Nadav Shoval (born 1990) is an Israeli entrepreneur,[1] founder and CEO of
OpenWeb,[2] a US-based
unicorn software company that works with online publishers and advertisers.[3][4][5][6][7] In 2017, he was named one of
Forbes’ Israel 30 Under 30.[8][9][10]
Early life and education
Nadav Shoval was born in 1990. As a child, Shoval was diagnosed with
Kawasaki disease,[11][12][13] which required him to work with computers from an early age, leading him to engage with online communities, building chats and forums woking on old classroom computers.[14][15][16]
According to
ICE.co.il Shoval is the grandson of a holocaust survivor and grew up in
Ramat Hasharon in Israel in a family of a doctor (father) and a well-known actress Ruby Porat Shoval.[17]
Career
In May 2010, Shoval founded Simple One, an app designed for the organization and handling of social media platforms and SMS communications, where he took the role of CEO.[18] Earlier, in July 2005, Shoval had established Looop Ltd., a company innovating in online marketing and sales.[19]
In 2013, Shoval founded Spot.IM (later renamed OpenWeb), a US-based unicorn software company.[20] Shoval's mission for the company is to end online hate speech and toxicity by building social media tools intended to create safe online spaces.[21] The company partners with digital media houses, including
The Huffington Post,
Time,
AOL,
Yahoo,
Hearst,
Globes,
Calcalist, and
News Corp.[22][23][20] Shoval serves as the company's CEO, focusing on the development of its AI and ML-powered moderation products, and its recent move into data and advertising as a means to create a healthier internet.[24][25]
In 2017, Nadav Shoval was named one of
Forbes’ Israel 30 Under 30.[26] Before founding OpenWeb, Shoval started numerous other software companies focused on connecting people online.[27] He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Coalition for Digital Safety.[28]
As of 2023, Shoval resides in Brooklyn, New York City. He is married and has one child.[37]
Public activities
Nadav Shoval is an advocate for mental health, and is outspoken about his own struggles with
PTSD,
OCPD, and
ADHD.[citation needed] In 2015, Shoval moved from Tel Aviv to New York City to start OpenWeb's US operation.[38][39][40]