Elon Musk, considered to be the richest person on the planet, has lauded Israeli innovation as “number one” in the world.
“I’m a huge admirer of the innovation coming out of Israel,” Musk said on Monday in video remarks at the Samson International Smart Mobility Summit at Expo Tel Aviv. “I think it is objectively true that Israel punches high above its weight for population.”
The owner of Tesla and SpaceX added: “My hat is off to Israel for just how much incredible innovation. … I’d say innovation per capita, Israel must be No. 1 in the world.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday shared video of Musk’s remarks in an X post, thanking “the world’s leading man in innovation.”
אילון מאסק, האיש המוביל בעולם בחדשנות: ״ישראל מספר אחת בעולם בחדשנות לנפש״.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 19, 2026
תודה לך אילון! @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/mfY1b5kO75
Musk was originally scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the conference, which was postponed from March due to the war with Iran. Speaking from Texas, he apologized for not making the trip, but said he looked forward to visiting Israel again.
He last visited the Jewish state in November 2023, when he toured Kibbutz Kfar Aza with Netanyahu in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre and met with families of hostages and victims.
The two-day conference at the Tel Aviv Expo, hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, brought together business leaders, innovators, policymakers and academics to explore the trends shaping mobility in the 21st century.
