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Last week in Tel Aviv, a workshop was held as part of the INNOFENSE program, the innovation center operated by iHLS in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (MAFAT), and IDF branches. The program is designed to bridge civilian innovation with the operational needs of the defense sector, helping technologies with dual-use potential advance from concept to real-world implementation.
The event featured presentations by senior experts from the defense, business, and legal sectors. Major General (Ret.) Yaakov Ayish, former Israeli Defense Attaché to the United States, shared insights from his experience connecting Israeli companies with the U.S. market and defense establishment. Adv. Ariel Frank, a partner in the High-Tech Department at APM, reviewed key legal considerations for technology companies, while Dr. Eyal Bresler, Co-Head of Patents at APM, discussed trends and challenges in intellectual property within the defense-tech sector. Assaf Mendelson, Head of Grants at APM, presented funding opportunities relevant to participating companies. In addition, Guy Keren, CEO of the iHLS Innovation Center, provided an overview of major DefenseTech trends, opportunities for startups, and the continued success of the program.
Alongside the presentations, participating companies showcased the technologies they are developing:
- HexAI is developing specialized AI agents for binary code security, capable of conducting vulnerability research, attack surface mapping, and malware triaging. These capabilities support advanced software assessment and reliability validation for products and components used in defense manufacturing environments.
- Timlul focuses on language and speech analysis using natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition technologies to generate decision-support insights from textual and voice-based information.
- Kamai is developing AI engines capable of reading construction plans and automatically converting them into structured data and bills of quantities, a capability that can support the rapid deployment of infrastructure and facilities.
- Visionary AI specializes in enhancing video quality under challenging lighting conditions and develops technologies that enable the detection of objects and targets even when they are barely visible.
- Neuromorphic Labs presented a neuromorphic computing approach—technology inspired by the way the human brain processes information—to enable fast, energy-efficient navigation and mapping in GPS-denied environments.
- In the construction materials field, eco BRICK Innovio redefines construction & infrastructure resilience.
The company’s ground-breaking waste-to-resource technology transforms over 40 types of waste into high-performance MPC (Mineral-Polymer Composites). Holding the strict American ASTM C331 standard, the company produces engineered aggregates made from ~99% waste. Directly addressing the i-HLS challenge, the company has developed advanced blocks, concrete mixtures, and cold asphalt solutions utilizing at least 95% recycled waste. - Rebton presented recycled-construction-waste solutions designed for infrastructure restoration, protection systems, and barrier construction.
- Also participating was APCO Aviation, one of the industry’s most established companies in light aviation and advanced parachute systems. APCO develops solutions for airdrop, recovery, and retrieval of manned and unmanned platforms, as well as technologies that significantly reduce preparation and turnaround times for aerial systems.
The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to learn from industry experts, build new connections, and explore how innovative technologies can be transformed into capabilities with tangible value for both civilian and defense markets.
