Key Takeaways
- • Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA, launched Sheva VC in early 2022, a pre-seed and seed-stage fund that raised $30–$50 million in its first year and committed to deploying $1–$2 million per company across approximately 20 startups.
- • Casspi co-founded Sheva with David Citron, a veteran early-stage VC investor and former Global Founders Capital partner in Israel, combining athlete credibility with institutional venture expertise.
- • The fund focuses on fintech, cybersecurity, and web3 verticals, with backing from institutional investors, family offices, tech entrepreneurs, and crossover funds operating in the Israeli tech ecosystem.
- • Casspi began angel investing during his 10-year NBA career, with early investments in DocuSign and DayTwo, establishing a track record before launching his formal venture vehicle.
- • Casspi subsequently expanded his venture platform to Swish Ventures, scaling operations with co-leader Ori Streichman to support founder growth and global expansion beyond seed stage.
Summary
Omri Casspi, the first Israeli national to play in the NBA and former captain of Israel's national basketball team, transitioned from professional athletics into venture capital by co-founding Sheva VC in early 2022. The fund launched with a target of $50 million and had raised $30 million by its announcement, positioning itself as a pre-seed and seed-stage investor focused on early-stage Israeli startups and founders. Casspi partnered with David Citron, a seasoned early-stage venture investor who previously led Global Founders Capital's Israel operations, blending athletic brand recognition with institutional investment discipline.
Sheva's investment strategy centered on deploying $1–$2 million per company across approximately 20 portfolio companies, with particular emphasis on fintech, cybersecurity, and web3 sectors. The fund attracted backing from institutional investors, family offices, technology entrepreneurs, and crossover funds, indicating confidence in both the Israeli startup ecosystem and Casspi's positioning within it. Citron acknowledged the dual-edged value proposition of Casspi's involvement: "We hope that in the first fund Omri's name will help us, but we will nevertheless have to quickly display results and make quality investments," underscoring that celebrity participation alone would not substitute for rigorous deal sourcing and performance.
Casspi's venture career did not emerge in isolation. He had actively angel invested throughout his NBA tenure, backing companies including DocuSign and DayTwo, establishing a foundational understanding of startup dynamics and investor-founder relationships. This experience informed his decision to formalize venture activities, a trend accelerated by observing peer athletes—including Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant—deploying capital systematically through dedicated funds. The playbook of athlete-led venture vehicles such as Sound Ventures, KD35, and Penny Jar, alongside investors like Andre Iguodala and Alex Rodriguez, demonstrated that athletes could leverage networks, status, and platforms to generate measurable portfolio value.
Subsequently, Casspi expanded his venture platform to Swish Ventures, operating alongside co-leader Ori Streichman to scale beyond seed-stage deployment and support founder expansion globally. The progression from Sheva's early-stage focus to Swish's broader mandate reflects Casspi's maturation as a venture operator and the institutional confidence in his model within both Israeli and international startup ecosystems.
Sheva's investment strategy centered on deploying $1–$2 million per company across approximately 20 portfolio companies, with particular emphasis on fintech, cybersecurity, and web3 sectors. The fund attracted backing from institutional investors, family offices, technology entrepreneurs, and crossover funds, indicating confidence in both the Israeli startup ecosystem and Casspi's positioning within it. Citron acknowledged the dual-edged value proposition of Casspi's involvement: "We hope that in the first fund Omri's name will help us, but we will nevertheless have to quickly display results and make quality investments," underscoring that celebrity participation alone would not substitute for rigorous deal sourcing and performance.
Casspi's venture career did not emerge in isolation. He had actively angel invested throughout his NBA tenure, backing companies including DocuSign and DayTwo, establishing a foundational understanding of startup dynamics and investor-founder relationships. This experience informed his decision to formalize venture activities, a trend accelerated by observing peer athletes—including Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant—deploying capital systematically through dedicated funds. The playbook of athlete-led venture vehicles such as Sound Ventures, KD35, and Penny Jar, alongside investors like Andre Iguodala and Alex Rodriguez, demonstrated that athletes could leverage networks, status, and platforms to generate measurable portfolio value.
Subsequently, Casspi expanded his venture platform to Swish Ventures, operating alongside co-leader Ori Streichman to scale beyond seed-stage deployment and support founder expansion globally. The progression from Sheva's early-stage focus to Swish's broader mandate reflects Casspi's maturation as a venture operator and the institutional confidence in his model within both Israeli and international startup ecosystems.
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