Yaniv Bertele is a distinguished technology executive and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience driving innovation across venture capital, insurtech, and emerging technologies. He pursued studies in Physics and Mathematics at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and served as an active reservist commander in an elite unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), honing exceptional analytical and leadership skills.
As Head of Corporate Venture Capital (WaTech™) at Mekorot, Israel’s National Water Company, Mr. Bertele successfully managed a portfolio of 16 equity investments in water technology and cleantech startups, achieving notable exits including Bacsoft’s acquisition by Sun Corporation (TYO: 6736). His investment expertise spans sustainable technologies and innovative resource management solutions.
In 2018, Mr. Bertele co-founded Vesttoo, a pioneering insurtech company that created the world’s first AI-powered marketplace for insurance-linked securities, serving as Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, the company achieved unicorn status, secured over $100 million in funding from tier-one investors including Goldman Sachs, and established global operations across multiple international financial centers including Tel Aviv, New York, London, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, and Dubai.
Mr. Bertele held strategic Vice President of Business Development positions at Consumer Physics Inc., where he commercialized SCiO, the world’s first pocket-sized molecular sensor that received the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers Award 2015. He also served in leadership roles at Poseidon Diving Systems, Goji Ltd, and CTG Holdings.
Mr. Bertele is recognized as an industry thought leader, organizing major conferences and contributing to professional publications. His expertise encompasses artificial intelligence applications, venture capital management, international business development, and mathematical modeling. He has successfully recruited high-profile industry veterans to the teams he led, demonstrating his ability to attract top-tier talent and build strategic partnerships across global markets.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I’d love to tell you I have a calm, regimented schedule – but the truth is, no two days are the same when you’re running a startup. I’m a morning person so I dive into my inbox and start to run the day ahead in my head. Shower every day in the morning cause this is where bright ideas are made, right? 9 AM I’m at the office, targeting to be first in place. I’m on a stand-up meeting with our business team first thing, clearing roadblocks and setting priorities. This is where Product provides a brief of the R&D status following which I usually would sit with the CTO. I keep these meetings short – my rule is every meeting must end with clear action items, because execution is everything. I’m very hands-on; even as CEO I still roll up my sleeves to double-check numbers or write a quick document or presentation. Late morning often brings calls with partners or investors (we have a global investor base, so someone’s always awake somewhere). I actually enjoy translating our tech-heavy work into plain language on those calls – it reminds me why we do what we do.
Afternoons are for deep work and creativity. I might be found sketching strategy on a whiteboard or crunching scenarios for our next fund initiative. By early evening, I’m often connecting with our contacts in the U.S. or reviewing the day’s outcomes with my co-workers. I end the day by jotting down any insights or ideas that popped up (my notes app is filled with half-baked schemes and “remember to check this” memos). Finally, if I’m lucky, I’ll have dinner with family or catch up on a Discovery or History Channel 10 minutes glimpse to decompress. The key to my productivity is ruthless prioritization – I identify the one or two things that will move the needle each day and make sure those get done first. Everything else, I try not to sweat too much. Oh, and lots of optimism and coffee – those two fuel me through even the craziest days.
How do you bring ideas to life?
For me, bringing ideas to life is a full-contact sport – you have to engage with the idea hands-on, not just admire it from a distance. Whenever inspiration strikes (often at odd hours), I immediately sketch it out. Then I move straight into a rapid prototyping mode. I’m a big believer in doing something tangible with an idea as soon as possible. That might mean whipping up a quick simulation in Excel, or running a back-of-the-envelope calculation to see if the idea has legs. That quick action creates momentum: we can discuss a real demo instead of a what-if scenario.
