Welcome to our Meet the CEO series of brief interviews with Activate portfolio company leaders. This interview features Tomorrow.io CEO and co-founder Shimon Elkabetz. Tomorrow.io is a pioneering weather intelligence platform that revolutionizes global weather forecasting and helps fortify business operations against weather-related risks.
Shimon served as a pilot for 11 years. Multiple near-death weather-related experiences during that time stoked a fascination with the weather. He’s also passionate about soccer and can recall any statistic whether you ask him to or not. Shimon holds a BA in economics from Ben Gurion University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
After the challenge you’re currently addressing, what is the second most important challenge facing the world right now?
Shimon: Social media – I think that the unregulated social media + AI could bring a catastrophe to the world. It’s the most sophisticated brainwashing weapon that was ever invented, resulting in massive polarization and the dismantling of many democracies around the world. If I didn’t work on Tomorrow.io, I’d dedicate my time to combat that.
When seeking investment, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d offer to companies like yours?
Shimon: Focus on the mission and the moat. Investors look for companies solving massive problems with defensible technology, especially in a world of AI, that can create lasting impact. Be relentless in communicating how your vision ties to pain and urgency that your prospects are motivated to solve.
What motivated you to try to solve the complex challenges your company is addressing?
Shimon: Bringing relief to 5 Billion people with high resolution weather data is a mission bigger than life. I don’t think that I’ll ever have a chance to be at the global front of working on such an important, positive, impactful mission that can help humanity across the globe. The mission gives me a lot of energy even when the tides are high and it’s difficult to handle the day to day throughout this journey.
If you weren’t in your current job, what would you be doing?
Shimon: I’d run a soccer club in Israel or Europe 🙂 I love it and that’s my ultimate fantasy.
Why did you choose to partner with Activate Capital, and what has your experience been working with our team?
Shimon: Activate Capital has been a true partner. Whether it’s providing capital to solve the world’s most pressing challenges, facilitating strategic opportunities, or simply acting as a sounding board, Activate has been an extremely valuable partner for Tomorrow.io.
Welcome to our Meet the CEO series of brief interviews with Activate portfolio company leaders. This interview features Tomorrow.io CEO and co-founder Shimon Elkabetz. Tomorrow.io is a pioneering weather intelligence platform that revolutionizes global weather forecasting and helps fortify business operations against weather-related risks.