Amidst war: A new venture capital fund for dual-use technologies was established in Israel

The fund, dubbed 2i Ventures, will focus on investments in start-up companies that develop technology for civilian and defense applications

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly established fund, named 2i (Dual Impact) Ventures, will focus mainly on investments in start-up companies engaged in the development of technologies for both civilian and defense applications. In addition, the fund will help make civilian technologies accessible to the defense market, which currently enjoys record high budgets. The fund began its activity after an initial closing of funds raised from Israeli, American and European investors, and in conjunction with its initial investment activity, mainly in areas that correlate with its strategic partners, the fund continues to raise capital.

2i Ventures was established by Altshuler Shaham, one of Israel's leading investment houses, together with Moshe Weingarten, CEO of Altshuler Shaham Global, and Ehud Hai, a former partner in Vintage Investment Partners' funds, who led various investments such as Sentinel One, Tufin, Autotalks and more.

Gadot group, a multinational leader in the field of management and operations in the chemical value chain and a co-owner of the Port of Haifa, also joined 2i Ventures, as an investor and strategic partner. The fund signed a strategic partnership agreement with Maf'at (Directorate of Defense Research & Development), the world-renowned R&D arm of the Israeli defense establishment. Another partner who joined the fund is Dror Erez, a serial entrepreneur and formerly co-founder and VP of Technology at Conduit.

2i Ventures made an investment in Israeli based Quantum Machines, which is engaged in the field of quantum computing, with leading venture capital investors such as Battery Ventures, TLV Partners, Red Dot Capital Partners, Avigdor Willenz and more. Quantum Machines was commissioned for the establishment of the Israeli quantum computing center, and boasts many significant clients such as governments, universities, and corporations around the world.

The fund's partners stated: "Innovation never stops, and it further accelerates in challenging times such as these. Market corrections in the field of venture capital, together with increased investments in national security, represent significant opportunity for the fund, which offers unique perspective and value to technology ventures, together with its partners and side by side with other venture capital funds."

SOURCE 2i Ventures