Eko, the startup founded by musician and entrepreneur Yonathan Bloch with Barak Feldman and Tal Zubalsky, recently cut dozens of jobs, Globes reported. Most of those let go work outside Israel. According to sources, the company is currently in a stable business and financial position, and its results continue to be good.
The layoffs come amid a broader wave in tech, where companies are trying to improve efficiency and reshape their organizations as artificial intelligence tools allow some tasks to be done faster and with fewer people. Eko's move fits that trend, as firms increasingly argue that AI enables leaner staffing structures.
Eko was founded in 2010 under the name Interlude. It develops an interactive video platform that lets viewers influence content in real time and receive a personalized experience. Over the years, its technology has been used to create music videos, marketing campaigns and interactive content for brands, media outlets and commercial companies.
The company first gained international attention in its early years through interactive projects in music and entertainment. It later expanded into advertising, content and digital commerce. Among its partners and clients have been Walmart, Sony and BuzzFeed. Eko has raised tens of millions of dollars from investors including Sequoia, Intel Capital, Samsung, Warner Music and Sony. It operates from offices in Israel and New York, and Bloch serves as CEO.
