Reflecting the deepening ties between India and Israel’s startup ecosystems, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco and the Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest, in partnership with VentureDock, hosted the “India–Israel AI–Cybersecurity Connect” in Palo Alto. The event brought together over 130 startup founders, venture capitalists, and industry leaders to discuss emerging trends and challenges in cybersecurity in the era of artificial intelligence.

Consul General Dr. K. Srikar Reddy highlighted the expanding collaboration between the innovation ecosystems of both nations, while briefing participants on preparations for the upcoming AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, emphasizing India’s vision for responsible and transformative AI. Consul General Marco Sermoneta underscored key milestones in the India–Israel partnership and the growing synergy in innovation-driven growth, noting that both countries share a strategic interest in fostering technology-led collaboration.

A keynote by Jay Chaudhry, CEO of Zscaler, delved into the challenges of scaling a cybersecurity startup, offering insights on resilience, leadership, and innovation. A high-level panel featuring Gadi Bashvitz of Bright Security, Glen Chisholm of SYN Ventures, Debanjan Saha of DataRobot, Alice Shaff of Gator Security, and Guru Chahal of Lightspeed Venture Partners, moderated by Raj Judge of Zscaler, explored the transformative shifts reshaping cybersecurity in the age of agentic AI.

The event also included a fireside chat with Oren Zeev of Zeev Ventures, moderated by Gopi Rangan of Sure Ventures, providing perspectives on venture capital strategies and highlighting collaboration opportunities for Indian and Israeli founders. Supported by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassy of India in Washington DC, the gathering reinforced the forward-looking partnership between India and Israel, showcasing a shared commitment to cutting-edge technology and innovation-led growth.