Yoav Leitersdorf Email and Phone Number
Yoav Leitersdorf, Managing Partner at YL Ventures, has been a successful tech entrepreneur and investor for over 25 years. He founded YL Ventures in 2007 to help brilliant seed-stage entrepreneurs transform their ideas into game-changing companies. Today, YL Ventures is fully focused on seeding cybersecurity startups.Under his leadership, YL Ventures has raised over $800M across four funds and expanded into a growing multidisciplinary team of experts supporting the most promising startups at every milestone with tailored value-add initiatives. He has also overseen the firm’s network grow into a vast arsenal of thousands of chief information security officers and cybersecurity experts keen to advance startup development from the earliest stages.YL Ventures was ranked 8th out of over 250 venture capital firms in PitchBook’s prestigious 2022 Global Manager Performance Score League Tables, and was the only cybersecurity-focused VC to secure a top 10 spot on the list.Yoav works from YL Ventures' headquarters in Silicon Valley to promote cybersecurity innovation and broaden its scope and impact across the global market. Over the past decades, YL Ventures has developed a track record of successful, high-profile portfolio company acquisitions by major corporations that include Palo Alto Networks, Microsoft, Okta and Proofpoint.Yoav regularly speaks and features in interviews about the state of the cybersecurity industry and writes articles for major tech publications, including TechCrunch, VentureBeat, CSO Online, Forbes, Business Insider and Vox. Prior to YL Ventures, Yoav founded, grew and sold three tech startups, worked at a leading U.S. venture capital firm, studied at IMD, and earned an MBA with honors from Columbia University.
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Managing PartnerYl Ventures Jan 2007 - PresentMill Valley, Ca, UsYL Ventures (www.YLVentures.com) funds and supports visionary cybersecurity entrepreneurs from seed to scale to help them evolve transformative ideas into market-leading companies. The firm accelerates company growth with tailored support through its powerful network of Chief Information Security Officers, global industry leaders, and a dedicated team of multidisciplinary experts. Based in Silicon Valley, New York and Tel Aviv, YL Ventures manages five funds with $800M in total AUM. The firm has a track record of seeding cybersecurity unicorns such as Axonius and Orca Security, and its portfolio companies have been successfully acquired by high-profile, global industry leaders including Palo Alto Networks, Microsoft, Okta and Proofpoint. In 2022, YL Ventures ranked 8th out of over 250 venture capital firms in PitchBook’s prestigious Global Manager Performance Score League Tables, and was the only cybersecurity-focused VC to secure a top 10 spot on the list. -
Seed InvestorMind Mar 2023 - PresentSeattle, Wa, UsMIND (mind.io) is on a mission to help organizations thrive in a digital world by protecting their most sensitive information. MIND is the first-ever data security platform that puts data loss prevention (DLP) and insider risk management (IRM) programs on autopilot to automatically protect sensitive information, mitigate risk and preserve brand reputation. We enable businesses to mind what really matters—their most sensitive data. Founded and led by cybersecurity leaders and industry veterans, MIND is based out of Seattle, WA. -
Seed InvestorMiggo Security Jan 2023 - PresentTel-Aviv, Tel-Aviv District, IlMiggo (miggo.io) is the first Application Detection and Response (ADR) platform, on a mission to stop application breaches. 80% of all cyber incidents take place in the application layer, however too many are being slipped by existing tools due to a blind spot to the actual application behavior. By using in-application runtime context, Miggo maps how applications actually operate in runtime, identifies high-risk application flows, pinpoints the weak spots, and provides real-time detection and response capabilities in the application layer. -
Seed InvestorGutsy Oct 2022 - PresentBaton Rouge, UsGutsy (www.gutsy.com) applies process mining to security to give enterprises a continuous, automatic, data-driven understanding of how all their tools and teams work together as part of processes. -
