BlackRock in talks for major investment in creative-tech firm Artlist
The Israeli startup says it is in ongoing discussions with investors as demand for video creation platforms accelerates.
American financial giant BlackRock is considering a significant investment in Israeli company Artlist, Calcalist has learned. The two sides recently held talks, including meetings in Israel, to examine the potential investment. Artlist responded: “Artlist is experiencing accelerated and significant growth and is continuously in contact with potential investors.”
Artlist is a creative-technology company that helps creators and organizations worldwide bring their visual projects to life. The platform offers AI tools for generating images, video, and sound, alongside a rich catalog of high-quality digital assets and editing tools that enable users to achieve professional results and stay aligned with leading creative trends. With over 30 million customers, including global brands such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Versace, Artlist provides an end-to-end solution for professional video creation through a subscription model with a global license.
BlackRock is the world’s largest investment house, with a market value of roughly $170 billion. It manages $12.5 trillion in assets and employs more than 24,000 people. Its operations in Israel are led by Anath Levin.
In 2023, BlackRock acquired Kreos Capital, a British-Israeli venture-debt provider for European and Israeli startups. The acquisition expanded BlackRock’s private-credit business and provided indirect exposure to a broad portfolio of Israeli and European technology companies in sectors such as fintech, cyber, semiconductors, and biotech. In 2021, BlackRock also led a $100 million funding round in the Israeli cybersecurity company Deep Instinct.
Artlist was founded in 2016 by four entrepreneurs, video editors and musicians from Kibbutz Afikim: Ira Belsky, Co-founder and Co-CEO; Itzik Elbaz, Co-founder and Co-CEO, with an extensive technological background; and Eyal Raz and Asaf Eyalon. The company operated for many years as a bootstrapped business until 2020, when it raised $48 million from KKR. It later acquired several companies, including Motion Array and FXhome, significantly expanding its product portfolio as it evolved into a one-stop platform for creators.
