Israeli tech founders rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, six days before New York City’s mayoral election, showcasing the growing presence of Israeli innovation in the city’s economy.
The ceremony launched an expanded database from Israeli Mapped in NY, founded by Guy Franklin, which now tracks approximately 450 Israeli-founded start-ups operating in New York City.
The database includes roughly 80 cybersecurity firms, 50 fintech companies, and dozens of companies in digital health, real estate tech, and other emerging sectors.
“While New York focuses on the dramatic mayoral elections, we, the Israeli entrepreneurs, continue to build, invest, and grow here,” Franklin said.
“Israeli innovation has already become an inseparable part of the city’s economy and its unique fabric, and it will continue to thrive well beyond Election Day.”
The database shows both the growth and struggles of the ecosystem.
While several Israeli AI firms, including Decart, have recently opened or plan to open New York offices, approximately 120 Israeli start-ups in the city have closed over the past three years – mostly early-stage firms that couldn’t secure seed funding or find product-market fit.
American venture capital funds are increasingly hiring Israeli dealmakers, while Israeli investors are expanding their footprint in New York.
Active players include Lerer Hippeau, with partner Ron Zori; Greenfield Partners, which recently opened a New York office; Viola Credit, Arkin Holdings, and Two Lanterns, founded by Michal Gilon Yanai.
Established Israeli-backed funds like Team8 and JVP are active in the city, while major American VC firms, including Primary Venture Partners, Bain Capital, and General Atlantic, have hired dedicated investors – often with Israeli backgrounds – to manage their Israeli deal pipelines.
Recent exits show ecosystem strength
Approximately 40 Israeli start-ups based in New York have been acquired in recent years, with the most recent deals in cybersecurity.
Notable examples include Gem Security and Dazz, acquired by Wiz; Snyk, acquired by Armis; and Outside Cybersecurity, Qwak, acquired by JFrog. All these acquisitions were led by Israeli buyers.
More investors now expect Israeli start-up founders to relocate to New York quickly after funding to get closer to American markets and customers.
About 10% of start-ups listed in Israeli Mapped in NY are female-founded or female-led, showing growth in women’s leadership in the local tech community. Israeli start-ups in NYC tend to cluster in three areas: Midtown through Union Square, SoHo, and Wall Street.
“Opening the trading day at the New York Stock Exchange symbolizes the enduring faith in Israeli entrepreneurship, even as the Israeli brand faces unprecedented challenges,” said Noam Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of ActiveFence.
“Our values, creativity, and innovation continue to illuminate the world.”
Dr. Michal Tsur, co-founder and co-CEO of Remepy, added, “Against the backdrop of war and Israeli resilience, our entrepreneurs continue to break new ground in hi-tech and biotech, serving as ambassadors for everything good in Israel.”