NBA star Stephen Curry faces backlash over investments in ‘Israeli’ firms

• Stephen Curry’s venture firm, Penny Jar Capital, is under fire for investing millions in Zafran Security and Upwind, cybersecurity startups founded by veterans of elite ‘Israeli’ military intelligence units like Unit 8200.
• Critics argue these investments—totaling hundreds of millions in funding rounds—conflict with Curry’s role as an NBA social justice champion, accusing the firms of supporting a "digital architecture" used in military surveillance and actions in Gaza.

NBA superstar Stephen Curry is facing online scrutiny following revelations about his venture capital investments in ‘Israeli’ technology companies founded by former members of the ‘Israeli’ military intelligence units.

The controversy stems from a report by independent journalist Nate Bear, highlighting Curry's firm Penny Jar Capital's involvement in funding cybersecurity startups with deep ties to ‘Israel's’ military apparatus. Critics argue these investments contradict Curry's public persona as a champion of social justice.

Penny Jar Capital, co-founded by Curry in 2022, has poured millions into two prominent startups: Zafran Security and Upwind. Zafran, a cybersecurity firm, raised $30 million in a 2024 funding round that included Penny Jar, alongside investors like Sequoia Capital and Menlo Ventures.

Upwind, specializing in cloud security, secured $50 million in 2023 and an additional $250 million in 2025, with Curry's firm participating in both rounds.

These companies maintain US headquarters but conduct research and development in ‘Israel’.

The founders and key staff of both firms have extensive backgrounds in elite ‘Israeli’ army intelligence units.

Zafran's CEO, Sanaz Yashar, served 15 years in Unit 8200, ‘Israel's’ signals intelligence arm, during periods that included major assaults on Gaza.

Co-founders Ben Seri and Snir Havdala also hail from Unit 8200 and Unit 81, units known for cyber operations and surveillance technologies.

Upwind's founders, including Amiram Shachar, met in the military’s Mamram unit, which develops military software, and the company has employed multiple Unit 8200 veterans. A 2025 photo shows Curry posing with Shachar.

The report accuses these companies of contributing to ‘Israel's’ "digital architecture of apartheid and genocide."

It claims Curry's investments, made alongside venture firms like Cyberstarts and Bessemer Partners, align him with entities involved in Palestinian surveillance and military actions.

Curry, a four-time NBA champion and the league's 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion, has long advocated for equality and against racism.

He has participated in NBA social justice initiatives and co-chaired a voting rights campaign with Michelle Obama.

His wife, Ayesha Curry, publicly supported the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund in 2023. However, critics point to Curry's silence on the Gaza genocide.