Does the Israeli Tech Scene Truly Rival Silicon Valley and Alley?
In a word: absolutely.
Before embarking upon my journey to consult with Israeli startups as part of Cornell Tech’s MBA iTrek trip to Israel, I would have placed the startup scene in Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley far above that in Israel. However, after experiencing firsthand the vibrant Israeli tech and startup cultures, I now realize how shortsighted my viewpoint was.
Why iTrek?
A few weeks into my initial LLM semester, I learned about a unique opportunity to consult with Israeli startups and travel to Israel through the iTrek program. I wanted to learn more about the startup culture outside of the US and jumped at the chance to work directly with startups, so iTrek was the perfect fit for me.
Before enrolling in iTrek, I rarely thought about the Israeli tech scene. I knew that Waze traced its roots to Israel and had read a few articles about the high number of Israeli startups, but that was the extent of my knowledge. After all, I lived in San Francisco before law school and currently reside in Silicon Alley — nowhere could rival these tech epicenters, in my mind.
Soon thereafter, I was placed on an interdisciplinary team with three other students. We began to work with our Israeli companies, and I soon realized that these companies were just as sophisticated as those from SF and NYC. My initial assumptions about the Israeli tech climate not competing with that in the US slowly but surely faded away, and I found myself growing more excited by the day to experience Israel firsthand.
iTrek Day 1: AOL Tel Aviv
On the first official morning of iTrek, I (alongside 60 classmates) made my way to the AOL offices in Tel Aviv. When I arrived at the building housing AOL’s offices, among others, I was stunned by the building’s exterior cosmopolitan architecture.
I was even more taken aback by the building’s interior. We were greeted by a sweeping, textural staircase that could have easily been transported from a boutique hotel in NYC.
AOL’s offices were just as impressive. I felt right at home in the open layout and now realize why: AOL Tel Aviv reminds me of Cornell Tech’s own campus, located in the Google Building in Chelsea, NYC. This was yet another subtle connector between the startup scene in Israel and that in the US.
Throughout the day, Cornell Tech teams and their respective Israeli company founders and CEOs discussed their companies and challenges faced. Hearing firsthand about these amazingly innovative and forward-looking companies further demonstrated to me how vibrant the startup community remains in Israel.
Additionally, TipRanks CEO Uri Gruenbaum kicked off the afternoon session with a phenomenal overview of his company journey. Tel Aviv-based TipRanks currently counts former NY governor Eliot Spitzer as a prominent investor and has partnered with E*Trade and NASDAQ. As if working with Israeli companies and hearing about other amazing projects undertaken by Israeli startups wasn’t enough, learning about TipRanks finalized by belief that Israeli companies are heavy hitters within the US and international tech landscapes.
Final Thoughts
Now, back to my initial question: does the Israeli tech scene truly rival Silicon Valley and Alley?
After two labor-intensive months and 48 hours in Israel, I can now confidently confirm that Israel is a true technology hub with a vibrant and incredibly prevalent entrepreneurial base, rivaling both Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley. I consider myself lucky to have twelve more days in this gorgeous and welcoming country, and I look forward to immersing myself even more in the Israeli tech scene.
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