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Itzik Parnafes is a General Partner at Battery Ventures based in Herzliya, Israel, where he focuses on early-stage and growth-stage investments in enterprise software and IT infrastructure. Before transitioning to venture capital, he founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Kagoor Networks, a successful enterprise technology company that was later acquired by Juniper Networks. Parnafes holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and graduate degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the Weizmann Institute of Science. At Battery Ventures, he has successfully backed several high-profile Israeli technology companies, including Guardicore, which was acquired by Akamai Technologies for approximately $600 million in 2021. His current focus remains on leveraging his operational background to advise and invest in emerging cybersecurity, cloud computing, and big data software startups.
Itzik Parnafes serves as a highly respected advisor at Battery Ventures, a global, technology-focused investment firm. In this pivotal role, he leverages his profound industry knowledge and operational acumen to guide and support groundbreaking companies across the enterprise technology landscape. His investment focus at Battery Ventures spans critical and rapidly evolving sectors, including enterprise infrastructure, cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), cybersecurity, open source technologies, developer tools, data management, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Parnafes is dedicated to partnering with visionary founders who are building the next generation of transformative technology solutions.
Before joining Battery Ventures in 2004, Itzik Parnafes built a distinguished career marked by significant entrepreneurial and leadership roles. He was a co-founder and Vice President of Engineering at P-Cube, a pioneer in IP service control platforms. P-Cube's innovative technology led to its acquisition by Cisco Systems, where Parnafes subsequently served as Vice President and General Manager of the Network Management Technology Group. His tenure at Cisco further solidified his expertise in network infrastructure and enterprise solutions. Earlier in his career, Parnafes held positions at Intel and gained valuable experience in the Israeli Defense Force, contributing to his robust technical foundation and strategic thinking.
Throughout his career at Battery Ventures, Itzik Parnafes has been instrumental in identifying and nurturing numerous successful technology companies. His impressive portfolio of past and present investments includes industry leaders such as Actifio (acquired by IBM), AppDynamics (acquired by Cisco), Contrast Security, DataStax, Guardicore (acquired by Akamai), JFrog (NASDAQ: FROG), N-able (NYSE: NABL), Olo (NYSE: OLO), OpsGenie (acquired by Atlassian), StreamSets (acquired by Software AG), Varonis (NASDAQ: VRNS), Veracode (acquired by Thoma Bravo), and Zerto (acquired by HPE). These investments highlight his consistent ability to spot high-potential ventures and contribute to their growth and successful exits. Itzik Parnafes' strategic insights and deep technical understanding make him a highly sought-after advisor for entrepreneurs aiming to scale their businesses and disrupt their respective markets. His commitment to fostering innovation continues to drive significant impact within the venture capital ecosystem.
Itzik Parnafes is an experienced advisor at Battery Ventures, a leading global technology investment firm. He is known for his expertise in enterprise software, cloud, SaaS, and cybersecurity investments, and for his background as an entrepreneur and technology leader.
Itzik Parnafes primarily invests in companies focused on enterprise infrastructure, cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), cybersecurity, open source, developer tools, data management, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.
Itzik Parnafes works as an advisor at Battery Ventures, a prominent global venture capital and private equity firm with offices in various locations, including Boston, San Francisco, and Tel Aviv.
