Invested by Aleph

Michael Eisenberg

How can values create value? Join Venture Capitalist and Author Michael Eisenberg as he speaks with global business leaders to explore the values and purpose behind their businesses, the impact of technology on humanity, and the humanity behind digitization. Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner of Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aleph is an early stage venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands.

  1. Saar Safra, Founder & CEO of Beewise, on Why Bees are a Matter of National Security, the Honey Laundering Scandal, and the AI Beekeeper That Never Sleeps

    3d ago

    Saar Safra, Founder & CEO of Beewise, on Why Bees are a Matter of National Security, the Honey Laundering Scandal, and the AI Beekeeper That Never Sleeps

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with Saar Safra, CEO & Co-Founder of Beewise, for a fascinating and urgent conversation about the collapse of bee colonies, the future of food security, and why AI and robotics may be essential to keeping the world fed. Saar explains why bees are a critical input into global agriculture, how the 175-year-old wooden hive became a bottleneck for modern farming, and why Beewise built the BeeHome: a solar-powered robotic hive using computer vision, sensors, AI models, and real-time treatment to protect colonies in the field. Drawing on Saar's background across P2P payments, ad tech, PropTech, Microsoft, and multiple exits, Michael and Saar unpack how a software entrepreneur ended up trying to save bees - and why pollination may be one of the most overlooked infrastructure problems in the global economy. They discuss: ·       Why bee colony collapse threatens the global food supply ·       How pesticides, monoculture, disease, varroa mites, and climate stress are killing colonies ·       How Beewise's AI beekeeper monitors bees and applies treatment automatically ·       Why beekeepers see BeeHome as help, not replacement ·       The hidden world of honey laundering and fake honey ·       Why pollination is becoming a matter of national security ·       How mission-driven technology can lower food costs and improve resilience Saar is CEO & Co-Founder at Beewise and a seasoned entrepreneur. He started his career as a software developer; in 2001 he became CTO of Ad4Ever, which was acquired by aQuantive, where he served as GM & VP of Rich Media. In 2007, aQuantive was acquired by Microsoft, where Saar served as Director of Rich Media Solutions until 2008, when he left to found ActiveBuilding, a pioneer in PropTech. ActiveBuilding was acquired by RealPage in 2013. Across the five companies he founded or joined before Beewise, Saar has had three successful exits. He received his MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. If you want to understand how AI, robotics, agriculture, food security, biodiversity, and entrepreneurship intersect - and why saving bees could mean lowering the cost of fruits, vegetables, and coffee - this episode is essential listening. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - 45% of Bee Colonies Die 03:06 - From Microsoft to Bees 06:51 - How Humans Broke Pollination 17:31 - The 175-Year-Old Hive Problem 20:10 - Trucking 200 Million Bees 25:04 - Bee Collapse Threatens Food Supply 29:35 - Pesticides, Disease, and Monoculture 32:47 - The AI Beehive Revolution 33:50 - Large Biological Models for Bees 35:14 - AI Stops Pesticide Poisoning 43:14 - Bees Are National Security 49:04 - Is AI Replacing Beekeepers? 51:17 - No Organic Honey in America 53:49 - The Honey Laundering Scandal 59:12 - Building Through Two Wars RESOURCES Follow Saar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saars Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    1h 8m
  2. David Siegel, Former CEO of Meetup & Investopedia, on Solving the Loneliness Crisis, Rescuing Meetup from WeWork, and Why Israelis are Happier than Americans

    Jun 3

    David Siegel, Former CEO of Meetup & Investopedia, on Solving the Loneliness Crisis, Rescuing Meetup from WeWork, and Why Israelis are Happier than Americans

