US defense funding paths for Israeli tech: Navigating the Pentagon’s innovation gateways - opinion

An opinion piece by Meital Stavinsky outlines Pentagon funding and testing pathways available to Israeli defense tech startups. The article details programs such as the Army's PIT and FUZE, SBIR/STTR, xTech, DEFENSEWERX hubs, ATEC testing ranges, and the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program. It advises Israeli companies on how to navigate these gateways to scale in the US market.

An opinion piece by Meital Stavinsky provides a guide for Israeli defense tech startups seeking to enter the US market through Pentagon programs. The article details several pathways, including the Army's PIT and FUZE initiative, which applies approximately $750 million annually through a venture capital model. It explains SBIR/STTR programs, noting eligibility requires the company be more than 50% owned by US citizens or permanent resident aliens. The piece also covers xTech competitions, DEFENSEWERX regional innovation hubs, and the ATEC testing ranges, which were opened to private industry in August 2026. The Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program is highlighted as one of the few Pentagon programs explicitly designed for foreign technologies. The article advises companies to connect with program managers at the AUSA expo in Washington, DC in mid-October 2026. The piece is framed as a practical roadmap for Israeli firms, with no overt manipulation techniques detected in the narrative voice.