Israeli Mapped in NY’s Post

‘100 Influential People in Israel’ in 2024 מאז ה-7 לאוקטובר, אנחנו כאן בניו יורק, עובדים מסביב לשעון כדי לעשות, כמו כל ישראלי אחר, את חלקנו בעזרה לישראל. במאות הפעולות שלנו בעיר, שבהן אנחנו לא רק מדברים על טכנולוגיה או סטארטאפים, אלא מראים את ישראל במיטבה לעולם. אנחנו לא רק מדברים על חדשנות - אנחנו משתמשים בה כדי לשפר את תדמית ישראל. This year, I did what every Israeli is expected to do—I harnessed the infrastructure I built here in New York for the benefit of Israel. Since October 7th, we've been working non-stop in the world’s top financial center, New York, to engage in a unique form of public diplomacy. Our efforts since the war broke out are not only focused on promoting technology but also on enhancing Israel’s image globally, showing how innovation can contribute to advocacy. Over the past year, we have connected hundreds of Israeli entrepreneurs with key players in New York’s tech scene—from the Mayor, to investors, corporations, and more. These meetings, held weekly in intimate settings and on various stages, including for example, our presence at the NYSE last month, where we stood on the podium with Israeli founders to open the trading day. This amplifies the influence of Israeli innovation and showcases Israel in a positive light to a wide audience. Israeli Mapped in NY, a project I created, now maps around 450 startups operating in the city (most of which also have offices in Israel). It serves as a powerful tool, highlighting Israel’s strong presence on the global innovation stage. I’d also like to mention two significant initiatives where we rallied the Israeli tech industry in New York: - I was part of the founding team which helped establish an operation, alongside the amazing volunteers who joined us, aiding around 3,000 soldiers to return to Israel free of charge in the first days of the war. The ‘Lights for Liberty’ 500 Drones Project, with five amazing friends and myself, we lit up the New York sky to raise awareness for the release of the hostages 🎗️. May we see better days. Shana Tova 💙