Speaking at the recent Cybertech Conference, former Waze CEO Noam Bardin voiced strong confidence in Israel’s ability to evolve from a “startup nation” into a producer of global tech giants. He described the current moment as a “historic turning point.”
A New Generation of Israeli Tech Giants
“I believe that over the next 15 years, we’ll see the rise of iconic Israeli companies,” Bardin said. “Companies that dominate their industries, lead on the global stage, and sell products worth tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars.”
A Changing Industry Mindset
Bardin’s vision stands in contrast to the traditional view of Israel’s tech ecosystem—one often defined by small startups and quick exits.
But, according to him, that era is changing. “In 2010, when I left, Israel was already a technology powerhouse. We knew how to build amazing tech—but not products, not companies, not businesses,” he explained.
“Today, I believe we lead the world in our ability to quickly find product-market fit in an innovative, cost-effective way. No company in Silicon Valley can match an Israeli team when it comes to building products.”
Laying the Groundwork for Growth
Bardin believes the next step is a shift from a product-oriented ecosystem to a business-oriented one. “In the past, being a successful entrepreneur meant selling your company quickly,” he said. “Today, the ecosystem is full of founders who want to build large-scale companies. That drive is the foundation for real change.”
Israel’s Strength—and Its Challenge
Still, Bardin identifies two key obstacles: a lack of strategic thinking, and an organizational culture that isn’t always aligned with global growth.
“We’re phenomenal tacticians—that’s what enables us to reach product-market fit so fast,” he said. “But it also holds us back. We often lose to Silicon Valley competitors in sales and scaling, even when our products are better.”
The second challenge lies in Israel’s own workplace culture. “Our culture is very flat and direct—it’s well-suited to the lean startup model,” Bardin explained. “But once you’ve reached product-market fit, it becomes a liability. It makes it harder to recruit top global talent. We need to build a more global culture—one that can attract the world’s best sales leaders, even if they’re not Israeli.”
