Meet the Team

Eliezer Gross

Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Investment Committee Member

Eliezer is the Founder and CEO of Besadno Group. He has close to forty years of international business experience in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Under his leadership, Besadno has invested in nearly fifty companies, and he has taken an active role in many of these ventures. 

As a religious man, Eliezer believes in the Jewish principle of “siyata dishmaya” (an Aramaic term that means “with G-d's help”), namely, the idea that we succeed in life because of G-d's intervention. He has written three books about this concept, which guides his ethical principles in life and business. Besadno is an acronym for the Aramaic phrase, בסיעתא דשמייא נעשה ונצליח. The translation means, “with G-d’s help, we will succeed”.

Ilan Cohn

Partner, Head of IP, Investment Committee Member

Illan is a Senior Partner of Cohn, de Vries, Stadler & Co, a leading Israeli IP firm. His specialties include IP strategy, building value-generating IP portfolios, and IP due diligence. As a Investment Committee member, Ilan provides valuable advice to our B-Seed Group.

Brian (Zev) Steinberger

Managing Director at BuiltUp Ventures, Investment Committee Member

With a career-focused in finance, Brian founded Lucent Investments, an investment management firm, and Inner Circle, a boutique investment advisory firm. He has held managerial roles at world-leading financial institutions including Deutsche Bank where he served as the Head of Operations – Equity Trading Desk. Brian studied business management and economics at the State University of New York. He holds FINRA securities licenses in both Series 7 – General Securities, and Series 55 – Equity Trader.

Tomer Cohen

Vice President, Business Development, Investment Committee Member

Rami Navarro

UAE Regional Director, Director of Biz Dev, Investment Committee Member

Rami has years of experience in sales, finance, marketing, and business operations, including more than thirty years in real estate development and green energy construction. As CEO of Energy Green Builders Inc. in Los Angeles, CA, he led the company to financial success. Rami is an ambitious, motivated, and analytical, problem-solver. With extensive experience, varied skills, and a great attitude, Rami is an essential part of our team.

Isaac Koren

COO USA, Investment Committee Member

As Chief of Operations at B-Seed, USA, Isaac brings over twenty-five years of experience in real estate, finance, and hi-tech. He has been a successful COO of an international trading company and has also run multiple private businesses and real estate ventures. He is now returning to his roots in the startup world. Isaac ensures the smooth workflow of our U.S. team and provides guidance and assistance to our portfolio companies’ ongoing efforts to attract and enter the U.S. market.

Avner Farkash

Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Investment Committee Member

Avner Farkash is an engineering expert serving as a senior-level manager for the past twenty-five years in developing innovative solutions. With proven planning and execution skills for R&D and operations, Avner brings a wide-vision perspective, combined with extensive knowledge, and insight. His experience in global markets with both large companies and startups makes him a valuable team player and tech leader, and an important contributor to new business ventures. 

Avner leads companies throughout the process, from the concept phase to full commercialization. He is the inventor of several patented green energy solutions. He is currently Besadno’s Director & CTO.

Yaniv David Drihem​

General Counsel and Group Secretary

Yaniv is a commercial lawyer with nearly twenty years of experience in capital markets, investments, transactional law, corporate governance, business strategy, finance, and marketing. He has a BA in Business Administration and an LL.B. from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Yaniv received an MBA (cum laude) from Ben-Gurion University, where he participated in an academic collaboration program with Columbia Business School in New York.

Shalom Schwartz

Counsel (Israel & USA)

Shalom is a licensed attorney in Israel and the U.S. (New York and New Jersey). He handles the company’s corporate governance on both continents while coordinating and managing its work with outside counsels. He regularly works with Besadno's investor relations and finance departments to integrate best practices for productivity and efficiency. Shalom has experience managing all aspects of the company’s global intellectual property portfolio. 

He holds a BA from Yeshiva College and a JD from Hofstra University School of Law (concentration in Intellectual Property). In addition to his work at Besadno, Shalom has been a volunteer emergency medical technician for the past twenty years.

Avi BenTov

VP Marketing

Avi brings more than twenty years of experience in marketing and sales to Besadno, where he delivers our messages about investments to the public. Using a variety of platforms including digital, social, and print media, he promotes Besadno’s brand in Israel and throughout the world. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

Meir Gross

VP Sales, Israel

Meir has been part of Besadno since its founding in 2011. As VP of Investments, Meir manages the sales and investor-relations teams. Throughout his tenure, Meir has created a culture of success and contributed greatly to the group’s ongoing business achievements. He is an experienced sales leader, with an ability to identify and manage promising investment opportunities. Meir is skilled in building and maintaining strong investor and business relationships.