Seed InvestorAim Security Jul 2022 - PresentAim Security (www.aim.security) is the industry guide to secure GenAI adoption, equipping security leaders with the ability to drive business productivity while providing the right guardrails and ensuring proactive protection for all use cases across the entire organization, whether enterprise use or production use. Leading CISOs and security practitioners on their secure GenAI journey, Aim empowers enterprises to unlock the full potential of GenAI technology without compromising security. -
Seed InvestorGrip Security Jan 2021 - PresentTel-Aviv, IlGrip Security (www.grip.security), the pioneer in SaaS security, brings the industry’s most comprehensive visibility across an enterprise’s entire SaaS portfolio – known or unknown for SaaS applications, users, and their interactions – with extreme accuracy and deployment in minutes. Armed with deep visibility, Grip’s enforceable endpoint-centric approach secures all SaaS application access regardless of device or location as well as maps data flows to apply security policies – including data loss prevention. Grip works as a standalone platform or complements any CASB deployment with nominal resourcing and no performance degradation so enterprises can get a grip on their SaaS security. -
Seed InvestorCycode Sep 2019 - PresentNew York, Ny, UsCycode (www.cycode.com), the industry’s first source code control, detection and response platform, utilizes its unique Source Path Intelligence engine to seamlessly deliver comprehensive visibility into all of an organization’s source code and automatically detect and respond to anomalies in access, movement and usage. With Cycode, organizations are “Secured to The Source”; their security teams can rapidly and dramatically reduce the risk of source code loss without impacting developer access or productivity. -
Seed InvestorHunters.Ai Dec 2018 - PresentTel Aviv, Israel, IlHunters.AI (www.hunters.ai) is the industry’s first Autonomous Hunting solution. Hunters combines its unique Attack Intelligence, Hunting AI and Continuous Automation with the enterprise’s existing security data to transform enterprise threat hunting from hunt and hope to hunting that works. Hunters.AI generates and delivers actionable visualized attack stories allowing organizations to more quickly and effectively identify, understand and respond to attacks. -
Seed InvestorValence Security Jun 2021 - PresentSan Francisco, Ca, UsValence (www.valencesecurity.com) is the first Business Application Mesh security company, focused on managing the risks from third-party integrations and securing app-to-app connectivity in the modern business environment. Valence’s platform applies zero trust principles to the Business Application Mesh, a complex network of applications interconnected by APIs and hyperautomation workflows, to deliver comprehensive visibility into the risk surface, reducing unauthorized access and preventing critical data loss. With Valence, organizations get a clear view of the Business Application Mesh and a clear path to control, govern and secure it. -
Seed InvestorSatori Cyber Sep 2019 - PresentRehovot, IlSatori Cyber (www.satoricyber.com) is revolutionizing data protection and governance. It’s Secure Data Access Cloud seamlessly integrates into any environment to deliver complete data-flow visibility utilizing activity-based discovery and classification. The platform provides context-aware and granular data access and privacy policies across all enterprise cloud or hybrid data stores. With Satori Cyber, organizations and their security teams can confidently ensure that data security, privacy and compliance are in place, enabling data-driven innovation and competitive advantage. -
Seed InvestorOrca Security Jan 2019 - PresentPortland, Oregon, UsOrca Security (www.orca.security) is the Cloud Visibility Company. The Orca Cloud Visibility Platform utilizes its unique SideScanning™ technology to seamlessly deliver comprehensive full-stack visibility into all of your entire cloud infrastructure and assets in a fraction of the time and cost of alternative approaches. Orca gives IT security teams the power to enable “Security at the Speed of the Cloud.” -
Seed InvestorVulcan Cyber Mar 2018 - PresentTel Aviv-Yafo, Israel , IlVulcan Cyber (vulcancyber.com) is the industry’s first Continuous Vulnerability Remediation Solution. Vulcan integrates, automates and orchestrates existing tools and processes, eliminating the most critical risks caused by vulnerabilities while at the same time avoiding any unexpected impact to business operations. Vulcan closes the Vulnerability Remediation Gap, reducing dwell time from weeks and months to hours. -
