Venture Capital Is a People Business, Says Samsung Investment Director

Investors are in the business of forming meaningful connections with people, Rutie Adar, a director of business development, investments, and incubation at Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., said Tuesday at Calcalist’s investors’ event It Tech Two to Tango, held at the events space of Tel Aviv coworking space LABS, at the Azrieli Sarona Tower.

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Adar was speaking at a panel on corporate investment strategies, moderated by Justine Zwerling, head of primary markets Israel at the London Stock Exchange.

While Samsung invests globally, about one-third of its investments are made in Israeli companies, Adar said.

It is important for investors to work fast, be responsive, and give a yes or no answer as quickly as possible so entrepreneurs and startups know where they stand, Yair Shoham, an investment director at Intel Capital Israel, said on the panel.

“I would never tell a company not to raise more money for fear of stock dilution,” Shoham said. Companies should raise the amount they feel they need, and then some, because there are always additional expenses, he added.