Partner
Jeremy Pressman
Originally from Philadelphia, Jeremy is an Israeli venture capitalist, professional basketball player and the founding partner of ADvantage. After a successful collegiate career at Yeshiva University where he was one of a dozen two- year captains in the school’s history, Jeremy chose to pursue a professional basketball career in Israel. Today, Jeremy is a seasoned veteran of Israel’s Artzit basketball league, having played six seasons on a number of teams in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv areas.
As an investor, Jeremy started his nine year journey as one of the first hires at OurCrowd, Israel’s most active VC fund. Rising to Partner at OurCrowd during his more than seven years at the platform, Jeremy accumulated vast experience sourcing and conducting due diligence on technology deals with a specific focus on sports - including Replay Technologies (acquired by Intel ~$180m).
Jeremy is a loving husband and father of four, with a profound religious outlook, a passion for fine wine, and a deep appreciation for a solid slice of pizza. He and his family currently reside in Jerusalem.
Partner
Alexander Bente
Alex co-founded ADvantage in 2018 and manages the fund as a partner. Before ADvantage, he co-founded global sports tech investment platform leAD Sports.
In his more than 6 years investing in sports tech, Alex has been involved in sourcing and supporting more than 30 global investments in the space. As a great-grandson of Adi Dassler, he created multiple businesses to build on the legacy of his great-grandfather and brings a strong network in sports, business and investment to the fund and its portfolio companies.
Alex holds a master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of St. Gallen, one of Europe’s leading business schools, and is a former competitive tennis player. Alex is a proud father and lives in Orlando with his family.
Senior Venture Partner
Michael Redd
Michael Redd has been building, developing and investing in tech-focused startups since he retired from the NBA in 2013. After twelve seasons as a professional basketball player, both in the NBA and the US Olympic team in 2008, Michael has continued a strong drive toward excellence in his focus on ventures off the court.
He joined the ADvantage team as a venture partner in 2019 combining his passion for both sports and venture capital, with the goal to back companies improving human performance and preventing injuries. Michael is also involved in SnapChat’s Yellow incubator as a mentor and investor, and developing his own venture relationships with his firm 22 Ventures.
Venture Partner
Ahron Cohen
Ahron is an investor, business executive, civic leader, philanthropist, attorney, and board member whose career spans the fields of sports, entertainment, media, finance, hospitality and emerging technology.
Previously, Ahron led the Arizona Coyotes organization as its President, CEO and Alternate Governor. During his time with the Coyotes, the franchise posted several record-setting business results, including all-time highs in ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, premium seating, merchandise and food & beverage. The organization was widely recognized as a best-in-class franchise for fan experience, including a top 3 ranking in the NHL by J.D. Power & Associates for overall customer satisfaction results. Most importantly, Cohen set the tone for sports team philanthropy by leading the organization to donate a record-setting $3.5 million into the Arizona community during his final year as CEO.
He also created a mandate for all Coyotes employees to donate at least 15 hours each year towards community service. Ahron also championed empowering diverse perspectives in the organization by drastically increasing the number of females on the executive management team and being the first team in the NHL to hire a female hocket ambassador in Lyndsey Fry. According to the former Athletic reporter Craig Morgan, “Cohen’s greatest legacy with the Coyotes will likely be the inclusive and responsive relationship he developed with the greater community.” Before becoming President & CEO, Ahron rose through the ranks of the organization, first serving as its Chief Legal Officer and thereafter its COO.
Head of Deals/General Counsel
John Weaver
John has over a decade of experience as an investor, attorney, and advisor to numerous startups, funds, and angel investors. Along with Michael Redd, John co-founded 22 Ventures where he led operations and deal flow while advising on over 100 investments. Prior to 22 Ventures, John co-founded Stansbury Weaver, a Columbus, Ohio based law firm that served startups and early-stage investors. A passionate Baltimore Orioles fan, John is also an avid golfer, rec-league basketball player, and part-time youth basketball coach.
Associate
Zach Yoshor
Born and raised in Houston, TX, Zach received an AB in economics from Harvard, where he played varsity basketball. He moved to Tel Aviv after college, initially to play professional basketball in the Israel National League and then staying on to work in the exciting Israeli high-tech industry.
Zach is currently an investment associate at ADvantage VC and his responsibilities are far ranging, including sourcing deals (>2k), conducting quantitative and qualitative due diligence, and managing relationships with our portfolio companies and core investors. Tel Aviv-based, Zach is deeply passionate about investing, technology, gaming, wellness, sports, and all things Tolkien.
Partner, COO
Sam Schmelzer
An experienced venture capitalist and proven business executive with a successful exit to a publicly traded company, Sam got started in a sports loving family in Ohio where he was a multisport athlete through high school. After completing multiple degrees at Brown University, he moved to Israel where he served in an electronic warfare R&D unit and began his career as a venture investor and business executive. With a combination of investor and operator experience, Sam brings a unique ability to quickly learn businesses and identify--as well as execute--new business growth strategies. Sam lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three children where he enjoys excursions into nature, hosting BBQs and good wine with good people.
Venture Partner
Josh Liggett
The son of two successful entrepreneurs, Josh has been immersed in the business world his entire life. During his teenage years, he discovered a passion for investing, initially focusing on public markets, real estate, and private investments. Josh eventually found his calling in the tech world 15 years ago when he began startup investing. Subsequently, he joined Israel’s most active Venture Capital fund, working on over 60 investments and serving on multiple startup boards during a 6-year period. With a keen eye for identifying early trends in the market, including web3, fintech, and "metaverse,” Josh has honed his ability to spot promising startups. Hailing from Southern California, Josh previously helped scale and operate a successful women’s fashion company that employed over 100 FTEs and boasted prominent retailers such as Nordstrom, Walmart, and Kmart as customers. Josh enjoys snowboarding, playing ice hockey, and playing a relaxing round of golf.Josh relocated to Israel a decade ago with his wife, where they now reside with their three beautiful daughters.