When Guy Franklin, who was born and raised in Tel Aviv, relocated to New York 13 years ago, he never imagined he would create a platform that would revolutionize how Israeli startups establish themselves in the city. Today, his initiative, Israeli Mapped in NY, has become a vital resource for hundreds of entrepreneurs, connecting them with investors, corporations, and each other.
“I moved to New York with EY, working with startups and public companies,” Franklin recalls. “At the time, within my first years in New York, I noticed a trend—more and more Israeli startups were choosing New York over Silicon Valley. I decided to build a simple platform, based on the technology of Google Maps, over a few weekends, with two goals, to help these founders and startups find each other and to show the Israeli success to the world.”
What started as a small side project, in addition to Franklin’s work in EY, quickly gained traction. “I sent it to a few founders, and it spread like wildfire,” he says. “Within weeks, we went from 56 to 90 companies on the map, and now, we have over 450 Israeli startups mapped in New York.” While Silicon Valley was the default destination for Israeli startups a decade ago, Franklin noticed the shift towards the East Coast firsthand.
“In 2012, New York’s startup ecosystem was still developing, and venture capital funding was limited,” he explains. “But things changed. The city invested in tech, venture capital firms multiplied, and sectors like cybersecurity flourished.”
During his tenure as Managing Director of SOSA NYC, Franklin played a key role in securing a contract with the city to establish New York’s official cybersecurity hub. “Today, we have around 50 Israeli cybersecurity startups in NYC, most of them arriving in just the past two years,” he says. “Now, when a startup debates between Silicon Valley and New York, it’s barely a debate. The time zone is better, the ecosystem is stronger, and San Francisco hasn’t fully bounced back.”
Realizing the potential of Israeli Mapped in NY, Franklin transitioned to running it as a full-time business. “I saw that the sky’s the limit,” he says. “I had access to top startups, so I launched an investment arm, focusing on cybersecurity—the hottest field right now.” So far, Franklin has made eight cybersecurity investments, two of which have already been acquired. But beyond investing, he fosters direct connections between Israeli founders and major players in the U.S. tech scene.
“I host regular meetings for founders with top venture capital firms, corporates, key players in NY such as the Mayer’s office and NYSE, leading CISO, and corporate executives,” he says. “Twice a month, I bring together up to 20 Israeli founders with decision-makers at major corporations or investment firms. These meetings give startups direct access to the people who can add value to them, answer questions, provide their insight, fund them or become their customers."
Franklin is more dedicated than ever to fostering Israeli innovation in New York, recently initiating several exciting new initiatives under the Israeli Mapped in NY network. One standout project is the VC Series, a bi-monthly round table designed to link Israeli founders with prominent venture capital firms in New York, among the VCs which already participated, are Insight Partners, Bain Capital, General Atlantic, B Capital, Primary, Third Point, Vine ventures and others.
These meetings enable startups to present their ideas directly to leading investors, gaining invaluable exposure and funding opportunities. Another initiative, CISO Talk, focuses on enhancing relationships between Israeli cybersecurity startups and significant industry players. In this initiative, Franklin is collaborating with the Israeli Economic Mission in New York.
Franklin recently invited the CISO of Robinhood for a special talk, allowing Israeli founders in cybersecurity to engage directly with influential tech figures. “We’re providing Israeli startups a genuine foot in the door,” Franklin explains, “and assisting them in scaling by connecting them with the people who matter most.” These initiatives further demonstrate his commitment to building a thriving Israeli tech ecosystem in the heart of New York.
When October 7 struck, Franklin mobilized New York's Israeli tech industry as part of a team that quickly established a center in the city to arrange free, fast flights for Israelis called up for reserve duty. Franklin gathered over 400 volunteers from the Israeli tech community, who stepped up in shifts to help more than 3,000 Israelis reach Israel for their military service.
In addition, as part of a special project, Franklin was part of a team that organized an extraordinary drone show to honor the hostages still held captive by Hamas in Gaza since the terror attacks on October 7. An awe-inspiring display of 500 drones lit up the New York City sky as a powerful tribute to those in captivity. This event served as a poignant reminder of the ongoing crisis and underscored the importance of standing in solidarity with the victims and their families.
A Moment of Recognition on Wall Street
Franklin’s impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. On August 19, 2024 and in 2023, the New York Stock Exchange invited him to ring the opening bell—a rare honor reserved for those making significant contributions to the financial and tech industries.
“I was beyond excited,” he says. “I invited successful Israeli founders to stand beside me, including Wiz Co-founder Assaf Rappaport, Yotam Segev, Co-Founder and CEO at Cyera, Dean Sysman, Co-Founder and CEO at Axonius, Galina Antova, Co-Founder at Claroty and others . It was a huge moment, not just for me, but for Israeli innovation as a whole.”
Franklin emphasizes that Israeli founders offer a distinct advantage. "They pursue ideas with determination," he explains. "When one door shuts, they seek a window. They think creatively. This is precisely why leading venture capital firms are establishing their presence in Israel—they need local insights to harness this mindset.”
Franklin’s 13-year journey exemplifies his visionary success and the vast potential of Israeli startups. Through initiatives, he is aiding Israeli founders in establishing their presence in New York and influencing global tech innovation. As his platform grows, Franklin’s contributions will affect Israeli entrepreneurs and the broader tech community for many years.