Interview with Saul Orbach

Oct 9

OCTOBER 9, 2024 | 00:51 | Episode 40

Grit and Pixels—Lessons from a Serial Startup Founder

Saul Orbach discusses his background and his experiences living in different places, including New Jersey, Manhattan, Queens, and Israel. He shares how he ended up working in Silicon Valley and Maryland before returning to Israel. Jothy Rosenberg and Saul Orbach then discuss their time at Angle Technologies, a British company that focused on investing in super early-stage technologies in universities and labs. They talk about the challenges of working with tech transfer officers and researchers, as well as the potential of the investment model. They also discuss the technology behind creating indistinguishable digital doubles for movies and the market potential for this technology.

ABOUT MY GUEST

Saul Orbach is a highly accomplished Serial Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, Social Impact Investor, C-Suite Officer and Executive, Consultant, Lecturer, Thought Leader, Board Member, and Advisor, with over 35 years of extensive experience building and exiting startup and growth companies, turning around failing companies, as well as training the next generation of entrepreneurs. Saul was the Co-Founder and CEO of his 8th startup, NephFlo, Inc., a company developing artificial implantable and wearable kidneys. Formerly, he was the founder of the Elul Fund venture fund; Impact Jerusalem, a social impact organization focused on the underserved populations in Jerusalem. Prior to that, a Venture Partner at Starta Capital investing in East European technology startups. Saul shares his industry experience and knowledge in many outlets: as a Senior Adjunct Lecturer in the MBA programs at Tel Aviv University, the Technion, and Hebrew University; as a domain expert and mentor in a variety of Accelerator programs around the world; as a popular speaker and guest lecturer at conferences, universities, and other events; and, as a sought-after high-level advisor in both the private and public sectors.

Summary

Saul Orbach joins the Designing Successful Startups podcast to share his remarkable journey through the world of startups, venture capital, and the challenges of tech transfer. At the heart of the conversation is his latest venture, the development of artificial kidneys aimed at revolutionizing treatment for end-stage renal failure patients. Saul reflects on his extensive experience, discussing both the successes and setbacks he faced throughout his career, including the impact of market conditions on his previous startup ventures. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance, drawing inspiration from his mother's resilience as a Holocaust survivor. This episode not only highlights the innovative technologies shaping healthcare but also offers valuable insights into the grit and determination required to thrive in the startup ecosystem.

Takeaways

Saul Orbach shares his extensive journey moving between Israel and the United States.
The podcast discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of tech transfer in startups.
Saul emphasizes the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of startup failures.
He highlights how timing and external factors can significantly impact startup success.
The episode reflects on the personal experiences of Holocaust survival and its influence on grit.
Saul discusses the potential of artificial kidneys and their market relevance for patients.

Sound Bites

"Well, okay. So let's go back to you mentioned Angle Technologies as the place where we met. I found that to be a very interesting investment model, except for one thing."

"There's no TV, there's no car commercial today that's actually made with a real car anymore. That's all CGI."

"The film industry was actually the smallest of the markets that we were looking at."

"We had a license deal with USC. We gave it back, but it really didn't matter so much."