VC Survey 2026
VC Survey 2026: The Next Leap - Mapping the coming year of Israeli tech
From liquidity and autonomy to dual-use technologies, venture capitalists map the forces set to redefine Israeli tech in 2026.
For decades, the Israeli tech ecosystem was defined by the “Start-up Nation” ethos, a high-octane engine fueled by rapid innovation and quick exits. As the industry enters 2026, however, that narrative is shifting. If 2023-2024 tested the sector’s resilience and 2025 delivered long-awaited stabilization, 2026 points to a deeper transformation: the evolutionary leap.
Moving beyond the defensive posture of recent years, Israeli tech is maturing into a broader and more resilient ecosystem. The focus is changing, from pure software to deep tech, from cybersecurity alone to civilian-ready dual-use applications, and from AI “copilots” to truly autonomous agents.
In this year’s CTech VC Survey 2026: The Next Leap, we asked Israel’s leading venture capitalists to skip the retrospective and instead map the financial, technological, and strategic breakthroughs they expect in the year ahead. Their collective insights sketch a redefined landscape, one increasingly prepared to scale, adapt, and reassert its position on the global stage.
The survey explores four critical dimensions that will define the leap of 2026:
The Financial Leap:
After years marked by caution and cash preservation, the industry is searching for a long-awaited “liquidity leap.” Will 2026 finally see the reopening of the IPO window, or will mergers and acquisitions remain the dominant exit route? The survey also examines how the “Israeli tech” asset class is being repositioned for global limited partners, and whether the narrative is shifting from pure innovation to one of “extreme resilience.”
The Technological Leap:
The focus is moving beyond the hype of generative AI into what respondents describe as the “agentic leap.” Venture capitalists identify which sectors are likely to be the first to entrust autonomous agents with independent decision-making. In parallel, the “sovereign leap” explores whether recent geopolitical lessons are pushing startups to build more independent technology stacks, reducing reliance on global platforms.
The Sectoral Leap:
Israel’s long-standing strength in defense technologies is increasingly spilling over into civilian markets. Through the “dual-use leap,” investors point to industries, from logistics to agriculture, that could be reshaped by technologies originally developed for battlefield environments.
The Visionary Leap:
Every cycle produces its contrarians. The survey asks investors to identify their “contrarian leap,” the overlooked sectors that, in their view, represent the most undervalued opportunities of the coming year.
As global markets watch closely, the 2026 survey offers a blueprint for the next phase of Israeli tech. This moment is no longer defined by survival alone. It is about readiness, for scale, for leadership, and for the leap ahead.
