Board of Directors
Dror Jerushalmi, CEO and Co-Founder
As CEO and co-founder of Valens Semiconductor, Dror Jerushalmi draws upon his 20 years of high level international business development and marketing management experience in the semiconductor industry to manage the company’s strategy and business. He has led Valens through its first rounding of funding, product demo milestones and the initiation of Valens’ HDBaseT technology as a new global digital connectivity standard.
Previously, Dror was director of business development at Saifun Semiconductor (acquired by Spansion), an Israeli provider of intellectual property (IP) solutions for the non-volatile memory (NVM) market. At Saifun, he was responsible for the sales and marketing of the licensing business and achieved new major licensing deals for the company. Before that he was vice president of marketing at Emblaze Semiconductor (acquired by Zoran Corporation), where he increased the company’s reputation from an unknown to an industry leader recognized by customers, as well as the press and analysts. During Jerushalmi’s tenure, Emblaze made a move into the China and Japan markets, signed strategic partnership agreements with market leaders in the cellular industry and defined two new products. He has also held business development and marketing management positions at Tioga and DSPG.
Dror earned both bachelor’s and master’s (cum laude) degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Ben-Gurion University, Israel and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University, Israel branch.
Massad Eyal, Vice President Research and Development and Co-Founder
With 22 years of R&D management; VLSI engineering and mixed signal design experience; Massad Eyal manages Valens Seniconductor's R&D and engineering activites. as a Co-founder; Massad established the company and its R&D team; as well as developed its HDBaseT technology from concept to real products.
Before Valens; Massad was a Co-founder of Mysticom Semiconductor; Israel; where he built the mixed signal design expertise of the company from the ground up.
After Mysticom was acquired by TranSwitch; Massad held the position of director of VLSI and managed the entire team and engineering activities of TranSwitch Israel. Prior to that;he held engineering management and design positions developing mixed signal modules at LSI Logic and National Semiconductor.
Dr. Eyal Kishon, Director
Dr.Eyal Kishon is co-founder and managing partner of Genesis Partners, on of Israel's leading technology-driven venture capital firms. He began his venture capital career in 1992 and is recognized as one of Israel's leading venture investors. He possesses a unique and intimate combination of a broad technology background and an intimate understanding of Israel's VC industry. He focuses primarly on communications and semiconductor investments. Eyal is currently a board member at Allot Communications, AudioCodes, Celtro, FIS and Valens.
Before entring the venture capital industry, he worked at the IBM Research Center, where he led a team that developed notebook computer handwriting recognition products. He also led a team at AT&T Bell Laboratories Robotics Research Department which was granted a patent for signature verification for interactive security systems.
Eyal holds a doctorate in computer sciense and robotics from the Curant Institute of Mathematical sciences at New York University and a bachelor's degree in computer sciense from the Technion - Israel Institue of Technology.
Yahal Zilka, Director
Mr. Zilka has been active in the technology sector for more than fifteen years as an entrepreneur; mentor; and executive. He served as a senior executive and CFO of VocalTec Ltd. (NASDAQ: VOCL) from 1993-1999; where he was responsible for funding the company from seed through IPO and thereafter bringing on board strategic investor Deutsche Telekom. At VocalTec; Mr Zilka took part in the team that spear- headed the creation of Voice over IP (VoIP). As Chairman and acting CEO of phonetic Systems Ltd.; a Magma portfolio company; Mr Zilka led a repositioning of the company as a market leader enabling its acquisition by Nuance Communications Ltd. (MASDAQ: MUAN).
Mr Zilka brings to Magma strong financial; operational and hands-on management experience in the communications space in addition to the Boards of DesignArt Networks; SignEra; Onavo; Valens Semiconductor and was Ltd.
Venture Partner Consumer Technologies
Gideon Y. Ben-Zvi
Mr. Gideon Ben- Zvi brings to Aviv Venture Capital nineteen years of experience
in entrepreneurship. Gideon founded and co-founded five companies, two of which
he led up to exit events. The other three continue to operate and progress.
Gideon founded Ligature, as CEO he led the sale of Ligature and the integration of Ligature as
the technology foundation of Wizcom Technologies.
Gideon served as Executive VP of the integrated company till it went public In 2001 Gideon co-founded HumanEyes Technologies, and served as CEO until 2006. In 2003 Gideon helped found ASOCS, was its first angel investor and Chairman. The Company develops a multi-com chip and has a partnership with Fujitsu Japan.In 2008 Gideon cofounded BriefCam and acts as its active Chairman and President. Gideon holds MBA and BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics from Hebrew University Jerusalem.Gideon is a Board member of: Wizcom Technologies, (Chairman), BriefCam (Active Chairman), HumanEyes and Valens
Ben Rabinowitz, Director
Mr. Rabinowitz has worked for over a decade in leadership roles in Israeli high tech. He serves on the Board of Directors of Safend and Valens Semiconductor- Amiti Ventures portfolio companies. Prior to founding Amiti Ventures; Ben held various General Manager and Vice President roles in AudioCodes (NASDAQ: AUDC); including leading sales; product marketing; investor relations R&D; operations; support and M&A in North America. He has a successful track record in leading mergers and acquisitions; integration acquisitions; executing product strategies; and building; turning around; and growing profitable organizations.
Ben has also provided strategy and marketing consulting services on mobile solutions;
cloud computing and IT outsourcing.
Mr. Rabinowitz has worked for over a decade in leadership roles in Israeli high tech. he serves on the board of directors of Safend and Valens Semiconductor- Amiti Ventures portfolio companies.
Prior to founding Amiti Ventures; Ben held various general manager and vice president roles in AudioCodes (NASDAQ: AUDC); including leading sales; product marketing; R&D; operations; support and M&A in North America.
He has a successful track record in leading mergers and acquisitions; integration acquisitions; executing product strategies; and building; turning around; and growing profitable organizations. Ben has also provided strategy and marketing . consulting services mobile solutions; cloud computing and IT outsourcing.
Ben holds an MBA from Georgetown University.