Former hostage Noa Argamani joins VC fund to help Israeli startups break into US market

Former Israeli hostage Noa Argamani has joined Vine Ventures, a venture capital fund that supports early-stage Israeli startups in artificial intelligence, defense and cybersecurity, as she seeks to help Israeli companies expand into the U.S. market.

“At this point, if I want to learn and make an impact, venture capital is the right place for me,” she said.

“I want to be surrounded by people who dream big,” Argamani emphasized.

“My mission is to help Israeli startups enter the market and really break through that barrier,” she explained.

Argamani said she sees her new role as a bridge between Israeli startups and the large, competitive U.S. market. Because of Israel’s relatively small domestic market, Israeli startups often look to expand internationally at an early stage.

Argamani was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. In June 2024, Israeli special forces rescued her along with three other Israeli hostages held by Hamas in central Gaza.

Following her release, Argamani became a prominent international advocate for the remaining hostages, including her boyfriend at the time, Avinatan Or.

In October 2025, Argamani and Or reunited after two years apart following an American-brokered ceasefire that secured the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.

After returning to her studies at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, Argamani became interested in the rapid transformation of software engineering through artificial intelligence. She and several friends began applying AI models to identify patterns of antisemitic content online, eventually creating a website that allowed users to search for antisemitic rhetoric by specific dates.

She also developed a startup focused on helping autistic children as part of an academic entrepreneurship program.

Argamani said the Oct. 7 massacre and her time in Hamas captivity fundamentally changed her.

“There’s the person you were before October 7 and the person you are after,” she explained.

Argamani said she initially turned down several job offers related to her coding experience.

“I felt that going back to coding would be a waste,” she said. “I want to do something with more impact, to make a change in the world."

During her advocacy for the hostages, Argamani met Eric Reiner, founder of Vine Ventures, which has offices in Tel Aviv, Boston and San Francisco. Reiner has focused his career on connecting U.S. capital with promising Israeli startups.

The fund now manages approximately $500 million and has invested in Israeli companies including Eon, Kodo and Wonderful. In April, Reiner offered Argamani an internship with the fund. Earlier this month, she joined Vine Ventures as a full-time employee, dividing her time between Tel Aviv and San Francisco.

Argamani has already noticed cultural differences between Israeli and U.S. investors, saying U.S. investors tend to be more polite while Israeli investors are more likely to interrupt during presentations.

“They can smile through the entire pitch, then reject you at the end and never tell you why,” she said, referring to the U.S. investors.

“Sometimes, no matter how hard you work, things won’t turn out well,” she added.

Argamani concluded by saying that the events of Oct. 7 and her captivity made her stronger and more determined to build a future beyond her trauma.

“I lost a lot of people. I saw hell with my own eyes when I was in the tunnels and looked into the eyes of Hamas,” Argamani recalled. “But every day I choose to continue with another part of my life, to look forward, go to work and not let grief become my identity.”