About
Yisroel Brumer is a Founding Partner at Red Cell, and Co-Founder and CEO of DEFCON AI as well as Co-Founder, Executive Vice Chairman, and former CEO of Zephyr AI, both Red Cell portfolio companies. Before joining the firm, he held executive roles in the U.S. Department of Defense, most recently as Acting Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, where he oversaw major investment programs and strategic portfolio reviews. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics and an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Harvard University.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningDefense Tech
Experience
- DEFCON AICo-Founder and Chief Executive Officercurrent2022 — present
- Zephyr AICo-Founder/Executive Vice Chairmancurrent2022 — present
- Zephyr AICo-founder/CEO2020 — 2022
- Bretton Woods CommitteeMembercurrent2025 — present
- TARA MindBoard Membercurrent2024 — present
- Red Cell PartnersFounding Partner2024 — 2026
- Red Cell PartnersPresident2022 — 2024Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Red Cell PartnersCo-Founder and Partner2020 — 2022
- Office of the Secretary of DefenseActing Director and/or Principal Deputy Director, OSD/CAPE2018 — 2020Arlington, Virginia, United States
- Office of the Secretary of DefenseDeputy Director (Analysis and Innovation), OSD/CAPE2017 — 2018Arlington, Virginia, United States
- Office of the Secretary of DefenseDirector, Strategic, Defensive, and Space Programs2012 — 2017Arlington, Virginia, United States
- Office of the Secretary of DefenseDirector, Program Analysis Division2011 — 2012Arlington, Virginia, United States
- Office of the Secretary of DefenseOperations Research Analyst2005 — 2011Arlington, Virginia, United States
- U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityAAAS Homeland Security Fellow2004 — 2005Washington DC-Baltimore Area
- Harvard UniversityPostdoctoral Research Scientist2003 — 2004Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Harvard UniversityGraduate Student Researcher1999 — 2003Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Investments
Board seats
Zephyr AI
Investor
DEFCON AIZephyr AI
Sources: SEC Form D filings · the firm's website.
Colleagues at Red Cell Incubation
Alan Shaffer
Senior Advisor, National Security & Healthcare at Red Cell Incubation
Aly Carbaugh
Junior Analyst at Red Cell Incubation
Amanda Aguayo
Co-Founder, Hunted Labs at Red Cell Incubation
Aniqua Bokhari
Legal Counsel at Red Cell Incubation
Anne Powers
Executive Assistant at Red Cell Incubation
Arianna Urekew
Senior Operations Associate, National Security at Red Cell Incubation
Ava Thompson
Marketing Associate at Red Cell Incubation
Barrett Yates-Mack
Chief Financial Officer at Red Cell Incubation
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Yisroel Brumer?
- Yisroel Brumer is a Founding Partner at Red Cell, and Co-Founder and CEO of DEFCON AI as well as Co-Founder, Executive Vice Chairman, and former CEO of Zephyr AI, both Red Cell portfolio companies. Before joining the firm, he held executive roles in the U.S. Department of Defense, most recently as Acting Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, where he oversaw major investment programs and strategic portfolio reviews. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics and an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Harvard University.
- Where does Yisroel Brumer work?
- Yisroel Brumer is Founding Partner at Red Cell Incubation.
- What does Yisroel Brumer invest in?
- Yisroel Brumer invests in AI & Machine Learning, Defense Tech.
- What boards does Yisroel Brumer sit on?
- Yisroel Brumer holds tracked board seats at Zephyr AI.
- What companies has Yisroel Brumer invested in?
- Investments tracked here include DEFCON AI, Zephyr AI.
- Where did Yisroel Brumer go to school?
- Yisroel Brumer studied at Harvard University (Ph.D., Chemical Physics); Harvard University (Master's degree, Chemistry); University of Toronto (Bachelor's degree, Chemistry/Mathematics/Biology).
Founder mafias
University of Toronto mafia101
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Ilya SutskeverPhDFounded Safe Superintelligence +1Nick FrosstBachelor's of ScienceFounded CohereJeffrey KarpPhDFounded Tissium +3Shvet JainMAScFounded Panther +1Kiran GolluM.Sc.Founded Oodle +1Alex LevyFounded Atmo +1
+ 94 more
Red Cell Incubation mafia7
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Grant VerstandigFounder, Chairman, & CEOFounded Trase +3David SilvermanPresident and Managing PartnerFounded CrossLeadBrian CarbaughCo-Founder & CEO, Andesite; Senior Advisor, Cyber & National SecurityFounded AndesitePeter EmighFounder & President, Savoy LifeFounded Savoy LifeDan KultranCo-Founder & CEO, ClarosFounded ClarosKunal SethyEntrepreneur in Residence, Sparrow HealthcareFounded HealthPals
Same school
Also attended Harvard University1,558
Alfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalChris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen HorowitzSarah TavelVenture Partner at BenchmarkDanny RimerPartner at Index VenturesLaela SturdyManaging Partner at CapitalGBill GatesCo-founder of Microsoft; Chair of the Gates Foundation
+ 1,552 more
Also attended University of Toronto341
Ilya SutskeverCo-founder of OpenAI; co-founder & CEO of Safe SuperintelligenceNick FrosstCo-founder of CohereYasmin RazaviInvestor at Spark CapitalImran BashirFounding Partner, Chief Operating Officer at Extreme Venture PartnersKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y Combinator
+ 335 more
Shared employers
Also worked at DEFCON AI3
Also worked at Zephyr AI6
Steve MurrayAdvisor, Revolution Growth at RevolutionGrant VerstandigFounder, Chairman, & CEO at Red Cell IncubationTroy BurtonHead of Product at Red Cell IncubationKatie StappSenior Human Resources Manager at Red Cell IncubationChip NashEntrepreneur in Residence, Healthcare at Red Cell IncubationJeff ShermanCo-Founder and CTO, Zephyr AI at Red Cell Incubation
Also worked at Bretton Woods Committee2
Also worked at Red Cell Partners59
Geyer JonesFormer Chief Strategy Officer at RSA Security at Scale Venture PartnersBill GearyExecutive Partner at Flare Capital PartnersGrant VerstandigFounder, Chairman, & CEO at Red Cell IncubationGeorge BarnesPresident, Cyber Practice at Red Cell IncubationTroy BurtonHead of Product at Red Cell IncubationVeronica DaiglePresident, National Security Practice at Red Cell Incubation
+ 53 more