StageOne Ventures Announces Closing of $165M Fifth Fund to Fuel Israel's Next Generation of AI Infrastructure Leaders

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- StageOne Ventures today announced the closing of its fifth fund at $165M, marking 25 years of identifying and backing Israel's most ambitious enterprise technology founders at the inception stage.

With the closing of Fund V, StageOne's total assets under management (AUM) exceed $650M. This milestone reinforces the firm's position as the premier institutional partner for technical founders at inception. Since 2001, StageOne has been at the forefront of every major shift in enterprise computing, from the telecom era and the rise of cybersecurity to the cloud migration. Today, Fund V doubles down on the next frontier: the AI Infrastructure layer.

Fund V will focus on breakthrough startups in AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Physical AI, Agentic Orchestration, and Vertical AI - sectors where Israeli engineering talent holds a decisive global edge.

"AI is not just a vertical for us; it is the new architecture of enterprise software," said Yuval Cohen, Founder and Managing Partner at StageOne Ventures. "Despite global and local uncertainties, Israel continues to produce world-class engineering talent. With our fifth fund, we are doubling down on our commitment to be the first and most trusted partner for founders building category-defining companies."

A Proven Track Record of Scaling Innovation

StageOne is led by Yuval Cohen (Founder and Managing Partner), Tal Slobodkin (Managing Partner), and Netanel Meir (Partner).

To date, the firm has invested in 69 companies and currently supports a high-conviction portfolio of 29 active companies. StageOne serves as the "first-check" investor, maintaining a hands-on, long-term partnership with founders and continuing to support its strongest companies through significant follow-on rounds.

"Our model is built on deep conviction and involvement from day one," added Tal Slobodkin, Managing Partner. "In a world of automated investing, we provide the opposite: a high-touch partnership. We don't just provide capital; we provide the strategic and operational foundation that allows technical founders to scale into global category leaders."

The new fund is backed by a prestigious group of repeat institutional and private investors from the United States, Europe, and Israel, highlighting the long-term confidence in StageOne's strategy and the resilience of the Israeli tech ecosystem.

Strategic Exits and Market Impact

StageOne has successfully exited 21 investments, consistently delivering strong returns. Notable exits and portfolio highlights include:

• Coralogix & Silverfort: (Leading the next generation of enterprise observability and identity protection).
• Qwak: Acquired by JFrog 
• Cyberint: Acquired by Check Point 
• Epsagon: Acquired by Cisco 
• Avanan: Acquired by Check Point 
• Apprente: Acquired by McDonald's 
• Traffix: Acquired by F5 
• Guardium: Acquired by IBM 

"AI is shifting the economics and speed of innovation, but the fundamentals of enterprise-grade reliability haven't changed." said Netanel Meir, Partner. "We focus on bridging the gap between a brilliant technical proof-of-concept and a resilient, global company that can withstand the next several waves of AI evolution."

About StageOne Ventures

StageOne Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to backing exceptional Israeli enterprise technology founders from idea to exit. With 25 years of experience and over $650M under management, StageOne specializes in inception-stage investments in AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, and Frontier Enterprise Tech. By combining capital with hands-on support, deep operational expertise, and a global network, StageOne helps founders build category-leading companies.

For more information, visit www.stageonevc.com.

Media Contact:
Yael Eckstein
VP Marketing
StageOne
yael@stageonevc.com

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