Intel-backed accelerator kicks off first cohort for Ignite startup program in Israel
Ignite DeepTech, a project to foster and grow young companies, selects 10 startups in areas of cybersecurity, biotech, and road safety to participate in new initiative
Sharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel
The Intel-backed Ignite DeepTech program for startups in Israel kicked off its first cohort this week, selecting 10 early-stage companies out of 258 applicants for the growth accelerator.
The three-month program is tailored to help young entrepreneurs and founders in the deep tech sectors transition ideas into businesses with clear strategies. Each selected startup will work together with mentors, industry experts, and business leaders through a customized process to help grow its business.
The program was remodeled after Intel’s years-long Ignite startup program, which was shut down last year, as the struggling US chipmaker undergoes a restructuring process. The new model is an independent program backed by the Israel Innovation Authority, the Economy Ministry, and Intel.
“After learning of Intel Ignite’s closure, we were inundated with requests from industry stakeholders, including leading VCs, serial entrepreneurs, global corporate managers, and public officials — this highlighted the national importance of keeping the program alive,” said Intel Global VP and chairman of Ignite DeepTech Tzahi Weisfeld. “We are opening a new chapter – bold, ambitious, and national – in collaboration with the state and leading global corporations.”
“It’s an unprecedented opportunity for Israeli deep tech entrepreneurs and multinational companies operating in Israel to engage with the next generation of disruptors, create real value, and reshape culture,” Weisfeld said.
The program provides entrepreneurs and founders of young startups with tools for sales and marketing, financial knowledge, product development, and preparation for advanced funding rounds. Each startup will receive intensive support with a focus on founder mental health, stress management, business strategy, and customer management. The program also offers cultural preparation for entering the US market, including workshops on American business etiquette.
“The new Ignite model presents opportunities – expanding our impact by connecting with more multinational companies in Israel, leveraging the country’s strong deep tech talent pool, and diversifying local tech bets,” said Ignite DeepTech managing director Alon Leibovich. “We expect the deep tech sector to experience explosive growth in the coming years, tackling real-world challenges like spacecraft, robotics, energy, and more.”
The 10 selected startups for Ignite DeepTech’s first cohort are deep tech companies (based on deep scientific or engineering research and challenges, like AI, robotics and quantum computing) focused on different industries, including cybersecurity, AI applications and infrastructure, data and cloud infrastructure, biotechnology, drones, and road safety.
The participating startups have raised an average of $7.2 million in funding so far.
DataFlint says its platform serves as a copilot for big data that helps businesses and organizations identify inefficiencies across compute and storage layers, providing real-time insights to solve performance challenges.
Impala.AI is a developer of an AI platform to accommodate workloads of massive scale
Troup AI is developing an AI platform for the deployment of large language models (LLM).
Twine Security is a creator of AI agents, or “digital employees,” that can execute cybersecurity tasks and augment companies’ security teams.
Jazz is a cybersecurity startup currently in stealth mode.
DYM Sense says its sensor-based, non-invasive alcohol detection technology prevents drunk driving and supports road safety.
MNDL Bio is a developer of AI-powered solutions that optimize gene expression and boost protein production yields for companies using recombinant DNA technologies.
Huskeys says it has created an AI mitigation platform for the web to stop app-based cyber attacks.
SkyPulse Technologies is a developer of fast, agile drones, which are affordable and easy to operate for different missions.
Particle Lab says it seeks to build and lead the global particle accelerator market with a new acceleration architecture.
Intel Ignite, a program to foster and grow startups set up by tech giant Intel Corp., was first launched in Tel Aviv in 2019 to tap into Israel’s tech ecosystem. The program later expanded to Munich, Germany and Austin, Texas in 2020 with Weisfeld, who formerly led the Ignite Tel Aviv program, assuming a global role as general manager and head of Intel Ignite.
Over the years, Intel Ignite worked with more than 200 startups in Israel and in Europe, which have raised a cumulative $2.5 billion in venture funding.
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