Seed InvestorOpus Security Feb 2022 - PresentPalo Alto, UsOpus (www.opus.security) is a singular, overarching Cloud Security Orchestration and Remediation platform, transforming the way remediation is conducted in the cloud. Opus empowers cloud security teams to see beyond alerts and threats and gain control, knowledge, and capabilities to resolve them. Opus integrates with existing security tools and orchestrates the entire remediation process across all stakeholders and organizational environments, based on tried-and-tested, easily deployed guidelines and playbooks. Leveraging selective automation, Opus knows when sensitive issues demand human involvement and allows automation to resolve the rest, cutting down the time from detection to mitigation and conserving valuable resources. Finally, Opus provides security and business executives with immediate and tangible insights based on remediation metrics, with comprehensive visibility into the state of their risk. -
Seed InvestorEureka Security Oct 2021 - PresentTel Aviv, Israel, IlThe Eureka Cloud Data Security Posture Management platform (www.eureka.security) enables security teams to successfully navigate the ongoing and often chaotic expansion and growth of cloud data. Eureka automatically discovers entire enterprise cloud data store footprints, data store content and security and compliance risk while continuously monitoring, improving and communicating cloud data security posture and compliance. With Eureka, enterprise users are free to store, access and leverage data with guardrails that don’t interfere with business agility and operations, while security stakeholders are empowered to implement change rapidly and non-intrusively. -
Seed InvestorPiiano Jun 2021 - PresentTel Aviv, IlPiiano (www.piiano.com) pioneers privacy engineering infrastructure for cloud-native applications. Its PII protection and management platform redefines how enterprises build and approach privacy by resolving the inherent risks of sensitive data handling. Now enterprises can proactively manage and protect consumer data with the Piiano code scanner and PII Vault for streamlined PII visibility and segregation. Instantly gain the compliance, visibility and control your organization needs over this sensitive customer data. -
Seed InvestorRide Vision Mar 2018 - PresentHerzliya, Israel, IlRide Vision (http://ride.vision/) was created by technologists by day, motorbike riders by road, to give any motorcycle Predictive Vision. Ride Vision’s computer vision and neural network based CAT™ – Collision Aversion Technology leverages standard hardware and cameras to sense, predict and warn riders of threats on the road. Ride Vision can be incorporated into any new or traded motorbikes of any price range. -
Seed InvestorKaramba Security Mar 2016 - PresentHod Hasharon, Israel, IlKaramba Security (www.karambasecurity.com) is the world leader in embedded endpoint protection for connected devices. Connected device manufacturers in automotive, Industry 4.0, enterprise edge, and IoT rely on Karamba’s products and services to seamlessly protect their connected devices against cyberattacks. After over 60 successful engagements with Fortune 500 companies, connected device providers trust Karamba’s award-winning solutions for compliance and brand competitiveness when protecting their customers against cyberthreats. -
Seed InvestorSpera Security Jul 2022 - Dec 2023Tel Aviv, IlSecurity teams are lost in an identity jungle and burn time and resources by manually implementing identity security policies. Spera (www.spera.security) helps security teams take control of their identity sprawl, manage partially offboarded users and protect against stolen credentials and account takeovers. The company’s innovative platform provides visibility and contextualized insights into identities, permissions and actions, collected from identity providers and applications (SaaS, cloud providers and on-prem). Within a few weeks of the agentless deployment, organizations will minimize risk, improve business efficiency and ensure continuous identity compliance. Spera was acquired in December 2023 by Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA). -
Seed InvestorEnso.Security Aug 2020 - Jun 2023Tel Aviv, IlEnso (www.enso.security) is the first Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) solution, helping security teams everywhere eliminate their AppSec chaos with application discovery, classification and management. Founded by application security experts, Enso easily deploys into enterprise environments to create an actionable, unified inventory of all application assets, their owners, security posture and associated risk. With Enso security, any AppSec team can build a simplified, agile and scalable application security program. Enso was acquired in June 2023 by Snyk. -
