Founder Storiez

Dor Fleder: Building Spera, Getting Acquired by Okta & Lessons from the Founder Journey

Episode Notes

In this episode of Founder StorieZ, I sit down with my good friend Dor Fleder, co-founder and CEO of Spera, which was acquired by Okta.

Dor opens up about his childhood lessons in competitiveness, how tennis and debating shaped his mindset as a founder, and the intrinsic motivation that drove him forward. We dive into:

• How Israeli culture and 8200 shaped his journey.• 

• Building Spera from 0 → 1 → acquisition.

• The decision-making framework behind selling to Okta.

• How to choose the right co-founder and handle disagreements.

• The truth about founder loneliness and the importance of support systems.

• Mistakes Israeli founders make when selling to U.S. customers.

• When to follow your gut vs. customer feedback.

If you’re a founder, operator, or future entrepreneur—this episode is packed with insights on resilience, decision-making, and building for the long term.

👉 Subscribe for more Founder StorieZ episodes featuring top founders and leaders.