In the office of Erel Margalit to hang pictures of Ben-Gurion, Teddy Kollek, and Winston Churchill. The entrepreneur surrounds herself with famous men, which links all of a property. «You are a leader with an entrepreneurial spirit,» says Margalit. A description that seems to fit him.
Erel Margalit is the founder and managing Director of Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP). The Venture Capital firm was recently listed by the prestigious industry service Preqin among the ten world’s consistently best performing funds.
JVP has collected since its founding in 1993, over a billion dollars, more than 120 companies in Israel, the United States and Europe and 28 of the largest Exits in the Region. In addition to Jerusalem, the company has offices in New York, London, Tokyo, and Shanghai. A Global Player, controlled from the Holy city.
Jerusalem as a Start-up center of Israel
Erel Margalit was born in kibbutz Na’an, has spent as a teenager and later as a Student for some years in the USA, which explains his liquid American English, but Jerusalem has shaped him. Here he studied at the Hebrew University. Here he met his wife, Debbie, with whom he has three daughters. And here, in 1990, began his career, as he competed with the Jerusalem Development Association his first Job, under the Aegis of the legendary mayor Teddy Kollek. Even then, it was to encourage high-tech companies.
As a collector in 1993 after 28 years in office — not re-elected, took Margalit to the opportunity to establish his own company: JVP. To had «the time I of 40,000 shekels in debt, two daughters and a third daughter was on the way,» says the Investor. You could say The Rest is history, an unprecedented success story.
The way to success: as a Young start high –
objectives The outcome in Jerusalem can today admire everyone, because the gate to the courtyard of the JVP. Of the Hebron road, one occurs in beds in a small urban oasis with Petunias, Bougainvillea and for the Region, atypical of a green lawn. In the «HaSadma» from Star restaurateur Assaf granite, it is perhaps the best coffee in the city, in the neighbouring Club «Zappa», every evening live shows from local and international top musicians.
Or, as the French President, Emmanuel Macron or Alibaba founder Jack Ma this year, and the business branches of the JVP to explain, the centres of excellence and incubators, the departments in which the founder of the Seed stage can be maintained up to the Exit. The Motto of the company: start Young, high goals. JVP invests in sectors such as the Agricultural and health technology, Cybersecurity, and Big Data.
The Media Quarter, JVP sits, consists of a series of white buildings, reminiscent of the Bauhaus and the designs of the American star architect Richard Meier. In fact, the neighborhood was built in the British mandate period. Here the crown had asylum their coin, «the Old Mint». Here it is today in the middle of the life of Jerusalem. Margalit says: «I believe in the power of the center, because creativity is transferred.» In addition, he likes contrasts: new media in the vicinity of the old town.
The Media Quarter, JVP is very close to the Cinematheque, the Khan theatre, to the old, long-disused train station, has become in the past few years, a key entertainment and a relaxing place of the city’s residents and visitors. And the potential of the neighborhood is not yet exhausted, when it comes to the maker. The view from the window of his office, he explains: «There is still much room. We want to build a whole Tech area here.“
Margalit says that he has now more time for new ideas. Because since last year he is sitting for the Zionist Union in the Knesset. Erel Margalit rejoices in the implementation of a supported Plan, the Campus of the art Academy of Bezalel from mount Scopus to the city centre, in the so-called Russian complex (once a huge pilgrim hostels) to move. There is a modern building of the Japanese Star Sanaa for 2500 students and 500 employees. It could be another Start-up centre.
Already today, are spread over the area of the city Cluster, the Tech-industry, in which academics, developers and entrepreneurs work Hand-in-Hand. Thus, in the high-tech Village of Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University, in the Biomed-Park for Life Sciences in Ein Kerem, located directly next to the famous Hadassah hospital in Malcha, where high-tech companies gather on 70,000 square meters, or in Har Hotzvim, one of the largest high-tech Center in Israel. The latter produced, for example, Mobileye, a company for Autonomous Driving, which was bought last year for $ 15 billion from Intel. The biggest Exit in Israel’s history.
progress peace can bring,
In Jerusalem, there are now 550 Tech companies with nearly 19,000 employees, the annual 400-Tech-Events visit. Young Creative flow layers, for example, to HaMiffal very close to the old town, to Events such as the «Brain & Beer,» or the monthly «FuckUp Nights» at the NGO Yad Levi Eshkol, where young entrepreneurs stories of low-tell were: «Because success is never final, and are never fatal.»
Margalit wishes for the future of Jerusalem, even better with deep beats deal, but also everyone involved, including the ultra-Orthodox community. «But we already see a change, the women lead.» Also in Arab East Jerusalem, there are encouraging developments, including a JEST, a Start-up organization focused on the Arab markets.
«Tech can point the way,» says Margalit. A successful, integrated Jerusalem of the different cultures can be a model for the world. From here you can build bridges, is convinced the JVP-Boss. He himself was already in the Arab countries, Qatar and Morocco-on-the-go, has spoken with many people about his home. Over Jerusalem, the city with the legendary past and the great future.
Jerusalem, for Tech enthusiasts — it’s worth it:
JVP: in addition to the office space there is in the JVP Media Quarter is also probably the best coffee in the city — in the «HaSadma» — as well as a Club. In the every evening live shows.
JEST (Jerusalem Entrepreneurs Society): the home of the Start-up scene. The JEST Hub offers Workshops, Events and other Services around the topic of entrepreneurship.
Made in Jlem: The most important network of Start-up Capital. On the Website, information about Events, Jobs and tours.
HaMiffal: The Name means as much as «the factory». Of a work of art, a collective launched «HaMiffal» Bar, a Café, a vegetarian Restaurant and Event Space at the same time. It is located in the heart of the city and is open to all.