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with David Siegel, former CEO of Meetup, former CEO of Investopedia, former President of Seeking Alpha, author of Decide & Conquer, and founder of the Israel Tech Mission. David has spent more than 25 years building and leading technology companies, but his most passionate mission has been tackling one of society’s fastest-growing challenges: loneliness. As CEO of Meetup, he led the global community platform through a dramatic turnaround, transforming it from a money-losing business into a profitable company while helping millions of people connect around shared interests, passions, and causes. In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael and David explore the roots of the loneliness epidemic, why social media and screens may be making people less connected than ever, and what can actually be done to rebuild community in modern society. David shares lessons from leading Meetup through COVID, selling multiple companies, scaling organizations, and retiring from full-time operating roles at age 50. More on in the episode: Why loneliness is more dangerous than smoking How Meetup grew into a global community platform spanning nearly every country The surprising origin story of Meetup after 9/11 Turning around a WeWork company losing $20 million annually Why social media increased loneliness instead of reducing it The cultural and technological drivers behind rising social anxiety Leadership lessons from building and selling companies The power of decision-making and creating your own luck Israel Tech Mission and bringing global tech leaders to Israel Why David believes mandatory national service is the best solution to the loneliness epidemic What Israel gets right about meaning, community, and belonging David Siegel is the former CEO of Meetup, the largest platform for finding and building local community. He has had two exits over the last six years where he drove investor returns of 5x and 7x. Prior to Meetup, David served as CEO of Investopedia and President of Seeking Alpha. Today he advises CEOs, serves on boards, teaches strategy and scaling at Tel Aviv University, hosts the Keep Connected podcast, and leads the Israel Tech Mission, which has brought hundreds of global technology executives to Israel. If you want to understand leadership, community, loneliness, company turnarounds, and what creates meaning in modern life, this episode is essential viewing. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:01 — Loneliness Worse Than Smoking? 02:03 — The Anti-Wall Street Career Path 05:04 — The DoubleClick Mafia Explained 08:23 — From HR to CEO 11:13 — How Michael Changed David's Career 13:27 — Adam Neumann's ‘27 Interviews’ 16:36 — Retired at 50. Then What? 18:08 — Meetup Was Born After 9/11 21:36 — Fixing A $20M WeWork Money Pit 24:02 — Revenue Is Not Evil 27:15 — Why Young People Are Lonelier 29:21 — Meetup's Biggest Product Mistake 34:22 — The DEI Debate at Meetup 40:08 — October 7th Changed Everything 59:57 — Mandatory Service Ends Loneliness RESOURCES Follow David on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmsiegel/  Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    1h 3m
  3. Oren Zeev, Solo VC Managing $3B, on Why Code Is No Longer a Moat, Surviving Navan's Worst IPO of 2025, and the Dangerous 10x Growth Mindset

    May 20

    Oren Zeev, Solo VC Managing $3B, on Why Code Is No Longer a Moat, Surviving Navan's Worst IPO of 2025, and the Dangerous 10x Growth Mindset

