Who We Are

Overview

Headup is a content enrichment platform for publishers and bloggers that analyzes site content, identifies key terms and automatically provides related material from social networks and popular web services. Learn more about our technology.

Headup was developed by SemantiNet, an Israeli startup company dedicated to developing Semantic Web technologies and platforms.
Founded in 2006, SemantiNet is backed by Giza Venture Capital and other internationally acclaimed investors.

SemantiNet's goal is to make the variety and richness of content that exists on the Web accessible to people in ways that are simpler, smarter and more intuitive. To enable this, we have developed technology that understands and models the relationships between objects on the web, and aggregates information from multiple relevant data sources to provide a socially-enhanced "Content Serendipity" experience for end users.

Team

• Tal Keinan

  Founder and CEO

  Prior to founding SemantiNet, Tal worked at Morgan Stanley's Risk Management Department where he was in charge of the bank's Scenario Analysis product. Tal served in the communication department of the Israeli Army leading Computer Division (MAMRAM). Following his army service, Tal worked for the Government of Israel, Mission to the United States. In 2004, Tal graduated with honors from Columbia University with a B.S in Computer Science and Economics. Find him online at twitter.com/talkeinan, facebook.com/talkeinan, friendfeed.com/talkeinan

• Tal Muskal

  Founder and CTO

  Tal is responsible for SemantiNet's core technology and vision. Prior to founding SemantiNet, Tal worked at Go Network as an embedded engineer conducting R&D. Tal is a much sought after consultant, offering high-tech companies advice regarding design, integrated software-hardware solutions, peer-to-peer technologies, information systems, internet, gaming and wireless communications. Tal served as a team leader in Israel's Army Intelligence Technology Unit. Born and raised in Israel, Tal is an autodidact and a tech-wiz since childhood.

• Sagie Davidovich

  Director of R&D

  Sagie is the leader of the data mining team at SemantiNet. He's professionally excited by buzzwords like "inference", "ontology" and "NLP". Prior to joining SemantiNet, Sagie co-founded the social search engine Delver. Find him online at facebook.com/sagie.davidovich

• Eitan Burcat

  Technical Operations

  Eitan Burcat is responsible for operations, development process, QA, testing, integration, support, IT and some development every once in a while. If anything breaks it's probably his fault :) In 2008 he got his Master's degree from the Technion, mixing Quality Assurance & Reliability with Computer Science. Besides fiddling around with technical stuff, Eitan is active in environmental circles and tries to mix these two fields of interest with some general purpose curiosity. Find him online at eburcat.com, twitter.com/eburcat, facebook.com/eburcat & friendfeed.com/eburcat

• Eylon Yogev

  R&D

  Eylon is formally responsible for R&D at SemantiNet. Informally he does whatever he's told. Formerly a developer for the IDF's Intelligence Corp, Eylon is one of the first developers to join SemantiNet. Eylon studied Computer Science at Tel Aviv University and is an active member of the Mozilla community. When he isn't busy coding or hacking, Eylon enjoys hiking, biking and riding his skateboard anywhere he can. Find him online at eylonyogev.blogspot.com & facebook.com/eylony

• Liron Eizenman

  R&D

  Liron spends most of his time working on SemantiNet's proprietary Semantic Web engine. Prior to coming to SemantiNet Liron was a developer in the IDF's Intelligence Corp and several other startup companies. Besides work he's currently studying for his B.sc in Computer Science. He spends his spare time snowboarding, trekking and chilling. Find him online at facebook.com/liron.eizenman & google.com/profiles/lironeizenman

• Marina Gitelman

  R&D

  Marina is part of the data mining team, responsible for the engine data-flow in the back end of HeadUP. Previously, she worked on some self-learning anti-virus for Deutsche Telekom. After graduating her B.Sc in Information Systems Engineering, She's back to Ben-Gurion University for a Master's in Business Management. In her spare time she likes to travel, visit Holmes Place & struggle with her guitar.

• Yair Even Or

  R&D, Client-Side

  Yair is reponsible for Headup client-side code, UX and web design, he's also an expert in SEO. Besides endlessly reading design and development blogs, Yair enjoys spending his time playing blues on his guitar, working out, snowboarding, kitesurfing and biking. You can contact him at vsync.design[at]gmail.com

• Nir Shimoni

  VP Product & Strategy

  Nir Shimoni brings over 15 years of product management and business development experience in both enterprise and ASP based solutions.
  He has specialized expertise in the interactive media market, particularly online advertising, mobile advertising, search and in-game advertising.
  
  Prior to joining SemantiNet, Nir was VP Product and Strategy at Amobee where he was responsible for the company’s Product offering and long term strategy working with key mobile operators across the globe.
  