Ariel Levi

VP - Canadian Operations

Daniel Fuchs

Project Manager

Daniel is an experienced researcher and writer with published articles on a variety of subjects. He has a Master's degree in Jewish/Judaic Studies from Bernard Revel.

Lihi Monis

Investment Analyst

Among many responsibilities, Lihi conducts our screening process, sources business opportunities, and operates our company's deal flow. She also gathers and analyzes market/industry data and assists in due diligence processes. Lihi delivers quality information and opportunities for our investors. She has extensive experience in business operations in the U.S., including analyzing and managing growth in American national companies.

Rafael Khalimov

Investment Analyst

Rafael is involved in all stages of an investment opportunity, from the initial screening to an investment decision. He completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree (with honors) from the University of Manitoba, with a double major in Finance and Actuarial Science. Rafael's passion for venture capitalism stems from the potential exposure to brilliant people who shape the future with innovative technology. He is a trilingual, native speaker of English, Hebrew, and Russian.

Wissam Taha

Investment Analyst/Business Development

Wissam is proficient in technology solutions, including algorithms and other complex proceses. In addition to his overall tech savviness and love of app development, he has experience in cross-platform app development with intermediate knowledge of digital marketing and video editing. Wissam obtained a major in Computer Science.

Mandy Keidar

Operations Associate

Mandy has extensive experience in office management and operations in a variety of industries including the legal and energy sectors. Her educational background is in behavioral sciences.

David Malka

Account Manager

With a background in project management for innovative startups, and analytics with public companies and startups, David assists our companies with strategic partnerships and business development.

Rabbi Yossi Wallis

Advisory Board

Rabbi Wallis served as a helicopter pilot in the Israeli Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps. For the past 40 years, he has served as CEO of the Arachim organization, a leading organization in Jewish outreach) movement in Israel, North America, South America, and the Far East. Rabbi Wallis is an experienced businessman and a mentor to many in the area of business ethics.

Gen. Yaakov Nakash

Advisory Board

General (Res.) Yaakov Nakash brings more than twenty years of experience in developing new technologies. In addition to serving as the former director of the Israel Defense Forces’ Research and Development Division, Gen, Nakash was responsible for the IDF’s logistics and procurement divisions. 

Since retiring from the IDF, Gen. Nakash has been a consultant for many companies in engineering, technological and medical systems, real estate, and entrepreneurship, in Israel and abroad. Gen. He holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Ben Gurion University, an Executive MBA from Tel Aviv University, and an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Michael Sarel

Advisory Board

Michael has served as the Chief Economist for the Israeli Ministry of Finance, and as an economist for the Bank of Israel and the International Monetary Fund. In his current capacity, Michael serves as the head of the Kohelet Economic Forum, a group that advances policies promoting economic growth, competition, and freedom, through economic and social research. His published work is acclaimed in academic circles.

Michael holds a BS in CSI and Economics from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a PhD in economics from Harvard University.

Amos Mathan

Advisory Board

Throughout his twenty-two years in the IDF, Col. (Res.) Amos Mathan served in several command positions with the Artillery Research & Development (R&D) department. During his career of R&D in the military, Amos developed electro-optical observation systems, ground radars, and command and control systems. At a later stage of his career, he managed the R&D of the Artillery.

After retiring from the IDF in 2000 with the rank of Colonel, he worked for Elbit Systems from 2000-2013.

Amos holds a B.C.s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management and a Master’s degree in Industrial Management from Ben Gurion University. He is also a graduate of Harvard University’s Advanced Management Program.

Dr. Shirith Kasher

Advisory Board

Shirith has spent many years integrating, leading, executing, and managing mega international deals, including private placements and public offerings (IPOs) in a number of stock exchanges worldwide. For twelve years, she served as head of corporate and structured finance and headed the high-tech portfolio companies for BCRE, an international investment group with holdings in real estate, energy, and traditional venture capital. Shirith co-founded several private equity and real estate funds. She holds a BS and LLB degrees from Tel Aviv University and an MBA from Ono College.

Eli Yishai

Advisory Board

Eli Yishai has been a public Israeli figure since the mid-1980s, having held numerous high-profile positions within government and local authorities. He served as a member of the Jerusalem City Council, as Director-General of the Shas political movement, and as Director-General of El HaMa’ayan. He has also held the positions of Minister of Labor and Welfare, Minister of Industry, Trade and Employment, and Minister of the Interior.

