Kinetika VC Fund Unveiled: Investing in Dual-Use Technologies in Israel and the U.S.
The fund, established by senior figures from the venture capital and defense industries, has already led investments in several Israeli startups in the fields of artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and space
The new venture capital fund Kinetica, which focuses on dual-use technologies — serving both the defense and civilian sectors — has been unveiled.
The fund was established by three Israeli entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the international investment arena: Aaron Applbaum, Yoav Knoll, and Frederic Landau. The fund is chaired by Itzik (Itz) Applebaum, one of the founders of Lightspeed Israel and a prominent figure in both the Israeli and American venture capital communities.
According to a statement from the fund, senior IDF figures have also joined the executive team: Major General (res.) Saar Tzur, former commander of the Northern Corps, and Brigadier General (res.) Amit Konik, who held senior command roles in the Israeli intelligence community. Both bring extensive operational experience and deep familiarity with Israel's security needs.
The fund’s advisory board includes several prominent American figures, among them Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir and founder of 8VC, the world’s largest defense-focused venture capital fund, which has invested in companies such as Anduril and Saronic. Also serving on the board are Kenneth Braithwaite, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy and Ambassador to Norway, and former Senator Norm Coleman, known for his close ties to the American defense establishment.
Kinetika has already secured international strategic investors and begun investing, with portfolio companies including Particle, Line5, and Limitless CNC. The fund focuses its activity on early-stage Israeli startups — from Pre-Seed to Series A — that operate at the intersection of advanced technology and defense needs, in areas such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and space technologies.
The fund aims to play a significant role in bridging Israeli innovation with defense industries in Israel and abroad, while promoting solutions that can also serve the civilian market.