Yonatan Stern, a serial entrepreneur with six registered patents, founded the SmartUp Academy based on his experience as the co-founder and CEO of eight successful tech companies, including ZoomInfo and CardScan.

After leading his companies to cumulative exits of a billion dollars, Yonatan was inspired to formulate a methodology that guides other entrepreneurs in building profitable companies.

Yonatan holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Computer Science and enlisted in the prestigious IDF intelligence unit, 8200, where he rose to the rank of Major and received the Israeli Defense Prize.

Libby brings extensive expertise and experience in investment due diligence, examining commercial feasibility, strategic planning, management, and business development.

Libby is responsible for partnering with many of the portfolio companies, working closely with the entrepreneurs, assisting them with business development, and supporting them as their needs demand.

Before SmartUp, Libby worked in high-tech companies for over eight years, with particular expertise in managing international customers.

Ayala oversees all the financial aspects of SmartUp and some of its portfolio companies. Her cumulative professional experience working with public accounting companies in the US and Israel contributes to the growth of SmartUp companies.

Liran Akavia is a serial tech entrepreneur celebrated for his substantial contributions to the global technology sector. He is renowned for his proficiency in aligning cutting-edge technologies with specific market needs.

One of his most notable achievements was the co-founding of Seebo, a highly successful company specializing in artificial intelligence for manufacturing. Seebo's analytics solutions empower manufacturers to increase yield, enhance quality, and reduce emissions and waste. The company's exceptional performance ultimately led to its acquisition by Augury in June 2022.

In addition to Seebo, Liran Akavia co-founded Playfect, a startup venture that Mobile-Fun acquired in February 2013.

As a serial entrepreneur, Liran excels at building companies from the ground up, adept at creating a strong product-market fit and formulating company strategies that align with market demands and relevant technology. Liran is currently dedicated to mentoring and sharing his skills and knowledge with other startups and team members. His passion revolves around bridging the gap between the physical and digital realms, facilitating the adoption of advanced technology by traditional businesses, and placing a strong emphasis on delivering value to customers while establishing scalable enterprises.

Liran currently serves as a Startup mentor at the Smartup Academy.

Alex is a seasoned software engineer and researcher with vast experience in Information Retrieval, Information Protection, NLP, and scalability. He plays an essential role at SmartUp by supporting portfolio companies through their technical challenges.

Ruthie brings multidisciplinary knowledge and experience to the SmartUp team.

While currently teaching application development for Android, Ruthie also leads a local teacher's computer science professional development community and develops teaching methods and materials.

Ruthie has a BA in Computer Science from the Technion and before joining SmartUp, she was a verifications tool developer with tech companies.

She also founded an elementary/junior high school in Nes Ziona and currently serves on its board.