TAU Ventures

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TAU Ventures

An early-stage venture capital fund affiliated with Tel Aviv University, investing in the next gener

At the heart of the start-up nation, TAU Ventures invests the first capital into startups and is dedicated to helping them transform their ideas into global businesses. TAU Ventures cultivates an innovation ecosystem by combining the resources and global network of Tel Aviv University, strong industry connections, and a supportive home-base for founders. Together with its world-leading team of experienced mentors, TAU Ventures empowers startups in their critical, early steps. At its 1000 sq meter co-working office space located in Tel Aviv, the team works shoulder to shoulder with their portfolio companies, nurturing their growth by drawing on the strength of its innovation ecosystem on a daily basis.

15/09/2026

ממסדרונות הקמפוס לבורסת ניו יורק 🚀

חברת XTEND, אחת ההשקעות הראשונות של TAU Ventures, קרן ההון סיכון של אוניברסיטת תל אביב, החלה להיסחר בבורסת ניו יורק (NYSE) בשווי של כ־1.5 מיליארד דולר.

החברה נוסדה בשנת 2018 על ידי אביב שפירא, מתאו שפירא, רובי ליאני ואדיר טובי. TAU Ventures הייתה המשקיעה הראשונה שלה וליוותה אותה כבר מראשית דרכה, באמצעות השקעה, חיבורים למשקיעים וללקוחות ותמיכה מקצועית.

בשנותיה הראשונות פעל צוות XTEND ממשרדי TAU Ventures בקמפוס. מאז התפתחה XTEND לחברת AI ורובוטיקה אוטונומית גלובלית, עם יותר מ־10,000 מערכות הפרוסות בלמעלה מ־30 מדינות.

המסחר ב־NYSE מסמן סגירת מעגל מרגשת: מחברה צעירה שפעלה בקמפוס של אוניברסיטת תל אביב לחברה ציבורית גלובלית בתוך פחות מעשור.

ההישג ממחיש את תפקידה של TAU Ventures בחיבור בין הידע והכישרונות שצומחים באוניברסיטה לבין ההון, התעשייה והרשת הבינלאומית הדרושים להפיכת רעיונות פורצי דרך לחברות מצליחות.

נמרוד כהן, מייסד ושותף מנהל TAU Ventures: "כשאביב ואני נפגשנו לראשונה לא היה ברור בכלל לאיזה כיוון הטכנולוגיה אותה רצו לפתח יכולה להגיע. היה חיבור טוב ברמה האישית ביני לבין אביב ובהמשך אל מול השותפים שלו, והרגשנו כולנו שהאקו סיסטם שבנינו סביב הקרן יכול לסייע להם לגבש את האסטרטגיה הנכונה, להגיע לשווקים הנכונים ולקבל את כל הכלים הדרושים כדי שהחברה תצליח. להיות לצד אביב והצוות בימים המרגשים בניו יורק, שם העלנו זכרונות מהימים הראשונים במשרדי הקרן, ועד השתתפות בטקס פתיחת המסחר בבורסה, נותן הרבה גאווה ומוטיבציה להמשיך ולחפש את היזמיות והיזמים הבאים להם נסייע לנסות ולהגיע לאותו מעמד"

TAU Ventures

08/09/2026

From flying drones around our offices to trading on the New York Stock Exchange at a $2B valuation.

XTEND Human Guided Autonomous Systems , our portfolio company, was one of our very first investments, and TAU Ventures was the company’s first investor.

In those early years, the team actually sat in our offices.
We watched them build, test and iterate, quite literally, with drones flying down the hallways and occasionally crashing into things along the way.

XTEND officially is trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and has already climbed to a valuation of around $2 billion.

There’s something pretty incredible about watching a company grow from those early days, when the technology was being built and tested right next door, into a global DefenseTech company trading on the public markets.

Aviv Shapira and the entire XTEND team, we couldn’t be prouder to have been there from day one.

20/08/2026

XTEND, our portfolio company, has secured a multi-year contract worth up to $15M with the Ministry of Defense of a European NATO member.

For us at TAU Ventures, this one goes back to the very beginning.
XTEND was one of our first investments, and TAU Ventures was the company’s first investor. We had the opportunity to back the team at its earliest stage, long before its technology was deployed by defense organizations around the world.

Now, on its way to becoming a publicly traded company on the NYSE, XTEND continues to demonstrate the growing global demand for its autonomous systems and what Israeli DefenseTech can bring to the global stage.

Congratulations to Aviv Shapira and the entire XTEND team on another important milestone.
Proud to have been there from day one.
Read more in CTech 👇

30/07/2026

One of the unique advantages of being Tel Aviv University's VC is the ability to bring together people who might not otherwise meet: global decision-makers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors all under one roof - our offices :)

This week, together with Tel Aviv University's Visitors Office, we hosted senior leaders from government, media, and the private sector from Latin America.

