Caveret Ventures, in partnership with US-based Q‑Branch, has launched a second accelerator program in Texas, designed to fast‑track Israeli defense‑tech companies into the American market. The initiative aims to help start-ups establish a long‑term industrial and business presence in Texas, now one of the fastest‑growing defense, aerospace, and dual‑use technology hubs in the United States.
The accelerator functions as a comprehensive soft‑landing platform, offering direct access to US military stakeholders, federal customers, defense primes, and investor groups. Participants receive hands-on guidance in navigating American procurement processes, regulatory and compliance frameworks, and adapting products to US operational standards, including pathways toward local manufacturing and scale‑up.
“Israel has emerged as one of the most dynamic laboratories for defense innovation. The combination of operational military experience, deep technological talent, and venture-backed entrepreneurship has created a strong pipeline of dual-use technologies – solutions that serve both civilian and defense markets,” Joseph Yaker, managing partner at Caveret Ventures told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post, adding that “Many of these technologies are developed under real operational pressure and tested in live environments, enabling rapid iteration and high relevance to allied militaries.”
The launch meeting for the accelerator’s first cohort took place earlier this month, with participating companies undergoing an intensive on‑the‑ground phase in Austin, Texas, including engagements with industry leaders, integrators, potential customers, and strategic partners across the American defense ecosystem.
First cohort companies
The inaugural cohort brings together four Israeli companies whose technologies reflect the country’s reputation for field‑proven, mission‑critical innovation.
SkySapience, a global leader in tethered hovering platforms, provides autonomous, 24/7 aerial infrastructure capable of persistent ISR, communications, and electronic intelligence collection. Its HoverMast systems, proven in defense and homeland security, offer rapid deployment, high payload capacity, and stable performance even in harsh weather conditions. And Black Rover contributes advanced AI-driven video intelligence, converting raw footage from ground cameras and drones into real‑time operational insights to support rapid decision‑making in dynamic environments.
CopterPX, known for its rugged, long‑endurance UAV platforms, develops heavy‑lifting, all‑weather drones built on proprietary technology. Its systems are designed for complex tactical missions and are tested extensively under extreme conditions, offering turnkey solutions for defense and enterprise customers.
Rounding out the group is Skypulse, which provides a smart drone flight‑management and control system engineered for GPS‑denied environments and high‑interference scenarios – capabilities increasingly critical in modern electronic warfare conditions.
Together, these companies represent a cross‑section of Israeli start-ups working with aerial, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomy technologies, each with clear applicability to US defense and homeland security needs.
A growing strategic trend
For Caveret Ventures, the accelerator is a strategic bridge designed to shorten the path from the Israeli battlefield‑validated innovation to US deployment, procurement, and scale.
The launch of the second Texas accelerator deepens the growing connection between Israeli operational innovation and the US defense market. Rather than focusing solely on technology export, Israeli companies are increasingly building long‑term partnerships, local presence, and integrated industrial pathways within the American defense ecosystem.
Israeli founders, once more likely to establish operations in New York or California, are now choosing Texas in growing numbers, especially when the level of targeted support for Israeli founders is unmatched.
With Army Futures Command and major bases located in Texas, start-ups are gaining direct access to the end‑users and procurement officers who shape defense priorities. This proximity to military decision makers is invaluable for rapid iteration and contracting.
According to Yaker, while “the traditional pathway into the American defense ecosystem has historically been long and complex,” now there are new models that “seek to compress timelines even further. The collaboration between the Israeli venture ecosystem Caveret and the US-based defense accelerator Q-Branch represents this next evolution.”
The evolution, he noted, results in “a fundamental shift from a linear model – develop and then seek market entry, to a parallel model in which product development, market integration, and procurement engagement occur simultaneously. This transformation dramatically compresses timelines. What once took decades can now, under the right conditions, be achieved within just a few years.”
Yaker told D&T that while “Israel already excels at innovation, the next frontier is mastering market access.