Hut 8 subsidiary Highrise AI, a platform for AI infrastructure, has named Mark Mendelman as its new chief technology officer. Mark, a seasoned defense technologist and AI systems architect, is in charge of creating Highrise’s cloud platform, which blends full-stack orchestration for AI workloads with bare-metal performance.
After 20 years with the Israel Defense Forces (“IDF”), Mark joined Highrise. Most recently, he was Head of the AI and R&D division of Sigma, a specialized unit within the IDF’s prestigious C4I Directorate. Sigma is in charge of creating and implementing cutting-edge computing and AI technologies. In his role as Head of AI and R&D, Mark oversaw state-of-the-art AI research teams made up of data scientists, MLOps engineers, and subject matter experts. He led the IDF’s efforts in low-power edge inference, multimodal foundation models, real-time sensor fusion, and training pipelines.
Large-scale AI data platforms that consume, categorize, and curate structured and unstructured data from numerous categorized sources have been designed and implemented by Mark. These technologies facilitate safe data sharing with defense partners, scalable training, and quick experimentation. Mission-critical systems like Dror, a secure operational cloud platform that provides natural-language combat intelligence contextualized across time and location, were shaped by his technological leadership.
Having trained generations of Israel’s best full-stack engineers, data scientists, and systems architects, Mark is a graduate of Mamram, the IDF’s renowned computer corps founded in 1959. About 25% of Israeli unicorns are currently run by Mamran alumni, with exits expected to reach $1.9 billion by 2024. We think that Mark’s extensive experience in this ecosystem—especially in Israel’s cutting-edge cybersecurity and artificial intelligence industries—will be crucial in determining Highrise’s approach to international innovation and collaboration. The Israel National Defense Prize, one of the nation’s greatest accolades for technological contributions to national security, and the IDF Chief of General Staff Innovation Award have both been given to him in recognition of his efforts.
According to Mark Mendelman, CTO of Highrise AI, “systems must be designed with the expectation that failure is not an anomaly but a constant variable in high-stakes environments.” According to that philosophy, engineering must prioritize operational integrity, fault tolerance, and security. My goal at Highrise is to use that discipline to create a unique AI cloud platform designed for developers and businesses working in delicate, performance-sensitive fields that require reliable systems that can function reliably and securely even under pressure.
“Mark brings a proven track record of architecting large-scale, AI-driven platforms engineered for resilience, precision, and continuity,” said Vince Fong, Highrise AI’s CEO and co-founder. “He has experience working at the forefront of operational AI in one of the most demanding settings on the planet, where system failure is not an option and ironclad security is crucial. We think his experience puts Highrise in a position to create a platform that sets a new benchmark for developers and businesses who cannot afford to make any concessions as the need for AI platforms that are reliable, secure, and performant grows. We are pleased to have Mark join the team.
