BlazePod founder Yaniv Shneiderman dies after battle with brain cancer
The entrepreneur who built a global sports-training platform leaves behind a legacy of innovation and community.
Yaniv Shneiderman, founder of Israeli sports technology company BlazePod, has died at the age of 47 after battling glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Shneiderman was best known as the entrepreneur behind BlazePod, a company he founded in 2015 that developed a training system combining portable light-emitting pods with a mobile application. The system is used in sports and fitness settings to improve physical reaction time, cognitive performance, and training responsiveness. Over the years, BlazePod expanded internationally and became one of Israel’s more visible sports-tech exports, used by athletes, coaches, and rehabilitation professionals.
His death was announced by the company in a statement describing him as the driving force behind both its product and its culture.
“With a broken heart we announce the passing of our founder, our friend, and incredible human being, Yaniv Shneiderman,” BlazePod said of its CEO.
“It’s his vision, passion, drive and genuine love for the product and community that has got us where we are today. He truly believed in the positive impact of BlazePod and created a family ethic throughout the team and beyond.
“His light will continue to shine bright through his beautiful family, and his legacy will live on through BlazePod.”
Beyond the company’s commercial success, Shneiderman was widely described in Israel’s sports-tech ecosystem as a distinctive and principled figure.
Oren Simanian, founder and CEO of sports-tech innovation group Colosseum, said Shneiderman combined entrepreneurial drive with personal integrity in a way that left a lasting impression.
“Above being a top founder, entrepreneur, innovator, and an expert by all means, he was a Mench, he was a friend,” Simanian said.
“He was always honest, modest, and telling the truth, even when it wasn’t so easy to hear. He was one of a kind.”
Simanian added that Shneiderman’s impact extended well beyond the company he built.
“His invention BlazePod had a positive impact on so many people around the world and will have in the future,” he said.
