UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jason Weiss
December 2016
I just returned from my first trip to China, taking 5 Israeli startups to the beautiful island of Hainan to pitch and meet with dozens of Chinese investors hungry for new technology. In just 2 days of networking, I learned more about business in China than in years of working with incoming Chinese delegations in Israel.
July 2017
by: Axis Innovation Staff
4 Key Takeaways from Axis New York
Over 250 people from across the US tech ecosystem - leading investors, corporations, design agencies, along with the New York Stock Exchange came together with 9 selected Israeli startups for 2 days of nonstop content, valuable networking and a sudden cyber attack at our main event venue (more on that below). Diverse startups from many sectors including fintech, AI, IoT, big data, telecom, cybersecurity, and Saas pitched at 4 different events and had over 50 1-on-1 meetings with leading investors including NEA, KEC, HBS Alumni Angels, Greycroft, Corigin Ventures as well as strategic partners like Mastercard, Anheiser Busch, Frog Design, and the NYSE.
Here are 4 key takeaways from our second annual Axis New York event:
VCs – It’s All About What You Do for Your Startups.
Legendary investor Alan Patricof, Founder and Managing Director at Greycoft LLC who raised nearly $40 billion over his career and was the second Apple investor, advised venture capitalists how to ensure their portfolio firms become long-term success stories by focusing on what they can do for their entrepreneurs to succeed and increasing their portfolio investments’ exposure to other companies.
This strategy is what led Greycoft to have nearly 30 exits in 11 years and make pretty high multiples- often 5x or 10x.
Cyber Security is Here to Stay.
During Axis New York, DLA Piper was hit by a cyber-attack shutting down their entire network including their sound system forcing us to use a backup computer. But it was the perfect timing for Rob Sloan, Cybersecurity Research Director, WSJ Pro at Dow Jones to lead a roundtable on the increasing cyber threats as well as what investors are looking for in cyber startups and how to avoid overvaluing startups since there often is difficulty understanding which companies are simply the “unique feature” and which are the “must-have products.”
Autonomous Vehicles are Continuing at Full Speed.
Uri Tamir, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Mobileye— the poster child company for Israeli startups successfully disrupting an industry and going public with an extraordinary exit—discussed the new driving habits we can expect with autonomous vehicles and systems that improve passenger and commercial vehicle drivers’ ability to see and react.
Important Lessons from Uber’s PR Disaster.
Scott Kurnit Founder of About.com, serial entrepreneur, and angel investor spoke about how some of Uber’s biggest issues—a lack of transparency and sexism—taught us the importance of adopting a “no secrets” approach and embodying values of diversity, inclusivity, and collaboration with both men and women in order to succeed in the startup world.
Conclusion
It was an incredible privilege to attend such an unforgettable event, have access to the collective wisdom of several heavy hitters in the industry, and be a part of the Israel and US startup community!
Make sure you’re part of the action next year at Axis New York 2018!
Want to reach out to Axis Innovation? Contact us at: info@axisinnovation.com