  Prior to Amobee, Shimoni was Vice President of Product and Business Development at Eyeblaster Inc, a global leader in rich media and agency ad-serving solutions.
  At Eyeblaster, Shimoni was responsible for company’s product offering, strategy and complimentary partnerships.
  
  Before Eyeblaster, Shimoni spent eight years at RADVISION (Public, NASDAQ:RVSN) where he was responsible for the development of the first IP video gateway technology.
  For part of his tenure at RADVISION, Shimoni served as director of business development responsible for strategic relationships and sales.
  
  Mr. Shimoni holds a BA in Computer Science and Economics from The Tel Aviv University.

• Mike Darnell

  Project Manager

  Mike is a UX designer and digital artist. Mike is responsible for managing SemantiNet's publishers' widget and coordinating online marketing and community management. Besides his career as a digital artist Mike is a faculty member at the HIT's Industrial Design department and a consultant for the Jerusalem Business Development Center. Find him online at DigitalArtPrintGallery.com, twitter.com/pop_art, facebook.com/digitalart, flickr.com/israeli-art, delicious.com/IsraeliArt, myspace.com/digitalartanddesign, friendfeed.com/popart

• Nathan Zeldes

  User Experience Consultant

  Nathan is a physicist, technologist and veteran hi-tech engineer, specializing in solving problems at the intersection of computing technology and human behavior. Nathan helps SemantiNet with user experience aspects of product design and any other way he can make himself useful. His dull moments are rare… Nathan was a lead engineer at Intel for enough years to turn his hair gray. His main claim to fame is leading the battle on Information Overload. Nathan's hobbies include collecting artifacts from the history of computing, recreational computer programming and Sci Fi. Find him online at nzeldes.com

Investors

• Giza Venture Capital

  Established in 1992, Giza Venture Capital is a pioneer investor in seed and early-stage technology companies that currently manages four funds totaling about $500 million. Giza has invested in 89 companies in the sectors of Communications, IT, Software, Life Sciences, Media, Internet, Gaming and Entertainment. The wealth of expertise and experience embodied in Giza's team has led to 30 successful exits to date.

• Dr. Yossi Vardi

  One of Israel's foremost hi-tech personas, Dr. Joseph "Yossi" Vardi has for 40 years been founding and building hi-tech ventures and to date has helped start over 40 companies involved in Internet, Software, Telecommunications, Electro-optics, Energy, Cleantech, etc. Dr Vardi was the founding investor and former chairman of Mirabilis Ltd which pioneered the instant messaging phenomena with its ICQ messaging software, one of the most successful and popular Internet products of all time. More recently Dr Vardi was involved with the creation of Answers.com, Gteko – purchased by Microsoft, Airlink, Scopus, BrightCove, and many more. Dr Vardi is chairman of International Technologies, a venture partner and founder of Pitango VC, a member of the advisory committee of 3i, a member of the Amdocs's board and a strategic advisor for both Amazon and AOL.

• Sir Ronald Cohen

  One of the world's leading private-equity investors, Sir Ronald Cohen is a founder of the European private-equity industry. Sir Cohen is a co-founder of Apax Partners, Europe's largest global private-equity firm, responsible for managing over $20 billion; he is also chairman of investment management firm Portland Capital. Sir Cohen is chairman of Bridges Ventures and The Portland Trust. He is also chairman of the Social Investment Task Force and of the Commission on Unclaimed Assets. Furthermore Sir Cohen is a trustee of the British Museum and of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Sir Cohen is a recipient of the British Venture Capital Association's Hall of Fame award and the Harvard Business School's Alumni Achievement award, he is also an honorary fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, and a member of the Board of Overseers of Harvard College. In 2001 Sir Cohen was knighted for his services to venture capital.

• Mr. Jeff Pulver

  Chairman and Founder of pulver.com, Mr. Pulver is one of the pioneers of the VoIP industry and a leader in the emerging TV on the Net industry. Globally renowned as an industry pioneer, author and entrepreneur, Mr. Pulver is the founder of pulvermedia, FWD, the VON Coalition, Network2, Vivox and is the co-founder of Abbey Corps and Vonage.

• Mr. Robert A. Imershein

  An active investor and member of three non-profit boards Mr. Imershein was a Managing Director and founding partner of Capstar Partners LLC, prior to which he worked at Bankers Trust

• Mr. Mordechai (Moudi) Ben-Shach

  A prominent businessman and an active investor in various Israeli companies Mr. Ben-Shach is recognized as a leading figure in Israel's energy industry. For over a decade Mr. Ben-Shach served as CEO of Paz Oil, one of Israel's leading energy companies. He has also served as Paz Oil's director and as Chairman of the Board for numerous Paz Oil subsidiaries.