    On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Oren Zeev, a one-man VC with $2.7 billion AUM. Over the last three decades, Oren has quietly built one of the most remarkable track records in venture capital, backing category-defining companies including Audible, Chegg, TripActions/Navan, Tipalti, Houzz, Riverside, and more. Operating without a traditional partnership or even an office, Oren runs Zeev Ventures largely from Café Venetia in Palo Alto — relying on speed, conviction, and founder relationships to make investments that others often miss. In this candid and wide-ranging conversation, Michael and Oren unpack the psychology of venture investing, why most partnerships create “negative feedback loops,” and why missing a great company is far worse than making a bad investment. Oren explains how he evaluates founders in a single meeting, what makes a company defensible in the age of AI, and why adaptability matters more than code. They also go deep on the incredible story of Navan: from an accidental street encounter that sparked the investment, to existential battles with Delta Airlines, COVID reducing revenue to nearly zero overnight, near cash collapse during hypergrowth, and surviving one of the worst IPO receptions of 2025. The conversation also explores: Why AI is both destroying and strengthening moats The mental model behind successful venture investing Why proprietary data matters more than ever Lessons from Chegg’s collapse in the ChatGPT era Founder-led companies vs. corporate “dinosaurs” Why venture capital is entering its greatest era Israeli founders, resilience, and building global companies The dangerous obsession with unsustainable hypergrowth Oren Zeev is the founder of Zeev Ventures, a solo venture capital firm managing billions in assets and backing some of the most important technology companies of the last two decades. Prior to founding Zeev Ventures, Oren was a General Partner at Apax Partners. He has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world’s top venture investors and is known for his concentrated, high-conviction investing style. If you want to understand venture capital, startup moats, AI disruption, founder psychology, and what it takes to build enduring category leaders, this episode is essential viewing. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 – Intro  02:38 – Why Venture Partnerships Fail 04:42 – Missing 100x Companies Hurts More 07:00 – How Oren Decides in 24 Hours 10:04 – The Tiny Signal Behind Riverside 15:10 – Why AI Destroyed Chegg 18:27 – The New AI Moats 22:00 – Why Oren Is Bullish on Venture 25:04 – “Microsoft Will Kill It” Again 27:12 – The Accidental Navan Investment 31:08 – Delta Nearly Killed Navan 35:18 – COVID Sent Revenue to Zero 39:06 – Leadership Under Existential Pressure 44:18 – The Worst IPO of 2025 48:56 – Why Oren Still Believes Navan Wins 59:59 – The Dangerous “10x Growth” Obsession RESOURCES Follow Oren on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozeev/  Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    46 min
  4. Elad Raz, Co-Founder and CEO at NextSilicon, on Outperforming Nvidia on Efficiency, the Architecture No One Thought Possible, and What Happens When the Memory Bottleneck Breaks

    May 6

    Elad Raz, Co-Founder and CEO at NextSilicon, on Outperforming Nvidia on Efficiency, the Architecture No One Thought Possible, and What Happens When the Memory Bottleneck Breaks

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with Elad Raz, Founder and CEO of NextSilicon, for a deep dive into the future of compute - and why the AI revolution may be bottlenecked by the very chips powering it. In this technical and provocative conversation, Michael and Elad unpack what it actually means to “reinvent compute,” why today’s dominant architectures from Nvidia, Google, and Amazon may be fundamentally limited, and how NextSilicon is taking a radically different approach—one that replaces traditional CPUs and GPUs with a dynamically reconfigurable chip architecture. Drawing on Elad’s background in elite Unit 8200 and decades of experience in high-performance computing, he explains why most AI chips are solving for the present—not the future—and why the real breakthroughs may come from entirely new paradigms like dataflow computing. He also shares bold claims about performance, including running workloads up to 10x faster at a fraction of the power, and discusses NextSilicon’s role in building next-generation supercomputers for U.S. national labs. They discuss: - Why the world is entering the “age of compute” - What Nvidia—and the rest of the industry—may be getting wrong - The real bottleneck in AI: memory vs compute - Why faster AI often means dramatically higher cost - The difference between training, prefill, and inference architectures - Why future AI models may look nothing like transformers - The economics of chips, data centers, and trillion-parameter models - How NextSilicon’s architecture could reshape both HPC and AI Elad Raz is the Founder and CEO of NextSilicon, a deep-tech company redefining high-performance computing and AI infrastructure. A graduate of the IDF’s elite Unit 8200, Elad brings more than 20 years of experience in technology, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership. Before founding NextSilicon, he founded Integrity Project, which was acquired by Mellanox Technologies in 2014. Elad resides in Ramat Gan, Israel, with his wife and three sons. If you want to understand where AI infrastructure is really heading—and why the next wave may not belong to today’s incumbents—this episode is essential viewing. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro - “10x Faster, Quarter the Power” 00:35 - Secret Supercomputer in U.S. Labs 03:27 - “Reinventing Compute” vs Nvidia 05:27 - Why the World Needs Infinite Compute 08:23 - Throwing Away CPUs and GPUs 11:25 - 30x–100x Chip Throughput Explained 12:47 - “What Jensen Missed” 13:00 - Why Dataflow Failed—Until Now 17:23 - Top 500 Supercomputer Reveal Tease 25:22 - Why Faster AI Gets More Expensive 30:33 - “AI Chips Are the Dumbest Idea” 33:49 - Why Transformers Won’t Last 34:02 - “Fastest Compute on Earth” Claim 38:36 - NextSilicon Is NOT a Feature 58:03 - Compute Replaces Food and Energy RESOURCES Follow Elad on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eladraz/  Learn more about NextSilicon: https://www.nextsilicon.com/  Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    1 hr
  5. Amir Fischer, Teen Venture Capitalist, on Raising $2M, Cold-Emailing Billionaires, and Why His Generation May Have the Most Agency Ever

