Dr. Amiram (Ami) Appleboom Joins Ofir-SouthUp Ventures

Prior to entering the public sector, Dr. Appelbaum spent 22 years in senior management positions at KLA Global Company, a global leader in R&D, manufacturing and sales, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California (currently valued at $106 billion). Dr. Appelbaum’s other positions at the company included: Senior Vice President of the Global Company, President of the Israel Company, CEO of the Global Robotics and Automation Division, and Vice President of Operations for multiple divisions of the company, including the United States and Israel. KLA Company operates in Israel and is headquartered in Migdal HaEmek, and under his management has grown the company into one of Israel’s premier high-tech industries.

Dr. Appelbaum holds a PhD in Materials Engineering from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and completed postdoctoral training at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the United States, where he subsequently worked as a researcher. Dr. Appleboom later served as Director of Research and Development at Rockwell International in Dallas, Texas, and in Newbury Park, California. Dr. Appleboom has authored more than 50 scientific publications and has registered six patents.

Itai Horstock, Co-Director of Ofir-SouthUp Ventures, said: “This is a very significant boost for the Fund and we welcome and are delighted that Dr. Appelbaum has accepted our invitation to join our leadership team. It goes without saying that Dr. Appelbaum has extensive and rich experience in all areas of the high-tech sector – both in roles within government agencies responsible for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as leading the activities of a multinational company operating on the periphery and growing it into a leading player in Israel’s high-tech sector, and of course, all of this, as well as scientific and technological knowledge – all of which will play a key role in the Fund’s success in identifying companies with growth potential and turning them into successful innovative startups that provide economic resilience to the Western Negev region and create value for investors.”

Dr. Ami Appleboom stated: “I am very happy to join Ofir-SouthUp Ventures and to assist in achieving the goal that the Foundation has set for itself, namely to make the Western Negev an important part of the ‘Startup Nation’ and to expand it to other regions in the radius of Tel Aviv and Herzliya Pituach. During my time as Director of the Innovation Directorate and Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy, I was exposed to the capabilities of the professional team of the SouthUp incubator and its important role in growing and promoting innovative and successful startups. Now, especially after the events of October 7, I see the establishment of this fund as an important step for the state to encourage startups in the region. By not only doing this through investments and government grants, but also by attracting investors who will see the business potential and the value of investing, and will support and flow funds to startups and companies in the region, we will be able to make the Western Negev flourish not only with flower fields and traditional industries, but also by establishing successful high-tech companies that will generate highly productive jobs for the region’s residents.”