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The Wiz Wizards
From behind the lines to in the headlines — and what their tactical edge can teach you
Tim He
September 08, 2024 • Est. Reading Time: 4 minutes
TL;DR
Hey, I’m Tim! ☕
This one took me down quite the rabbit hole. A surprising number of tech companies are founded by former officers of Israeli intelligence and military special ops units.
ZoomInfo, Wix, Palo Alto Networks, Opster, Waze, CyberArk, and now Wiz.
Here’s the one thing to remember: the cofounders’ job isn’t to eliminate risks but to make it safe for the team to take them.
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Let’s get into it ⤵
DEEP DIVE
“All warfare is based on deception. Offer the enemy a bait to lure him — Sun Tzu, who wrote the book every CEO has on their shelf.
Bootcamp Billionaires
Wiz cofounders rejected Google’s jaw-dropping $23 billion offer, which is double its largest acquisition ever.
They met as teens in an Israeli Army clandestine intel unit. CEO Assaf Rappaport advanced to an elite Special Operations division.
Post-military they cofounded a startup, sold it to Microsoft for $320 million, and spent 4 years leading its cybersecurity teams.
Instead of cashing out on Wiz, they're eyeing an IPO. Wiz hit $100 million ARR in a record 18 months.
Actionable Advice
Going to battle together, literally or figuratively (with a previous job) is a good way to learn whether or not you can trust someone.
Public milestones fortify cofounderships. Their decision was a power move that brought the cofounders (and others) closer.
The press has been buzzing non-stop, with most of the spotlight on Assaf. Determine what setup works best for your startup.
Psst… enjoying this? Share this link with a friend. You could save a cofoundership.
TIM’S TAKE
Candid Comments
As former intelligence officers, they definitely approached this acquisition discussion with a keen eye for gathering intel.
They could’ve pocked billions, but it seems like they'd rather be kings. What about you and your cofounders?
I’d be surprised if not at least one cofounder was seriously tempted by the offer. Wonder how the rest convinced him.
Related Resources
Decide whether you want to be rich or be king with the help of this article by Noam Wasserman. Align with your cofounders.
Plan an offsite adventure with BoomPop. If that's too cliché, cringe, or costly, grab a coffee and unwind together.
Just starting out? Check out Rex Salisbury’s LinkedIn post on cofounder equity splitting. Could be handy for your future IPO.