CTECH – Latest Israeli Innovation & Tech News Aug. 12, 2026
RAND, 8200, StarkWare and SSI alumni raise $20 million to secure AI. Attestable is betting that zero-knowledge cryptography can provide a new way for companies and governments to verify what happens inside increasingly powerful AI systems. Read more
Elbit’s $32 billion backlog is funding its next bet on warfare: airborne lasers. The Israeli defense giant reported a 16% increase in second-quarter revenue to $2.3 billion and a 39% jump in operating profit as it expands production and develops a high-power laser system for helicopters and fighter aircraft. Read more
AI is splitting Israel’s high-tech industry in two. Software companies are cutting jobs and slowing hiring while demand for chips, computing infrastructure and deep tech is driving expansion elsewhere in the sector. Read more
LinkedIn to shut down Israeli R&D operations and lay off nearly all employees. The center, which employs about 50 people, was established in 2022 following LinkedIn’s $80 million-$90 million acquisition of Israeli analytics startup Oribi. Read more
eToro acquiring TradeZero for up to $231 million in U.S. expansion push. The Israeli-founded trading platform is acquiring a brokerage with U.S. and Canadian operations, broker-dealer infrastructure and a base of active traders as it seeks to broaden its offering in North America. Read more
The doctor, the algorithm and the Dropbox account that held his life. A senior Israeli physician says an automated system falsely accused him of storing prohibited material and locked him out of years of professional records and family photographs. His lawsuit raises difficult questions about due process in an increasingly automated digital world. Read more
Israeli AI startup Decart nearing $6 billion sale, Musk’s SpaceX circling. The three-year-old startup was close to a deal with Nvidia before a larger bid emerged, with SpaceX, Amazon and Nebius believed to be among those interested in acquiring the company. Read more
Monday is doing almost everything right. Wall Street still isn’t convinced. The Israeli software company beat second-quarter expectations and is seeing rapid growth in its AI products, but investors punished its decision to leave its full-year forecast unchanged. Read more
Corma raises $60 million Seed to build AI designed to fight AI-powered cyberattacks. The Israeli startup is developing a foundation model for defensive cybersecurity, arguing that general-purpose AI models are becoming increasingly effective at attacking companies but remain poorly equipped to defend them. Read more
Israel’s Septier sold Mexico a cellphone surveillance system. Then it repeatedly failed. Mexican Attorney General’s reports obtained by Calcalist detail repeated failures of Septier’s Guardian system, including its inability to reliably locate targets, frequent disconnections and problems operating near cellular antennas. Read more
Trax founder’s next venture has the NBA as its first customer. After building and selling Trax following its rise to a $3 billion valuation, Joel Bar-El is applying the same computer-vision approach to basketball through his new startup Swish. Read more
Israeli retail investors are swapping meme stocks for AI and semiconductor bets. A Calcalist analysis of leading holdings across six investment platforms shows a retreat from nuclear, quantum and crypto plays and a growing concentration around AI infrastructure, chipmakers and major U.S. indexes. Read more
“Israel’s Iron Beam laser may take three to four years to become fully operational.” More than eight months after Rafael delivered the first system to the IDF, a senior defense industry official says the laser weapon remains years away from full operational maturity. Read more
Israel redirects $333 million to urgent defense needs, tapping frozen Intel grant. The government approved a roughly NIS 1 billion transfer, including $283 million in unused funds originally earmarked for Intel’s stalled Kiryat Gat expansion. Read more
SuperPlay may be worth more than Playtika itself as gaming firm’s market value hits record low. The gaming company’s shares have fallen 25% in two days, leaving it worth about $1.1 billion as Tencent reportedly considers paying up to $1.5 billion for SuperPlay. Read more
Talkspace co-founder Oren Frank dies at 60 after battle with cancer. Frank left advertising to build one of the best-known online mental health platforms with his wife, Roni. Read more
Monday’s founders are getting a raise. Now they have to prove they deserve it. Shareholders approved new compensation packages for Roy Mann and Eran Zinman just days before the company reports earnings. The bigger question is whether monday can deliver growth in an industry being reshaped by AI. Read more
The tattoo artist behind Base44’s origin story enters high tech. Yuval Shlomo reflects on how the business she built sparked the creation of Base44, the AI company founded by her husband, Maor Shlomo, as she leaves tattooing behind for a career in tech. Read more
“Today, drones seem like a given. In October 2023, they were almost nowhere.” After witnessing the drone shortage on the front lines and losing his brother Eitan in Lebanon, Udi Oster is building the technology he believes could change future battles. Read more
The breakup of ironSource continues with Supersonic’s $40 million sale to Tripledot. Unity has completed the sale of the Israeli mobile game publisher, further unwinding the businesses it acquired in the landmark 2022 merger. Read more
Amdocs takes $106 million restructuring hit as AI overhaul gathers pace. The software company maintained its full-year outlook despite the restructuring charge, while unveiling a flagship 10-year AI partnership that it says validates its new strategy. Read more
Playtika’s SuperPlay paradox: its biggest winner may be the asset it can’t afford to keep. The Israeli gaming company is benefiting from SuperPlay’s success while facing growing earnout payments, refinancing challenges and pressure to unlock value. Read more
“Monday handled the layoffs in the best possible way”: Entrée Capital’s Avi Eyal defends AI-driven restructuring. The investor behind monday.com discusses the company’s controversial cuts, the changing nature of software jobs and why he remains optimistic about Israel’s tech industry. Read more
Meta AI model escaped testing environment in latest AI security incident linked to Israeli company Irregular. The incident marks the third known case involving the same sandbox configuration error that allowed advanced models from Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic to access the internet. Read more
Travel fintech Faye raises $50 million Series C at estimated $500 million valuation. The Israeli startup plans to expand globally and use AI to automate insurance claims as it targets the next generation of travel protection. Read more
Nice beats expectations but profitability pressure mounts in AI transition. The Israeli software company posted higher-than-expected revenue, but declining margins and rising AI competition continue to weigh on investors. Read more
OpenAI and Anthropic incidents put Israeli AI security startup Irregular at center of race to safely test AI agents. The company was involved in evaluations that exposed a growing industry challenge: creating realistic tests for autonomous AI agents without allowing them to affect real-world systems. Read more
CrowdStrike invests in Israeli cyber startup Above as insider threats climb the security agenda. The strategic investment strengthens product integration with Falcon and underscores growing demand for AI-native security tools that monitor trusted users, not just outside attackers. Read more
What is hidden inside Israel’s new submarine? The INS Drakon’s unusual design has prompted speculation about advanced launch systems and strategic capabilities. Read more
From the Mossad to MAFAT: Ondas targets Israel’s defense elite. The company is recruiting former Defense Ministry R&D chief Yehuda Almakias as it seeks to build a major defense technology group through acquisitions, including a bid for an Iron Dome supplier. Read more