Once I have a prototype or concrete outline, I gather feedback fast. I’ll share the concept with my core team or a trusted client and say, “Pick this apart.” That outside perspective helps refine the idea and spot flaws I was blind to. Then we iterate – polish the idea, add features, adjust our approach – and iterate again. It’s an agile, trial-by-fire process. I should mention that my approach is colored by an old passion of mine: I’m a certified scuba diving instructor. One thing you learn teaching diving is that you can brief people on land until you’re blue in the face, but the real learning (and adjusting) happens in the water. I bring ideas to life the same way – by diving in quickly. You test the waters, you make adjustments on the fly, and you stay calm even if you’re 30 meters underwater and something unexpected pops up. So whether it’s a new investment model or a marketing strategy, I’ll get a basic version live and breathing as soon as I can, then improve it in the real world.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m genuinely excited about the growing convergence of technology and longevity finance – basically, the trend of using cutting-edge tech to solve problems related to people living longer (and to profit from those solutions in a win-win way). It’s a niche trend, but it’s picking up speed. Think about it: there’s this huge demographic wave of aging populations, and at the same time we have better data science, AI, and fintech tools than ever. Where those two meet, amazing things are happening. For example, at EverOak Innovations we apply machine learning and large datasets to something very human – life insurance and life expectancy. Ten years ago, life settlements (buying and selling life insurance policies) was a sleepy corner of finance running on spreadsheets and gut instinct. Now we’re bringing algorithms, predictive analytics, and automation to that field. The result is more efficient markets and better outcomes for everyone involved – policyholders get higher payouts and investors get solid returns, all made possible by tech innovation in an old-school industry.
More broadly, I see a trend of “alt-finance” becoming mainstream. By that I mean previously obscure asset classes (like life settlements, or say, fractional real estate, art-backed loans, etc.) are being unlocked by technology and made accessible to more investors. That really excites me because it democratizes opportunities and reduces reliance on the usual stock/bond mix. Specifically in insurance, I’m excited by how data-driven underwriting and digital marketplaces are transforming how risk is traded.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I’d say my secret sauce is relentless optimism. That might not sound like a “habit” in the traditional sense, but I practice optimism daily like it’s a muscle to exercise. No matter what chaos is unfolding, I force myself to look for the opportunity or lesson in it. This habit started intentionally – years ago I realized that when I approach problems with a positive, solution-oriented mindset, I plow through them faster. So I cultivated it.
Optimism keeps me productive because it short-circuits the paralysis that can come from stress or setbacks. If a deal falls through or a project hits a snag, my habit is to mentally acknowledge the frustration for maybe 5 minutes, then pivot to “Okay, what can we do about it?” By staying optimistic, I stay in motion. This rubs off on my team too – I make it a point to celebrate small wins and remind everyone that every challenge is temporary. It’s amazing how much more you get done when people believe a good outcome is just around the corner.
I’m not talking about blind Pollyanna optimism; I pair it with action. But the habit of always finding the silver lining means I spend zero time on pity parties and 100% on moving forward. Over time, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – optimism leads to action, action yields results, and that reinforces more optimism. It’s a virtuous cycle that absolutely makes me a more effective entrepreneur.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’d sit my younger self down, maybe over a beer, and say: “Breathe, learn, and don’t take everything so personally.” In my 20s I was ridiculously ambitious (not that that’s changed), but I often felt like every setback or criticism was the end of the world. So first, I’d tell Young Yaniv: Relax, man. Specifically, I’d advise him to embrace failure sooner and not fear it so much. Back then, I thought one mistake would define me. Now I know that mistakes, even big ugly public ones, can be overcome and can teach you more than success ever will. I’d say: “Don’t be afraid to take that leap or make that pivot – you’ll recover, and you’ll be wiser for it.”
I’d also whisper a bit of hard-earned wisdom about trust and verification. Something like: “Follow your gut, but verify the details.” In business, I was always very trusting – and generally that’s good, but I learned (the hard way) that not everyone does things above board. So I’d warn my younger self to install stronger checks and balances early, whether it’s in deals, hiring, or partnerships. Essentially, build the guardrails before you need them.
