shlomo kramer's company checkpoint invented the freaking firewall. we always talk about the stuff we will do afterward. it was always startups. ashlee: like a lot of israeli tech elites, shlomo got his start with unit 8200, the top branch of the idf. group 8200, right it is the , famous part of idf that is equivalent to nsa. shlomo: it was 22 and 23-year-olds, i was the head of the unit. 20 people, very high responsibility. you know, i was making decisions in millions of ashlee: the idf dollars. functions like a never-ending networking event. the first question at a cocktail party is, what unit were you? -- what unit you served in? these ties have led to is really dominating the market. what makes israel so well-suited to startups and technology? shlomo: there is always an infusion of new talent from the idf, and with the infusion of talent, you have people who can create a startup nation. ashlee: shlomo has invested in dozens of israeli companies. to see the extreme end of what the idf can inspire, i have gone to a small beach town and tech of that b