Israeli Institutional Investors Gain $45 Million from Vast Data's $30 Billion Valuation Surge
Israeli institutional investors have profited approximately 135 million shekels (around $45 million) from the rapid valuation increase of Vast Data, an Israeli AI unicorn. In June, Vast Data completed a $1 billion funding round at a $30 billion valuation, more than tripling its previous valuation of $9.1 billion from late 2023. This surge was driven by the company's annual revenue reaching half a billion dollars and strong demand for AI infrastructure solutions.
Key Israeli investors include Harel, which earned 45 million shekels; Phoenix, with 40 million shekels; and Amitim and Meitav, each gaining between 25 and 30 million shekels. These investors participated primarily through the international secondary fund Coller International Partners VIII, which focuses on mature private companies. Israeli investors contributed $500 million to Coller, with two-thirds from Israeli institutions: Harel invested 360 million shekels, Phoenix 300 million, Amitim 215 million, and Meitav 200 million shekels.
Coller has invested a total of $84 million in Vast Data, and the recent valuation jump has returned the initial capital to investors, with current gains now representing pure profit. Coller's current holding in Vast Data is valued at $834 million. Founded in 2016 by Renan Halach, Shahar Feinblit, and Jeff Denworth, Vast Data develops an AI infrastructure operating system that integrates storage, data processing, and computing. Its technology is a critical component in data centers used for training and running advanced AI models, serving cloud providers, data center operators, and large organizations worldwide.
Following this funding round, Vast Data has become one of the highest-valued private Israeli tech companies, reflecting the growing global demand for AI infrastructure solutions.