    Apr 15

    Amir Fischer, Teen Venture Capitalist, on Raising $2M, Cold-Emailing Billionaires, and Why His Generation May Have the Most Agency Ever

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with Amir Fischer, a 16-year-old investor, podcaster, and emerging venture capitalist who is building an entirely new investing thesis: teenagers backing teenagers. In this sharp and unconventional conversation, Amir explains how he started investing in public markets at age 10, built a $15,000-a-month ad agency at 14, cold-emailed 3,000 financial titans to launch his podcast, and raised a $2 million venture fund - legally set up in his mother’s name - to back the most exceptional teenage founders in the world. Michael and Amir explore what makes this generation different: growing up with the internet, adapting early to AI, and developing leverage far earlier than previous generations ever could. They also debate whether school is still the best use of time for ambitious young builders, why maturity matters more than intelligence, and how short-form content and algorithms are creating a “Great Bifurcation” between high-agency and low-agency people. They discuss: Why teenagers may be the most overlooked investment category in the world How Amir landed guests like Steve Cohen through relentless persistence Why some of the most talented teens are already working in crypto, AI, and trading The dangers of algorithm-driven short-form content How access to information is reshaping ambition, learning, and opportunity Where elite teenage founders actually come from Why Amir sees himself as a “kingmaker” for his generation Amir also reflects on identity, conviction, and the fear of mediocrity - and why young people should use their age as an advantage, not a limitation. Amir Fischer is the founder of Noar Ventures, a venture fund focused on investing in exceptional teenage founders, and the host of Generating Alpha, where he has interviewed some of the most prominent investors in the world. If you want to understand where the next generation of founders, investors, and capital allocators is coming from, this episode is essential viewing. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 01:55 - Why Invest Only in Teenagers 03:22 - Maturity Matters More Than Intelligence 06:16 - The Teen Who Made $100M 07:15 - Dylan Field Said Drop Out 08:01 - Is School a Waste of Time? 09:43 - Use Your Age as a Weapon 11:33 - Teen Talent Stories Are Insane 16:00 - Started Investing at Age 10 17:56 - Built a $15K/Month Agency 19:30 - Cold Emailed 3,000 Billionaires 20:25 - How Persistence Landed Steve Cohen 24:02 - YouTube, AI, and High Agency 26:36 - The Great Bifurcation Is Coming 28:03 - Why Short-Form Content Is Dangerous 30:57 - Why Teen Founders Should Choose Amir 35:06 - Sometimes the Best Advice Is None 36:16 - Biggest Mistake: Moving Too Fast 41:20 - Why He Wants to Be Kingmaker 44:12 - Why More Jews Must Speak Up 46:47 - What Happens When Amir Ages Out 47:11 - Why This Generation Is Different 51:00 - What Being 16 Still Can’t Do 52:24 - Where He Finds Exceptional Teenagers 55:01 - The Secret Teen Networks Online 56:58 - Core Value: Be Genuine RESOURCES Follow Amir on X: https://x.com/AmirF15336  Subscribe to Generating Alpha Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@generatingalphapodcast  Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Myron Shneider, Dalit Merenfeld Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    59 min
  6. Dr. Eli David, Top AI Researcher and Entrepreneur, on Free Speech, Woke AI, and Why We’re so Much Smarter Than Elephants

