Investor Profile: Ibex Investors — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Ibex Investors has built its reputation on a simple idea: the best opportunities are often the ones other investors dismiss as too difficult or too different. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with an office in Tel Aviv, the multi-strategy investment firm invests in public and privately held companies from Seed through IPO, and it prides itself on finding hidden gems that others overlook.

The firm closed a $106 million venture fund in 2024 dedicated to early-stage Israeli startups, following an earlier $100 million Israeli venture fund closed in 2020. At the time of the 2024 close, the firm reported nearly $1 billion in assets under management. Its total fund size across all strategies is therefore substantial, but the figure most relevant to early-stage founders is the dedicated Israeli early-stage vehicle and its mobility strategy.

Thesis: overlooked markets, long-term capital

Ibex Investors describes its approach as proactively seeking out markets and opportunities commonly dismissed as too difficult or different. That conviction was on full display in 2024, when the firm doubled down on Israel despite war and a challenging global macroeconomic backdrop, arguing that Israeli entrepreneurs possess the drive, creativity and perseverance to turn ideas into reality. The firm's Israel team is led by partner Nicole Priel, who focuses on early-stage investments, and partner Gal Gitter, who focuses on growth-stage and secondary investments. The firm was founded by Justin Borus, its chief investment officer, and its United States venture team is led by president Brian Abrams.

Cheque size, sectors and portfolio

Under its mobility strategy, Ibex Investors invests at inception, Seed and Series A, with an initial cheque of $1 million to $8 million as lead or co-lead. Its geography is global, primarily the Americas, Europe and Israel. Its mobility focus covers automotive and mobility, logistics and supply chain, and manufacturing, and its broader mandate spans enterprise software, cybersecurity and other domains.

The mobility portfolio illustrates that focus. It includes Vulcan Elements, whose chief executive John Maslin has said Ibex co-led its seed round and has been a pivotal partner in its success; Visionary AI; EVident Battery; Shipday; Revv; Teradar; Teserac; Glimpse Engineering; Bidbus; aifleet; and Ever. Beyond mobility, previous portfolio companies have been acquired by leading firms such as Cisco, CheckPoint, LinkedIn and Intuit, a track record the firm points to as evidence of its ability to pick companies that endure.

For founders, the fit is strongest in mobility, logistics or manufacturing, or for Israeli early-stage enterprise software and cybersecurity teams wanting an investor comfortable with contrarian timing and long holding periods.

How to apply for funding

Ibex Investors does not publish a public application portal. No public funding application form was found on its website. Founders should approach the firm through its website, ibexinvestors.com, where its mobility strategy page invites founders to connect with the team, or through a warm introduction from a portfolio founder, a co-investor or a contact in the Denver or Tel Aviv offices. A pitch should explain clearly why the opportunity is overlooked rather than obvious, and how the company reaches its next milestone with the initial cheque.