Israel is known by some as the “Startup Nation” due to its track record of producing successful new startups. One of the unique characteristics of the Israeli startup ecosystem is the involvement of the Israeli army in fostering entrepreneurship. 

With 9,484 startups active in Israel in 2022. From cybersecurity to navigation software, Israeli startups have had a significant impact on a wide range of industries, and many successful startups have ties to the Israeli army. 

This article takes you through some of the best startups to emerge from Israel’s army. These startups have made a significant impact in their respective fields, making them some of the most successful startups to come out of the “Startup Nation.”

Why Do Such Good Startups Come Out of The Israeli Army?

“What a lot of people need to remember is that army service is not just combat, and this is quite a small portion of it,” explains Richard Speer, founder of funding platform CapitalBean.com.

“A lot of the Israeli army is focused on intelligence and using technology for lots of areas that can prevent wars and save lives, but can also be transferred to the business world.”

“It’s true,” agrees MTF. “When you are looking at the Israeli army, you have new recruits who are handpicked for different departments, such as Unit 8200, which is technology driven and many consider to be on par with a Harvard degree.”

“When you take things like GPS, banking fraud and data analysis – these are all things transferable to the startup world.”

Waze

Waze is a GPS navigation software that was developed in 2008 by an Israeli startup of the same name. The app provides turn-by-turn directions and real-time traffic updates to users based on crowd-sourced data. 

In 2013, Google acquired the company for over $1 billion, making it one of the most successful exits for an Israeli startup.

Spear

Founded in 2017, Spear is now the single source supplier for several projects with the Israeli ministry of defense. They provide encapsulated military drones who can perform  precision-strikes and launch from air, water, and land surfaces.

Founder Gadi Kuperman was a colonel in the IAF. His team come from civilian and military backgrounds, and their projects have been featured in Defence World and Monch. 

Wix

Wix is a web development platform that enables users to create professional-looking websites using a drag-and-drop interface. Wix has become one of the most popular website building platforms in the world, with over 150 million registered users. 

The company was founded in 2006 by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami and Giora Kaplan, all of whom have served in the Israeli army. The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has additional offices in San Francisco, New York, and Dnipro, Ukraine.

Roboteam

Roboteam provides tactical ground robots systems, including unmanned ground vehicles. It can perform route clearance for ground-based defense forces. It was founded in 2009 by Avi Rosen and Elad Levy, both of whom have backgrounds in the Israeli army and have served in elite units specializing in technology and innovation.

Roboteam provides a GPS-enabled wireless controller system that can be used with or without batteries. It also offers tactical surveillance. 

Check Point Software Technologies

Check Point Software Technologies is a cybersecurity company that was founded in 1993 by Gil Shwed, Marius Nacht, and Shlomo Kramer. Shwed developed the idea while serving in the IDF.

The company specializes in firewalls and VPN technology, and is one of the largest in its field. It went public in 1996 and is currently one of the most valuable companies in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

SmartAir

SmartAir is a successful startup that has ties to the Israeli army. The company specializes in providing advanced air-purification and air-conditioning solutions for commercial and industrial use. 

The company was founded in 2017 by a team of entrepreneurs and engineers with backgrounds in the IDF. The company has received huge recognition for its accomplishments, including awards from the Israeli Ministry of Defense