1,800 stories later: CTech, The Spiro Circle, and what's next

I’ve always believed journalists should evolve with journalism. I’m ready to try new things.

For a limited time, those who upgrade to paid subscriptions for The Spiro Circle get their first 3 months free.

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As you may have heard, yesterday marked my last day at CTech as I step into a world beyond traditional media. While I am sad to say goodbye to my wonderful team, I am excited for all the things that lie ahead in this ever-changing media landscape.

For the last five years, I’ve reported on Israeli founders, their companies, budding investors, and the rise of AI across a variety of sectors.

Speaking at Mind The Tech London, 2025

Some numbers under my belt (because journalists love those!):

• 🖊️ 1,800 bylines
• 📹 300 video interviews
• 🗣️ 10 Mind The Tech conferences
• 🌍 7 cities traveled

It’s time to finally put my pen down on this chapter; I’ve told all the stories I can tell about Startup Nation… for now. (More on that soon!)

I wish everyone at Calcalist continued success. The media landscape keeps evolving and I’m excited to help shape it from the other side, with a focus on independent and digital storytelling.

Some personal highlights from over the years:

• Running BiblioTech: Interviewing founders and CEOs on some of their favorite non-fiction titles.

• Visiting periphery towns and villages in Israel to highlight their tech ecosystems in Out of the Bubble.

• Interviewing Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales on free speech, Musk’s X acquisition, and internet censorship.

• An interview with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt about Israeli innovation and how it can help combat antisemitism post-October 7.

• Frequently appearing on Israeli television channels i24NEWS and ILTV News, discussing technology, AI, culture, and the war with Hamas.

• A video interview with Fox News’s Jennifer Griffin about Israel’s relationship with America.

This is by no means the end of my reporting. You are reading this likely because you have been supporting my independent work here at The Spiro Circle, the publication I have been growing over the months.

Thank you 🙏

I started The Spiro Circle to explore stories and formats I couldn’t elsewhere, and you’ve made it more rewarding than I could imagine: My network has taken me to interesting stories and meaningful conversations. My paid subscribers have enabled me to invest that money into additional equipment and software to improve my content. I hope that, with gratitude, that may long continue.

Together we have built:

• 1,000s of listeners on the podcast

• Continued growth in subscribers and followers across multiple platforms

• Audiences in Israel, the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and more.

• Explored topics ranging from tech, identity, culture, meaning, and society.

So, what now?

I will remain available for speaking engagements, moderation gigs, and other freelance opportunities. This development now means I have a lot more flexibility to take on more exciting projects in different areas that otherwise weren’t available to me until now.

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. And I intend to start taking them.

For now, I would appreciate connecting with you in other places you may not have found yet. You can find them below:

Follow:
X: x.com/JamesSpiro
IN: instagram.com/thespirocircle
YT: youtube.com/@TheSpiroCircle

Those who sign up for paid memberships will get full access to comment sections, extended essays, and more video interviews. There is plenty in the pipeline already, and I can’t wait to show you what’s ahead of us.

See you there.

- JS