Top Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel Aviv, often called the "Startup Nation's Capital," is a global technology hub renowned for its vibrant and innovative startup ecosystem. The city has earned international recognition for its dense concentration of high-tech companies, cutting-edge innovations, and robust support infrastructure for entrepreneurs.
This guide explores the top accelerators and incubators instrumental in transforming Tel Aviv into a world-leading startup ecosystem. These dynamic programs support startups across various stages, from initial ideation to significant growth phases, providing critical resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities.
Top 20 Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Tel Aviv, Israel
1. Microsoft Accelerator Tel Aviv
Target Audience: Early to growth-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Enterprise technology, AI, cloud computing.
Microsoft's accelerator in Tel Aviv is part of a global network supporting technology entrepreneurs. The program offers cutting-edge resources, including access to Microsoft's technological infrastructure, mentorship from industry experts, and connections to potential enterprise customers. With a focus on enterprise-ready solutions, the accelerator provides startups with technical resources, including cloud credits, access to Microsoft's development tools, and opportunities to integrate with large-scale enterprise platforms.
2. The Kitchen FoodTech Hub
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Food innovation, agritech.
The Kitchen is a unique accelerator supported by the Strauss Group, focusing specifically on food technology and agricultural innovations. The program provides startups with industry-specific resources, testing facilities, and direct connections to major food industry players. Beyond traditional acceleration, The Kitchen offers a unique ecosystem, including access to industrial kitchens, R&D facilities, and direct engagement with one of Israel's largest food companies, enabling startups to prototype, test, and scale their innovations rapidly.
3. UpWest Labs
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team targeting the US market.
Niche: Technology bridge between Israel and Silicon Valley.
UpWest Labs specializes in helping Israeli startups expand into the United States market. The accelerator provides strategic guidance, US market insights, and crucial networking opportunities with Silicon Valley investors and tech ecosystem leaders. With a unique approach that combines intensive mentorship, pitch training, and direct introductions to US investors and potential customers, UpWest has become a critical gateway for Israeli tech entrepreneurs looking to establish a foothold in the American market.
4. OurCrowd Startup Accelerator
Target Audience: Early to growth-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Diverse technology sectors.
OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform, offers a comprehensive acceleration program. They provide mentorship and funding and leverage their extensive global investor network to support promising Israeli startups across multiple technology domains. The accelerator offers a hybrid model of traditional mentorship and innovative funding approaches, connecting startups with a global network of over 180,000 accredited investors and corporate partners.
5. HealthIL
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team
Niche: Medical technology, digital health solutions
Focused exclusively on healthcare innovation, HealthIL supports startups developing groundbreaking medical technologies, digital health platforms, and transformative healthcare solutions. The accelerator connects entrepreneurs with medical professionals, research institutions, and potential investors. With strong connections to leading Israeli hospitals and research centers, HealthIL provides startups unparalleled access to clinical expertise, regulatory guidance, and potential pilot programs.
6. Fusion LA
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team in cybersecurity and enterprise tech.
Niche: Cybersecurity, enterprise technology.
Fusion LA is a unique accelerator bridging Israeli cybersecurity and enterprise technology startups with the Los Angeles market. They provide specialized mentorship, market entry strategies, and connections to key industry stakeholders. The program leverages the strong technological expertise of Israeli entrepreneurs and the vast business networks of Los Angeles, creating a powerful conduit for innovation and market expansion in the cybersecurity and enterprise technology sectors.
7. Star Ventures
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team in deep technology.
Niche: Advanced technologies, frontier tech innovations.
Star Ventures supports highly technical and ambitious startup founders working on cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced robotics. The accelerator goes beyond traditional support by providing deep technical mentorship, access to advanced research facilities, and connections with leading academic and industrial research institutions specializing in frontier technologies.
8. JVP Media Campus
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team in media technology.
Niche: Digital media, content innovation.
Jerusalem Venture Partners' Media Campus is a specialized accelerator supporting startups revolutionizing digital media, content creation, and entertainment technologies. The program offers a unique blend of creative and technological support, connecting media tech startups with global content producers, distribution platforms, and cutting-edge technological resources.
9. Merage Institute Accelerator
Target Audience: Early to growth-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Cross-border innovation.
The Merage Institute supports Israeli entrepreneurs in developing scalable businesses with international potential, providing resources for market expansion and global strategy development. With a focus on cross-cultural business development, the accelerator helps startups navigate the complexities of international market entry, offering tailored support for scaling beyond Israel's borders.
10. Tel Aviv University Entrepreneurship Center
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with an idea and team.
Niche: Academic and technology innovation.
The Tel Aviv University Entrepreneurship Center is a critical hub for converting academic research into viable startup ventures. The program provides student entrepreneurs and research-backed startups with mentorship, access to cutting-edge university resources, and strategic guidance for commercializing innovative technologies. By bridging academic knowledge with entrepreneurial execution, the center has been instrumental in launching numerous tech ventures across diverse scientific domains.
