Israeli Blockchain Association

Israeli Blockchain Association

The Israeli Blockchain Association operates as a professional network and sector catalyst. Executive Director Yosef Shaftal leads the effort, supported by an advisory board that includes David Maman, founder of Binah.ai, Yonatan Brender of Atooro Fund, and Francisco Jo of BlockWater Capital, among others. The group maintains a physical presence in Tel Aviv alongside satellite nodes in Washington, San Francisco, London, and Zurich. The association's model blurs the lines between trade body and deal platform. Its IBA-Capital unit facilitates corporate-development matchmaking: connecting startups with Tier-1 corporations and government agencies for strategic partnerships. The group publishes a startup map and legal survey of Israel's blockchain sector and runs a speaker's bureau. Advisory board members bring direct ties to firms including Binah.ai, Atooro Fund, BlockWater Capital, SmartMesh, and MLG Blockchain. Team size and deployment figures are not publicly disclosed. Alongside its Tel Aviv headquarters, the association lists offices in San Francisco, London, Zurich, and Washington, DC, reflecting the geographic spread of its advisory board and partner network. The entity maintains data products — a startup map, a legal survey, and an event calendar — while sending a regular newsletter. There is no disclosed philanthropic vehicle or adjacent operating business. The association functions as a human-capital and deal-intelligence hub rather than a direct investment vehicle. Its structural differentiator is the IBA-Capital matchmaking function paired with a multi-jurisdictional advisory board, which gives it a deal-scouting reach that individual venture firms often replicate only through dedicated business development teams.