Seed InvestorMedigate Sep 2017 - Jan 2022New York, Ny, UsMedigate (www.medigate.io) is the industry's first and leading dedicated Healthcare IoT security platform, enabling healthcare providers to safely deliver connected care. Medigate fuses its deep understanding of medical workflows and proprietary protocols with the reality of today's cybersecurity threats, so hospitals can confidently connect and operate all clinical assets on their network while ensuring patient privacy and safety. To date, Medigate has won more than 40 industry awards, including the 2021 Best in KLAS for Healthcare IoT Security, the SINET Innovator Award, Fast Company's Most Innovative Company Award, and being listed in Forbes' Top 20 IoT Start-Ups to Watch. Medigate was acquired in January 2022 by Softbank-backed Claroty for $400 million. -
Seed InvestorBuild.Security Mar 2020 - Sep 2021Sunnyvale, California, UsBuild.security takes the time and complexity out of authorization. The platform, built by developers for developers, enables lightning-speed application RBAC and ABAC with fine-grained access controls and decoupled logic. Leveraging the Open Policy Agent project and the power of open-sourcing, build.security uses API-based data sources to inform enterprise-grade access controls across application portfolios. With build.security, development teams can ensure that their applications meet critical standards and compliance requirements in just a matter of minutes. Build.security was acquired in September 2021 by Elastic (NYSE: ESTC). -
Seed InvestorAxonius Jul 2017 - Feb 2021New York, Ny, UsAxonius (www.axonius.com) is the cybersecurity asset management platform that gives organizations a comprehensive asset inventory, uncovers security solution coverage gaps, and automatically validates and enforces security policies. By seamlessly integrating with over 300 security and management solutions, Axonius is deployed in minutes, improving cyber hygiene immediately. Covering millions of devices at customers like The New York Times, Schneider Electric, AB InBev, Landmark Health, AppsFlyer, and many more, Axonius was named the Most Innovative Startup of 2019 at the prestigious RSAC Innovation Sandbox, was named to the CNBC 2019 Upstart 100 list, and was one of the 20 Rising Stars on the Forbes 2019 Cloud 100 list. YL Ventures' holdings in Axonius were acquired by ICONIQ and Alkeon for $270 million (company valuation of $1.1 billion) in February 2021. -
Seed InvestorTwistlock May 2015 - Jul 2019Trusted by 25% of the Fortune 100, Twistlock (www.twistlock.com) is the most complete, automated and scalable cloud native cybersecurity platform. From precise, actionable vulnerability management to automatically deployed runtime protection and firewalls, Twistlock protects applications across the development lifecycle and into production. Purpose built for containers, serverless, and other leading technologies - Twistlock gives developers the speed they want, and CISOs the control they need. Twistlock was acquired by Palo Alto Networks (NYSE: PANW) in July 2019 for over $410 million.
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Seed InvestorUpstream Commerce - Acquired By Walmart (Nyse: Wmt) Feb 2011 - Sep 2018Upstream Commerce (www.upstreamcommerce.com) offers SaaS-based intelligence and predictive analytics solutions that transform the way retailers price, select merchandise, and manage products in order to maximize sales and optimize margins. The Upstream Commerce Suite of Solutions empowers retailers to base all shopper-centric decisions on real-time market data. The company's highly configurable, flexible, and user-friendly platform enables retailers to effectively manage their pricing strategy through accurately tracking and comparing product pricing, availability and promotions using Price Intelligence; optimizing pricing using Predictive and Dynamic Pricing; optimizing product selection using Assortment Intelligence; monitoring MAP; making relationships with suppliers better informed; and bridging the gap between merchants and automation using Advanced Trending. Upstream Commerce delivers results to the largest and most innovative retailers in the world including Staples, ToysRUs, Petco, eBags, JEGS, top fashion retailers, and many others. Upstream Commerce was acquired by Walmart (NYSE: WMT) in September 2018.
