Eyal Waldman: Mellanox and the $6.9B Nvidia Exit
Eyal Waldman built Mellanox into the high-performance networking platform NVIDIA needed for the AI era — sold to NVIDIA in 2020 for $6.9B. Now NVIDIA's networking business and the connective tissue of global AI training clusters.
The Builders | Israeli Tech & AI Infrastructure
He built Mellanox into the high-performance networking platform that NVIDIA needed for the AI compute era — and sold it to them in 2020 for $6.9 billion. The deal turned out to be one of the most strategically prescient acquisitions in semiconductor history.
Snapshot
| Born | April 15, 1960 |
| Net worth | ~$1.2B (post-Mellanox exit) |
| Built | Mellanox Technologies (1999) — sold to NVIDIA 2020 for $6.9B |
| Background | Galilee-born, Technion-trained engineer |
| Notable | Daughter Danielle murdered at Nova festival, Oct 7 2023 |
| Base | Tel Aviv |
The Business Story
Eyal Waldman co-founded Mellanox Technologies in 1999, building it around InfiniBand — a high-performance interconnect technology used in supercomputing and data center networking. For nearly two decades, Mellanox was a respected but niche player serving the high-performance computing market. Listed on NASDAQ in 2007.
The AI compute boom of the late 2010s changed everything. The data movement requirements of large-scale AI training turned InfiniBand and Mellanox's high-speed Ethernet products from niche supercomputing technology into the critical layer of the AI data center. In March 2019, NVIDIA announced the acquisition of Mellanox for $6.9 billion in cash — outbidding Intel and Microsoft.
The deal closed in 2020. Mellanox became NVIDIA's networking platform — the foundation of NVIDIA's data center business, which is now the largest revenue segment at NVIDIA. The acquisition is widely considered one of the most strategically prescient deals in semiconductor history.
Waldman remained at NVIDIA for a transition period and has since operated as an active investor and public voice in Israeli technology. On October 7, 2023, his daughter Danielle was murdered by Hamas at the Nova music festival. Waldman has been an outspoken public voice on Israel and the hostages since.
Why He Matters in Israel
Mellanox is the proof that Israeli semiconductor engineering can build foundational infrastructure for the global compute economy — not just consumer software or cybersecurity. Waldman's exit to NVIDIA reset the ceiling on what Israeli founders could expect from strategic acquirers, and the post-deal value capture on NVIDIA stock made the deal one of the most economically consequential Israeli tech exits of the decade — a ceiling only broken by the $32B Google acquisition of Assaf Rappaport's Wiz in March 2026.
What Mellanox Does at NVIDIA Today
Mellanox is now NVIDIA's networking business — InfiniBand, Spectrum Ethernet, BlueField DPUs, and other data center networking products. The technology is the connective tissue of NVIDIA-powered AI training clusters worldwide. Mellanox's Israel engineering footprint remains substantial, with major NVIDIA R&D operations in Yokneam.
Key Holdings
- Post-Mellanox personal wealth (NVIDIA equity and cash proceeds)
- Active angel and venture investments in Israeli technology
- Philanthropy, including support for Israeli universities and Oct 7 memorial efforts
Legacy
Waldman built a niche supercomputing networking company and rode it into the center of the largest infrastructure transition of the modern computing era — the AI compute build-out. The Mellanox-NVIDIA deal is one of the most strategically prescient Israeli tech exits on record.
Why He Matters Now
As AI compute spending continues to scale through 2026 and beyond, the technology Waldman built is the connective tissue of every major AI training cluster. He has become one of the most credible public voices on Israeli technology and on Israel after October 7. His public-facing chapter is just beginning.
FAQ
Who is Eyal Waldman?
Eyal Waldman is an Israeli technology entrepreneur — founder and former CEO of Mellanox Technologies, which he sold to NVIDIA in 2020 for $6.9 billion.
How much did NVIDIA pay for Mellanox?
$6.9 billion in cash, announced in March 2019 and closed in 2020.
What does Mellanox do?
High-performance networking — InfiniBand and high-speed Ethernet — used in supercomputing and now in large-scale AI training clusters. It is now NVIDIA's networking platform.
What happened to Eyal Waldman's daughter?
His daughter Danielle Waldman was murdered by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.
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אייל ולדמן: מלאנוקס ועסקת ה-6.9 מיליארד דולר מ-NVIDIA
הוא בנה את מלאנוקס לפלטפורמת הרשת הביצועית ש-NVIDIA נזקקה לה לעידן ה-AI compute — ומכר לה אותה ב-2020 תמורת 6.9 מיליארד דולר. אחת הרכישות האסטרטגיות הצופות פני עתיד בהיסטוריה של תעשיית המוליכים למחצה.
הסיפור העסקי
אייל ולדמן ייסד את מלאנוקס ב-1999, סביב טכנולוגיית InfiniBand. פריצת ה-AI compute של סוף שנות ה-2010 שינתה הכל. במרץ 2019, NVIDIA הודיעה על רכישת מלאנוקס תמורת 6.9 מיליארד דולר במזומן. העסקה נסגרה ב-2020. מלאנוקס הפכה לפלטפורמת הרשת של NVIDIA.
ב-7 באוקטובר 2023, בתו דניאל נרצחה על ידי חמאס בפסטיבל המוזיקה נובה. ולדמן הפך לקול ציבורי בולט על ישראל והחטופים מאז.
Originally drafted June 2026. Maintained by The Olam Editorial Team. Part of The Builders.