Erel Margalit (erel@erel.org.il) is one of Israel's leading venture capitalists and social entrepreneurs. He is Founder and Chairman of JVP, and is running in the next elections for the Knesset as a candidate of the Israel Labor Party.

JVP, (Jerusalem Venture Partners) is widely considered one of the most successful venture capital firms in Israel and internationally. Margalit has a stellar track record of identifying and funding entrepreneurs, working with them to create innovative and profitable technology and media companies.

To date, Margalit has overseen the successful sale or public offering of 22 portfolio companies, more than any other Israel-based investor; from Qlik Technologies, one of 2010’s biggest IPOs on Wall Street, to Chromatis Networks, where he facilitated the company’s $5 billion sale to Lucent Technologies—the then-largest sale of an Israeli company.

Featured prominently in the best-selling book Start Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle (www.startupnationbook.com) , Erel was previously named to Forbes magazine’s vaunted “Midas List” of top venture capitalists, chosen Israel’s top venture capitalist by The Marker, the business publication of Ha’aretz, and was honored this year by Private Equity International which selected JVP as Israel’s number one venture capital firm and the among the three most successful funds in Europe.

Earlier in his career, Erel worked closely with legendary Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek as Director of Business Development, attracting scores of companies to build and expand their operations in the country’s capital. Margalit’s work in the public sector has continued in parallel with his business career, and as a committed social entrepreneur, he invests actively in new educational and cultural programs in Jerusalem through his social non-profit organization, JVP Community.

In 2002, he founded Bakehila (www.jvpvc.com/bakehila), or “In the Community,” in order to help reduce the socio-economic gap of underprivileged youth in Jerusalem. Since its inception, Bakehila has boosted learning and achievement levels and benefited over 3000 children a year in 5 different disadvantaged neighborhoods. In an event to honor the year-of-service volunteers who run the program, Erel, together with representatives from the IDF, the Kibbutizim and Moshavim movements, called on the government to expand the program, which enables young and promising youth to become active in the community.

In 2003, Erel established the Ma’abada (www.jvpvc.com/hama-abada) , “The Lab,” a performing arts center for young Jerusalemites. The center was opened during the Second Intifada to bring vibrant culture back to the center of Israel’s capital, which had been undermined by the blight of constant security threats. In addition, he also led the development of the JVP Media Quarter, a creative multidisciplinary complex that houses over 300 young and dynamic entrepreneurs, artists, and technologists. Located in the renovated National Mint Building, the JVP Media Quarter has catalyzed the revitalization of the area surrounding Jerusalem's old train station - and beyond.

Erel’s Knesset campaign aims at revitalizing Israeli politics with new ideas, new energy and new leadership. Margalit is bringing the same innovative spirit to his campaign that helped make JVP into a world-leading venture capital firm and JVP Community into one of the leading social entrepreneurship organizations in Israel.

Margalit’s vision for the future includes maintaining an open and democratic Israeli society, seeing a secure Israel at peace with its neighbors, and keeping Israel at the forefront of global hi-tech innovation.

A seventh generation Israeli, Erel grew up on Kibbutz Na’an, and during his youth spent several years living outside of Detroit, and in Carmiel (Galilee) where his parents served as educators in the local Jewish community. He served in Israel’s famed Golani infantry brigade, received his B.A. from Hebrew University where he studied English Literature, Logic, and Philosophy, and later earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at Columbia University.

Erel is a proud citizen of Jerusalem where he lives with his wife Debbie, and their three daughters: Tair (21), Eden (19), and Maya (16).

You can connect with Erel Margalit and read about his vision for a better Israel by visiting the following the following sites:

Website (Hebrew): erel.org.il

Website (English): erel.org.il

Facebook (Hebrew+English): facebook.com/erelmargalit

Twitter: twitter.com/erelmargalit

YouTube: youtube.com/erelmargalit

Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP): jvpvc.com