    Mar 30

    Dr. Eli David, Top AI Researcher and Entrepreneur, on Free Speech, Woke AI, and Why We’re so Much Smarter Than Elephants

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with Dr. Eli David, a leading AI researcher, entrepreneur, and one of the most outspoken voices in tech today. In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael and Eli explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, free speech, geopolitics, and the future of global power. From building and selling AI startups to amassing nearly a million followers on X through unapologetically unfiltered opinions, Eli shares why controversy, not consensus, drives both innovation and influence. They dive deep into the current state of AI - why today’s models are fundamentally inefficient, how “woke” training and RLHF shape model behavior, and why Eli believes the future of AI will come from radically different architectures and massive efficiency gains. The discussion expands into the global AI race, where energy - not algorithms - may determine whether the US or China wins. Beyond technology, the conversation turns sharply into politics and society: censorship vs. free speech, the role of social media as the modern town square, the implications of October 7th on global narratives, and why Eli believes the West is at a critical inflection point. They discuss: How Eli grew from AI researcher to viral X personality Why unfiltered speech outperforms polished narratives The hidden biases inside AI models and training systems Why current AI is powerful - but deeply inefficient China vs. the US in the race for AI dominance Free speech, censorship, and the future of online platforms Israel’s role in the global AI ecosystem and talent war Why startups and controversy share the same DNA Dr. Eli David is a leading AI researcher and entrepreneur who has founded several successful AI-based companies. In 2025, the State of Israel selected Dr. David as a national Torch Lighter at the 77th Independence Day ceremony - one of the country's highest civilian honors - in recognition of his pioneering contributions to AI. If you want to understand where AI is really heading - and why the biggest debates around it are no longer technical but ideological - this is an essential and unfiltered conversation. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 01:30 - From Unknown Founder to X Influencer 02:30 - October 7 Broke My Career - Then Blew It Up 03:30 - Posting War Footage Got Me Cancelled 04:30 - Why Macron Became My Favorite Target 05:30 - AI Humor Still “Too Soft” 06:30 - AI Is Rigged by “Woke” Trainers 08:00 - RLHF = Forced Political Bias 09:30 - Truth-Seeking AI Should Offend You 10:30 - Free Speech Has No Moral Authority 12:30 - Censorship Is Pure Power Struggle 14:00 - “Don’t Like It? Leave the Platform” 16:30 - No One Took Neural Nets Seriously 20:00 - AI Is Powerful - but Fundamentally Stupid 24:30 - China Winning AI Through Energy 28:30 - Experts Kill Innovation – Outsiders Win 33:00 - My Team is Smarter Than I Am 36:30 - Startups Require Delusion and Arrogance 41:30 - Iran Is the Real Global Threat 47:30 - AI Will Destroy SaaS… Eventually 51:00 - Israel Risks Losing AI Talent RESOURCES Follow Eli on X: https://x.com/DrEliDavid  Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    57 min
  7. Ami Daniel, Co-Founder and CEO of Windward, on Global Supply Chain Disruptions, How Much Ransom Costs to Cross the Strait of Hormuz, Global Navies’ Capabilities, and How Long This Whole Thing Will Last

    Mar 23

    Ami Daniel, Co-Founder and CEO of Windward, on Global Supply Chain Disruptions, How Much Ransom Costs to Cross the Strait of Hormuz, Global Navies’ Capabilities, and How Long This Whole Thing Will Last

