NEW YORK (VINnews) — Billionaire investor Bill Ackman remains highly optimistic about Israel’s economy, describing the Jewish state as a “Silicon Valley as a country” with unmatched talent density and predicting it will soon produce a trillion-dollar company.

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Ackman made the comments in a recent interview, highlighting Israel’s combination of innovation, resilience forged in conflict, and technological sophistication.

“I’m very bullish on Israel economically,” Ackman said. “Think of it as Silicon Valley as a country — an incredible density of talent, IP, and raw IQ packed into a tiny place. You now have a generation of 24- to 28-year-olds who’ve come through a brutal war and developed real grit, plus a military that’s deeply sophisticated technologically. Every top venture firm has opened an office there.”

He noted a cultural shift among Israeli entrepreneurs, who once sold companies early but are now focused on building global giants at home, citing examples like Waze.

“I think you’ll see a trillion-dollar company come out of Israel before long — probably AI or cybersecurity — and that value gets amortized over a relatively small economy, which makes it one of the best in the world,” Ackman said.

Ackman has put significant capital behind his conviction. In January 2024, he and his wife, Neri Oxman, purchased roughly 5% of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange at NIS 20.60 per share in a $25 million investment. The stake rose more than 300% by September 2025 and has since climbed past 500%, briefly reaching more than eight times its entry price at the stock’s May 2026 peak.

In an earlier interview with Globes, Ackman expressed plans to invest an additional $1 billion in Israeli companies.

His rationale for owning a stake in the exchange is straightforward: “Owning a piece of the exchange is like owning a royalty on the success of capitalism in the country. That’s why I’m bullish — and I think it’s cheap.”

While the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has already seen dramatic gains, Ackman believes Israel — a nation roughly the size of New Jersey — remains in the early stages of its potential, with substantial room for growth in its high-tech sector.