Another piece of advice: don’t take things personally (one of the tenets of The Four Agreements, though I hadn’t read that book yet in my 20s). When a client rejects a proposal or an investor passes, it’s usually not about you. I used to internalize those things and it only added stress. Now I realize how important it is to separate ego from business. So I’d remind young me: keep your ego in check and your focus on the mission.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I have an unpopular belief that the most exciting opportunities often hide in markets everyone else finds boring or even taboo. For instance, I’m bullish on life settlements — yes, buying and selling life insurance policies — as a smart investment. People usually give me funny looks when I say that; it sounds morbid, like I’m betting on obituaries. But the truth is it’s one of the most data-driven, stable markets out there, and it actually helps people by giving policyholders a better exit option. Meanwhile, everyone else is busy chasing whatever shiny new trend is deemed “the future” this week (hello, crypto), ignoring a massive market hiding in plain sight. Real innovation and alpha often come from zigging when everyone else zags. So if I have to be the odd one out championing an uncomfortable idea, I’m fine with that — I’d rather be right in the long run than popular in the short term.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Step away from the screen (or the problem) regularly to gain perspective. I do this over and over, and it’s a lifesaver. It sounds simple, but in the grind of entrepreneurship, it’s tempting to just bulldoze through every issue without a break. I’ve learned that some of my best decisions and insights come after I deliberately disconnect for a bit. As a diving instructor, I’ve held onto the habit of immersing myself in water to clear my head. Not everyone has to jump in the ocean, of course, but the principle stands: find your equivalent of a “mind reset” activity and do it consistently. It could be a daily walk, meditation, hitting the gym, playing guitar – whatever gives you mental breathing space.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that’s been absolutely pivotal for me is proactively investing in relationships and trust – especially during the tough times. It’s easy to network and build relationships when everything’s sunshine and rainbows. But I found that doubling down on honesty, communication, and support during crises has paid off hugely in the long run. Let me explain how this played out in my career. When Vesttoo (my previous company) faced its collapse, I had a choice: either go hide under a rock (which, frankly, some people do when things blow up), or face the music and be there for the clients, partners, and team who were also impacted. I chose the latter. I personally reached out to our key customers and stakeholders during the scandal, even when I didn’t have all the answers or good news. I gave them as much transparency as possible about the situation, helped some partners reposition their arrangements, and even advised a few on alternative solutions outside my purview, just to help them land on their feet. It was painful – imagine calling a business partner to tell them the product you sold them is caught up in a mess, and then working together to salvage what they can. But I did it, consistently, with every major partner.
That period was hellish, but here’s the silver lining: people remembered.
Some of our earliest investors and clients at EverOak are folks who basically said, “We know your character, so we believe in what you’re building now.” That is incredibly gratifying and it accelerated our growth because I didn’t have to start relationships from scratch – the trust carried over.
So the strategy is simple in concept but takes grit in practice: be there for your stakeholders when it’s toughest, and be honest. I routinely communicate more than necessary – even now, I send out updates to our investors about both good news and bad news before they ask. I want them to always feel informed and respected. Similarly, with my team, I foster a culture where we don’t sweep issues under the rug. If something’s not working, we say it and fix it together. This strategy of radical transparency and loyalty has differentiated us. In an industry like finance where trust is currency, being known as someone who will pick up the phone in a crisis is a competitive edge. It has helped my career advance because people know I won’t cut and run; and it’s helped EverOak grow because partners trust our word and our governance. In summary: earn trust when it’s hardest to earn – it pays dividends later. It’s not easy, but it’s absolutely been a career-defining approach for me.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I’ll be candid – my biggest failure (and most public one) was the downfall of Vesttoo, the insurtech startup I co-founded and once led. We were on top of the world for a while: by 2022 Vesttoo had become a unicorn valued over $1 billion. I was the CEO, and it felt like a dream come true. But in 2023, that dream imploded in a nightmare way. We discovered that a massive fraud had occurred – third parties had provided forged letters of credit to back deals on our platform. In other words, the collateral supposed to secure our insurance transactions was fake. The scale was staggering (we’re talking potentially billions in bogus guarantees), and it shook the company to its core. The board removed me as CEO amidst the chaos. Even though I truly had no knowledge of the fraud when it was happening, I was at the helm, and the ship sank on my watch. I won’t sugarcoat it: that was devastating. It felt like my reputation, years of work, and a successful company all went up in flames virtually overnight.
