Yoav Leitersdorf is a prominent Israeli-American venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and managing partner. He is the founder of YL Ventures, a firm specializing in early-stage investments in Israeli cybersecurity and enterprise software companies, and also serves as a managing partner at Glilot Capital Partners and at JVP (Jerusalem Venture Partners). Additionally, he is a partner at Innovation Endeavors, the venture capital firm founded by Eric Schmidt. Born in Israel, he graduated with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Tel Aviv University in 1993. He served as a Captain in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including in the elite Unit 8200 signals intelligence unit, which has been a pipeline for many tech entrepreneurs and investors in the cybersecurity sector. After his military service, Leitersdorf began his career in the tech industry as a Product Manager at Check Point Software Technologies, a leading cybersecurity firm. He later co-founded and served as CEO of Enalasys Corporation, focusing on energy management solutions. In 2007/2010 (sources differ on founding year), he founded YL Ventures in New York City, where he serves as Managing General Partner, investing in companies like Cybereason, Claroty, and Signal Sciences. Under his leadership, YL Ventures has managed multiple funds, raising over $300 million to support the 'Cybersecurity Valley' ecosystem in Israel. His investment philosophy emphasizes backing founders with strong technical backgrounds and military experience, leveraging Israel's unique startup environment. He has been instrumental in fostering transatlantic ties in the tech industry, often speaking at conferences like Cybertech Conference and being interviewed by outlets such as Calcalist. Beyond YL Ventures, he maintains financial relationships with other investors, such as Gur Shatz, and serves on the boards of several portfolio companies. His work has positioned him as a key figure in the global cybersecurity investment network, contributing to Israel's reputation as a leading exporter of security technologies.