StageOne raises $165 million fund to back early-stage Israeli AI and cybersecurity startups
The venture firm’s fifth fund targets early-stage enterprise technology companies.
StageOne Ventures has raised a new $165 million venture capital fund aimed at backing early-stage Israeli enterprise technology startups, marking a new milestone for the firm after 25 years of investing in the country’s technology sector.
With the closing of its fifth fund, StageOne now manages more than $650 million in total assets. The firm said the new fund will focus on startups building technologies in areas such as AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, physical AI, agentic orchestration and vertical AI.
The fund arrives at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the global technology industry and prompting investors to search for the next generation of infrastructure companies that will support AI-driven systems.
“AI is not just a vertical for us; it is the new architecture of enterprise software,” said Yuval Cohen, founder and managing partner of StageOne Ventures. “Despite global and local uncertainties, Israel continues to produce world-class engineering talent.”
StageOne specializes in what it describes as “inception-stage” investments, meaning it often becomes the first institutional investor in a startup. The firm typically writes an early check and works closely with founders as companies develop their initial products and strategies.
“Our model is built on deep conviction and involvement from day one,” said Tal Slobodkin, managing partner at the firm. “In a world of automated investing, we provide the opposite: a high-touch partnership.”
StageOne is led by Cohen, Slobodkin and partner Netanel Meir. Since 2001, the firm has invested in 69 companies and currently supports a portfolio of 29 active startups.
The firm said it has exited 21 investments over the years. Among the companies cited as notable exits are Qwak, which was acquired by JFrog; Cyberint and Avanan, both acquired by Check Point; Epsagon, acquired by Cisco; Apprente, acquired by McDonald’s; Traffix, acquired by F5; and Guardium, which was acquired by IBM.
The new fund is backed by a group of repeat institutional and private investors from the United States, Europe and Israel.
