Maya Zimerman’s is the first friendly face that startups encounter on their way to becoming Intel Ignite participants. As Deal Flow and Portfolio Manager for Intel Ignite Tel-Aviv, she sources and assesses deep tech startups in a wide range of domains. As part of her role, Maya collaborates with technical experts from Intel to determine whether each startup is a good fit for the program.

Managing Intel Ignite Tel-Aviv’s Deal Flow

Maya manages Intel Ignite Tel-Aviv’s selection process. To date, she has assessed 450 startups for 7 cohorts. To source candidate startups, she builds and maintains strategic relationships with over 150 VC partners and angel investors, both locally and globally. She also nurtures relationships with alumni startups and other ecosystem partners. These partners assist in the selection of the 10 startups for each cohort. She also oversees ecosystem events focused on specific technological domains or challenges in the startup lifecycle.

Once the 12-week program begins, Maya works closely with the founders to strategically plan their KPIs within the program. Throughout this time, she meets with the founders on a weekly basis to discuss company building, go-to-market strategies, and funding, to ensure that they are getting maximum value out of the program.

Portfolio Management: Forging Lasting Relationships Across the Deep Tech Ecosystem

The mutually beneficial partnerships that Maya builds with investors and startups align with the program’s co-founder-as-a-service model, giving startups who graduate from the program ongoing guidance and support.

Even companies who do not make it into an Intel Ignite Tel-Aviv cohort receive help from Maya. As a natural networker, she assists these startups with advice and networking opportunities, helping them connect the dots and achieve their goals.

People, Curiosity & Constant Learning: a Multifaceted Career at Intel Ignite

Maya’s first experience with Intel Ignite was as an HR expert. When startups applied to join the program, she assessed them from an HR perspective and helped them with their hiring needs. As a talent acquisition partner to these deep tech innovators, she had to learn about the technologies in-depth. She also needed to understand the startups’ business challenges, market segments, and competitors.

This dynamic, continuous learning curve appealed to her, and laid the foundation for her later transition from HR into portfolio management. At the time, she was uncertain about whether she had the right background for the role. But after a gentle nudge, she took the leap and made her first major career change.

As a woman in deep tech – and one without an explicit technical background – Maya feels a keen sense of responsibility to show what’s possible. As she puts it: “You can’t be what you can’t see” – a belief that she embodies in her work at Intel Ignite.