Israeli drone startup Heven hits $1 billion valuation in $100 million round led by IonQ
Quantum computing company deepens its push into Israel’s defense-tech sector, adding its senior executive to Heven’s board and expanding its regional footprint with a recent investment in Classiq.
American quantum computing company IonQ has quietly become a significant new player in Israel’s defense-technology ecosystem, leading a major investment in the drone manufacturer Heven AeroTech that reportedly values the company at more than $1 billion.
The valuation and the $100 million round were not revealed by the companies, but rather disclosed publicly through a post by investor Lorne Abony of Texas Venture Partners. Abony described Heven as “Israel’s first defensetech unicorn.”
The strategic partnership extends well beyond capital. In an announcement last week, IonQ said it signed a cooperation agreement with Heven to integrate quantum-based sensing, communication, navigation, and security capabilities into the company’s drone systems. These technologies aim to enable drones to maintain accuracy and stability in environments saturated with electronic interference, an increasingly critical requirement for militaries and security agencies operating in contested arenas.
As part of the agreement, Jordan Shapiro, President and General Manager, Quantum Networking, Sensing & Security at IonQ, will join Heven’s board of directors. The addition of such a senior figure signals a deeper operational collaboration rather than a purely financial investment.
Founded in 2019 by Bentzion Levinson, Heven AeroTech has developed hydrogen-powered drones capable of long-range flight and high payload capacities. Following a merger with Zepher Flight Labs, the company established headquarters in the United States and has increasingly oriented its development and sales efforts toward the American defense market.
The integration of quantum capabilities could give Heven a differentiated technological footing, especially as global militaries search for platforms capable of reliable operation under electronic warfare conditions.
The Heven investment is one of two significant moves IonQ has made in Israel in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the Nasdaq-listed company, valued at roughly $17 billion, also participated in a $30 million funding round for the quantum software company Classiq. Together, the investments form a strategic arc across quantum hardware, advanced sensing, and enterprise software, reflecting IonQ’s ambition to build an end-to-end quantum technology stack for both commercial and defense applications.
IonQ, which has longstanding relationships with DARPA, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force, has been pursuing a strategy of integrating quantum sensors, computing, and networking to push the technology beyond laboratory demonstrations and into operational use.
