Startup: AutoLeadStar

The AutoLeadStar Platform is built on a technology so powerful it allows dealers to market, sell, and service  cars as they would in the real world, at scale and online, making 1:1 matches between shoppers and inventory. AutoLeadStar is the only platform that is powered by scale, speed, and specificity to change the way dealers do marketing today.

Aharon Horwitz – Co-Founder and CEO

As CEO and co-founder of AutoLeadStar, Aharon is passionate about bringing cutting-edge technology solutions to the forward-thinking dealership. He leads a team committed to increasing dealership sales through improved efficiency, scalability, and personalized customer experience. He regularly speaks and writes about automotive innovation, contributing to industry publications including Dealer Magazine and Dealer Marketing. A long-time entrepreneur, Aharon’s drive for developing useful technology with tangible results has garnered coverage by Inc. Magazine, The Next Web, and LifeHacker, Mailchimp, Infusionsoft, and major automotive publications.

Aharon cofounded PresenTense, an Israel based non-profit, promoting an inclusive society, where diverse communities are equally represented in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Israel, known as the ‘Startup Nation.’

Click here for a list of more Jerusalem-based companies on Start-Up Nation Central’s Finder.

Venue: PICO and PICO Kids

PICO Venture Partners, established in 2015, is a venture capital firm based in Jerusalem that invests in early-stage startups. PICO was founded with the intent of investing in visionary, execution-driven Israeli entrepreneurs who leverage technology to modernize processes and unlock greater efficiency in the marketplace. At the core of PICO’s investment philosophy is a desire to back entrepreneurs who are driven to serve as a positive force in society. PICO was the first investor in companies including Vroom (Nasdaq VRM) and Spot.io (acquired by NetApp). PICO has also invested in startups such including K Health, Ravin AI, Gloat and ChargeAfter. The firm has invested across multiple sectors over the years including enterprise software, automotive retail, e-commerce, cybersecurity, and IT-enabled healthcare.

PICO Kids is the social enterprise of PICO Venture Partners, consisting of programs and partnerships that deliver STEEM (Science Technology Engineering Entrepreneurship & Math) education through hands-on, project-based learning designed to develop a sense of wonder and propensity for action. We deliver programs to students from first grade through high school, in both in-school and after-school settings, across Jerusalem schools and cultural landmarks, with vastly differing economic, social, and religious groups.

Eli Wurtman – Founder

Elie Wurtman is co-founder and partner at PICO Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital fund headquartered in Jerusalem. His investments include Vroom (Nasdaq VRM), Spot.io (acquired by NetApp), Gloat, ChargeAfter, and AutoLeadStar. Before founding PICO, Wurtman was a general partner at Benchmark Capital from 2006 to 2012. Prior to that, he worked for three years with Jerusalem Venture Partners, where he led early-stage media technology and enterprise software investments. Wurtman is the founder of Bat Shlomo Vineyards, a boutique winery in northern Israel, and PICO Kids, a social enterprise focused on childhood education in Jerusalem. He holds a BA from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Concept and Production: Brief.

Partners: Start-Up Nation Central, Scale Up Velocity, Jerusalem Foundation, The Jerusalem Development Authority, Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, Jerusalem Municipality