ByTOBIAS HOLCMAN

JULY 24, 2026 12:43

Out of 33 startups selected for Google's Gemini Startup Forum on Cybersecurity, roughly one third come from Israel, the technology leader announced on Wednesday.

Eight of these firms were built entirely in Israel, while three more are headed by Israeli founders.

Long recognized as a leader in global cybersecurity, Israel strengthens its standing at the cutting edge of innovation, particularly as artificial intelligence reshapes the sector.

This strength shows in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, where about 25 percent of total market value is tied to cybersecurity companies.

What is Google’s Gemini Startup Forum: Cybersecurity?

The chosen companies will join Google's Gemini Startup Forum: Cybersecurity, where they will collaborate with Google specialists to create new autonomous defense tools.

Other firms in the program come from the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, and Spain.

Participants will receive direct access to Google's leading AI systems, language models, and cloud resources while partnering with teams from Google Cloud, Google DeepMind, and Wiz to develop autonomous defenses against advanced threats.

“The aim of the forum is to speed up creation of AI-driven cybersecurity firms,” Google noted in a release. “Selected startups will receive direct access to Google's top infrastructure, tools, and language models.”

The 11 startups joining Google’s program

The selected startups focus on five key areas: control and management of AI agents; security and vulnerability management; cloud, network, and infrastructure security; data protection; and SOC automation and offensive security.

Capsule Security offers real-time protection and behavioral monitoring for autonomous AI agents. Onyx Security provides a central control system to discover, manage, and oversee such agents within organizations. Alt Security has built a platform that applies AI agents to gather intelligence and cross-reference vulnerabilities for key business risks.

In cloud, network, and infrastructure security, Native delivers a central security platform for firms using multiple cloud providers, while QIZ Security handles encryption assets and compliance needs through a single dashboard.

In offensive security, Meta Security uses AI to reduce false positives from current security tools.

The three companies led by Israeli entrepreneurs but based elsewhere are Bold Security, Jazz, and ORION Security, all focused on data protection and endpoint security.

The strong presence of Israeli firms in this group highlights that the nation's cybersecurity sector stays at the forefront, supported by elite military tech units, experienced founders, and a culture of fast testing.

Defense methods once based on manual checks, fixed rules, and human-driven responses are shifting quickly toward systems powered by autonomous AI agents. The inclusion of so many Israeli companies in Google's program shows that Israel is not only adapting to the AI-security shift but actively helping to guide it.