Entrepreneurship and Investments at Eye Level: the connection between perseverance, success and happiness
After selling his startup and investing in other companies that went on to reach unicorn status, Liron Rose invites readers into the story of his 20-year entrepreneurial journey in the Israeli innovation scene. In his book, Rose shares behind-the-scenes anecdotes of ego battles, challenges, effects of chance and how they connect to today’s climate of innovation.
“Entrepreneurship and Investments at Eye Level” is a book that is both a behind-the-scenes journey of entrepreneurship – readers follow Liron Rose from his first introduction to the world of technology during his military service through a global economic crisis, to the highs and lows of selling a company he founded, and across adventures as an investor – and a story that will inspire new generations of entrepreneurs.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...
- Lao Tzu
Liron Rose's entrepreneurial journey began in the mid-90s, as an officer in an elite IDF intelligence unit. The military had installed a computer station to carry out economic intelligence research, and this served as Liron Rose’s introduction into the world of technology. It was love at first sight.
One day in 1999, now an MBA student at Tel Aviv University, Liron Rose tells how he came across a job advertisement for an intriguing internet company. He joined the company as one of its technical support staff, quickly moving up to a part-time position in the then new and pioneering field of online marketing.
In the summer of 2001, the global high-tech bubble burst. Funding ground to a halt. Stock prices took a sharp downturn on the NASDAQ. Hysteria and a sense of economic crisis filled the air as Israel’s economy experienced a genuine recession. On top of all that, the second intifada was underway, and the tragedy of the World Trade Center attacks was about to shake up the world.
The connection between perseverance, success and happiness
Yet, in 2002, despite professional progress, Liron Rose chose to take a time out and embarked on a voyage of self-discovery in Australia. After almost a year on the road, he returned to Israel, and his life was about to change yet again. A friend told him about an online marketplace platform that sold various digital products. Rose discovered a world of software companies and content producers looking for someone to market their products. This was not about traditional logistics but rather products whose sale was based on downloads from the internet.
And so, Liron Rose began promoting various programs to improve computer performance via Google. He connected products with advertising platforms. It was a world of ROI, advertising spaces, and clicks and commissions. The next step was co-founding AfterDownload, an innovative software distribution and monetization platform that helped software developers generate new revenues and increase their distribution simply and effectively. In 2013, IronSource acquired the company for close to USD 100M.
Simultaneously, between 2006 throughout today, Liron Rose has served as an investor in various high-tech and startup companies, as a partner in venture capital funds and as an investor in various companies, including Skai, Similarweb, Breezometer, Datorama, Demisto, Armis, Fiverr among others. Along the way, he also founded and managed the international fintech accelerator, Techstars Israel, in cooperation with Barclays bank, UK.
In this new book, Entrepreneurship and Investments at Eye Level: the connection between perseverance, success and happiness, Liron Rose tells his inspiring story of over 20 years of activity in the world of entrepreneurship, and shares the challenges he faced, external and internal struggles, interesting insights and lessons from which everyone can learn. Liron Rose candidly and courageously recounts how things were perceived from the outside in contrast with his personal experiences from the inside, and most importantly seeks to influence and inspire current and future generations of entrepreneurs.