David leads Balena’s strategy and long-term vision. Prior to founding Balena, he co-founded “The Fridge,” a nonprofit focused on reducing food waste. David studied Business Administration at Reichman University and majored in Fashion and Sustainability at the University of Bocconi in Milan. David is an alumni of the Zell entrepreneurship program.

Yael leads the day-to-day implementation of Balena’s product design and collaboration strategy. Before Balena, Yael was a footwear designer for Roberto Cavalli and was recently picked as one of Vogue talent’s 200 emerging designers. Yael can speak 5 languages and she’s an illustrator for Hermès.

Yanir is in charge of all the research, development, creation and testing of all our materials. Yanir has a Ph.D in Plastics Engineering and is the Founder and CEO of Plastics App, a research and development platform for plastic materials, processing and application development. Yanir was the president of Israel Polymers and Plastic Society from 2016-2018.

With over 4 years of experience in circular material and waste solution research, Galy leads the ongoing research and development at Balena. She has a Masters degree in Polymer Engineering and is passionate about providing creative solutions to everyday development challenges. When Galy is not doing material tests in the lab she is a passionate painter and beach lover. 

Tzachi leads Balena’s daily operations and oversees all of the company's business activities. Previously, Tzachi worked in a leading high-tech company, and before that in education management. Tzachi holds two B.A degrees, in Business and in Psychology, and has published articles about human and computer Interactions. He was a participant of the Zell Entrepreneurship program, and loves playing basketball and the piano.

Rotem drives the way the Balena brand looks and feels, taking care of all different aspects of branding, design and illustration. He holds a B.des from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, where he is also lecturing these days. Rotem is the creator of many unique, cutting-edge brands across diverse industries, and is also a poet and a published author.

Dalia is the voice behind Balena, crafting compelling, valuable and educational content that showcases Balena in its true light. Before Balena, Dalia helped small businesses grow through digital strategy and social consultancy while pursuing and completing her MBA. When not at Balena, Dalia reads, travels and hops from cafe to cafe.

Yael is a seasoned polymers and plastics engineer with over five years of experience in customer relations and leading R&D projects. Proficient in polymer chemical synthesis, Yael excels in design, experimental planning, and process optimization. When Yael takes a break from the lab, you can catch her turning her iPad into a digital playground with Procreate, and brewing up herbal medicine extracts at home!

Shoshana leads business development at Balena, forging partnerships that bring our circular materials to brands around the world. With a strong background in mission-driven organizations and a passion for scaling sustainable innovation, she’s focused on turning conversations into collaborations and values into impact. Shoshana brings sharp strategy, thoughtful energy, and a clear sense of purpose to everything she does.

Noura brings a research-driven lens to Balena’s product team, helping us explore how materials behave, where they can perform best, and what the market truly needs. With a background spanning strategy, sustainability, and social impact, she’s skilled at connecting big-picture thinking with practical insights. Her work helps guide product development grounded in data, purpose, and possibility.

With over a decade of experience in business development, international trade, and industrial innovation, André brings a strategic, global perspective to Balena’s commercial efforts. He has worked across markets to accelerate sustainability-driven growth, helping organizations bridge the gap between climate goals and real-world implementation. Passionate about turning sustainability into scalable business strategy, André helps partners unlock new opportunities by aligning impact with performance.

Uri makes sure Balena’s materials move seamlessly across borders and industries, ensuring they reach our partners efficiently and reliably. With a sharp operational mindset and a love for solving complex logistics challenges, he plays a key role in turning our circular vision into reality. Uri’s practical, detail-driven approach helps bridge the gap between innovation and execution and makes impact possible at scale.