CTalk
“In many cases the first market should not be America”
Talor Sax, founder and managing partner of eHealth Ventures, speaks to CTech at Calcalist, CTech and Bank Leumi’s Mind The Tech conference in Berlin.
Talor Sax, founder and managing partner of eHealth Ventures.
(Video: Encore)
Talor Sax, founder and managing partner of eHealth Ventures, told CTech during Mind the Tech Berlin 2025 that Israeli startups should not assume the United States must always be their first destination. “In many cases the first market should not be America,” he said, adding that each company needs to evaluate where its initial step makes the most sense.
Against the backdrop of tightening business regulations expected in Europe, Sax noted that the continent can still serve as a strong launchpad for young companies. “Regulation is hard anywhere” he said, arguing that the real question is where revenue opportunities exist.
According to Sax, many founders underestimate the challenges of entering the US market. “If you go to America and you’re unable to sell anything, no matter the regulations, you’re dead. The question is ‘where are my customers?’”
He explained that in America in many cases, there are barriers that founders may not see see from outside, “like very strong and cruel competition.” Regarding healthcare startups specifically, he pointed out that the US health system is highly private and structurally different from Israel’s, while Europe offers more comparable models that may align better with Israeli business strategies. Sax emphasized that market selection is ultimately situational and that “there is no one answer for all.”
You can watch the entire exchange in the video above.
