Bob Blakley | Team8, Operating Partner

Team8 is a company-building venture group focused on enterprise technology, AI and cybersecurity headed by Nadav Zafrir, former chief of Unit 8200

 

Israeli startup foundry and venture group Team8 LLC announced Tuesday that Bob Blakley, previously the global head of information security innovation at Citigroup, joins Team8 as operating partner.

 

Blakley will drive Team8’s innovation strategy across the company and its startups. Blakley will lead research activities as part of developing strategies for the establishment of new companies. Blakley brings with him a deep understanding of cyber challenges in large organizations and extensive experience in setting up startups and strategically supporting those startups as part of the investment strategy by Citi Ventures.

Bob Blakley. Photo: Team8צילום: Team8

Founded in 2014 and based in Tel Aviv and New York, Team8 is a is a company-building venture group that creates companies and invests in companies specializing in enterprise technology, data, AI and cybersecurity. It is headed by Nadav Zafrir, former chief of Unit 8200, the Israeli military's NSA equivalent. Team8 characterizes industry cyber protection needs and develops related technologies, going as far as establishing, staffing, funding, and raising capital for companies that go on to operate under Team8's umbrella. Team8 has invested in 15 companies to date.

 

Team8 recently announced the creation of a new venture capital fund Team8 Capital, managed by Sarit Firon and Liran Grinberg. At the same time, Team8 intends to enter the fintech realm soon, which former Bank Leumi CEO Rakefet Rusk Aminoch is expected to join.