Verizon Ventures, the corporate venture capital unit of Verizon, today announced the establishment of Verizon Ventures Israel, which will be led by Merav Rotem-Naaman (??? ???? ????), the former Head of Nautilus, AOL’s successful Israeli investment and scouting arm. Merav Rotem Naaman, together with Roni Burrell (???? ????), former investment director at Nautilus, and Gal Ringel(?? ?????) former investment manager at Nautilus, will source and invest in both early and late stage companies at the forefront of technical innovation across the country from offices in Tel Aviv.

“At Verizon we have long recognized the incredible technology innovation and talent coming out of Israel,” said John Doherty, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Verizon Ventures. “We believe now is the time to put a team in place to invest and support this unique community. Merav and Roni bring a vast network of investment experience and strong networks to Verizon. Both are well-known investors that are respected by the entrepreneurial community in Israel and we could not be more excited to welcome them to our team.”

The Verizon Ventures Israel team will support Verizon Ventures’ existing portfolio companies with operations in Israel including, Beamr, Playsight, and Flash Networks. They will also lead new strategic investments in companies based in Israel in sectors such as: AR/VR, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Digital Media, IoT, Mobility and other sectors that are strategic to Verizon.

“Verizon Ventures will be the ideal partner for entrepreneurs in Israel looking for collaborative relationships and access to a wide array of resources across one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies,” said Merav Rotem-Naaman, Managing Director, Verizon Ventures Israel. “While there are new technologies and ideas coming from all over the world, Israel has a long history of creating technologies and nurturing generations of successful entrepreneurs who can bring new products and services that change industries. We look forward to supporting and investing in these entrepreneurs as they shape the future of business.”

About Verizon Ventures

Verizon Ventures is the corporate venture capital unit of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and invests in promising entrepreneurial companies that are tackling some of today’s biggest technology challenges. With a collaborative approach to commercialization, Verizon Ventures is focused on helping companies connect with both financial resources and strategic business functions necessary to deliver successful outcomes. Verizon Ventures partners with companies to help them scale to impact society and pioneer new markets. Over the last decade, Verizon Ventures has invested in more than 50 companies covering a range of industries and technologies. For more information, visit www.verizonventures.com

Merav Rotem Naaman

Merav Rotem Naaman is a Director at Verizon Ventures and manages our office in Israel. Prior to joining Verizon Ventures, she was the Managing Director of Nautilus, Aol’s early stage investment arm in Israel, which she co-founded in 2014. Merav has over 18 years of experience in the Tech industry, with transactional and strategy roles. Prior to joining Aol in 2014, she was Head of Strategy and Operations at Better Place and helped shape strategy and alliances from the very early startup days. She started her career as the Head of Regulatory Affairs for Israel’s leading Telco – Cellcom, and then spent a few years at Bain & Co.

Merav earned her MBA at Harvard Business School and holds a law degree from Tel Aviv University.

Roni Burrell

Roni Burrell is a Director at Verizon Ventures. Prior to joining Verizon Ventures, she was an Investment Director at Nautilus, Aol’s early stage investment arm in Israel, which she co-founded in 2014. She brings to the team over 20 years of experience in Product Management, User Experience and Design, with roles and projects for leading brands and technology companies around the globe, such as Nokia Design UK, Phillips CE, Aol Video (formerly 5min media).

Roni earned her MDes from the University of Westminster, London, and her BFA from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design Jerusalem.