Leveling Up – YLV Announces Two New Promotions

YL Ventures ranks have more than doubled this past year, but we understand there is more to growing a team than just recruiting. We’re also cultivating our existing talent, and grooming new leaders. With that in mind, I have two exciting developments to announce: VP John Brennan is being promoted to Principal, and Engineer in Residence, Idan Ninyo, is being promoted to Chief Technology Officer.

John and Idan are both key members of our investment team, and each contributes many strengths across YL Ventures’ broad scope of operations. They have elevated our organization via sheer force of talent and will. Within the space of a year, Idan and John have more than earned their new titles.

Idan Ninyo joined YL Ventures from AR unicorn, Magic Leap, in 2017. He is a gifted, multi-disciplinary technologist with an incisive analytical mind. These strengths sharpen YLV’s technological fluency and enhance our vetting capabilities. Idan’s mastery of core technologies (primarily around cybersecurity and DevOps) facilitates deeper connections with technological founders. They can sense our appreciation of their product on a deep, instrumental level. This mutual understanding cements rapport and fast-tracks opportunities. Optimization across YLV’s entire technical arena comes mainly thanks to Idan. His unique ability to articulate nuanced technical knowledge is superb. This improves the internal daily operations of both YLV and our portfolio companies. He helps identify coming industry trends, and leads our technological research efforts. I am thrilled to have Idan as YL Ventures’ new CTO, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this new position in our firm will develop.

John Brennan also joined us in 2017, after several years of experience in VC and private equity. John has multiple key responsibilities, including: portfolio value-add, investment due-diligence, finance and managing new LP relationships. Worthy of specific mention is his leadership role in YLV’s business development operations in the US. There, he has led the methodical expansion of our professional network, which encompasses CISOs, follow-on VCs, strategic partners, potential customers, venture advisors and industry leaders. YLV’s stateside connections have always been a pillar of our competitive advantage, drawing exceptional Israeli entrepreneurs into partnership with us. John’s capabilities reinforce managing partner Yoav Leitersdorf‘s already impressive network, further establishing YLV in Silicon Valley and beyond. These connections, which John orchestrates remarkably, empower early-stage entrepreneurs to hone in their offerings and rapidly gain significant market traction in the US. John’s business acumen elevates YLV’s investment and value-add processes to a higher standard. John collaborates with our portfolio company executives to polish their business fundamentals and reach their targets. His top-notch financial training has proven invaluable across our internal and external operations. I couldn’t be happier to announce John as principal at YL Ventures, an integral member of our investment team.

In 2017 YL Ventures flourished. And hiring top talent across disciplines has significantly contributed to our continued growth. What makes YL Ventures unique is our diversity of backgrounds and opinions. We don’t hire credentials. We hire individuals. Promising professionals with deep expertise in areas where we can best add value – both to our portfolio companies and to our own internal operations. Exceptional specialists like Idan and John help optimize and elevate YL Ventures. We’re thrilled to hand them the keys and watch them unlock new opportunities for future growth!