How Israel Secured its Position as a Global Cyber Leader

e arrival of 5G is paving the way for an increasingly connected world, with digital solutions infiltrating almost every aspect of daily life. From household chores, to transport services, to medical checkups – there is little that will remain untouched by emerging IoT technologies.

Though this digitization brings many benefits, particularly in terms of efficiency and sustainability, it also creates a unique vulnerability. As such, impenetrable cybersecurity solutions are more important than ever.

Israel is a global leader in this field. The country boasts 436 cybersecurity companies in operation today, exporting around $6.5 billion in cybersecurity products per year. By the end of 2018, 18% of network security spending in the US focused on Israeli activity.

Some of the world’s top cybersecurity companies were born in Israel, including Check Point Software Technologies, CyberArk and Forescout, putting the Startup Nation firmly on the map. But the country has not stopped there – new startups continue to flourish every day, bringing fresh innovation to the field.

Here are a few of the most exciting young companies leading the way:

• Deep Instinct is the world’s first deep learning cybersecurity company. Founded in 2014 and driven by a mission to find a security product that would stop even the most sophisticated types of attack, the team behind Deep Instinct developed an artificial neural network brain that can identify attacks in a matter of milliseconds.
• Hunters was founded in 2018 by veterans of the IDF’s elite 8200cybersecurity unit, which has fostered some of the country’s top cyber talent. Using their expertise in cyber technology, they developed AI-based solutions that enable organizations to proactively detect stealth attacks at their root and stop them before they advance.
• Also founded in 2018, Sternum offers real-time, embedded protection for IoT devices. Born with a mission to protect life-saving medical devices from potential hacks, Sternum’s solutions go beyond the health industry, to protect IoT industrial devices, smart cities and smart energy solutions.

Home to numerous cyber-focused R&D centers for major multinational corporations and boasting six university cybersecurity research centers, Israel is the first country in the world to offer opportunities to pursue a PhD in field.

Using its ingenuity, ambition and a little chutzpah, the Startup Nation is ensuring that the connected world of today and tomorrow will be safe from cyber attackers.

For more information, please contact Warsaw@israeltrade.gov.il