Startup Nation Summer

You don’t choose resilience. It chooses you when there’s no other way.

Welcome back to YKC. I'm in Israel from this week, so if you want to get coffee or collaborate on content respond to this email directly.

NYC x Israel: Founders Resilience Mission: This September 2nd-4th, I’m collaborating with Discount Tech on a timely and important project: bringing a curated delegation of Israeli startups—from deep tech to defense tech—to New York to meet with top investors, customers, and strategic partners. But this isn’t just another delegation; it’s a mission of resilience, supporting Israeli founders and New York City during a defining moment for the ecosystem and strengthening the NY–Israel tech bridge. If you’re a VC, accelerator, or NY-based ecosystem leader, let’s connect. To learn more, click here.

If you’re a founder who belongs on this trip, apply here.

If you’re a New York based investor and would like an invite to the summit that the delegation is based around message me directly.

LinkedIn Ghostwriting: My team and I have been helping investors and operators amplify their voice, share their expertise, and build a highly visible personal brand, in order to generate opportunities online and in person. Great content doesn’t work if your LinkedIn profile is broken. Want me to audit it? Respond “Audit” and we can set up a complimentary call where I review your LinkedIn presence.

"In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity."

-Albert Einstein

How The Creator Economy Is Reshaping Modern Marketing – And Why Brands Are Paying Attention (Forbes): Who is to say that all sponsored content is bad? I think there is still a lot of noise around the creator economy, namely how creators will make money in the long-term. This is a legitimate question, as relying solely on platforms for monetization is probably not a wise business decision. But I am seeing a lot of scrappy and innovative ways that creators are monetizing their communities in an authentic way.

From a big picture view, the creator economy makes sense. A lot of Gen Z types want to be influencers, though they probably conflate the filtered and curated life for the daily grind of what it takes to create an impactful presence. Personally, I think it’s a new definition of hell to base your income (and self-esteem) on the Likes and Comments of others, so you certainly need thick skin. But it’s not going away, and if anything, founders, investors, and really anyone who wants to succeed today needs to understand how to think like a creator when they’re building their business in order to generate opportunities. I believe there are opportunities in this economy selling picks and shovels, such as selling services… but with the way the world is headed, it’s an economic model we need to figure out. I attend creator events and conferences, and have met many creators on every platform in my travels (especially in Miami); the unifying theme is that they are determined to make it work… but like any type of creative pursuit it’s extremely challenging.

Household names like Starbucks and Walmart opening creator studios is another vote of confidence for this trend, but like anything, let’s see how it plays out. With that, I do encourage anyone who wants to become a creator to take the plunge, you only learn by doing. And honestly, with the direction the world is headed in, now is the time.

Moving Up When Only Way is Down: Lessons from AI, Military Intel & VC: Tribe Tel Aviv invites you to the Sunset Series. Think Happy Hour…. But Better with Networking. Moving Up When the Only Way is Down: Lessons from AI, Military Intelligence, and Venture Capital with Judah Taub, Managing Partner Hetz Venture, & Author, Forbes 30 Under 30. Starts on Wednesday, July 16 · 7pm IDT. Capella Cocktail Bar, Hagag Tower, HaArba’a 28, South Tower, 14th Floor. Register here.

Third Thursday Tech Schmooze | July: July is hot, but they're bringing in the cool vibes for members of tribe. Join them for their latest Third Thursday Schmooze. Thursday, Jul. 17th, 202. 7:00 PM. Cash bar. Venue: Revealed upon RSVP (In The City, New York). Register here.

The First Fundraise: How to Get Your First Million?: Fusion, Mamram Alumni Association, and Google for Startups invite you to an exclusive morning dedicated to helping you secure your first million dollars in funding. Tuesday, July 22, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM GMT+3. Google for Startups Campus. Tel Aviv-Yafo. Register here.

INVITATION: Night at the Israeli Opera + Wine Reception, July 22: Full performance of the Israeli Opera 'Mothers' based on characters and Biblical lyrics from Genesis + Private wine reception exclusive for their young patrons of the arts mingling with members of the cast, so that's cool. Starts on Tuesday, July 22 · 7:30pm IDT. The Israeli Opera, 19 Sderot Sha'ul HaMelech Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Register here.

Tu B'Av Sunset On The River at Watermark NYC - Sunday Aug 10th: An Evening of Love, Light & Skyline Magic. Celebrate Tu B’Av — the Jewish holiday of love — with a sunset soirée like no other. They're taking over Watermark NYC, one of the city’s most stunning waterfront spaces, for a night where white attire meets golden hour glow. Dress in white. Arrive ready to vibe and dance under the open sky with the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges as your backdrop, surrounded by 10,000 square feet of sleek, open-air design and the shimmering lights of the NYC skyline. Sunday, August 10 · 6pm EDT. Watermark, 78 South Street #Pier 15 New York. Tickets here.

The Exit BLUEPRINT: M&A for Tech Founders: M&A for Tech Founders is a complex, high stakes process. Two people who have accompanied dozens of tech Founders through this process over several decades will share their perspectives, Sunday, August 10th, 9:15am at Herzog Towers in Tel Aviv. Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 9:15 AM IDT. Herzog law. 6 Yitzhak Sadeh, 1st Floor · Tel Aviv. Register here.

Balagan PopUp | Yacht Party | Sunset Vibes at Jewel Yacht - Aug 24th: Amazing Sunset Vibes Summer Yacht Party. 2 Floor Yacht - 1 Indoor floors with Huge Windows to see the magnificent views, big tables for bottle service, great sound and amazing lighting with 350 person capacity! 1 Outdoor floor at the top to enjoy the breeze and the open sky views! Sunday, August 24 · 5:45 - 9:30pm EDT. Jewel Yacht - Skyport Marina. 2430 FDR Drive New York. Tickets here.

RESTART IL Silicon Valley: The RESTART IL. INNOVATION Conferences were established to bring cutting-edge Israeli innovation and leading entrepreneurs to the financial capitals of the world – to meet face to face with investors, in an environment of solidarity, to discuss investment opportunities, innovation and business cooperation. Following the success of the RESTART IL. INNOVATION Conferences that were held last year in London, Frankfurt, Berlin and New York, they are coming to Silicon Valley with extraordinary startups, inspirational speakers and high-level networking. August 27th | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Palo Alto. Register here.