NBA superstar Stephen Curry has come under scrutiny over investments made through his venture capital firm, Penny Jar Capital. According to claims circulating online and detailed by writer Nate Bear, Curry has invested in Israeli cybersecurity and cloud-security startups founded and staffed by former Israeli military intelligence operatives.
The investments were made alongside Israeli and U.S. venture capital firms described as being closely connected to Israel's intelligence establishment.
Curry's involvement has drawn attention because the companies cited, Zafran Security and Upwind, were founded by former members of elite Israeli military intelligence units, including Unit 8200 and Mamram. Critics argue that these units were integral to building Israel's digital surveillance and military infrastructure, and they contrast Curry's financial ties with his public image as a supporter of equality and justice.
Which Israeli Tech Companies Is Stephen Curry Invested In?
One of the companies backed by Penny Jar Capital is Zafran Security, which raised $30 million in a 2024 funding round. The company is led by Sanaz Yashar, a former Unit 8200 operative who spent 15 years in Israeli military intelligence. Her co-founders, Ben Seri and Snir Havdala, also served in Israeli intelligence units focused on cyber operations. Curry invested in Zafran alongside firms such as Sequoia Capital, Menlo Ventures, and Israeli venture fund Cyberstarts, whose founders and partners also have deep ties to Israel's intelligence apparatus.
Curry has also invested in Upwind, a cloud-security startup founded by former members of the IDF's Mamram unit. Penny Jar Capital first backed Upwind in 2023 during a $50 million funding round and participated again in a $250 million round in 2025. Other investors include Bessemer Partners and Greylock Partners, firms that have appointed former Unit 8200 officials to oversee Israel-focused investments. Upwind's leadership has publicly acknowledged that members of its Israel-based team were called up as military reservists following the start of the Gaza war.
Curry's investments in Upwind also overlap with those of former Golden State Warriors teammate Omri Casspi, an Israeli ex-player who now runs a venture firm focused on Israeli startups and IDF spin-offs. Casspi has described his goal as building "Zionism 2.0" and has publicly supported Israel's military actions.
While Curry himself has remained silent on Gaza, his wife Ayesha Curry shared a donation appeal from the Palestine Children's Relief Fund in 2023. Critics argue that Curry's business ties to Israeli intelligence-linked companies stand in contrast to his outspoken positions on racism, equality, and social justice in the United States.
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