
Principal, International Technologies Ventures
Joseph Vardi, known as Yossi, is a veteran of the Israeli hi-tech sector. He has founded or participated in the building of over 30 companies in the fields of Internet, software, telecommunications, electro-optics, energy, the environment and more.
Vardi is the principal of International Technologies Ventures, a private VC enterprise investing primarily for its own account, which initiates, negotiates, structures and arranges financing for the acquisition of operating companies.
Notably, he is the founding investor and former chairman of Mirabilis Ltd, the creator of the highly popular instant messaging program ICQ. The company was acquired by AOL for a reported $400 million.
Several Vardi-founded companies have gone public, among them Advanced Technologies-Tekem (software), International Technologies (lasers) and Granite Hacarmel. Among his recent high-tech investments are
As a civil servant, Vardi was director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Development and Ministry of Energy, and North American director of the Investment Authority. He served in an advisory capacity during Israeli negotiations with Jordan, Egypt, Syria and the Palestinians, and chaired a number of government commissions, including ones related to electricity, oil, and venture capital.
Other companies he chaired or served on the board of include: Israel Chemicals, Israel National Oil Company, Negev Ceramics, Transportation Enterprises, Israel Electric Corporation, the Elite chocolate company, Bezeq (telecommunications), Sonol, Scitex, Oil Refineries, Haifa Chemicals, and Dead Sea Works, Arkia Israel Airlines,
Vardi acted as an adviser to the World Bank, the Bank of Israel, the United Nations Development Program and the Mexican government, as well as to AOL,
In 1998, Vardi was quoted in BusinessWeek as saying, ''Creating revenue is a big distraction." His approach has since changed; recently he was heard saying, "Lack of revenue is a big destruction."
Yossi Vardi was an early investor in Answers Corp. (formerly GuruNet).


