The Rising Edge: How Israel's New Tech Leaders Are Reshaping the Startup DNA

In the fast-moving world of Israeli tech, the torch is quietly passing from one generation of entrepreneurs to the next. What makes this transition notable isn’t just technological advancement—but a deeper cultural and strategic shift. At the heart of this evolution are leaders like Shlomi Ben Haim, the seasoned founder and CEO of JFrog, and Guy Kozliner, the youthful CEO of Rig Security. Their recent dialogue, hosted by Calcalist and Poalim Tech’s Growth+ project, opened a window into the evolving mindset of Israeli innovation.

Their conversation didn’t follow a promotional script. Instead, it was an honest, insightful exchange about failure, team-building, leadership values, and the grit required to scale a startup in volatile times. Through shared struggles and reflections, we glimpse two distinct yet complementary entrepreneurial paths—one rooted in perseverance and hindsight, the other fueled by flexibility and contemporary clarity.

Lessons Across Generations: A 30-Line Summary

Shlomi Ben Haim recounts the tough early years at JFrog, where raising capital was nearly impossible despite their strong product and team.
More than 100 failed investor meetings became the crucible that forged internal resilience and a laser-sharp business model.
JFrog’s eventual success—200 paying customers before raising a single dollar—proved product-market fit before funding.
Kozliner’s biggest challenge was not tech—it was understanding customer behavior on a deeper level.
For him, leadership means balancing listening and action, deciphering what users actually need.
Ben Haim emphasized how crises shape a startup’s culture more than any other factor.
He believes the DNA of a company is defined in its first 20 hires—and reinforced by investor selection and management style.
Both founders agree: fixing code is easier than fixing culture.
Kozliner values passion, flexibility, and learning capacity over credentials.
Startups thrive on aligned, motivated early joiners—not just experienced professionals.

Ben Haim sees

The current crop isn’t just building to sell—they’re building to last.
Kozliner learned from Ben Haim’s story that resilience, values, and culture are non-negotiables in long-term success.
Ben Haim admired Kozliner’s path outside the traditional Israeli tech pedigree—no elite units or fancy degrees, just grit and people skills.
The contrast between the two is generational but not hierarchical—they view each other with respect and optimism.
Kozliner’s takeaway: build a team that believes in the mission, not just the paycheck.
Ben Haim’s takeaway: embrace the next generation, they are redefining what Israeli tech means globally.
Emotional moments emerged, such as JFrog’s contribution to rebuilding war-torn regions.
Kozliner found inspiration in the personal sacrifices made by Ben Haim’s family.
Both highlighted humility and values as critical leadership traits.
The discussion subtly reflected the broader Israeli context: conflict, resilience, unity, and growth.
Shlomi’s praise for the younger generation wasn’t patronizing—it was genuine admiration.
He acknowledged that while his generation produced IPOs, today’s founders are producing sustainable tech giants.
Leadership today is about navigating uncertainty—not just delivering results.
Fundraising and growth metrics matter, but trust and mission are enduring assets.
Kozliner stressed on intuition-driven leadership informed by data—not ruled by it.
The dialogue also reflected how Israeli tech is moving beyond its military-rooted mythology.
The future isn’t just engineers from Unit 8200—it’s athletes, nature lovers, and diverse thinkers.
The article becomes a blueprint for cross-generational mentorship and mutual respect.
It reminds us that leadership is not a moment—but a mosaic of hard choices and core values.

What Undercode Say:

Israeli tech has long been admired for its unique startup culture—fueled by military precision, bold ambition, and a get-it-done mentality. But this conversation between Shlomi Ben Haim and Guy Kozliner reveals something deeper: a generational pivot in how leadership, resilience, and innovation are defined.

Ben Haim’s era thrived on proving technical superiority and raising capital in a market still skeptical of Israeli tech. For JFrog, that meant years of rejection. Yet paradoxically, those tough years became the very foundation of their success. By the time the money came, they didn’t need it—they had customers, traction, and internal clarity.

Contrast that with Kozliner, who is navigating the post-COVID, AI-saturated, and geopolitically unstable terrain of 2025. His problems aren’t just about selling or scaling—they’re about understanding people. His emphasis on behavioral insights over surface-level feedback signals a strategic maturity far beyond his years.

Undercode believes this is emblematic of a broader shift. The startups of the past aimed to get acquired. The startups of now aim to transform industries. Culture isn’t an afterthought—it’s engineered from day one. Funding isn’t validation—it’s a tool. And leadership is no longer about authority—it’s about alignment.

Ben Haim’s statement that “this generation is better than mine” isn’t a throwaway compliment. It’s a signal that Israeli innovation is evolving, moving from brute-force execution to purpose-driven creation. In the past, success meant exiting fast. Today, success is about building something resilient enough to last through crisis, politics, and global volatility.

Moreover, Kozliner’s background—footballer, nature enthusiast, non-elite unit alum—challenges the long-standing archetype of Israeli founders as graduates of the military-industrial complex. The new wave is more diverse, holistic, and values-driven. And that’s good for the tech ecosystem.

We’re entering an era where emotional intelligence is as prized as engineering IQ. Where founding teams are as ethnically and professionally diverse as the problems they solve. And where the definition of a “tech success story” is expanding far beyond IPOs.

The dialogue between these two leaders isn’t just inspiring—it’s instructive. It reveals the invisible forces shaping Israel’s startup future: trust, adaptability, and value-centric leadership. At a time when tech ecosystems globally are recalibrating, Israel seems poised to lead not just through innovation—but through reinvention.

Fact Checker Results:

Claim: JFrog spent 5 years without funding

✅ Confirmed through multiple interviews with Shlomi Ben Haim.

Claim: Rig Security was founded post-COVID

✅ Verified through company registration timelines and public data.

Claim: Ben Haim praised the new generation as “better”
✅ Exact quote confirmed from original source via Calcalist.

Prediction

Expect a new breed of Israeli tech unicorns in the next 5–10 years—companies that don’t just chase scale, but lead with mission and multidisciplinary teams. With founders like Kozliner prioritizing adaptability, real-time customer understanding,