With defense-tech investment surging, INNOFENSE Cohort 7 opens

Israel’s Defense Ministry and SOSA have opened applications for the seventh cohort of INNOFENSE, a defense‑tech accelerator that has become an important pipeline for start-ups seeking entry into the country’s rapidly expanding defense tech innovation ecosystem.

The program, run jointly by SOSA and the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research & Development (MAFAT), invites start-ups to tackle real operational challenges inside Israel’s defense establishment.

Selected companies will work directly with IDF and Defense Ministry teams and get 200,000 NIS in funding to build and test early versions of their technology without giving up any ownership of their company.

The announcement comes during a period of intense growth for Israel’s defense‑tech ecosystem. Start-ups working with the Defense Ministry raised nearly $3 billion in the first half of 2026, triple the total amount raised in all of 2025.

According to figures presented at the Haifa DefenseTech Start-ups and Investors Forum, defense‑tech and dual‑use companies account for almost 30% of private investment in Israeli hi‑tech. 

Built around operational validation

INNOFENSE places start-ups directly inside the defense establishment, embedding them with IDF and Defense Ministry teams to work on real operational problems. Each company is matched with a specific Defense Ministry partner and asked to prove its technology in conditions that mirror actual battlefield use. That process is designed to show whether a system works and to pave the way for procurement and longer‑term cooperation.

The program has already built a strong track record. Over six cohorts, INNOFENSE has worked with 92 start-ups, led to 15 commercial agreements, and provided NIS 13 million in non‑dilutive funding for proof‑of‑concept projects.

More than 30% of participating companies have gone on to receive follow-on orders from MAFAT worth NIS 18 million, and alumni have collectively raised more than $500 million.

Start-ups selected for the new cohort receive NIS 200,000 in funding, workspace at SOSA for six months, mentorship from senior defense and industry figures, and access to SOSA’s global innovation network.

What cohort 7 is looking for

Applications for cohort 7 are open to both Israeli and international start-ups that have a presence in Israel. The new cohort is targeting technologies in communications & radio frequency, AI and data, sensing and threat detection, space and satellite technology, robotics and energy, manufacturing and materials, and simulation and training, as well as open innovation for out‑of‑the‑box solutions.

SOSA and MAFAT are encouraging startups with adaptable technologies to apply, meaning that companies do not need to have defense-ready solutions.

Col. (res.) David “Duddy” Rokach, managing partner of SOSA HLS & DEFENSE and co-founder of INNOFENSE, said that it was established to “bridge the gap” between civilian innovation and defense needs.

“What makes the program unique is the direct engagement with operational end users, combined with the ability to validate technologies in a real defense environment and create a pathway toward continued cooperation,” he said.

“With six cohorts behind us, we have demonstrated that this model creates tangible value for both the defense establishment and participating startups. We are now looking for the next generation of companies ready to turn their technologies into operational impact.”

Global expansion

INNOFENSE is part of SOSA’s broader work connecting governments, defense organizations, industry leaders, start-ups, and investors to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies. 

SOSA has innovation centers in Tel Aviv, New York, New Jersey, São Paulo, and Singapore and works with global partners to move solutions from concept to deployment and deliver operational impact.

The accelerator’s international footprint continues to grow. In Singapore, SOSA’s Hatch innovation center, which is operated with the Home Team Science & Technology Agency (HTX), is also opening applications for the next cohort of Dimension X, a public‑safety program offering up to SGD 100,000 for early‑stage technology pilots.