How can values create value? Join Venture Capitalist and Author Michael Eisenberg as he speaks with global business leaders to explore the values and purpose behind their businesses, the impact of technology on humanity, and the humanity behind digitization. Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner of Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aleph is an early stage venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands.
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How can values create value? Join Venture Capitalist and Author Michael Eisenberg as he speaks with global business leaders to explore the values and purpose behind their businesses, the impact of technology on humanity, and the humanity behind digitization. Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner of Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aleph is an early stage venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands.
Gigi Levy-Weiss on How the Israeli Air Force is the Best Model for Running a Company, How Playtika Exploded Overnight by Accident, the Uncomfortable Truths About Working in Gambling, and the Coolest Companies in the NFX Portfolio
Invested by Aleph
1 hour 22 minutes
3 months ago
Gigi Levy-Weiss on How the Israeli Air Force is the Best Model for Running a Company, How Playtika Exploded Overnight by Accident, the Uncomfortable Truths About Working in Gambling, and the Coolest Companies in the NFX Portfolio
On this episode of Invested, Michael sits down with Gigi Levy-Weiss, a former Israeli attack helicopter pilot turned entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of the seed fund NFX. Gigi reflects on his journey from combat missions to leading companies like 888 and Playtika, highlighting lessons in leadership, military-style debrief culture, and the value of “good failures.” He shares his founder-first philosophy as a VC, his cautious stance on replacing CEOs, and his thoughts on the ethical complexities of tech - from online gambling to AI. Amid Israel’s political and security upheavals, Gigi also discusses civic responsibility and the vital role of grassroots leadership.
Please rate this episode 5 stars wherever you stream your podcasts!
KEY TOPICS
00:00 – Intro
02:00 – Why My Name is Gigi: A Personal and National Story
03:10 – From Helicopter Pilot to CEO: Gigi’s Unconventional Career Path
05:05 – The Israeli Air Force Method of Failure
09:30 – Teaching Civilian Teams to Debrief Like Fighter Pilots
11:45 – How to Build a Culture That Embraces (Good) Failure
14:25 – Celebrating Failure at Playtika
16:50 – Experience vs. Fresh Eyes: Who Should Lead After Failure?
20:10 – Why Gigi Rarely Replaces Founders, Even When They Fail
23:59 – Gigi Selling His First Company and Learning What Not to Do
26:45 – 888 and the Crash: From Private Jet Dreams to Crisis Mode
35:30 – Gigi’s Biggest Lessons from Running 888
38:55 – Hire for Talent Over Experience
40:00 – Building Playtika and Accidentally Creating Slotomania
46:50 – Wrestling with the Ethics of Online Gambling
52:20 – Facebook, Games, and Losing Faith in Tech’s “Goodness”
54:10 – If Gigi Were the AI Ethics Czar, He Would…
56:00 – The AGI Arms Race and the Collapse of Trust in Truth
59:20 – Are the Ultra-Orthodox Ahead or Behind?
01:01:00 – Founding NFX: From Angel Investor to Seed VC
01:06:00 – The Startups Gigi is Most Proud of
01:08:50 – Building Line Five: A Response to October 7th
01:10:55 – Why Gigi Took a Public Role in the Judicial Reform Protests
01:13:30 – Israel’s Founders Agreement Problem
01:16:30 – October 7th and the Rise of Civilian Emergency Networks
01:19:25 – Feature or Bug? When Citizens Replace Government
01:20:10 – The Next Generation of VCs That Give Gigi Hope
01:21:53 – Reflections on Responsibility, Legacy, and Leadership
RESOURCES
Follow Gigi on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigilevy/
Follow Gigi on X - https://x.com/gigilevy
Subscribe to Invested here: https://content.aleph.vc/invested
Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc
Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@aleph-vc/
Follow Michael on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeeisenberg
Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg/
Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikeeisenberg
Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/
Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/
CREDITS
Executive Producer: Erica Marom
Producer: Myron Shneider
Video and Editing: Ron Baranov
Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar
Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring
Design: Rony Karadi
Invested by Aleph
How can values create value? Join Venture Capitalist and Author Michael Eisenberg as he speaks with global business leaders to explore the values and purpose behind their businesses, the impact of technology on humanity, and the humanity behind digitization. Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner of Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management in Tel Aviv, Israel. Aleph is an early stage venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands.
