At a time when Israel’s tech ecosystem faced one of its greatest existential threats, Iron Nation was born – not out of a boardroom, but at a funeral. In the wake of October 7th, with founders drafted into reserves and foreign capital drying up, Jason Wolf and his co-founders saw something others didn’t: a future worth fighting for. Not just on the battlefield, but in boardrooms, labs, and innovation hubs across Israel.
In an interview with IsraelTech, Jason Wolf, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Iron Nation, sat down with Yoel Israel to share the mission behind the fund, its unique origin story, and why Israeli culture may be the ultimate startup advantage.
The Power of Israeli Chutzpah
Wolf, a seasoned tech executive with 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley, has a unique perspective on Israeli and American culture. “At first, Israelis can come off as overly confident or cocky,” he shared, “but over time, that directness, that intimacy – it grows on people. It’s a secret weapon.”
While Americans might perceive Israeli directness as abrupt or invasive, Wolf reframes it as a strength. “Everyone’s in your business – and at first, that feels overwhelming. But very quickly, you realize everyone’s got your back.”
Yoel Israel chimed in with a story that perfectly illustrates this: the two met randomly in an elevator at a tech event. One spontaneous conversation later, they began collaborating – an example of the Israeli startup ecosystem’s informality and openness in action.
How a War Sparked a Fund
The origins of Iron Nation are as unique as its mission. Just days after October 7th, Wolf and two other veterans of the same IDF unit came together to ask one urgent question: What will happen to Israel’s early-stage startups now?
The answer became Iron Nation – a fund created to inject life-saving capital into promising startups during wartime uncertainty.
“We operate like a regular VC fund, but everything is pro bono,” Wolf explained. “From our partners to our legal services, everyone is volunteering. We wanted to act fast to save startups that didn’t deserve to die – startups affected by war, not by bad business models.”
In record time, the team raised $20 million and invested in 22 startups. One founder even said, “If it wasn’t for Iron Nation, I would have gone back to coaching ping pong.” Now, that same founder’s company is thriving.
More Than Philanthropy: A Sustainable Investment Model
Despite its wartime origins, Iron Nation was never just a charity. Every investment was vetted thoroughly. Startups had to have previously raised at least $1 million from other VCs and show strong fundamentals.
One case in point: GreenEye, an agtech startup led by special forces veterans. They were set to receive a $7 million investment – until the war began, and the funds were withdrawn. Iron Nation stepped in, led the round, and helped the company 5X their sales in under a year.
By any standard, Iron Nation became one of the most active investors in Israel during that time.
Introducing Iron Nation 2: Bigger, Broader, and Long-Term
The success of the first fund led to a bold decision: it was time to go bigger. Iron Nation is now raising its second fund – targeting $100 million to scale its mission beyond emergency funding.
“We’re not just filling a gap,” said Wolf. “We’re reshaping how people think about investing in Israel.”
Many of the fund’s LPs are first-time investors in Israeli tech – some coming from the world of philanthropy, others from traditional finance. For them, Iron Nation offers a dual return: solid ROI and a way to strengthen Israel during a critical moment.
Investing Where Others Don’t
Iron Nation isn’t chasing publicity. While cyber remains Israel’s most well-known sector, Wolf and his team are focused on underserved, high-potential areas like healthtech, foodtech, climate tech, and defense.
One standout investment is Nurami Medical, a brain and spinal surgery patch company founded by a female Christian Arab entrepreneur from northern Israel. After securing FDA approval, the war hit hard – but Iron Nation’s funding helped them recover and grow. Now, a multinational has offered to acquire the company at a 16x return.
Why the Israeli Tech Ecosystem Is Poised to Lead
Wolf is bullish on Israel’s future. Despite a massive portion of the workforce being called up to reserves, Israeli startups have stayed remarkably productive.
With the right support, Wolf believes Israel can lead global innovation across AI, healthcare, defense, and beyond. “We’re building the tools to solve the world’s biggest problems – and we’re doing it under pressure. That makes us stronger,” he said.
And what about the risk of brain drain?
“Let them go,” Wolf said. “Let Israelis explore. They’ll come back smarter, stronger, and more valuable. That’s how we grow.”
The Vision: From Local Resilience to Global Leadership
Wolf sees Israel not just as a startup nation – but as a scaling nation.
“Our goal is to help Israeli startups become global giants,” he explained. “To support founders when they’re vulnerable, and back them again when they’re ready to soar.”
Whether it’s a foodtech startup in Kiryat Shmona, a healthtech company in Haifa, or a defense startup led by reservists, Iron Nation’s model is simple: find overlooked gems, invest with conviction, and build the future of Israeli tech – together.
Final Thoughts: Long on Israel, Big Time
For Tev, the mission is deeply personal. It’s not just about financial returns – it’s about nation-building.
“Over 50% of Israel’s exports, a third of its income tax, and 20% of its GDP comes from tech. The stakes are too high to let this ecosystem falter,” he said.
With Iron Nation 2 on the rise, a broader global network of investors joining the mission, and founders pushing through unimaginable challenges, Tevet is more confident than ever.
“I’m long on Israel. Big time.”
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