Yasmin Lukatz
Yasmin Lukatz | |
|---|---|
'יסמין לוקץ | |
| Born | 5 May 1972 Israel |
| Occupations | Venture Capitalist, Businesswoman and social entrepreneur |
Yasmin Lukatz (Hebrew: 'יסמין לוקץ; born May 1972) is an Israeli venture capital investor, businesswoman, attorney, and social entrepreneur. She invests in Israeli and American startups and founded ICON (Israel Collaboration Network) and Code for Israel.[1]
Lukatz also lectures on entrepreneurship and innovation at the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship at Reichman University in Herzliya.
Early life and education
Yasmin Lukatz was born in Israel on May 1972 to Dr. Miriam Adelson and Dr. Ariel Ochshorn. She is the stepdaughter of businessman Sheldon Adelson. Raised in Tel Aviv, in her 10th grade, she moved with her mother to New York.
When returning to Israel, Lukatz joined the IDF and served as an operations officer.
After completing her military service, Lukatz graduated degrees in law (LL.B.), accounting and economics from Tel Aviv University. She later received her MBA from Stanford University and remained in Silicon Valley, where she began building her career in business and venture capital.[2]
Business career
Lukatz was certified as a lawyer in Israel, where she started her career working at Ernst & Young Israel.
She later moved to the U.S. to study at Stanford University, and after her graduation she was appointed by Sheldon Adelson as strategy advisor to Las Vegas Sands. In 2007, Lukatz joined as one of the founders of Israel's most read newspaper - Israel Hayom.
In 2010, Lukatz co-founded Evoz, a startup that developed a smart baby monitor that sends alerts to parents' smartphones.
Since then, Lukatz has become an angel investor, investing in Israeli-American startups with a portfolio of companies, including: Navan, Salt Security, Redkix, and Tipalti.[3]
Business recognition
In 2017, Lukatz was ranked 21st in TheMarker Magazine list of Israel's 100 most influential people, and in 2020, Yediot America listed her among the 10 most influential Israelis in the United States.[4]
In December 2023, Lukatz received a certificate of recognition from Israeli Foreign Minister - Eli Cohen for her role in strengthening Israel's global economic ties through ICON.
Non-profit involvement
ICON
In 2014, Lukatz founded ICON (Israel Collaboration Network), a nonprofit dedicated to being the bridge between the Israeli and Silicon Valley tech ecosystem and operates several programs that connect Israeli founders with potential U.S. customers, investors, and strategic partners. Its flagship program, SV101, that help Israeli founders navigate their first steps into the American market.
In addition to its programs, ICON also hosts large-scale events and conferences that bring together top leaders from the global tech community. Past speakers include the CEOs of Uber, CrowdStrike, YouTube, Oracle, Wiz, Tinder, WhatsApp, Palo Alto Networks, Databricks, and Twitter, as well as industry icons such as Sam Altman and Peter Thiel.
Code for Israel
In 2021, Lukatz founded Code for Israel, a volunteer-driven initiative of over 1,500 Israeli tech professionals developing technological solutions for critical public and social sector challenges in partnership with government bodies, local authorities, hospitals, and NGOs. Following the October 7 Hamas attack in 2023, the organization rapidly mobilized and led dozens of emergency tech projects supporting volunteer coordination, humanitarian aid, mental-health services, memorial efforts, and centralized information for affected communities.
In 2025, Lukatz initiated Tav Miluim, a national initiative designed to support IDF reservists and their families and to reward employers who actively back them, by promoting fair employment practices and a coordinated framework between reservist organizations and businesses.
Lukatz is a faculty member at the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship at Reichman University, where she teaches undergraduate courses on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Lukatz also serves on the boards of the Israel Cancer Association, Birthright Israel and Hashomer Hachadash.
Television and media
Lukatz joined the investor panel of Shark Tank Israel (HaKrishim) in 2018 and became a regular panelist from the third season onward. Her investments on the show include Anabella, a company developing a new breast pump, which was later valued at 100 million NIS, alongside fellow investors as Oren Dobronsky.[5]
In 2023, Lukatz competed on Dancing with the Stars and was the sixth contestant eliminated.
In early 2025, Lukatz launched the podcast 'In Yasmin’s Living Room', which gained popularity and featured guests such as Miriam Adelson, Yossi Cohen, Noa Tishby and Prof. Uriel Reichman.[6]
Personal life
Lukatz has four children. After two decades in the United States, she moved back to Israel in 2022.
References
- ^ "Connecting the Start-Up Nation". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "The Israeli Who Links Silicon Valley Up With Silicon Wadi". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Yasmin Lukatz on Investing in a Time of War, Founding ICON, How to Make a Difference, and Being on Shark Tank". Invested by Aleph. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ הישראלים המשפיעים באמריקה, Ynet, September 18, 2020
- ^ ""The mistake that most entrepreneurs make is they have an idea, but they don't know if there's actually a problem."". CTECH by Calcalist. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "Dr. Miriam Adelson: If my children were in captivity, I would move worlds". Israel Hayom. Retrieved 3 March 2023.