Eliav Cohen Biography: Net Worth, Height, Age, Ethnicity, Air Balloons, Awards, Parents, Instagram

Eliav Cohen is a world-class hot air balloon athlete, entrepreneur, and the driving force behind Seattle Ballooning, one of the largest ballooning operations in the Pacific Northwest.

He first drew widespread attention during his performance at the World Hot Air Balloon Championship, where he placed among the top competitors against over a hundred pilots.

Profile

• Full name: Eliav Cohen
• Date of birth: July 18, 1981
• Age: 44 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Tel Aviv, Israel
• Nationality: Israeli-American
• Profession: Hot air balloon pilot, entrepreneur, adventure tourism operator, speaker
• Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
• Weight: 75 kg
• Eye color: Brown
• Hair color: Brown
• Parents: N/A
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Married
• Children: Two
• Relationship status: Married
• Religion: Jewish
• Ethnicity: Israeli (Middle Eastern)
• Net worth: $8 million

Early Life and Education

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, on July 18, 1981, Eliav Cohen is now 44 years old. He spent much of his early life between Israel and the United States. He immigrated to the U.S. in his twenties and began his professional career in technology and startup sales, working with several SaaS and cloud service firms before transitioning into entrepreneurship.

He attended the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business (Seattle), where he majored in business management and marketing.

Personal Life

Eliav Cohen maintains a private personal life, rarely sharing details publicly. He resides near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two children. Beyond aviation, he’s known to support STEM education programs and youth adventure initiatives, often donating free balloon rides to underprivileged kids or veterans as part of Seattle Ballooning’s outreach programs.

Career

Eliav Cohen began his career in the tech industry, holding positions in sales, marketing, and business development at early-stage startups in Seattle. His life changed after winning a company incentive trip that included a hot air balloon flight — sparking his passion for ballooning.

He trained intensively, earning his FAA Commercial Pilot License for lighter-than-air craft and logging thousands of flight hours. In 2016, he founded Seattle Ballooning, offering premium hot air balloon experiences over Washington’s iconic landscapes, including Mount Rainier and the Puget Sound region.

Under his leadership, Seattle Ballooning expanded into one of the largest balloon operators in the U.S., serving thousands of passengers annually and ranking among the top adventure tourism companies in the Pacific Northwest.

Cohen has since represented the U.S. and Israel in international competitions, including the World Hot Air Balloon Championship, where he ranked third among 120 pilots on opening day.

He is also a certified hydrogen balloon pilot and among a handful of experts in high-altitude, long-distance balloon navigation in North America.

Cohen actively advocates for balloon safety, pilot training, and inclusion in aviation. He has founded training initiatives aimed at introducing youth, women, and minorities to ballooning and frequently collaborates with the Balloon Federation of America.

He also hosts public talks and podcasts on adventure entrepreneurship, risk management, and aviation business.

Awards and Recognition

• World Hot Air Balloon Championship Competitor (Top 3 ranking, Day 1)
• Recognized Balloon Federation of America member pilot
• Featured in Travel + Leisure, The Seattle Times, and CNBC Travel for innovation in luxury adventure tourism
• FAA Certified Commercial Balloon Pilot and Instructor

Net Worth

Eliav Cohen’s net worth is estimated at $8 million USD. His earnings come from: seattle Ballooning’s luxury tourism operations, media and brand partnerships etc.

Social Media

• Instagram: @eliav_cohen