After months of secrecy, Israeli defense startup Kela unveils its vision with $39M in funding
The much-anticipated company, founded after October 7, is building an open platform to modernize military technology.
Less than a year after its founding and following much speculation and interest, Kela Technologies, a defense tech startup established in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamutal Meridor, has been officially unveiled.
Kela has completed an $11 million Seed round led by Sequoia, followed almost immediately by a $28 million Series A round led by Lux Capital. Together, the funding brings Kela's total capital raised to $39 million since its founding in July 2024. The company has developed an open platform that enables Western militaries to integrate cutting-edge commercial technologies into military systems. Several angel investors and funds also participated in the financing, including In-Q-Tel, the CIA's strategic investment fund. The capital will allow Kela to accelerate the development and deployment of its platform, first in Israel and later across Western defense markets.
The company was founded by Meridor, daughter of Dan and Liora Meridor, alongside Alon Dror, Jason Manne, and Omer Bar-Ilan. The four bring extensive experience in national security and technology. Meridor, who serves as president, is a graduate of Unit 8200 and a serial entrepreneur. She previously served as head of operations for Palantir in Israel, a company known for its combat management systems that have drawn significant interest since going public on Wall Street. Meridor was also a partner at Vintage Investment Partners.
Dror, the company's CEO, is a graduate of the prestigious Talpiot program and served for nearly a decade in Israel's defense establishment—first as a tank commander and later in the IDF, where he was awarded the Israel Defense Prize. Manne is an aeronautical engineer with a decade of experience in weapons development in the Israeli Air Force and the Intelligence Corps’ elite Technology Unit (Unit 81). Bar-Ilan is an experienced engineer and serial entrepreneur who previously led the algorithms team at Rafael. Kela currently has about 25 employees and operates from offices in Tel Aviv.
"We are in the midst of a technological revolution that will shape the future of security in the democratic world," said Meridor. "The early support of leading American funds, Sequoia and Lux, is not just a vote of confidence—it is a testament to the significance of the mission we aspire to lead. The experience, reputation, and connections of our partners will be critical force multipliers in our journey, from proving the platform in Israel to expanding it into the security markets of the Western world—where success in this mission is the only option."
Kela's platform facilitates the rapid integration of civilian technologies—including advanced AI models, sensors, and edge devices—into existing military systems, providing real-time responses to operational challenges on the battlefield. The system collects information from various sources, processes it in real time, and presents it through a unified command interface, allowing full control over all connected systems and assets. This approach is designed to streamline decision-making processes and enable rapid, precise responses to evolving threats.
Built on an open and modular architecture, Kela’s platform enables militaries to integrate new technologies flexibly and securely, without requiring substantial modifications to existing systems. This capability allows security forces to quickly adopt advanced solutions, expand their operational capabilities, and adapt to changing battlefield conditions. In the future, Kela plans to extend its platform’s deployment to U.S. security agencies and other Western militaries, fostering a broader ecosystem of defense technology developers.
"The events of October 7 underscored the need for fresh thinking and advanced solutions on the modern battlefield,” said Dror. "As combat challenges become more complex, Western militaries require a response that is rapid, flexible, and innovative—one that is not dependent on heavy systems or exclusive suppliers.
"As early as the summer of 2023, we recognized the opportunity to transform Israel's model of 'iteration under fire'—continuous technological improvement and development during operational action—into a guiding principle for Western security. Today, thanks to Kela, this vision is taking shape and redefining the battlefield."
