Pitango Venture Capital is one of Israel's oldest and largest technology-focused venture firms. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Herzliya Pituach – the heart of Israel's Silicon Wadi – the firm has backed Israeli and global technology companies across early and growth stages for more than three decades. Pitango operates two distinct vehicles: Pitango Venture targets seed and Series A rounds, while Pitango Growth focuses on later-stage companies with proven revenue. Across all funds, the firm has deployed capital from institutional limited partners including pension funds, university endowments, and family offices globally.
The firm's crypto and blockchain activity is selective. With seven portfolio companies in the digital-asset space and two lead positions, Pitango treats blockchain as one vertical within a broader technology thesis rather than a dedicated focus. Its entry into the sector reflects the broader Israeli tech ecosystem's embrace of cryptographic infrastructure – particularly zero-knowledge proofs, digital-asset custody, and decentralised finance primitives – areas where Israeli academic and engineering talent has produced globally competitive teams.
Total assets under management across all Pitango funds have not been formally disclosed in a single public filing. Industry estimates place cumulative capital raised above $2 billion, though the firm has not confirmed this figure. Public information about individual fund sizes is limited.
Notable investments
- Waze – navigation platform acquired by Google in 2013 for approximately $1.15 billion; one of Pitango's most cited exits and a defining moment for the Israeli venture ecosystem.
- Mobileye – autonomous driving technology company, later acquired by Intel for $15.3 billion in 2017 and subsequently relisted on Nasdaq in 2022.
- Taboola – content discovery and native advertising platform, listed on Nasdaq via SPAC in 2021.
- IronSource – mobile monetisation platform that merged with Unity Software in 2022.
- EarlySense – contactless patient monitoring, backed across multiple rounds.
- Pentera – automated security validation, a more recent portfolio addition in cybersecurity.
Specific crypto and blockchain portfolio companies from the seven disclosed positions have not been comprehensively listed in public sources accessible at the time of writing. The two lead investments suggest Pitango took board seats or pro-rata rights in at least two digital-asset ventures, consistent with Israeli VC norms for conviction positions.
Team
Chemi Peres co-founded Pitango and has served as managing general partner since inception. The son of former Israeli President Shimon Peres, he brings a combination of technology investing experience and significant geopolitical network across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Rami Kalish is a long-standing managing general partner with a background in enterprise software and semiconductors. Aaron Mankovski joined as a general partner and covers consumer internet and software. Ayal Itzkovitz leads Pitango Growth, focused on expansion-stage rounds. The firm maintains offices in Tel Aviv and has partner-level representation in the United States to support portfolio companies scaling internationally.
Recent activity
Between 2024 and early 2026 Pitango continued to deploy from its most recent flagship and growth funds. The firm participated in rounds for cybersecurity and AI infrastructure companies in Israel, consistent with its historical pattern of following deep-tech waves early. In the digital-asset space, Israeli blockchain infrastructure – particularly zkEVM rollups and institutional custody solutions – attracted attention from Tel Aviv-based funds including Pitango. No major new crypto lead investments have been publicly announced by the firm as of mid-2026, though the existing seven positions remain active.
Pitango's long track record gives it credibility with founders who value patient capital and deep local networks. Its selective approach to crypto – seven positions over several years – reflects caution rather than absence. As Israeli blockchain engineering talent continues to attract global attention, particularly in zero-knowledge cryptography, Pitango is well-positioned to source early deals before international funds reach them. The firm's main constraint in crypto is the same as in its other verticals: Israel's relatively small domestic market means portfolio companies must target global adoption from day one, which is both a challenge and a filter that selects for ambitious teams.
For further background, see Pitango's official website and the firm's profile on Crunchbase.