Former Minister of Science and Technology Yizhar Shai is returning to the world of venture capital investments

fter resigning as Minister of Science and Technology on behalf of Blue and White last January, Yizhar Shai is returning to the world of venture capital investments. Shai joined as an investment partner in the Disruptive AI Fund, which was founded by Tal Baranach. Prior to politics, Shai served as a partner in the Israeli branch of the American venture capital fund Canaan Partners.
Disruptive AI is the third fund under the Disruptive brand and was established in 2020. The fund, which focuses on investing in early-stage companies developing artificial intelligence-based technology, has already raised $ 40 million as part of an initial closure it announced last November. Barnach aims to reach about $ 80 million by the time the fund closes in October. Disruptive AI has raised money mainly from office families and ventures including Mellanox founder Il Waldman and the ventures of Weeks, Iron Source, Conduit and others. Disertive's previous two funds manage over $ 100 million.
Shai is a well-known figure in the world of venture capital where he has worked for over 25 years as an entrepreneur, investor and director. He began his career by founding Business Layers, which sold for about $ 50 million. Over the years he has also founded the online entrepreneurial community "Startup Stadium" and the radio program and podcast "High-tech in traffic jams".
Shai's political career lasted two years. In 2019, he joined Bnei Gantz's Israel Resilience List, which later merged into Blue and White. In 2020, Shai was appointed Minister of Science and Technology, a position from which he resigned at the beginning of the year, after retiring a white brush and moving to Boogie Ya'alon's TLM party.