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Seed InvestorHexadite - Acquired By Microsoft Mar 2014 - Jun 2017Hexadite (www.hexadite.com) is changing the way cyber incident response is done, with the first fully automated incident response solution that enables customers to rapidly investigate and close out all cyber alerts, in minutes instead of weeks. The Hexadite Automated Incident Response Solution maximizes customers' ability to investigate all alerts, post detection, to remediate the full extent of all breaches. This increases the customers' productivity, reduces ongoing costs associated with investigating and recovering from attacks, and strengthens their overall security. Hexadite was acquired by Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) in June 2017.
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Seed InvestorSeculert - Acquired By Radware (Nasdaq: Rdwr) Sep 2010 - Jan 2017Seculert's (www.seculert.com) Automated Attack Detection Platform, delivered as a service, removes the uncertainty in which IT security teams operate. The platform delivers continuous visibility and clarity into compromise and risk by automatically detecting attacks inside the network. Seculert delivers answers not questions, revealing exactly which devices and users are compromised. For the first time CISOs can measure and prove the effectiveness of their current advanced threat defense investments, all without deploying additional staff, hardware, software or changes to existing processes. Organizations worldwide use Seculert to identify known and unknown security threats, while enhancing the effectiveness of their existing IT security systems. Founded in 2010, Seculert has offices in the U.S., the U.K., and Israel. Seculert was acquired by Radware (Nasdaq: RDWR) in January 2017.
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Seed InvestorFirelayers - Acquired By Proofpoint (Nasdaq: Pfpt) Nov 2013 - Oct 2016FireLayers (www.firelayers.com) enables the responsible adoption of cloud apps, while ensuring security, compliance and governance of any cloud application on any device by any user. The FireLayers Secure Cloud Application Platform delivers full control over homegrown and popular apps like Salesforce, Office 365, SuccessFactors, NetSuite and endless others. Its Secure Cloud Application Platform, which features risk-based authentication, threat detection and prevention, empowers enterprises with new levels of security, visibility and control across their cloud resources. FireLayers provides the granular control IT teams need to create safe zones for productive work while protecting enterprise data, networks and financial transactions from malicious attackers, external threats and accidental risky employee behavior. FireLayers was acquired by Proofpoint (Nasdaq: PFPT) in October 2016.
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Seed InvestorBlazemeter - Acquired By Ca Technologies (Nasdaq: Ca) Aug 2011 - Sep 2016Palo Alto, California, UsBlazeMeter (www.blazemeter.com) ensures delivery of high-performance software by enabling DevOps teams to quickly and easily run open-source based performance tests against any mobile app, website or API at massive scale to validate performance at every stage of software delivery. The rapidly growing BlazeMeter community has over 100,000 developers and includes prominent global brands such as Adobe, Atlassian, Gap, NBC Universal, Pfizer and Walmart as customers. Founded in 2011, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California and Research & Development in Tel Aviv, Israel. BlazeMeter was acquired by CA Technologies (Nasdaq: CA) in September 2016. -
Seed InvestorClicktale - Holdings Acquired By Amadeus Capital Nov 2007 - Apr 2013Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, IlClickTale's end-to-end digital customer experience platform enables industry-leading enterprise customers to enhance revenues and exceed KPIs by drilling deep into consumer behavior through session replays, form analytics and data-rich heatmaps, coupled with in-depth expert analysis. The pioneer of enterprise Digital Customer Experience (DCX) Management, ClickTale's global customer base includes Fortune 500 companies and leading brands, such as Walmart, UBS, The North Face, Lenovo, Vodafone, MetLife, CNN and Adobe. ClickTale is the most advanced, robust enterprise-grade solution on the market, analyzing over 100 billion in-screen behaviors per month. YL Ventures' holdings in ClickTale were acquired by Amadeus Capital in several transactions between April 2013 and May 2014. -