In his capacities as a minister in the Israeli government, he was a member of the security-political cabinet and a limited defense team, as well as being a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees. He also served as Chairman of the Home Front Preparedness Subcommittee.

During his 14 years at the helm of the Shas party, Eli accumulated numerous achievements and earned praise as a respected voice for his innovative views on public, economic, and social issues.

Dr. Israel Rosen

Advisory Board

Israel has extensive experience as the head of computer systems in large organizations in Israel and the U.S. – specifically in the areas of information systems, business intelligence (BI), analytical research, data mining, and big data systems that produce knowledge to achieve strategic advantages.

He is an expert in the development and implementation of a methodology for cyber-risk management in data technology within organizations.  

Dr. Rosen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business Administration (Master’s Degree Program) at the Bar-Ilan University, and at Ramat Gan Law & Business School.

Danny Marian

Advisory Board

Danny Marian is a civil engineer, entrepreneur, businessman, and corporate director specializing in corporate management, project management, contracting, construction and infrastructure initiatives, and real estate development for BOT and PFI projects.

Danny served for 11 years as the pro bono Chairman of Israeli Association of Construction and Infrastructure Engineers (IACIE).  He is a member of the Central Building Standards Committee of the Standards Institute of Israel. His professional career includes the following positions: CEO of the largest construction contractor in Israel (Danya Cebus); board member of Electra, the major contracting, M&E and FM company in Israel; member of the Executive Board of Africa Israel, one of the largest developers in Israel; owner of the entrepreneurial real estate company, America Israel Investments.

Gen. Arik Yakuel

Advisory Board

Arik is an internationally-renowned expert in sabotage prevention and the fight against global terrorism. He is the first ultra-orthodox individual to attain the rank of non-commissioned officer in the Israeli Police. Among many achievements, Arik was part of the peace process negotiating team with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.  He also helped establish the Technology Administration of the police. 

As head of the logistics division, Arik was responsible for 1,200 employees with an annual budget of NIS 1.5 billion. In his last position, he served as head of the police planning department, where he headed strategic planning and management of a NIS 10 billion budget. 

In 2006, Arik co-founded and served as Chairman of Sapir Tech which was later acquired by Malam Team. Arik has been an advisory member and also sat on the board of directors of several companies, including a VC fund. More recently, Arik has engaged in security consulting, homeland security consulting, and technological development. 

Arik is a partner in a company that produces non-lethal weapons for the safe dispersal of violent demonstrations. He developed a means of preventing sabotage attacks on vehicles, as well as a patented Shabbat elevator to accommodate religious Jews.

In July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Arik was appointed by the Minister of Internal Security as a special advisor on the relationship between the police and ultra-orthodox communities in Israel. 

Arik graduated with a degree in Economics and Business Administration from Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Eran Ron

Advisory Board

Eran was a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force (IAF), and a flight instructor. He is a former diplomat at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, an economist, and a businessman. Eran is the Founder and Chairman of Rinsberg Holding Ltd., which is responsible for important impact projects in third-world countries.

Dr. Gabriel Avital

Advisory Board

Gabriel has thirty years of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engineering experience and is a senior advisor and the Head of Flight Science Team at UVision Air. He is the former Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Education and a senior lecturer at the Israel Air Force Pilot Academy, the Technion, and Ariel University.

Abe Roth, CPA​

Head of Advisory Board

Abe is a licensed CPA, the founder of the largest accounting firm in Brooklyn, N.Y., and a Besadno advisor. He manages the accounting and advisory needs for Besadno, in all business aspects pertaining to the U.S. market.

Rudolph Lowy

Advisory Board

Rudolph Lowy is a licensed reinsurance intermediary, civil engineer, developer, and contractor.

In an agreement with Clal Insurance, Rudolph brought surety insurance to Israel and provided international support for major Israeli developers. Key projects included Airport City and the Desalinization Project.

Rudolph has been involved in insurance transactions in many parts of the world including the U.S., Europe, and China.

A serial entrepreneur, he continues to be involved in startup companies, including cyber security, mobility, Adtech, insurance,  and financial services.

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Teichman

Advisory Board

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Teichman has more than 50 years of experience in education and investments. He is the president of Gamla College, a Judaic Studies institution in Brooklyn, N.Y., and its associated high school and elementary divisions. Rabbi Teichman holds a doctorate in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from New York University (NYU) and has taught at the City University of New York (CUNY) as a tenured assistant professor.

Steve Schnipper

Advisor, Investment Committee Member

Steve has been an active investor, venture capitalist, money manager, and financial consultant for over twenty-five years. He holds a BA and MBA degrees from Rutgers University.