12. Techstars Tel Aviv
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Technology and global scalability.
Techstars Tel Aviv is part of the global Techstars network and offers a rigorous 13-week acceleration program for high-potential technology startups. The accelerator provides selected companies with $120,000 in funding, intensive mentorship from industry leaders, and access to a vast global network of investors and corporate partners. With a strong focus on helping startups achieve rapid, sustainable growth, Techstars has been a launchpad for numerous successful Israeli tech companies.
13. Innovation Authority Incubators Program
Target Audience: Early-stage startup without a team with an innovative technology concept.
Niche: Deep technology and national innovation.
The Israel Innovation Authority's Incubators Program is a government-backed initiative supporting early-stage technological innovations across multiple sectors. The program provides comprehensive support for entrepreneurs, including seed funding, technological infrastructure, business development guidance, and strategic connections. With a focus on breakthrough technologies with potential national and global impact, these incubators play a crucial role in Israel's innovation ecosystem.
14. EISP (Entrepreneurial Incubator Support Program)
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team in technology sectors.
Niche: Technology commercialization.
The Entrepreneurial Incubator Support Program focuses on transforming technological concepts into viable business ventures. By providing financial support, mentorship, and strategic guidance, EISP helps early-stage startups navigate the challenging initial phases of business development. The program particularly supports ventures in strategic technology domains with potential economic and technological significance.
15. WeWork Labs Tel Aviv
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team.
Niche: Collaborative innovation across sectors.
WeWork Labs offers a dynamic ecosystem for early-stage startups, providing more than just physical workspace. The program connects entrepreneurs with a global network of innovators and includes mentorship programs, workshops, and networking opportunities. By creating a collaborative environment, WeWork Labs helps startups accelerate their growth through community-driven support and resources.
16. 8200 EISP Cyber Accelerator
Target Audience: Early-stage startup with a team in cybersecurity.
Niche: Cybersecurity and national security technologies.
Leveraging the expertise of Israel's prestigious 8200 intelligence unit, the 8200 EISP cyber accelerator specializes in cybersecurity and national security-related technologies. The program provides unparalleled mentorship from cybersecurity experts, access to advanced technological resources, and connections with both government and private sector security ecosystems.
17. The Junction
Target Audience: Early-stage founders seeking validation and initial support.
Niche: Industry agnostic.
The Junction, an initiative by F2 Venture Capital, is a pre-seed platform designed to support visionary founders in the early stages of their startups. The program offers tailored guidance, access to a vast network, and initial capital to help entrepreneurs validate their ideas and achieve market fit. With a community of over 5,000 alumni, The Junction provides a collaborative environment for founders to refine their strategic growth.
18. BIRD Energy
Target Audience: Early-stage entrepreneurs with a team.
Niche: Solar, wind power, advanced vehicle technology, smart grids, energy-water nexus solutions.
BIRD Energy is a collaborative program between the US Department of Energy, the Israel Ministry of Energy, the Israel Innovation Authority, and the BIRD Foundation. Established under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, it aims to foster U.S.-Israel cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The program supports joint R&D projects between US and Israeli companies or between a company and a research institution, focusing on innovations in areas such as solar and wind power, advanced vehicle technologies, smart grids, and energy-water nexus solutions. BIRD Energy offers conditional grants of up to $1.5 million per project, covering up to 50% of the joint R&D budget.
19. RAD BioMed Accelerator
Target Audience: Early-stage startups with a team.
Niche: Digital health and medical devices.
RAD BioMed is a venture capital firm based in Tel Aviv, Israel, specializing in early-stage investments in digital health and medical device ventures. The firm seeks companies with disruptive solutions addressing real-world challenges and unmet needs. RAD BioMed offers its portfolio companies a strong community of entrepreneurs, in-house multidisciplinary capabilities, and long-term support.
20. TechnoArt
Target Audience: Early to growth-stage startups seeking global distribution and scalability.
Niche: Media, AI, audio technology.
TechnoArt is a global startup accelerator and venture firm designed to drive startup companies toward global distribution. Through exclusive partnerships with top-tier global distributors, including hospitality chains, co-working spaces, media conglomerates, financial institutions, retail giants, and F&B brands, TechnoArt guides selected and graduating startups to integrate and establish sustainable and scalable business models by distributing their products within the partner's distribution network.
AcceleratorApp Closing Thoughts on Startup Accelerators and Incubators in Tel Aviv, Israel
Israel's startup ecosystem, with Tel Aviv at its heart, continues to be a global innovation powerhouse. These accelerators and incubators are crucial in turning groundbreaking ideas into successful global enterprises. By providing comprehensive support, from initial funding to strategic mentorship, they fuel Israel's reputation as the "Startup Nation."
The diversity of these programs, spanning sectors from food technology to cybersecurity, demonstrates Tel Aviv's multifaceted innovation landscape. Entrepreneurs worldwide look to this vibrant city as a model of entrepreneurial excellence and technological innovation.
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