CTalk
"It's this mentality of ‘if we don't innovate right now we're all gonna die'"
Ibex Investors CEO Justin Borus maintains that Israel’s state of conflict actually serves as a catalyst for historic technological breakthroughs, weeding out uncommitted players and fostering "survive-or-die" innovation.
Justin Borus - Mind The Tech New York 2026
(Tomeriko, Reyan Preuss)
When asked why his US-based firm is so interested in investing in Israel, Ibex Investors’ founder and CEO Justin Borus explained that “When you look at the biggest technological innovations in the history of mankind, they always happen during war or conflict. It's this mentality of ‘if we don't innovate right now we're all gonna die.’ So it's a little bit uncomfortable to lean into a place that's in constant conflict, but that's generally where the most innovation comes from.”
Borus spoke with CTech’s Allon Sinai during the Calcalist and Bank Leumi Mind the Tech New York 2026 conference.
When asked whether the conflict in the last few years has tarnished Israel’s reputation among investors, Borus explained that those most affected have been those with little commitment in the first place.
“The conflict scared away the people that weren't really committed to Israel in the first place, which only makes it a better investment environment for the funds that remain,” he said.
“From a fundraising standpoint it's been challenging because people read the headlines, they see what they see on TV, and it's human nature to be scared away. There's a little bit more missionary work we have to do to educate investors about why they should have an allocation to Israel and why Israel coming out the other side should be stronger than ever.”
You can watch the full conversation in the video above.
