Airwallex, which launched its Israeli operations three years ago, announced the appointment of Noa Gastfreund to lead the Startups and VC sector for Israel. Gastfreund will lead the company’s efforts to integrate its financial infrastructure into the heart of the Israeli startup ecosystem.

Gastfreund brings a wealth of experience in go-to-market (GTM) strategies and ecosystem leadership. Prior to joining Airwallex, she led the accelerator activity at the 8200 Alumni Association, where she worked closely with early-stage founders on fundraising and global expansion. She is also the founder of the UAE–Israel Tech Zone.

In her new role, Gastfreund will leverage her relationships with venture capital firms and strategic partners to position Airwallex as a long-term strategic partner for Israeli entrepreneurs.

The appointment coincides with the launch of Airwallex’s new startup-focused program in Israel and across the globe. The initiative is designed to support founders as they navigate the complexities of cross-border operations, foreign exchange (FX), and global payments. Airwallex’s platform allows startups to manage all their financial operations in a unified global infrastructure to scale without borders, including everything from international payroll to multi-currency treasury, expense management, supplier payments and customers funds collection without the operational and cost overheads of traditional financial solutions.

“Israeli startups are uniquely global from their inception, and to compete on a world stage, they require a financial foundation that is as agile and ambitious as they are,” said Gastfreund. “At Airwallex, we aren’t just facilitating transactions; we are building the infrastructure that allows the next generation of Israeli ‘unicorns’ to operate seamlessly across borders from day one.”

Airwallex, founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2015, employs over 2,000 employees across 26 offices, and plans to continue hiring in Israel and the Middle East this year.