Podcast Summary: "What's Your Number?"
Episode: The Startup Unlocking the ‘Black Hole’ of the Open Sea – with Ami Daniel
Hosts: Yonatan Adiri & Yael Wissner-Levy
Guest: Ami Daniel (Co-founder & CEO, Windward)
Release Date: February 25, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, Yonatan and Yael explore the often-overlooked but hugely consequential world of maritime intelligence through the lens of Israeli startup Windward. Guest Ami Daniel, Windward’s co-founder and CEO, shares his journey from a near-death naval experience to building what’s now considered a global leader in maritime intelligence. The episode also delves into current geopolitical shifts impacting the seas, Israel’s economic ties with India, and the transformation of global shipping lanes in a time of war and climate change.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Numbers of the Week: M&A and Indian-Israeli Ties
- Metasight Acquisition:
- Israeli healthtech startup Metasight acquired by Garden Health for $150M after raising only $20M. This is a rare capital-efficient exit in Israeli tech.
"It’s science to startup, startup to global platform and doesn’t hollow out the local footprint." – Yael (00:36)
- Israeli healthtech startup Metasight acquired by Garden Health for $150M after raising only $20M. This is a rare capital-efficient exit in Israeli tech.
- India-Israel Defense Contract:
- India and Israel signed contracts worth $8.6B as Indian PM Modi visits Israel.
"Israel’s future is an alliance from India all the way to Ethiopia...8.6 billion is just the beginning." – Yonatan (00:56)
- India and Israel signed contracts worth $8.6B as Indian PM Modi visits Israel.
2. The Windex & Market Shifts: Israeli Tech Under Pressure
- Windex Downturn:
- The ‘Windex’, an index tracking Israeli-founded public companies, down 3.38% YTD even as the S&P and NASDAQ rise.
- SaaS companies are particularly hard hit—the “SaaSpocalypse."
- Israeli job market adapting: 40% increase in enrollment in electrical/mechanical engineering, move away from computer science.
"SaaS is super capital efficient, it’s globally scalable, it’s talent friendly. And now we’re kind of being hit with reality." – Yael (05:03)
- Cybersecurity Sector Shock:
- Anthropic’s launch of a cyber vulnerability agent hit stocks like Palo Alto Networks (-10%).
"It almost felt like hysteria...not all cyber is created equal." – Yael (06:26)
- Anthropic’s launch of a cyber vulnerability agent hit stocks like Palo Alto Networks (-10%).
- Shipping Moving Green:
- Zim, the historic Israeli shipper, gets acquired by Hapag Lloyd of Germany (25% owned by Qatar/Saudi Arabia) at a 55% premium. National security implications discussed.
3. Big Shorts: Secret Defense Visits & Indian Delegation
- Anduril's Palmer Luckey in Israel:
- Covert meetings with Israeli defense startups amid renewed global defense interest post-October 7.
- Luckey hailed as a defense tech innovator, now an “avid Zionist.”
"He created a cool atmosphere around defense tech…and the ingenuity…is that he builds a modern defense company that can rely on existing fail-fast dynamics." – Yonatan (09:12)
- PM Modi’s Not-So-Secret Visit:
- Modi signals a multi-dimensional partnership, emphasizing "diverse, innovation, progress."
"India is not just a buyer now, it’s really a supplier...aligning Israeli tech with Indian industrial sovereignty." – Yael (12:53)
- Modi signals a multi-dimensional partnership, emphasizing "diverse, innovation, progress."
FEATURE INTERVIEW: Ami Daniel (Windward)
[Main Interview Starts: 15:21]
The “Black Hole” of the Open Sea
- Why Maritime is Different:
- Oceans are vast and mostly “off-radar”; no global authority monitors all shipping. 90% of goods move by sea.
"Ships, by and large, are associated with cargo...so it’s really hard. It’s a lot of ships, it’s a lot of cargoes, and it’s a lot of ocean." – Ami Daniel (15:31)
- Oceans are vast and mostly “off-radar”; no global authority monitors all shipping. 90% of goods move by sea.
- Windward’s Mission:
- Build an “intelligence authority of the oceans”—tracking every ship, cargo, and movement to deliver actionable insights.
Personal Catalyst: The Missile Strike on INS Hanit
- Defining Moment:
- In 2006, Ami survived a missile strike on his Israeli Navy vessel. The tragedy highlighted the blind spots at sea and inspired his drive for maritime intelligence.
"It was the only time we did what's called the Kiddush Kabbalat Shabbat...My then girlfriend, now wife…watched my ship burn on TV, which is insane." – Ami Daniel (18:27)
- In 2006, Ami survived a missile strike on his Israeli Navy vessel. The tragedy highlighted the blind spots at sea and inspired his drive for maritime intelligence.
- Resilience, Preparation, and the Anti-"Yehiye Beseder" Attitude:
- Ami insists on professional rigor, thorough preparation, and debriefs as a result of his experiences.