As TAU Ventures are uniquely positioned at the intersection of academia, entrepreneurship, and the ecosystem.

Our connection to the university creates opportunities that extend far beyond investing - bringing international leaders to engage directly with Israel's innovation ecosystem

During the visit, we shared our investment approach, introduced our portfolio, and exchanged perspectives on innovation and entrepreneurship

Thank you to Conexion Israel and Tel Aviv University's Visitors Office for making this visit possible. We look forward to many more meaningful conversations and collaborations.

06/07/2026

One of only 19 companies. Another major milestone for XTEND, our portfolio company.

XTEND has advanced to the next stage of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Drone Dominance Program, qualifying for Gauntlet II as one of only 19 companies selected to move forward.

The program is designed to procure tens of thousands of drone platforms for operational use by the U.S. military.

This is yet another validation that technologies developed by Israeli founders are being recognized for their ability to address some of the world’s most demanding operational challenges.

We’re proud to have backed XTEND from day one and to see the company’s impact continue to grow across the global defense ecosystem.

24/06/2026

🌱 What if plants could tell farmers they're sick before any symptoms are visible?

Congratulations to InnerPlant ,our portfolio company, on being named to Fast Company's 2026 World Changing Ideas Awards.

By turning plants into living sensors, InnerPlant helps farmers detect crop stress and disease earlier, enabling better decisions and reducing losses.

A great example of technology creating real-world impact.

Proud to be part of the journey. 🚀

👉 Full story in the comments.

23/06/2026

Congratulations to Hoopo, our portfolio company, for earning 2nd place in the Crowd Favorite category of The Globe's Most Promising Startups 2026🏆

This achievement reflects the voice of the community. Being recognized by thousands of voters is a testament not only to the strength of the technology but also to the value Hoopo is creating for its customers and its market.

As Hoopo continues to scale, the company is transforming global logistics by giving companies real-time visibility into their assets across complex supply chains. In an industry where every delay and blind spot matters, that kind of intelligence makes a real difference.

Looking forward to watching Hoopo continue to redefine visibility across global supply chains.

18/05/2026

“A big part of the talent, who they are and what they bring, comes from growing up in Israel. It gives them qualities that make them some of the best entrepreneurs in the world.” Ni**od Cohen, our managing partner.

That spirit was felt throughout Mind the Tech New York conference by Calcalist כלכליסט and בנק לאומי Bank Leumi brought together global leaders, investors, founders, and innovators for a week of conversations and exploration into the next phase of Israeli-American innovation.
Creating meaningful connections between the Israeli and NYC tech ecosystems.

Huge thanks for an incredibly meaningful week, and for continuing to build such a strong bridge between the Israeli and NYC tech communities.

The full article in the first comment

30/03/2026

Cyabra, our portfolio company, was built around a simple but critical question: how do we restore trust in a world where it’s increasingly hard to tell what’s real?
This vision has now reached an important milestone, with the company beginning to trade on Nasdaq 📈

We still remember the early days in our office, when Dan Brahmy and the team were just getting started - long conversations, bold ideas, and yes, quite a few FIFA games in between 🎮

From day one, what stood out was the clarity of thought and focus on a problem that truly matters, a conviction that also attracted strong investors and experienced leaders, including former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Long before it became a global conversation, Dan was deeply focused on the growing challenge of disinformation, fake accounts, and their real-world impact 🌍

We’re proud to be part of this journey from the very beginning, supporting Cyabra from its earliest days through its continued evolution.
Proud of you,Dan Brahmy, Yossef Daar, Ido Shraga and the entire Cyabra team 👏

29/03/2026

Early-stage teams are constantly stretched. There’s always more to do than there are hours in the day.

When done right, an intern isn’t another “task to manage” but a way to move forward projects that otherwise stay on the “someday” list.

At TAU Ventures, one of the advantages of being part of Tel Aviv University is the ability to create exactly these kinds of connections for our founders.

A great example is the flagship program of the Sofaer Global MBA at Tel Aviv University, where our portfolio companies collaborate with outstanding international MBA students through the fellowship program.

Last year, our portfolio company SLED.AI hosted two fellows and ultimately hired one of them. As Yonatan Pistiner, CEO of SLED.ai, shared:

“Since much of our work is focused on the U.S. market, working with American interns is incredibly valuable. They bring cultural understanding and help with many small but important details that are harder for us as Israelis to fully grasp.”

One of those fellows, Lily Stern, MBA, stood out from the start and is now a full-time member of the team.

This is the TAU Ventures ecosystem in action connecting global talent with our founders in a way that creates real value.

Address

Tel Aviv

Website

http://www.tauventures.co.il/

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