The whole idea was to open up the VC asset class to a much, much wider group of people.Cali Chill · on why OurCrowd was built
Rohit Yadav sits down with Cali Chill, Chief Investment Officer at OurCrowd, covering a wide arc of the venture capital landscape: from the democratization of VC and how platforms are opening access to world-class deals, to different types of investors, to the geopolitical forces reshaping investment priorities, and the risks and why investor education is more critical than ever.
They explore portfolio strategy, fund selection, and the unique challenges of running a global investment platform, all through the lens of someone operating at the intersection of capital, innovation, and global markets.
And it's not just about access, it's about understanding the quality of that access. They discuss how platforms like OurCrowd have enabled opportunities in different formats and how global networks can support company growth. Today OurCrowd has a community of 240,000 people registered on the platform since inception, probably from over 100 countries, of whom around 8,000 have invested, and who contribute not only capital but also expertise, partnerships, and support for portfolio companies.
The underlying idea is simple: how venture can be opened as an asset class to a wider group while still emphasizing rigorous selection standards. The VC world is changing, and it's being rewritten one investor ticket at a time.
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PLATFORM
Created in 2013 by Jon Medved, based in Jerusalem; accredited investors browse the platform and pick their own deals and funds.
OC50 and Co-Vest
OC50 indexed the next 50 companies to come onto the platform. Co-Vest is the new product: half into six to nine funds, half into 20 to 25 co-investments, in AI, fintech, cybersecurity, general software and quantum, with no management fee on the fund side.
PORTFOLIO & DEALS
Late-stage access deals brought onto the platform, entered well after the company is already worth billions.
Google and Wiz
The $32 billion acquisition, cited as evidence of Israel's strength in cyber.
Raised for one investor at $17 billion, then a year later at $63 billion, with reports at the time of recording pointing to $100 billion.
FUNDS THEY BACK
Larsen Jensen's fund, where OurCrowd is an LP; Cali calls it a very successful relationship.
Rebel (Los Angeles), Soma Capital
Emerging managers they diligenced heavily; Rebel's Jared uses an AI-driven algorithm to cherry pick companies before demo day, and OurCrowd is a sizeable LP in both of his funds.
Tim Draper
The named-brand end of the barbell: a webinar of stories about Tesla and other early bets brought a lot of money in quickly.
Balerion Space Ventures
A space tech fund of mostly dual-use companies, run by Daniel Kleinman; hard to raise for at first, easier now there is a track record.