Founder Stories

F2 Capital

Founder Stories is all about the life, journey and chutzpah of Israel’s visionaries in business, life and culture.

  1. 23/12/2020

    Iron Man - Ziv Shilon

    While serving as an officer in the IDF, Captain Ziv Shilon lost his left arm and severely injured his right in an IED explosion. Since then, Shilon has competed in the most challenging physical competitions on Earth, including the Berlin Marathon and Iron Man, while inspiring thousands as a volunteer, mentor and lecturer. Today, Shilon is Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Pollli, a high growth startup in the fintech space.

    37 min

  2. 02/12/2020

    Visual Music Machines - Mordechai Braunstein

    While working a concert backstage a sound engineer, Mordechai Braunstein accidentally turned up the amplifier too high and felt the sound wave vibrations shake his muscles and even his teeth. That experience inspired Braunstein to invent visual music machines that translate live music into a tactile musical experience, and launch CyMagic to show tens of thousands of deaf children around the world how music looks and feels. The father of two young children, Braunstein has big plans for CyMagic and the future of sound. Mordechai is also a pioneering activist raising awareness for the issue of violence against women.

    29 min

  3. 04/08/2020

    Leket Israel Founder - Joseph Gitler

    In 2003, Joseph Gitler founded Leket Israel - The National Food Bank - as a one-man volunteer operation to respond to the paradox of growing hunger and poverty in Israel, on the one hand, and significant food waste on the other. Today, Joseph’s operation has grown to distribute over 40 million pounds of food to Israel’s socio-economic periphery through its partnerships with 200 nonprofit organizations, feeding more than 175,000 people every week.  With 105 employees, a fleet of delivery vehicles and tens of thousands of volunteers, Leket now operates the greatest logistical and human resource capacity of any single food provision agency in Israel.

    36 min
  4. Social Activist - Ashager Araro

    21/07/2020

    Social Activist - Ashager Araro

    Ashager Araro is the woman breaking down barriers in Israel. Born in Ethiopia, Araro came to Israel as an infant on Operation Solomon, a covert military mission that airlifted Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1991. She grew up with seven siblings and rose to the rank of Lieutenant in the IDF Paratroops. Following her military service and studies, Araro pursued a career in diplomacy and social advocacy, visiting countries around the world to engage audiences as a proud black, Jewish, Israeli woman. Araro is also the founder of Bettea, an interactive, Ethiopian Israeli Heritage Center for visitors to explore and appreciate the story of Ethiopian Jews in Israel.

    27 min
  5. Playbuzz Founder - Shaul Olmert

    01/07/2020

    Playbuzz Founder - Shaul Olmert

    Shaul Olmert went from teaching computers at a high school in Jerusalem to running the most powerful publishing platform on Facebook. In 2013, Shaul co-founded Playbuzz, an online content publishing platform that grew from 0 to 80 million users in 10 months and reached more users than The Huffington Post, New York Times, Fox, NBC and the BBC. Olmert is also the son of former Jerusalem Mayor and Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. He has dined with Presidents, and their families, and opens up to us about his drive to create and make a lasting impact.

    36 min

  6. 03/05/2020

    Veteran Reporter – Dina Kraft

    Dina Kraft has been capturing stories from Israel for more than 20 years as a correspondent for Haaretz and The Christian Science Monitor. The veteran reporter is also the founder of “The Branch,” a monthly podcast where she meets pairs of Jews and Arabs working together in different realms throughout Israel. Formerly with The Associated Press, Dina has reported from hot spots in Africa, Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia, Russia and Ukraine, and is a regular contributor to The New York Times.

    32 min

  7. 20/04/2020

    Yoga Star – Nicki Forman

    Born in South Africa, Nicki Forman was a lawyer before turning her attention and her heart to yoga. She spent the next twenty years searching for the right yoga philosophy, schlepping her young family around the world from one ashram to another. It was on one fateful trek in India that Nicki had an out-of-body experience where she fell into her own teachings that led her to found Aruna Yoga and inspire people across Israel and the world.

    39 min

  8. 17/02/2020

    Investor & Author – Daniel Shinar

    Daniel Shinar has invested over $100 million into Israeli technology companies for Access Industries, the investment vehicle of the world’s 27th wealthiest person. Daniel is also the best-selling author of cyber espionage novel “Red Skies” based on his previous life as an IDF intelligence analyst.

    25 min
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About

Founder Stories is all about the life, journey and chutzpah of Israel’s visionaries in business, life and culture.

Information

  • Creator
    F2 Capital
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2020
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Founder Stories
  • Show Website
    Founder Stories