Principal at Fusion, Israel's pre-seed investment platform, where he sources and invests in early-stage founders operating in underserved sectors. He holds a double major in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship from Reichman University and leads a community of over 700 early-stage CTOs and technology leaders. Shechter also serves as a seed investor at Newlight and has launched an initiative supporting alumni from Israeli elite military units in entering the entrepreneurship and venture capital ecosystem.

Andrew Brown is a Managing Member at Nakama Venture Solutions with 15 years of experience in venture capital fund administration. He has worked with over 1,000 funds across various sizes and strategies, and previously co-founded Carta's fund administration team and founded its pre-close team, which focuses on fund formations and capital-raising consultation for venture managers.

Leads Access and Claltech's investments in Israel and is part of Access's global tech team, holding director or observer roles at companies including ironSource, Lightricks, Yotpo, Deezer and Gett. Previously VP of strategy and business development at Clal Industries; holds an LLB and MBA from Hebrew University and an HBS leadership program alumni status.

Dr. Eldad Rom is a Partner and Group Psychologist at Team8, where he advises on business psychology, leadership, and organizational development. He works with startup founders on practical approaches to organizational excellence and has over 25 years of experience, running his own organizational consulting agency in Israel. He earned a PhD in Psychology from Bar-Ilan University.

Hagi Schwartz is a Managing Director at Insight Partners. He previously served as CFO of Check Point Software Technologies and Mercury Interactive Corporation during their IPOs, as well as CFO of Atrica Inc. and HyperRoll Inc. Schwartz holds a B.Sc. in economics and accounting from Bar Ilan University and serves on the board of Rackable Systems and advisory boards of several technology companies.

Hemi Zucker co-founded j2 Global in 1996 and served in multiple executive roles including CEO, President, COO, CMO, and CFO during the company's 1999 IPO, leading it through more than 160 acquisitions and expansion into cloud services, patent licensing, and digital media. Before j2, he worked at Motorola in the U.S. and Israel, where he helped launch Israel's first cellular company and worked on early wireless data networks. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Tel Aviv University.

Naama Zalzman is a leadership consultant and founder of her eponymous firm focused on cross-cultural team development and organizational effectiveness. She works with leaders and multinational companies on building motivated teams and workplace cultures. Zalzman was recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.

Noa Dror-Lorber is an Operations Manager at Fusion VC and founder of OfficA. She has experience providing operational, project, and executive support to business owners, executives, and organizations.

Ori Luzia is a business storytelling and messaging consultant who works with founders, executives, and organizations to develop strategic narratives and communication strategies. With over a decade of experience, Luzia has partnered with more than 800 startups, venture capital firms, accelerators, and global organizations on investor pitches, company narratives, executive presentations, and keynotes. The consultant's work has supported funding and organizational initiatives totaling over $500 million.

Shani Zanescu is founder and general partner of Universe Partners, a deep tech investment firm focused on resilience-oriented technologies. With a background spanning a decade in foreign policy and national security followed by deep tech investing across $400M in managed assets, Zanescu invests in early-stage founders and companies developing base-layer technologies for infrastructure and economic systems. Zanescu serves as a board member and advisor to technology companies and institutions, and speaks on topics including deep tech financing, resilience-first technology, and innovation under pressure.

Sydney N. Fulkerson is a General Partner at Sunflower Fund who works with Web2 and Web3 founders and investment funds on storytelling and design services. Her work includes developing pitch decks, messaging frameworks, LP presentations, and websites for clients engaged in fundraising, hiring, and customer acquisition. She is based in Miami.

Tal Havusha Barak is a Social Media Manager at Poalim Tech with experience heading a digital marketing solutions company. He has worked in online marketing and the startup industry, providing marketing management services across social media channels and platforms. He has been associated with FusionVC, Place-IL, and Akamai.