Seed InvestorAcceloweb (Formerly Fasterweb) - Acquired By Limelight Networks (Llnw) Jul 2009 - May 2011UsAcceloWeb (www.acceloweb.com), the pioneer and leader in browsing experience optimization enables websites to accelerate page load times by factors of 2x to 10x, without requiring server-side code changes or client-side plug-ins. AcceloWeb's proprietary technology can work with or without content delivery networks to provide near-instantaneous Internet browsing, thereby improving user experience and increasing revenues. AcceloWeb was acquired by Limelight Networks (Nasdaq: LLNW) in May 2011. -
Founder, Managing Director And CeoMovota - Acquired By Bertelsmann Ag Dec 2003 - May 2006Movota, based in London, is the world’s most innovative mobile service provider for TV and radio broadcasters. Leitersdorf led Movota's foundation, strategy and development, and negotiated its multi-million dollar trade sale to Bertelsmann AG (Sep ‘05), Europe's largest media conglomerate ($23 billion in sales) – from identifying the market opportunity and inventing the products through to devising the marketing strategy, recruiting employees and successfully serving customers. Leitersdorf also led Movota’s financing – recruiting, negotiating and closing high-profile investors across 3 investment rounds. Leitersdorf sourced, negotiated and closed customers in over 12 countries, including Europe’s top-3 broadcasters (BBC, RTL Group and SBS Broadcasting) and top-2 TV producers (Endemol and FremantleMedia). Movota was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in September 2005.
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PrincipalLeitersdorf Ventures May 2003 - Mar 2004Venture consultant to the following industries: wireless telecom, consumer electronics, electronic payment systems, online media and entertainment, electronic commerce, interactive advertising, workflow applications and medical devices.
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AssociateDraper Fisher Jurvetson Gotham Ventures Dec 2001 - Apr 2003UsSourced, performed business due-diligence and monitored portfolio companies, which included the evaluation of over 1,000 startups in the New York region. -
PrincipalThe Nob Hill Project Oct 1999 - Dec 2000Venture consultant, investor and advisor to the wireless telecom industry. Leitersdorf helped launch several Silicon Valley based mobile data ventures.
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Founder And CtoExchangepath - Acquired By Cmgi Oct 1996 - Sep 1999Founded and held the position of CTO at ExchangePath, a New York based online payment company acquired by CMGI for over $25 million. Invented, patented and productized micro and peer-to-peer payment systems, and conducted partnerships with several content providers and financial institutions including Hoovers, Inc. and MasterCard International. ExchnagePath was acquired by CMGI in September 1999.
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Project ManagerNcc - Acquired By Elbit Systems Aug 1993 - Sep 1996Developed networking software for NetManage and PaperClip as well as virtual reality based simulators for the Israeli Defense Forces. Designed and implemented a dynamic counter allocation and display system for Tel Aviv’s International Airport.
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Founder And CeoPcentertainer Magazine Sep 1991 - Jul 1993Launched, operated, and then profitably sold the world’s first online multimedia magazine, providing information, tools, and advice that help consumers of PC software and hardware decide what to buy and how to get the most out of technology.
Yoav Leitersdorf Education Details
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Columbia Business SchoolMarketing -
ImdInternational Business
Frequently Asked Questions about Yoav Leitersdorf
What company does Yoav Leitersdorf work for?
Yoav Leitersdorf works for Yl Ventures
What is Yoav Leitersdorf's role at the current company?
Yoav Leitersdorf's current role is Managing Partner at YL Ventures | Ranked in Top 10 VCs Worldwide by PitchBook.
What schools did Yoav Leitersdorf attend?
Yoav Leitersdorf attended Columbia Business School, Imd.
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