From Tragedy to Innovation: How One Entrepreneur Discovered His Mission in Protection Expertise 

For Elliott Broidy, the morning of September 11, 2001, started like some 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 remembers. “That feeling of vulnerability was profoundly scary. I knew I needed to do one thing – one thing significant that might assist defend individuals.”

Picture Caption: Elliott Broidy

Broidy is a serial entrepreneur who has based, invested in, and, in some circumstances, managed as CEO, greater than 160 firms, principally targeted on protection, nationwide safety, or regulation enforcement. 

These weren’t Broidy’s authentic pursuits. However 9/11 was the catalyst for a brand new sense of urgency and objective.

“I began researching, studying the whole lot 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 the US. 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. Through 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 in the future of peace in its complete existence. I noticed the parallels between what occurred in the US on 9/11  and what Israel – our shut ally – was coping with on a near-daily foundation. The thought of growing expertise that might assist save lives in each nations – that resonated deeply with me.”

In 2003, Broidy realized that, due to the violence and instability introduced concerning 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 exhibit his dedication to the Israeli individuals 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 liked 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. “Expertise is necessary, 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 7^th, additionally has impressed his dedication to combating antisemitism and to donating to greater than 100 Jewish organizations and suppose tanks that concentrate on counterterrorism.

Right this moment, his firms proceed to push the envelope, growing options that improve the security and safety of allied nations. “I’m happy 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 straightforward: “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.”