I held a meeting with a leading Doctor on Friday and he asked me about future trends for Israel-Australia relations. I though for a moment, answered in healthcare that it was AI-data synthesizing (see previous article) and in general it was in space-related technologies such that Australia is launching satellites and Israel is raising huge amounts in defence-tech investments.
Here are some of the Israeli players:
Protego Ventures: Defense fund based in Israel, dedicated to addressing the critical defense and security needs of Israel and the global community. The growing geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, particularly concerning advanced technologies, has significantly changed the defense landscape and security requirements worldwide. This situation has underscored the urgent demand for innovative defense solutions. As a pioneering fund in this sector, we invest in early growth-stage companies across key defense areas, including sensors, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, drones, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
First Investment: XTEND: AI-powered XOS operating system enables practical autonomy today, bridging the gap by allowing robots to complete complex missions with remote human supervision.
The Xcelerator by the Israeli Security Agency (Shabak) and TAU Ventures: The Xcelerator provides an unparalleled opportunity for Israel’s leading defense tech companies, working closely with the Israeli Security Agency (Shabak) by identifying technologies that can impact the battlefield and impact Israel’s long-term security capabilities. We’re looking for groundbreaking technologies that can address the evolving challenges we are facing. We are adapting to a new reality and want to find solutions to the challenges that arise from the field and will accompany us in the near and far future.
Israeli Security Agency: The Garage is the ISA innovation arm, founded in 2017 allowing an ongoing knowledge sharing platform with leading players from various industries, to create an agile growth engine for the ISA. The Garage maintains a strong relationship with the innovation ecosystem, such as startups, corporates, VC’s, governmental, intelligence and security agencies, in Israel and beyond, touching upon domains such as Fintech, Social networks, AR, Quantum Computing, Bio-Mimicry, Gaming and more.
TAU Ventures: At the heart of the start-up nation, TAU Ventures is a series of early-stage venture capital funds, founded by Tel Aviv University, investing in the next generation of impactful technology companies. The fund invests the first capital into startups and is dedicated to helping them transform their ideas into global businesses.
https://www.tauventures.co.il/the-xcelerator/
DefenseTech Summit: Israel has long been recognized for its ability to transform challenges into opportunities, and its defense sector is a testament to this ingenuity. Reflecting this ethos, Tel Aviv University (TAU), in collaboration with the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D), hosted the first-ever DefenseTech Summit. This two-day event, held on TAU’s campus, brought together government officials, industry leaders, academic experts, and sponsors to spotlight Israel’s advancements in defense technology. The Summit, organized by TAU’s Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center and the Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology, and Security is set to become an annual event, further solidifying Israel’s position as a global leader in defense innovation. Next year’s summit will take place December 2-3.
Keynote speaker from 2024: Brig. Gen. (ret.) Dr. Danny Gold, a TAU double-PhD alumnus and head of the Israeli Directorate of Defense Research & Development, provided an overview of Israel’s defense tech ecosystem. Known as the “father of the Iron Dome,” Dr. Gold highlighted the critical role of stellar education and interdisciplinary collaboration as cornerstones of Israel’s defense innovation.
https://english.tau.ac.il/news/defense_tech_summit
Special mention for these Australian players:
Gilmour Space Technologies: The leading launch services company in Australia, providing valuable access to space to our global Commercial and Defence customers. Backed by some of the country’s biggest investors, Gilmour Space is tracking to launch our Eris orbital launch vehicles and G-Sat small satellite bus/platforms to Low Earth Orbits (LEO) from 2024.
Droneshield: Provides counterdrone, or C-UAS, solutions to customers globally, with a focus on radiofrequency sensing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, sensor fusion, electronic warfare, rapid prototyping, and MIL-SPEC manufacturing
Visionary Machines: Our optical sensing systems are redefining what is possible, empowering machines and robotics with trusted vision and spatial awareness for enhanced safety and efficiency.
https://visionarymachines.com/
As Israel continues to face evolving threats, investing in Israel and attending summits like this highlights our community’s resilience and adaptability. By leveraging Israel’s unique ecosystem of talent, resources, and vision, combined with Australian ingenuity, we are poised to remain at the forefront of defense innovation for years to come.
By: Jeremy Ungar
Senior Trade Officer
Israel Trade Commission Australia
To reach out to any of the above companies please email jeremy.ungar@israeltrade.gov.il
israeltrade.org.au 