Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) launched its first innovation centre in the United States on 10 October 2024, the company announced the following day.
Loctated near Dulles Airport in Washington, DC, the US Innovation Center offers an additional layer that supports the company’s decision to expand on innovative activities with the US ecosystem.
The centre’s first programme, the IAI Catalyst accelerator, will focus on several key sectors critical to the future of aerospace innovation, including artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum science, sustainability, energy technology and space technology.
“Considering its multi-faceted approach to driving technological advancements, it is poised to become the epicenter for aerospace founders,” IAI noted in a press release.
The Catalyst accelerator is powered by Starburst: a leading global aerospace and defence (A&D) startup accelerator and strategic advisory practice.
IAI’s US Innovation Center will be used to foster innovation and collaboration among aerospace entrepreneurs, propelling dual-use technologies into the US, Israeli and global markets. The centre aims to deepen IAI’s relationship with US start-up companies while jointly developing technologies that will be integrated into the company’s systems for both defence and commercial use cases.
The IAI Catalyst initiative is a “dynamic five-month-long accelerator tailored to support emerging start-ups on their journey to success”, IAI noted. It will feature two cohorts annually, each comprising four start-ups who will be selected through a rigorous screening process. The start-ups selected will benefit not only from access to office space and technological and business support from IAI engineering and business teams but also from financial assistance in the form of a USD 100,000 (EUR 91,340) cash investment. They will be encouraged to co-operate with IAI’s engineers to develop future advanced technologies for the benefit of customers and clients worldwide.
The innovation centre will add more programmes in the future in order to play a pivotal role in cultivating a hub designed to ensure the sustained growth of the aerospace industry.
IAI Chairman of the Board Amir Peretz, who is a former deputy prime minister and defence minister, was quoted in an IAI press release as saying, “We are proud to launch the Israel Aerospace Industries Innovation Center in the United States, marking a significant milestone that underscores the deep bond between Israel and the US, a partnership built on shared values and a common vision for a brighter future. Innovation is the force that drives progress, enabling us to dream, dare, and break boundaries, and IAI has proudly led this mission for decades.
“I remember visiting this very site when it was empty and filled with potential, and today we stand together to witness its transformation into a hub of creativity and advancement,” he added. “This centre symbolises the partnership between Israel and America and the achievements that are reshaping global defence and technology. Together, we will continue to lead, innovate and shape the future for future generations.”
IAI President and CEO Boaz Levy stated, “The IAI Innovation Center in Washington is a hub of technological excellence that will elevate the strong defence and technological partnership between the two nations to new heights, fostering even greater collaboration in security, civilian and business sectors.
“The collaboration on the Arrow missile defence system, in which I was a partner for many years, alongside the US administration and key subcontractors in the US, has led to a more secure world, as we see enemy missiles being launched at civilian centres these days,” Levy added. “This collaboration is a model of exemplary technological work between our two nations. The efforts made will continue to serve the shared future challenges of citizens of the free world through the innovation centre we have established.”
