Lital Leshem is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Protego Ventures, a $150 million growth-stage defense fund. Lital is an American-Israeli entrepreneur and corporate advisor experienced in rapidly scaling startups, a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, and a founding member of the UAE Israel Business Council. Lital is the Co-founder of Carbyne, a pioneering emergency communication technology startup, which has raised $128 million to date. She also spent five years as a Partner at Frontier Resource Group, focusing on strategic investments in defense, aviation, and cybersecurity across emerging markets. With 11 years of military and intelligence service as a Major (Res.) in the Southern Command of the IDF, she has demonstrated leadership and strategic acumen, contributing to national security and operational excellence, and has served in the reserves since October 7th.