    On this episode of Invested, Michael Eisenberg sits down with Ami Daniel, co-founder and CEO of Windward, for a deep dive into one of the most important global trade chokepoints: the Straits of Hormuz. In this urgent conversation, Michael and Ami unpack how the closure and disruption of the Straits of Hormuz could affect the global economy, oil prices, LNG and LPG exports, container shipping, fertilizers, steel, food supply chains, and the future of maritime security. Drawing on Ami’s expertise in maritime AI and naval strategy, he explores why the Strait of Hormuz is far more than an oil story, and why its disruption impacts nearly every country, industry, and consumer in the world. They discuss: Why the Straits of Hormuz matter to global trade How Iran’s actions could reshape shipping routes, energy markets, and maritime logistics The role of naval power, mines, drones, and maritime chokepoints The ripple effects on Europe, Asia, developing markets, and the wider global economy Why this crisis could have lasting implications for inflation, supply chains, and geopolitical stability Ami Daniel is the Co-founder & CEO of Windward, a leading Maritime AI company transforming global trade through predictive intelligence and big data analytics. As a former naval officer, he brings deep maritime expertise and a passion for AI-driven risk management, compliance, and operational optimization. Under his leadership, Windward has pioneered AI solutions for governments, financial institutions, and commercial entities. His insights on maritime AI, sanctions, and supply chain resilience have been featured in major publications, including The New York Times, The Economist, and Financial Times. If you want to understand the intersection of geopolitics, maritime trade, oil markets, shipping intelligence, and global risk, this episode is essential viewing. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts! KEY TOPICS  00:00 - Intro 02:22 - “Not Just Oil” – Everything Is Hit 05:29 - Why Nobody Stopped Iran Earlier 07:40 - Mines, Drones, and Maritime Warfare 09:10 - Can Anyone Actually Reopen Hormuz? 09:20 - $500M Cargo Trips Becoming Normal 10:15 - Suicide Boats vs Global Trade 12:03 - Fuel Shortages Spreading Globally 12:50 - Modern Piracy: Iran’s Cash Playbook 14:30 - Hundreds of Ships Trapped in Gulf 15:40 - “Everything Is Stuck” – Global Supply Shock 19:38 - Why Oil Can’t Be Replaced 21:40 - US Quietly Allows Sanctioned Oil Trade 30:20 - 80% of Iranian Oil Goes to China 41:35 - One Mine Can Shut Global Trade Again RESOURCES Follow Ami Daniel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amidaniel/  Learn more about Windward: https://windward.ai/  More from Windward research: Iran War at Sea: How the Conflict Is Disrupting Global Trade and Energy Strait of Hormuz Shipping Falls After Insurance Pullback Bulk Carriers Find New Route Out of Hormuz Strait Subscribe to Invested: https://content.aleph.vc/invested Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc  Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/ Subscribe to Aleph’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/ Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/ Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph?s=20  ‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/ ‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Erica Marom  Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic  Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar  Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg Design: Nimrod Sapir

    49 min
  8. Agency Under Fire: Israel’s Resilience, Innovation, and the Future of Techno-Geopolitics | An Invested Special Episode

    Mar 9

    Agency Under Fire: Israel’s Resilience, Innovation, and the Future of Techno-Geopolitics | An Invested Special Episode

    In this special solo episode, Michael Eisenberg shares reflections from Israel during wartime. Speaking from Tel Aviv shortly after a siren sends residents to shelters, Michael offers a firsthand perspective on how Israelis are living, working, and building amid ongoing rocket attacks and regional conflict. At the center of the story is Israel's remarkable ability to produce agency at scale – and the cultural forces that drive Israelis to act, innovate, and support one another even in moments of crisis. Michael also steps back to discuss the bigger picture. As global conflict intensifies and geopolitics increasingly intertwines with technology, he argues that resilience, sovereignty, and technological capability will define the next era. From defense technology and artificial intelligence-enabled coordination to the continued momentum of Israel's startup ecosystem, this episode examines how war accelerates innovation and reshapes global investment and power. Part reflection, part analysis, this episode offers a window into the mindset of a nation under pressure — and why Michael believes Israel's culture of resilience, entrepreneurship, and initiative will play an outsized role in the technological and geopolitical landscape of the coming decade. Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!

    11 min
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5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

How can values create value? Join Venture Capitalist and Author Michael Eisenberg as he speaks with global business leaders to explore the values and purpose behind their businesses, the impact of technology on humanity, and the humanity behind digitization. Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner of Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aleph is an early stage venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Eisenberg
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Explicit

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