“AI is much like the early internet - embedding itself into our lives before we’ve set the right guardrails.” — Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap Inc. at Team8’s Rethink AI Event

Team8 also Announces the Launch of Its ‘AI Excellence Center’ at their Annual LP Meeting to Strengthen Its Operating Platform

Team8, the global fund investing in cybersecurity, data, AI, fintech, and digital health, along with their intersections, recently hosted a week of impactful events in New York City. The program kicked off with the highly anticipated Rethink series. The series, designed to address critical shifts and challenges across industries, served as the opening event for Team8’s annual LP meeting. The week then culminated with the inaugural Team8 Fintech Village event, hosted at the New York Stock Exchange.

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Left to Right: Yuval Shachar, Team8 Executive Chairman, Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap Inc, Adm. Mike Rogers, Former NSA Director and Team8 Operating Partner (Credit: Nir Arieli)

This year's ‘Rethink AI’ event opened with an exclusive fireside chat between Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap Inc. and Warner Music Group, and former CEO of Sony Pictures, and Adm. Mike Rogers, former Director of the NSA and Team8 partner. In their first joint appearance on the topic, Lynton and Rogers discussed the 2014 Sony cyberattack, an incident that transformed crisis management in the digital age. Lynton shared, “The Sony hack was a wake-up call to the dangers of cyber threats. No matter how robust a system is, I have yet to see a lock or safe that someone, somewhere, hasn't been able to break into,” reflecting on how the Sony attack shaped his approach to security. He also noted how AI has made enterprises rethink security even further. Speaking on AI, Lynton added, “AI is much like the early internet – embedding itself into our lives before we’ve set the right guardrails,” while Rogers offered his national security perspective, underscoring how AI-driven threats demand more adaptive, proactive strategies.

Following Rethink, Team8 hosted its annual LP meeting bringing together Team8’s limited partners, portfolio companies, and senior leaders to discuss the fund's performance, priorities, and objectives for the years to come. The LP meeting also featured speakers including Greg Ulrich, Chief AI and Data Officer at Mastercard; David Sabow, Head of Innovation Banking at HSBC. During the meeting, Yuval Shachar, Executive Chairman and Managing Partner at Team8 announced that Team8 is building an ‘AI Excellence Center’ as part of its operating team to develop in-house tools to enhance its platform capabilities.

The week’s events concluded with the inaugural Fintech Village at the NYSE, showcasing transformative solutions that address fintech's most pressing challenges. This exclusive event was supported by a prestigious roster of partners and sponsors, including Canapi Ventures, Deloitte Catalyst, Amazon Web Services (AWS), HSBC Innovation Banking, NYSE, Fintech Meetup, GUTS, Harel Innovation Hub, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

Speaking on the events of the week, Team8 Executive Chairman Yuval Shachar added, “2024 has been a milestone year for Team8 as we’ve expanded our portfolio, raised $500M in new funds, and celebrated several significant exits, all amidst unprecedented challenges. These events in New York underscore the strength and breadth of Team8 model and commitment to innovation.”

About Team8

Team8 is a global Venture-Creation and Venture Capital Fund that creates and invests in companies focusing on Cybersecurity, Data & AI, Fintech, and Digital Health. Team8’s signature Venture-Creation model is designed to identify meaningful problems, create theses on potential solutions, and build and invest in innovative companies that tackle these challenges.

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