OurCrowd MD to speak in Sydney
Sydney-born venture capitalist Dan Bennett has brought the start-up nation home to Australia.
Dan Bennett
With a background in private banking, investment and law, Bennett has a passion for all things entrepreneurial and an innate love of Israel. It was this combination that brought him back from his career in London to take on the position of Managing Director of the Australian office of OurCrowd – a cutting-edge equity crowdfunding investment platform nurturing Israeli innovation by providing early stage capital. “There is no better way to create a strong Israel than by supporting its young entrepreneurs and innovation,” he says.
Bennett will be talking to the community about this venture at the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies plenum in Darlinghurst on Tuesday evening, February 17.
Founded two years ago in Jerusalem by Jon Medved – one of The New York Times’ 10 most influential Americans to impact Israel – OurCrowd is breathing new life into the global venture capital space. With the help of Sydney investment guru Geoff Levy and tech-mogul David Shein, OurCrowd has extended its global reach to over 60 countries, recently opening its Australian office to serve as a launch-pad into the Asia-Pacific region.
OurCrowd has introduced a new philosophy to connect global investors with Israeli start-ups. Their point of difference allows sophisticated investors to invest as little as $10,000 and to choose the company to invest in. Approximately 75% of their investments emanate from Israel – the country with the highest number (per capita) of start-ups in the world.
The Israeli office has a staff of 50, who, together with the global team, identify promising start-ups, help manage the investment and provide ongoing mentorship. With a keen interest in cyber security, medical technology, agricultural technology and e-commence. OurCrowd has invested over $100 million in 56 businesses – and counting. Among the many success stories, Rewalk – an Israeli start-up that invented a revolutionary technology allowing individuals with spinal cord injuries to walk – has been cleared for personal use in the US and was successfully listed on the NASDAQ.
Investors have played their part in making ground breaking technologies possible, such as the world’s first commercialised hand-held molecular sensor, a fingerprint authentication for firearm safety, multiple cyber-attack prevention systems and patient-specific 3D imaging for surgical rehearsal.
OurCrowd seeks to nurture Israeli industries and encourage economic ties between Israel and the rest of the world, while providing its investors with attractive investment opportunities. It capitalises on funds from within and outside the community together with sophisticated institutional funds with Bennett noting that: “the world is welcoming with open arms the attractive investment opportunities created by Israeli innovation”.
The first OurCrowd global summit was held in Jerusalem late last year. It attracted over 1000 attendees including current investors, potential investors, innovators and key media. Amongst other notable speakers, they were addressed by Danny Gold, inventor of the Iron Dome anti-missile system and the Major of Jerusalem
Dan Bennett will address the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies plenum at the Benefactors Hall on Tuesday 17 February at 7.30pm. Inquiries: 9360 1600
