New $50M Texas defensetech fund established to help Israeli companies penetrate US markets
Texas Venture Partners will be investing between $1-4 million in 15-30 early-stage companies.
A new Texas-based venture fund has secured $50 million to help forge a strategic partnership between the Lone Star State and Israeli startups in the defensetech sector. Founded in the aftermath of October 7 and closing its round on the symbolic date of July 10 (7/10), Texas Venture Partners (TVP) intends to support entrepreneurs through capital and advisory services in building products needed by the free world.
“I’ve always been a very proud Zionist,” said General Partner Lorne Abony, whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors. “When October 7 happened, I didn't know what to do. I realized that charity wouldn't get us out of this. Tzedakah \[charity\] is not regenerative, it doesn't grow GDP.” The events from last year and the realization inspired the birth of TVP which has three distinct goals: to make money, put money into the Israeli economy, and make Israel “strong and resilient” as it continues its battle against Hamas.
TVP will be investing between $1-4 million in 15-30 early-stage companies, each of which will be dedicated to the defensetech sector, and will help them expand operations in the United States. The firm’s integration in Israel helps source companies that correspond to the U.S. Department of Defense’s list of Critical Technology Areas needed by the United States, Israel, and their allies. They include Biotechnology, Quantum Science, FutureG, Trust AI and Autonomy, Space Technology, and Renewable Energy, among others. These technologies can then be sold to government agencies, police departments, or immigration authorities.
“After October 7th, it became even clearer that Texas was the most business-friendly, values-aligned, and welcoming place for Israelis and Jewish founders to start and grow their businesses,” said Tal Shmueli, the fund’s Co-founder and Managing Partner. “Israeli entrepreneurs are returning from the war with an intimate understanding of the modern battlefield and its challenges. They have the skills and motivation to solve them, and TVP is here to help.”
According to the duo, the marriage of Texas with Israel’s growing defensetech sector is the perfect combo to boost each other’s potential while tapping into their strengths. Texas is unabashedly pro-Israel and pro-business, with a unique interest in aerospace, aviation, and defense companies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states the aerospace and aviation industry directly employs over 148,000 Texas workers at more than 1,400 establishments, ranking number one in the U.S. for air transportation employment. Notable employers include SpaceX, NASA, and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.
The state’s defense footprint contributes more than $123.6 billion to the Texas economy, according to its Department of Economic Development and Tourism. The Lone Star State also has the second-highest concentration of active duty members in the country across 15 active military installations.
Israel’s defensetech sector, on the other hand, has a plethora of companies designed to keep countries and citizens safe. CTech reported in May that since the start of the war, the Ministry of Defense has made purchases from Israeli companies totaling roughly NIS 40 billion ($10.9 billion). This sum indicated a three-fold increase in recent years and is expected to rise further in the coming year.
“We already knew that Texas is a great place for Israelis and Jews to build in,” added Shmueli. “But after October 7, we've just seen an influx of people moving in from both domestically and Israeli entrepreneurs who want to relocate to the U.S. They realize that New York and California are not necessarily the most welcoming places, to say the least, for a variety of reasons. So they all came to Texas, and it just made marrying Texas capital with Israel innovation so much easier.”
Given the rise of antisemitism seen across the United States and Europe over the years, Abony and Shmueli both believe the state successfully pushes back against anti-Israel and pro-Hamas protests felt in other parts of the country. Recent violent college campus marches were met with immediate shutdowns and arrests, and universities have cracked down on DEI practices long seen as gateways to channel antisemitic sentiments. Governor Abbott has also announced a month-long homage to American Jewish culture in May of each year. “He recognized the importance of Jews to the fabric of Texan society,” said Shmueli.
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The fund partners with a variety of firms and agencies to help Israeli companies expand in the state, such as the Texas Association of Business and other VC firms like TechAviv, Joule Ventures, and Fresh Fund. It also has a connection to a U.S.-based law firm to help with legal immigration processes if relevant. This way, TVP can help Israelis looking to expand to the U.S. seek a stable entrance point that can help them expand to other regions.
“It has long been a competitor to Silicon Valley and in light of the upheaval in the world as of late, has become an increasing, strong competitor to Silicon Valley,” explained Abony. “And then when you layer on it is the military, it's the state that's effectively the military capital of the United States.”
Among the fund’s limited partners are Texas oil and gas explorer, entrepreneur, and investor Bud Brigham, who believes the best way to combat enemies is to “continuously and unequivocally support our allies. Investing in and building enduring companies that promote liberty, stability, and prosperity is a moral imperative.” The fund also includes three-time Purple Heart Medal and two-time Bronze Star Medal winner Captain Chad Fleming, an amputee veteran who helps facilitate deals between companies and the Department of Defense.
Another TVP partner includes Simone Ledeen, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East under President Trump. She has unique experience in National Security and Counterterrorism and offers companies strategic advice on how to grow so they will comply with the needs of the Department of Defense or other law enforcement agencies in the country. “I’m a proud American who served my country in a civilian capacity in both Iraq and Afghanistan and I believe the time for hiding and cowering is behind us. The challenges we face demand a collaborative and decisive response if we are to emerge victorious,” she said.
The fund is expected to boost relations between two regions that are currently fighting cultural and physical wars. Israel continues its fight against Hamas and to prevent the threat of radical Islam from spreading to the West, whereas the state of Texas continues to fight to remain a pro-business, thriving economy that continues to welcome Jews and Israelis who may otherwise feel unwelcome in other parts of the country. It comes at a time when both parties seek innovation and success in a sector promising to boost defense for both nations.
“If one thing remains consistent since Israel’s establishment, it’s that the existential threats are only getting more severe,” concluded Shmueli. “The agendas of people who are out to harm Jews in Israel and anywhere in the world are as firm and as consistent as they ever were… If Israel is to be more self-reliant and make sure that it can withstand all that's coming its way without depending too heavily on anyone else, then we have a lot of work to do.”
