Who is Joshua Levinberg?
Biography
Joshua Levinberg is the co-founder of JAL Ventures, which provides expansion capital to Israeli technology companies that show great potential for success. He is also the co-founder of Gilat Satellite Networks, one of Israel's earliest technology success stories. He has given many public talks over the years about the Israeli high-tech ecosystem, drawing on his years of experience in the development of and investment in technology businesses. Joshua received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and electronics from Tel Aviv University and lives in Tel Aviv.
|
|
Business Investments and Developments
Joshua co-founded Gilat Satellite Networks (NASDAQ: GILT) with his brother Amiram Levinberg in 1987. He oversaw the growth of the company as VP of Marketing and Business Development. In 1989, he continued to build the company internationally by relocating to the United States and opening a successful subsidiary. Joshua then served as the company's executive vice president and general manager until 1994. After returning to Israel, he continued to lead Gilat's business development, concentrating on M&A.
In the late 1990s, Joshua founded Global Village Telecom (GVT) in Brazil, providing telecommunications and internet services in the rapidly developing Latin American markets. In 2009, GVT was sold to Vivendi for over $4 billion and then to Telefonica for over $9.1 billion in 2015. In addition, Joshua is a co-founder of Satlynx SA, where he served as chairman of the board, and he is an investor in Kasamba, which was bought by LivePerson in 2007.
Joshua’s entrepreneurial insight and philosophy of active investment led him to co-found the private equity firm JAL Ventures in 2004. JAL primarily invests in the internet, SaaS, eCommerce, cybersecurity, and defense sectors. JAL Ventures focuses on companies that are between the Pre-A and A rounds of investment and offer unique solutions to technological challenges.
JAL has invested in several companies that have made successful exits, including Feedvisor, Matan Digital Printers—acquired by EFI for $50 million in 2015, and NanoRep—acquired by LogMeIn in August 2017 for $45 million.
Joshua remains vested in the continued growth and success of each JAL venture. He serves as chairman of the board of Fornova, a leading big-data provider to the global travel industry, and served on the board of Dome9 Security until 2017, when it secured a $16.5 million investment from Softbank.
Hobbies
Joshua has been an active sportsman since his youth and despite managing a full schedule that spans multiple continents, he makes time for his passions including winter sports, skiing, and windsurfing.