Quantum Computing, Medical Diagnostics, Sustainable Shipping – What Do They Have in Common?

Quantum Computing, Medical Diagnostics, Sustainable Shipping – What Do They Have in Common?
hey all build on technologies IAI originally developed to meet demanding defense challenges, now transformed into scalable civilian ventures

Tzachi Biran

For decades, IAI has developed advanced technologies for aerospace and defense applications, combining multidisciplinary engineering expertise with a culture of innovation. Today, IAI is extending that expertise beyond its traditional defense applications by adapting technologies and engineering know-how to civilian markets, creating new opportunities while contributing to industries ranging from healthcare and transportation to agriculture, energy, and advanced computing.

This effort is led by IAI’s Dual Use New Business unit, established in 2025 and headed by Israel Lupa, Executive Vice President, Dual Use New Business, with Mali Marton serving as Deputy Executive Vice President, Dual Use New Business.

Key Takeaways

• IAI transforms technologies developed for demanding defense challenges into scalable civilian businesses.
• Current ventures span quantum computing, medical diagnostics, railway safety, sustainable shipping, and precision agriculture.
• Employees, entrepreneurs, investors, academia, industry, and government partners combine expertise to accelerate venture creation.
• Early declassification helps independent companies access civilian markets, regulation, investment, and long-term growth.

Turning Innovation Into New Businesses

The unit’s primary mission is to identify technologies developed within IAI for defense applications and evaluate their commercial potential. Working closely with engineers, researchers, and business partners, the team transforms such technologies into independent ventures that serve civilian markets while creating long-term value for the company.

Israel Lupa, Executive Vice President, Dual Use New Business, said: “IAI has developed a broad range of technologies over the years. Our job is to identify which of those technologies can create value beyond the defense sector and help turn them into successful businesses. That means giving our employees, together with entrepreneurs and partners from outside the company, the opportunity to build on the knowledge and experience they have accumulated by creating new ventures.”

The scope of activity spans a broad range of sectors, including healthcare, space, robotics, navigation, advanced materials, green energy, and more. Several ventures have already been established, while more than 40 additional initiatives are currently progressing through different stages of evaluation, development, and fundraising.

One example is Qarakal Quantum, an Israeli company specializing in quantum computing, developed by IAI. The company operates Israel’s first quantum computer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, opening new opportunities for advanced computation, optimization, and other technology-intensive applications relevant to both civilian and defense sectors. The initiative is supported by venture capital funding together with the Israel Innovation Authority and IAI.

Another venture is IBCC, which develops advanced biochip technologies for medical diagnostics and point-of-care testing. Supported by the Israeli Innovation Authority and Beckermus Technologies, this initiative is helping to establish a national technological infrastructure with future applications in healthcare, agriculture, and other strategic sectors.

IAI has also established NIART Systems, a company developing radar-based safety systems for railways. Its technology detects obstacles on railway tracks and identifies potential collision risks, helping improve railway safety. The company has already delivered systems to an Indian customer and participated in trials with Alstom as part of autonomous railway development programs.

In the maritime sector, IAI has partnered with Nayam Wings, contributing engineering expertise to the development of a maritime wind propulsion system for commercial vessels. By harnessing wind energy, the technology is designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions, supporting sustainable maritime transportation.

The unit is also supporting the development of Growings, a venture developing an autonomous agricultural spraying platform capable of carrying payloads significantly larger than conventional drones while precisely controlling droplet size. The technology is intended to improve spraying efficiency while reducing the use of crop protection materials.

Opening to the Civilian Sector

Mali Marton, Head of Dual-Use Ventures, gives her perspective on the subject: “We create new ventures around proven technologies that have already demonstrated their value in some of the world’s most demanding defense environments, significantly reducing technology risk for investors. By working closely with entrepreneurs, investors, industry partners, academia, and government, we bring together the capabilities needed to turn these technologies into viable companies and scalable civilian solutions.”

Equally important is the effort to encourage intrapreneurship from within IAI. The unit is establishing a structured framework that enables employees to identify technologies with civilian potential and help transform them into new ventures. Each venture is built around the technology and its inventors, while drawing on external talent, partners, and investors to support its long-term growth.

Where possible, technologies intended for civilian applications undergo an early declassification process before a new company is established. By separating technologies not subject to defense restrictions, the unit enables new businesses to operate as fully civilian companies under civilian regulatory frameworks, allowing them to serve civilian markets more effectively.

IAI continues to support the companies it helped launch through active board representation and long-term strategic guidance. At the same time, many of the ventures pursue collaboration with hospitals, universities, government agencies, and industrial partners, bringing together technological expertise, market knowledge, and investment to accelerate innovation.

These ventures may serve very different markets, but they share the same foundation: technologies proven in demanding environments, combined with the entrepreneurship, investment, and partnerships needed to unlock new value. Through its Dual Use New Business activity, IAI is turning that foundation into scalable civilian companies. Innovation may begin with one mission, but its value need not end there.