"There were the ones who fell apart and then the ones who stepped up. And the reason is…I think those of us who were better prepared both mentally, professionally, physically, could step up to that moment." – Ami Daniel (20:33)
- Ami insists on professional rigor, thorough preparation, and debriefs as a result of his experiences.
Windward’s Evolution & Market
- From Piracy to Multi-Use Intelligence:
- Started with government use cases (piracy, illegal fishing); branched into broader applications as the market matured.
- Why Intel Agencies Need Windward:
- "Navies are built to fight…they’re not built to do global maritime intelligence." The unique data assets and domain expertise make Windward indispensable to Western agencies; strict value-based customer screening (no work with Russia, China, sanctioned regimes). (24:46)
What’s Next: IPO, Data, and AI
- Future Plans:
- Cautious stance on public listing. Sees more likely scenario in PE deals or M&A as markets demand larger scale. Focused on leveraging AI and data in maritime intelligence.
"Insight is now a commodity and data has become a scarcity...that data asset in the agentic world...could be a winning combination." – Ami Daniel (27:38)
- Cautious stance on public listing. Sees more likely scenario in PE deals or M&A as markets demand larger scale. Focused on leveraging AI and data in maritime intelligence.
Real-World Data: Iran, Ukraine, and the Shifting Geopolitical Trade
- Bifurcation of Global Trade:
- Sanctions (Russia, Iran, Venezuela) split global oil/shipping; “dark fleets” now 15% of tankers. China increases shipbuilding, narrowing US advantage.
"If the US doesn’t change something fast, they’re going to have a one to a hundred eventually because the US doesn’t build a lot of ships." – Ami Daniel (28:18)
- Sanctions (Russia, Iran, Venezuela) split global oil/shipping; “dark fleets” now 15% of tankers. China increases shipbuilding, narrowing US advantage.
- Straits of Hormuz Tensions:
- Recent data: Ships avoiding the Gulf, more turning off transmissions, ship-to-ship transfers down 60%.
"Everybody’s kind of pushing, pushing, pushing on the one hand, on the other hand trying to spend as little as possible time in the Gulf." – Ami Daniel (30:29)
- Recent data: Ships avoiding the Gulf, more turning off transmissions, ship-to-ship transfers down 60%.
National Security and Shipping: The Zim–Hapag Lloyd Deal
- Concerns Over Foreign Ownership:
- Israel needs national shipping capacity; in crises, insurance spikes by 1,000%, risking supplies of everything from fuel to containers.
"My view is once you sold the majority...don’t depend on them in times of war. Done…The state of Israel should make sure, no matter what, it has enough provision, enough shipping capacity to provide for a long war." – Ami Daniel (35:55)
- Israel needs national shipping capacity; in crises, insurance spikes by 1,000%, risking supplies of everything from fuel to containers.
Arctic Shipping, Climate Change & Future Conflict
- Opening Arctic Routes:
- Melting ice opens new trade possibilities—ownership hotly contested by Russia, China, US. Sanctions tighten on Russian “dark fleets.” (36:44)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Market Readiness:
"I thought that data would be a commodity and insight would be scarcity. It ended up exactly the opposite." – Ami Daniel (27:38)
- On Family & Founding:
"My biggest advice is family, maybe surprising...if you don’t have an anchor, you just can’t go through this in any other way." – Ami Daniel (38:15)
- On the Pentagon’s AI Posture:
"The Pentagon as of a couple of weeks ago has put its CDA office at war footing. That is a very dramatic development, extremely dramatic." – Yonatan (41:06)
Important Timestamps
- [00:09] Weekly numbers: Metasight acquisition, India–Israel contracts
- [03:52] Windex: Market trends & SaaSpocalypse
- [08:02] Palmer Luckey’s secret defense tech visit
- [11:32] PM Modi’s historic Israel visit
- [15:21] Interview with Ami Daniel starts
- [18:27] Missile strike story & Windward’s origin
- [20:33] On being prepared—resilience in business
- [24:46] Working with intel agencies, market ethics
- [30:29] Data on Iran, Gulf, and sanctions
- [35:55] Zim/Hapag Lloyd deal—national security concerns
- [36:44] Arctic trade routes and climate change
- [38:15] Advice to founders: family and purpose
- [41:06] US Pentagon: “AI Strategy for the Department of War” (discussed as trendsetter for tech and defense)
Overall Tone & Key Takeaways
- Leadership & Integrity: Ami Daniel embodies mission-driven leadership sharpened by lived experience under fire, a sense of duty, and rigorous preparation.
- Macro Relevance: The ocean is a "blind spot" in global trade and security—maritime intelligence is becoming as critical as cyber.
- Geopolitics & Supply Chain: Rising global tensions, sanctions, and climate change are redrawing shipping routes and alliances.
- Advice for Founders: Family and purpose are essential—money alone can’t propel you through multi-year entrepreneurial battles.
“Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. For me, the right reasons is purpose. It’s not money. I want to make an impact. I want to matter.”
– Ami Daniel (38:15)