Overcoming that failure was a process in both a practical and emotional sense. Practically, I cooperated fully with every investigation. I knew I had to clear my name and, more importantly, help untangle the mess for clients and partners (as I mentioned earlier). It took many months, but eventually my stance was vindicated – by early 2024, the Tel Aviv District Court dismissed the legal claims against me, essentially recognizing them as unfounded. Hearing the court formally junk those accusations was a huge relief. But by then I wasn’t waiting around for legal victories; I was already working on my comeback with EverOak.
The emotional side of overcoming this was tougher. Imagine going from being a celebrated CEO to being ousted and even momentarily suspected – it rattles your confidence and frankly your identity. What got me through was a resolve to learn every lesson I possibly could from the disaster and use it as fuel. I basically conducted a personal post-mortem: What could we have done differently? How do I prevent this in the future? I came away with some clear lessons: (1) Governance and oversight are not “nice-to-haves” – they are mission-critical. I thought we had solid processes, but clearly they weren’t solid enough. So with EverOak, I instituted ironclad governance structures: independent trustees, third-party administrators, rigorous compliance checks up front – the works. Now we maintain transparent governance with independent oversight and robust reporting; we refuse to be a black box, openly sharing our methods and results. (2) “Trust but verify” needs to be engraved on every entrepreneur’s desk. I was too trusting of certain parties and data at Vesttoo. Now, even if I trust a partner, we still double-verify documents, funds, collateral – everything. It’s not cynicism, it’s prudence. (3) Culture matters. I realized that beyond systems, you need a culture where team members feel safe to whistleblow or question anomalies. I’ve worked hard to create that at EverOak – a culture of integrity and openness where if something seems off, anyone on the team can raise a hand and we investigate, no egos or fear.
Personally, the failure taught me a lot about resilience. I learned that my passion for innovation didn’t die with one company’s collapse. If anything, it got stronger. I also learned who my true supporters were – many people had my back when things went south, and that’s humbling and motivating. The whole ordeal reinforced my belief in not taking things personally (a lesson from The Four Agreements) – the fraud wasn’t about me, and the failure of the company wasn’t a personal failure or a moral failing on my part. Internalizing that helped me move forward without bitterness.
In the end, the lessons from that failure directly shaped EverOak’s DNA. We built EverOak to be resilient, data-driven, and tightly governed as a direct answer to what went wrong before. And you know what? It’s working. EverOak is thriving, and I’m a better leader for having gone through the fire. It’s like forging steel – the heat and hammering made me and my new company much stronger. So while I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone, I also wouldn’t trade the lessons I’ve learned. They’ve been priceless.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Here’s one that’s completely code-based, bootstrappable, and hiding in plain sight: Build a lightweight AI-powered “non-decision” tracker for teams.
What do I mean? In most fast-moving companies, the biggest bottleneck isn’t bad decisions — it’s decisions that never get made. A feature that drags on for weeks. A partnership that’s “under review” forever. A policy change nobody wants to approve but nobody dares kill. These non-decisions are silent killers of productivity.
So here’s the idea: Create a plug-and-play SaaS tool that plugs into a company’s Slack, Notion, Jira, or email stack and tracks decision paralysis in real time. It would flag items that are stuck in “limbo”: things discussed over 5 times but never resolved, tickets reopened repeatedly, or projects with no next step defined after X days. Using simple NLP and some clever tagging logic, the tool could ping decision-makers with messages like:
“This item has been discussed 8 times in 3 weeks without a final decision. Kill it, act on it, or archive it?”
You could call it something cheeky like “Sht or Ship” – but even a more professional version could work well. It’s an operational hygiene tool: low lift, but potentially high impact.
Why do I think this could work?
