Michael Benezra is a Partner at Crewstone International, a private equity firm in New York City, CEO of Signal87 AI, and founder of Erez Capital, a venture capital and consulting firm with 80 venture partners investing in AI startups across fintech, medtech, and proptech. Since its founding in 2022, Erez has backed companies such as Curio, RealReports, and Clockout, where Michael continues to serve as a board partner.
Previously, he was an Economic Foreign Officer for the State of Israel, leading economic intelligence, bilateral negotiations, and international deal structuring. He helped companies secure capital and partnerships with multinational corporations, negotiated a U.S.–Israel shipping route with Zim Shipping (NYSE: ZIM), and expanded ties with Cabo Verde through its longest-serving Prime Minister and Ambassador to the U.S.
Michael holds a Master’s in American Government from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in Social Policy from the University of Washington. He was named a Boston Business Journ
