Tenna Systems, a dual‑use defense‑tech company founded by Israeli twins Avner and Gabriel Bendheim, has raised $13.5 million in seed funding to accelerate deployment of its software‑driven spectrum‑intelligence platform across the American defense ecosystem.
Originally founded as Tip & Cue Inc. just months before the October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, Tenna Systems aims to build the world’s first dynamic, unified map of the electromagnetic spectrum. Its battlefield‑tested software is designed to safeguard wireless‑dependent systems across defense, aerospace, and mobility sectors – domains where connectivity has become both indispensable and dangerously vulnerable.
The round was led by Costanoa Ventures, with participation from Viola Ventures, Fresh Fund, Jumpspeed, 202 Ventures, and existing backers. The investment reflects growing recognition that modern warfare is increasingly defined by control of the electromagnetic spectrum.
From New York to Israel’s front lines
Born in New York, the Bendheim brothers both built careers in elite IDF intelligence units after moving to Israel.
Avner served in an elite unit operating advanced signals intelligence systems (SIGINT). He also helped establish the Israeli Air Force’s space program and served as its space program director, operational requirements department. Gabriel, meanwhile, specialized in ground‑based SIGINT operations. Tenna’s CTO, Ronen Shatz, previously led ELINT (electronic intelligence) programs at Israel Aerospace Industries.
Their combined experience exposed a growing crisis for modern defense systems.
“Over the past 10 years, we have seen a big shift where so many modern systems are dependent on connectivity,” Avner Bendheim told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post.
“For semi-autonomous systems, drones, munitions, maritime autonomous systems, ISR systems and more, connectivity is their lifeline,” he said.
“We can’t afford to be blind. Extremely important missions are being compromised and we need to find a way to provide tactical intelligence, such as where the jammers are and how to overcome them. We saw solutions that just aren’t adequate enough,” he said.
A software‑only approach to a hardware‑heavy problem
Militaries worldwide are struggling with congested and contested electromagnetic environments. Traditional solutions rely on expensive, slow‑to‑deploy hardware and yet still fail to provide tactical‑level granularity that warfighters need.
Tenna understands that the solution isn’t more hardware; it is better software.
“We’ve been concentrating on the hardware for years. It is so expensive – sometimes millions of dollars – and changes take time, but the main problem is not having the operational freedom to use it where you need it,” Bendheim said.
The company’s platform analyzes millions of data points per minute from existing emitters such as aircraft, drones, satellites, ships, ground vehicles, and even commercial devices, transforming them into a real‑time, high‑resolution map of the RF environment.
Many of these systems were never designed to act as SIGINT sensors, yet they generate terabytes of telemetry that Tenna repurposes for spectrum intelligence.
The company claims it can geolocate GPS jammers with 50-200 meter accuracy, using standard telemetry capabilities that previously required specialized platforms costing upwards of $200 million.
Bendheim compared Tenna’s solution to weather applications, calling it the “AccuWeather" of electronic warfare [EW].
"Our software transforms the blizzard of sensor data into a real-time map of Radio Frequency (RF) domains. This gives our partners a ground truth in navigating the electromagnetic spectrum,” he said. “Agility is everything in the evolving world of the electromagnetic spectrum. While traditional solutions demand costly infrastructure rollouts and custom sensors, we provide a hardware-free solution that is as essential as any other mission-critical tool.”
Tenna currently offers three core products: Arena, Tracer, and Halo. Arena monitors radio frequency (RF) coverage gaps and interference in real time; Tracer locates the precise geolocation of interference sources to enable mitigation; and Halo acts as embedded software “armor,” protecting platforms from jamming in contested environments.
The company emphasizes that it does not develop offensive capabilities. Its mission is to restore operational freedom in environments where wireless systems are increasingly compromised.
Investors say Tenna’s combination of operational experience and technical innovation positions it to reshape how militaries secure wireless systems.
Tenna is "advancing a new era of spectrum intelligence,” said Greg Sands, founder and managing partner at Costanoa. “It has the power to transform how defense partners secure wireless systems, ensuring readiness and resilience on a global scale.”
Born in crisis, built for the future
October 7 was a turning point for the founders. Their technology, originally conceived for long‑term strategic needs, suddenly became urgently relevant.
“We were very much focused on what capabilities we could bring to the table,” Bendheim recalled. “There was a new concept of fighting with what you have. Billions of dollars are going into companies that have yet to deploy operational systems and we can’t afford to do that.”
Bendheim believes that the US Department of Defense should adopt a new metric: “mission minutes” – how much real combat exposure a system has over a theoretical future capability.
“Initiation wins wars and you need to build the right tools to initiate and act swiftly,” he said. “That’s the difference between what happened on October 7 and what we saw with Hezbollah and Iran or even what the Americans did in Venezuela. You need to dominate the spectrum.”
Deepening ties with the US and allied militaries
Tenna is already working with the IDF, the United States Army, the US Air Force, and other federal agencies, as well as SIGINT and EW units in allied militaries. Its technology has been deployed in recent conflict zones, where it has provided operational advantages in highly contested environments.
The company also supports dual‑use initiatives, including advanced mobility programs at the US Department of Transportation and Israel’s National Drone Initiative (INDI), and serves as a prime contractor for the US Golden Dome program.
With the new funding, Tenna plans to double its team, expand its presence, and scale deployments across the US defense ecosystem.
“We are decimating the EW fog. That starts with situational awareness and then understanding where it's coming from,” Bendheim said. “Having the right tools for critical infrastructure wins the battle.”