Erel is the founder and managing partner of JVP (Jerusalem Venture Partners). Fifteen years ago Erel set the tone for Israeli venture capital investing by creating a new model that combined a hands-on management approach with international market creation strategies. Under Erel’s leadership JVP helped build numerous technology companies that are today global enterprises with traction in Israel, United States, Europe and Asia. Consistently staying ahead of market trends, Erel anticipated the growing impact of media technologies and increased the firm’s investments in that area during the past few years. In addition to helping to orchestrate the $4.82 billion sale of Chromatis to Lucent Technologies in 2000, Erel successfully led fifteen exits with such companies as Netro (IPO and subsequently acquired by SR Telecom, Inc. JVP sold its shares at a $5.5B company valuation), Precise (IPO and subsequently acquired by Veritas), Scorpio (acquired by US Robotics), Fundtech (NASDAQ: FNDT), ViryaNet (NASDAQ: VRYA), Jacada (NASDAQ: JCDA), Paradigm Geophysical (IPO and subsequently privately acquired), MagniFire (acquired by F5 Networks, NASDAQ: FFIV), Native Networks (acquired by Alcatel, NYSE: ALA), Cogent (NASDAG: CCOI) and Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT).
Currently, Erel focuses on media technologies, combining projects in the fields of animation and gaming that bring together engineers and artists into a new mode of thinking. He also invests in more traditional industries such as communications & networking, and enterprise software. Erel plays a direct role in creating and managing the global investment strategy for the firm and actively participates on the boards of several portfolio companies, including Cyber-Ark, Double Fusion, Magink and Sepaton.
Prior to founding JVP, Erel was the Director of Business Development for the City of Jerusalem under its former Mayor, Teddy Kollek. There he was instrumental in facilitating the arrival of more than 70 technology firms to the city, including Digital, IBM and many others that gave rise to the burgeoning technology community that drives the Israeli economy today. Erel holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Columbia University.
