From Tel Aviv to South Florida: Israeli AI Firms Choose a Regional Gateway
South Florida now stands as the primary U.S. entry point for Israeli technology companies — not only in Miami, but across a tri-county corridor spanning Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.
Artificial intelligence firms lead the charge. Stryker and AdamAI Continuum serve as prime examples of Israeli AI tech targeting South Florida’s shores as a gateway to U.S. and Latin American markets. Both companies view the region not as a satellite office location, but as a strategic expansion platform connecting Israeli innovation with American enterprise demand and hemispheric capital.
Founders and engineers from Tel Aviv increasingly choose the South Florida region over Manhattan or Silicon Valley when launching American operations. Venture flows, conference calendars, and executive relocations point in the same direction. Roughly two-thirds of the 400+ Israeli companies operating in Florida base themselves in Miami-Dade County, yet growth extends north into Broward and Palm Beach.
Palm Beach County plays a distinctive role. A 2021 demographic study led by University of Miami professor Dr. Ira Sheskin identified Palm Beach County as holding both the largest overall Jewish population in the tri-county region and the highest concentration as a percentage of residents. That demographic depth strengthens cultural alignment, philanthropic ties, and investor connectivity between South Florida and Israel.
Miami Launchpad for Israel-Linked Startups
An example of the cross-border ecosystem taking shape is Strykr, a B2B AI platform focused on national CPG distribution founded in Miami with deep Israeli roots.
Several of the company’s founders are Israeli, reflecting the increasingly common pattern of Israeli technical leadership pairing with U.S. market access. Ross Newman, Strykr’s CEO, moved to Miami three years ago after building a consumer product technology and tech retail company; both were successful exits.
From Miami, Newman launched Strykr and positioned the company within the region’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem. He views South Florida as a natural “open for business” environment for Israeli entrepreneurs entering the American market. South Florida, Newman said, is a place where international founders can access investors, talent, and early enterprise customers while maintaining strong connections to Israel’s deep technical ecosystem.
“Florida has everything a tech startup needs to access customers and scale,” Newman said. “I’ve lived in Tampa and New York, but Miami is where we chose to launch Strykr.
“It was the best choice for us at the time, and what we accomplished so far has only validated that decision,” he said.
The Strykr founding team reflects a broader pattern emerging across South Florida: Israeli engineers and product builders pairing with American commercial leadership to accelerate U.S. market entry.
Building the Israel–South Florida Bridge
Oded Eliashiv, CEO of AdamAI Continuum, strengthens the bridge from Israel.
Eliashiv helped produce the Israel Venture Tech Showcase events in Miami and Boca Raton from 2023 through 2025 and played a leadership role in the Israel Tech Pavilion at eMerge Americas in 2024.
He identifies the South Florida region as the strongest U.S. expansion platform for Israeli companies and anticipates sustained growth in inbound AI, cybersecurity, defense, and digital health ventures.
“South Florida is the perfect fit for us,” Eliashiv said. “We first identified key relationships in 2022, and the ties have only grown stronger. I strongly believe South Florida is the place for Israeli companies to enter the US market.”
Geopolitics Reinforce the Corridor
The business momentum unfolds against a backdrop of unusually tight U.S.–Israel strategic alignment.
Washington and Jerusalem recently expanded cooperation in artificial intelligence, research, and critical technologies, elevating innovation collaboration to the level of national strategy. The partnership builds on decades of defense and intelligence cooperation.
At the same time, ongoing security coordination and military collaboration in the Middle East underscore the depth of the alliance. That solidarity does not remain confined to defense channels. It spills into technology partnerships, venture capital flows, and innovation ecosystems on both sides of the Atlantic.
Capital follows alignment. Innovation follows capital. As the two nations deepen cooperation in advanced technologies, Israeli founders increasingly view the U.S. not merely as a customer base but as a strategic innovation partner. South Florida, with its dense private wealth networks and strong cultural ties, captures that movement in real time.
Events Signal the Wave
Upcoming events reinforce the shift.
The GoForIsrael Investment Conference was originally scheduled for March 16 in Miami. However, the current conflict with Iran forced the organizers to reschedule for later this year in October. We will announce that date when it is finalized.
This will be GoForIsrael’s first U.S. edition, and the event will convene global investors, family offices, and corporate leaders to meet more than 40 Israeli technology and life sciences companies. Focus sectors include AI, cyber, defense, fintech, e-sports, biotech, medtech, and pharma. Organizers cite compressed valuations across Israeli tech as a catalyst for U.S. investment activity, and selected Miami because South Florida ranks as the leading American destination for Israeli expansion.
Israel Tech Week 2026 follows April 27–30, concentrating Israeli founders, investors, and operators in the region once again.
Together, these companies and conferences illustrate a structural shift. Israeli AI firms increasingly treat South Florida as the front door to U.S. and Latin American markets — supported by capital, cultural alignment, and a geopolitical partnership that continues to deepen.
The corridor between Tel Aviv and South Florida grows stronger with each new startup arrival.
