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We build successful, profitable companies

SmartUp

Founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneur Yonatan Stern, SmartUp's goal is to change the way new companies are built. Based on principles developed over three decades of experience, SmartUp teaches entrepreneurs how to build profitable companies with modest investment and a clear, proven methodology.

"Building a successful company requires mastery, just like any other profession. Learning how to do the job is the first step, but true mastery comes from years of practice and experience."
Yonatan Stern
Founder
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SmartUp's Guiding Principles

Be Profitable as Fast as You Can

Sell Before You Build

No Need for Disruptive Technology

Don’t Be First

Be Profitable as Fast as You Can

A company that loses money is just running out the clock until it goes broke. A company that makes money can keep going indefinitely. It found something that works, and it has the time, cash, and freedom to do what it wants. So the goal should be profit, not a big exit.

Making that the goal changes everything. What you build, who you sell to, your branding, pricing, how fast you grow, your culture, team, etc. Chasing profit isn’t instead of an exit, either. It actually makes a good exit more likely.

Sell Before You Build

Build your revenue generation process before you build the product. Getting customers is harder than building the product itself. Test your messaging and responses with your core market first, verify real demand, and only then develop the features customers actually want.
By the time you build, you should already have a marketing plan that's been tested and proven to work.

No Need for Disruptive Technology

You don’t need to invent new tech to build a great company. Just use what’s already out there. Spotify didn’t invent streaming music, Uber didn’t invent taxi rides, Amazon didn’t invent online shopping.
What actually makes a business work isn’t the technology, it’s a smart business model built on top of it. Look at companies like Netflix, Apple, AirBnB, or Google. What makes them big isn’t the tech. It’s the business.

Don’t Be First

Being first to market sounds great, but it’s usually not the advantage people think it is. The first company has to do all the hard, expensive work, such as, proving the market exists, teaching customers something new, and making every mistake along the way.
Companies that come after get to watch what worked and what didn’t, skip those costly lessons, and execute better. Being first isn’t the win. Being smart about timing is.

Be Profitable as Fast as You Can

A company that loses money is just running out the clock until it goes broke. A company that makes money can keep going indefinitely. It found something that works, and it has the time, cash, and freedom to do what it wants. So the goal should be profit, not a big exit.

Making that the goal changes everything. What you build, who you sell to, your branding, pricing, how fast you grow, your culture, team, etc. Chasing profit isn’t instead of an exit, either. It actually makes a good exit more likely.

Sell Before You Build

Build your revenue generation process before you build the product. Getting customers is harder than building the product itself. Test your messaging and responses with your core market first, verify real demand, and only then develop the features customers actually want.
By the time you build, you should already have a marketing plan that's been tested and proven to work.

No Need for Disruptive Technology

You don’t need to invent new tech to build a great company. Just use what’s already out there. Spotify didn’t invent streaming music, Uber didn’t invent taxi rides, Amazon didn’t invent online shopping.
What actually makes a business work isn’t the technology, it’s a smart business model built on top of it. Look at companies like Netflix, Apple, AirBnB, or Google. What makes them big isn’t the tech. It’s the business.

Don’t Be First

Being first to market sounds great, but it’s usually not the advantage people think it is. The first company has to do all the hard, expensive work, such as, proving the market exists, teaching customers something new, and making every mistake along the way.
Companies that come after get to watch what worked and what didn’t, skip those costly lessons, and execute better. Being first isn’t the win. Being smart about timing is.

Our Team

Yonatan Stern

Founder & CEO

Libby Molad

Co-Founder & COO

Ayala Turgeman

Co-Founder & CFO

Eyal Lewinsohn

Mentor

Daniel Itzhaki

Software Developer

Matias Brenman

Marketing Manager

Maor Nave

AI & Data Specialist

Yair Fradkin

Recruitment Manager

Oren Cohen

Product Designer

Want to learn more?