fadi Swidan on behalf of Imad Telhami – Takwin VC chairman of Takwin ventures.
Tell us about yourself?
Co-Founder & Chairman, at Takwin Ventures, Co-Founder and Chairman at Babcom Centers (~3000 employees); formerly Chief Operating Officer, Delta Galil Industries; active leader helping empower and integrate Israeli Arabs successfully in both the local and global economy.
A member of the Board of Directors of numerous public companies.
What do you think is the single biggest misconception people have when it comes to startups?
To think and dream big, to solve great challenge.
The difference between startup and business is the challenge to solve, it has to be scalable, a real pain for a lot of people all over the world.
To work hard and find the market-fit, do pivots and think creatively to scale fast.
If you could go back in time to any moment from your journey, and give yourself one tip, what would it be?
Trust your intuition even more. Most of us try to take intelligent decision, and ignore their “Stomach rumbles”. To do great decisions you have to have them both.
What makes you stand out as an entrepreneur?
The drive and the ability to clarify fast problems, the ability to stop managing my initiatives as soon as I can and I appoint good GMs to do it.
What are some of the best working habits you’ve gained over the past couple of years?
My great habit is MBL, meaning Managing By Love, this is a language all of us understand. It is to understand the founders/customer/employee/contractors needs and find the way to win-win situations.
Give us a bit of an insight into the influences behind the company?
Our motto and mission: To diversify the face of the startup nation, by bringing bright and ambitious Arab/Israeli tech entrepreneurs to the industry.
Where do you see your business in five years?
great Venture Capital, with great portfolio, that is doing great change in the world and solving real challenges to make our life much better.
What do you think the biggest challenge will be for you in getting there?
The main challenge is to make the change needed in the Arab/Israeli society mindset and the Israeli ecosystem.
Talk to us about your biggest success story so far?
Takwin has 4 success stories, Soos Technologies is the best. It is a great technology to change the gender of the chick – while incubated – from male to female – for the egg and hatchery industry. https://www.soos.org.il/
How do clients and customers find you? Are you much of a salesperson for yourself?
Happy customers send us their friends. Yes, I do approach potential customers myself and I sell them our unique value and our services
What one tip would you give to fellow startup founders?
Focus on making our world a better place to live in, be committed to solve great challenges and not to make fast money.
And finally, what do you hope the future brings both you personally, and your business?
I hope that the future will bring peace to all of us , and demonstrate to the world the great potential that awaits us among the Arab-Israeli entrepreneurs.
Follow Takwin ventures on Twitter or Linkedin.
