Deep Tech: Securing Israel’s Tomorrow

AI gets the headlines, but deep tech holds the future. For Israel’s long-term security, energy, biotech, and space innovation must lead the way

There is no denying the brilliance of Israel’s AI ecosystem. From world-class cybersecurity startups to autonomous surveillance platforms, this tiny nation continues to outperform global giants in artificial intelligence. But if we are honest with ourselves, as powerful as AI is, it would not be enough.

I have been thinking deeply about what truly secures a nation for the long haul. It is not all about smart algorithms or high-tech drones. It is also about building a resilient technological backbone that can adapt, evolve, and outlast global disruptions. That is the promise of deep tech. And that is where Israel must now focus its energy and ambition.

Deep tech is not about marginal app upgrades or catchy GPT wrappers. It is about fundamental innovation – scientific breakthroughs in materials science, energy storage, biotechnology, space systems, and quantum computing. These are long-cycle technologies that do not always attract the same buzz or venture capital (VC) headlines, but they are the quiet engines of national resilience.

And if October 7 taught Israel anything, it is that it needs more than just defense systems – it needs endurance. Long-term sovereignty. Strategic insulation. Technological depth.

Take energy, for example, and Israel’s reliance on natural gas. In my view, this dependence remains manageable for now. But what happens when regional instability makes the country’s rigs vulnerable? What happens when Hezbollah drones target offshore platforms? Without bold, strategic investment in advanced energy technologies such as hydrogen, nuclear microreactors, and next-gen solar, Israel remains dangerously exposed.

Biotech is another frontier. The next war could be biological. Israel’s enemies may not launch missiles, but viruses. Is Israel developing the biofoundries, gene-editing capabilities, and rapid-response vaccine platforms that would enable the country to act within hours, not months, in the face of biological threats? Israel already boasts world-class researchers, but deep tech demands more robust infrastructure, sustained funding, and long-term commitment. It requires a true moonshot mindset.

Then there is space. Israel has made incredible progress in small satellites and defense-linked orbital systems, but this has barely scratched the surface. Countries that own space, from geospatial dominance to communications resilience, will control the 21st-century battlefield. Imagine a future where an enemy knocks out Israel’s GPS, satellite intel, and communications in 30 seconds. Who rebuilds that space stack? Who defends it?

This is why deep tech matters. It is not all about innovation; it is about survival. And quietly, behind the scenes, I’m encouraged to see Israel’s deep tech moment beginning to bloom. It seems the corporate sector gets it.

Just look at what Elron Ventures and Rafael are doing with RDC (Rafael Development Corporation). This is more than a defense project; it is a model for how to translate battlefield insight into civilian tech that can scale. They are incubating dual-use technologies with world-changing implications in fields like autonomous mobility, radar-based sensing, and cyber-physical systems. The model is Israeli to the core: gritty, collaborative, IP-smart, and defense-driven but globally viable.

And then there is Intel Ignite DeepTech, which recently launched its Tel Aviv arm. Backed by one of the world’s most formidable semiconductor giants, this initiative is not about short-term bets, it is about nurturing companies building the future of computing, quantum systems, and next-gen materials. Intel, after major layoffs worldwide, chose to invest in Israel simply because the country’s talent is unparalleled. But talent without focus leads nowhere. Ignite is showing what focus looks like.

These are more than corporate programs; they are acts of national foresight.

Israel does not need to choose between AI and deep tech. But it does need to recognize that deep tech requires different muscles – longer timelines, more patience, greater risk. It is not as flashy. It is harder to pitch. But it is what wins the second half of the century.

Here is the uncomfortable truth many refuse to face: China is already decades ahead in deep tech. America is finally mobilizing. Europe is trailing behind. What about Israel? Well, Israel still has a window, which is closing fast. Deep tech is the new global arms race. If Israel hesitates, it would not just be playing catch-up, it will be outsourcing its survival.

I think of young Israeli engineers who want to build more than an app. I think of university labs working on carbon capture materials, or synthetic bio skins for wound healing in combat. These are not niche passions, they are national assets. But too often, Israel fails to fund them. It over-rewards scale and under-rewards depth.

And yet, Israel has every ingredient needed to lead the world in deep tech: elite engineers, military discipline, survival urgency, and a culture that prizes daring over comfort. What is needed now is coordination and courage.

Israel needs a National Deep Tech Strategy that links universities, IDF units, tech incubators, VCs, and government R&D arms under a unified vision. It needs bold funding. Tax incentives. International partnerships. Long-view leadership.

Because in 2035, wars will not be won by drone swarms alone. They will be won by energy independence or energy dominance, space superiority, and bioresilience. In 2040, global supply chains may collapse, but nations that can manufacture advanced materials, recycle critical minerals, and grow food in controlled systems will survive. Will Israel be one of them?

I believe Israel will if it acts now.

Israel has always been a startup nation. But now, it must become a survivor nation, a deep-tech nation, a country whose very DNA is built on long-term resilience.

And that brings me back to the theme I always return to – because it never stops being true: resilience and renewal.

This is not a slogan. Israelis witnessed it in the kibbutzim rising from the ashes after October 7. Israelis saw it in the parents of hostages who turned unimaginable grief into tireless global advocacy. And Israelis see it now in a new generation of founders, builders who are committed to the long haul as well as the next funding round.

To innovate the future of Israel means thinking 20 years ahead. Yes, AI matters absolutely, but deep tech is indispensable.