The accelerator is being launched as part of a strategic cooperation agreement signed last December between the Jerusalem Municipality and the Defense Ministry. It forms one component of a broader initiative aimed at positioning Jerusalem as a national hub for innovation across defense, hi-tech, medicine, and academia.<\/p>\n
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Dr. Daniel Gold, head of DDR&D, said that combining DDR&D\u2019s national R&D capabilities with Jerusalem\u2019s academic and entrepreneurial strengths creates a \u201cforce multiplier\u201d for Israel\u2019s defense\u2011tech ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Israel\u2019s national center for defense technology, DDR&D leads the country\u2019s technological frontier and defense innovation efforts, while continuously working to connect the operational challenges faced by the defense establishment with dual-use technologies,\u201d Gold said, adding that developing the city\u2019s defense-tech scene \u201cwill strengthen the security and economic resilience of both Jerusalem and the State of Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram at the Israeli pavilion at the Singapore airshow, February 2026 (credit: IMoD)<\/p>\n
The initiative will support start-ups developing solutions for challenges that defense companies have identified. It will help the selected companies develop proof of concepts by providing access to research facilities and labs. Additionally, it will also support business development and help with strategic meetings with defense and technology companies abroad.<\/p>\n