For Elliott Broidy, the morning of September 11, 2001, started like every other. However by the tip of that fateful day, the course of his life had shifted irrevocably.
“I keep in mind watching the towers fall and feeling this overwhelming sense of helplessness,” Broidy recollects. “That feeling of vulnerability was profoundly horrifying. I knew I needed to do one thing – one thing significant that would assist shield folks.”
Picture Caption: Elliott Broidy
Broidy is a serial entrepreneur who has based, invested in, and, in some instances, managed as CEO, greater than 160 firms, principally targeted on protection, nationwide safety, or regulation enforcement.
These weren’t Broidy’s unique pursuits. However 9/11 was the catalyst for a brand new sense of urgency and objective.
“I began researching, studying every thing I may about counterterrorism, protection methods, and technological gaps,” Broidy explains. “I needed to be a part of the answer.”
Broidy’s dedication to nationwide safety prolonged past the borders of america. On the time of the 9/11 assaults, one other nation was on the forefront of his ideas – Israel, which was enduring the Second Intifada, a brutal wave of terrorist assaults that claimed 1000’s of lives. In the course of the Second Intifada, buses, cafes, nightclubs, and even a Passover Seder grew to become targets of suicide bombings and mass violence.
“Israel has all the time confronted an existential menace,” Broidy says. “It has not identified at some point of peace in its complete existence. I noticed the parallels between what occurred in america on 9/11 and what Israel – our shut ally – was coping with on a near-daily foundation. The concept of growing expertise that would assist save lives in each nations – that resonated deeply with me.”
In 2003, Broidy realized that, due to the violence and instability introduced in regards to the Second Intifada, Israel was dealing with a considerable discount in international direct funding. In response, he based Markstone Capital Companions, LLC, an $800 million fund invested nearly solely in non-high-tech firms in Israel. Broidy needed to reveal his dedication to the Israeli folks and present that mass murderers shouldn’t be allowed to dictate the lives and futures of the nation.
He vividly remembers a visit to Tel Aviv in 2005, the place he met with victims of terrorist assaults and their households. “Listening to their tales made it much more private. It’s one factor to examine these tragedies, however to take a seat throughout from somebody who misplaced their cherished one in a suicide bombing – it’s one thing you don’t overlook,” he displays.
For Broidy, the drive to innovate is fueled by these human connections. “Know-how is vital, however on the finish of the day, it’s about defending lives and preserving freedom. That’s the true mission.”
Within the years that adopted, Broidy based and scaled a number of firms specializing in protection and regulation enforcement expertise, from superior surveillance methods to AI-driven menace detection platforms.
Broidy’s assist for Israel, particularly within the aftermath of the Hamas assaults of October 7th, additionally has impressed his dedication to combating antisemitism and to donating to greater than 100 Jewish organizations and assume tanks that concentrate on counterterrorism.
Immediately, his firms proceed to push the envelope, growing options that improve the protection and safety of allied nations. “I’m pleased with what we’ve constructed, however there’s all the time extra to do. So long as threats evolve, so should our expertise and our dedication to staying forward.”
When requested what recommendation he would give to aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to enter the protection area, Broidy’s reply is easy: “Discover your ‘why’ and let it information you. For me, it was 9/11. For others, it could be one thing else. However in case you’re pushed by a real objective, the work will all the time matter.”