Because every founder and team I know is drowning in unfinished, undismissed, un-owned stuff. Not because they’re lazy, but because nobody’s job is to say, “This is stuck — make a call.” Your tool would become that third party. Think of it as “Zapier meets an impatient product manager.” It could charge per seat or per workspace, and would work for startups, agencies, and even big orgs — anyone allergic to ambiguity.
You could bootstrap this using open-source LLMs, a few API hooks, and some good UX. It doesn’t need to be complex to be useful. And once it gains traction, you’d have a platform for broader decision intelligence tooling. I’d use it at EverOak tomorrow if someone built it.
So there’s your idea: a ghostbuster for non-decisions. Simple, technical, high leverage. Go build it.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I have to go with an unsung hero here: Microsoft Excel. It might not be the flashiest tool in 2025, but Excel is hands-down one of my biggest productivity boosters. I probably have it open 8 hours a day. How I use it? In every way imaginable. I build financial models in Excel to evaluate potential investments or to project financial performance scenarios. I use it for data analysis – a quick pivot table or chart can reveal a trend faster than more complex BI tools in some cases. I even use Excel as a quasi-database to track certain project workflows or to-do lists (yes, I’m that guy who sometimes prefers a spreadsheet checklist to a fancy project management app).
Another way Excel helps: collaboration. Not everyone on our team is a programmer, but everyone understands a spreadsheet. So if I want to share a model or get input from a non-technical stakeholder, Excel is the common language. We’ll often brainstorm scenarios in a shared spreadsheet during a meeting; it keeps things concrete and ensures we’re literally on the same page. And of course, Excel’s pretty much everywhere – I’ve opened spreadsheets on my phone in airport lounges to make quick edits, on my tablet in a taxi, etc. The ubiquity means my work is portable.
I know it sounds almost low-tech to praise Excel in an era of AI everything, but for me, Excel is like the reliable multi-tool on my belt. It’s flexible, powerful, and I can bend it to do almost anything in a pinch. It definitely earns its spot as my productivity MVP.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
One of my all-time favorite books is “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. It’s not a business book per se – it’s more of a personal development classic – but the lessons in it have been incredibly valuable in my entrepreneurial journey. The book lays out four guiding principles: Be impeccable with your word, Don’t take anything personally, Don’t make assumptions, and Always do your best. Simple, right? But deceptively powerful. I’ll highlight the one that hit me the hardest: Don’t take anything personally. As an entrepreneur (and a former CEO who went through a very public company collapse), this was a game-changer. Ruiz basically explains that what others say and do is a reflection of their reality, not yours, so taking offense or internalizing negativity is pointless. When Vesttoo fell apart, there was a lot of noise – people’s opinions, media articles, blame flying around. I reminded myself of that agreement: don’t take it personally. Focus on what I can control and let the rest go. It helped me keep my sanity and professionalism when it would have been easy to get bitter or defensive.
Key learnings
- Resilience and adaptation are crucial – Bertele’s journey shows that even after a company’s collapse, a founder can pivot and build a new venture with hard-won lessons rather than giving up. Major setbacks became catalysts for innovation in his case.
- Integrity is non-negotiable – Rebuilding trust through ethical, transparent practices is essential. In a financial niche often clouded by skepticism (like life settlements), a commitment to doing the right thing is vital for credibility and long-term success.
- Data-driven innovation drives results – The interview underscores the power of leveraging technology and analytics in an unconventional market. By relying on robust data instead of gut instinct, EverOak aims to gain an edge and make more informed investment decisions.
- Innovate in the niches – EverOak’s focus on a niche asset class (trading life insurance policies) shows that overlooked markets can offer unique opportunities. A specialized, tech-powered approach in such sectors can tap into uncorrelated returns beyond traditional markets, differentiating the business from more mainstream players.
- Execution over ideas – Big ideas mean little without execution. The discussion emphasizes a “doer” mindset: success requires pragmatic action, continuous iteration, and delivering tangible results rather than just dreaming.