On May 12–13, 2026, the International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) at the Israel Ministry of Defense led a delegation of 32 Israeli defense companies to the second Finnish-Israeli defense industry seminar, held in Helsinki, Finland.
Photos: Israel Ministry of Defense
For the first time, the delegation included seven defense technology start-ups covered by the Mafat for Startups (MFS) program of the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), also known as MAFAT.
The seminar, organized jointly with the Finnish Ministry of Defence and the Finnish Defence and Aerospace Industries Association (PIA), brought together the Israeli delegation, led by SIBAT Director Brig. Gen. (res.) Yair Kulas, and around 30 Finnish defense companies. The two-day program included organized B2B matchmaking sessions, professional briefings, updates on regional security developments, and innovation demonstrations.
The Israeli delegation represented the full spectrum of Israel’s defense industry, specializing in a wide range of areas, with particular emphasis on air defense, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS technologies, border protection, autonomous systems, advanced munitions, command-and-communications systems, electro-optical solutions, homeland security systems, and cyber intelligence.
The seminar reflects the Ministry of Defense’s ongoing efforts to expand Israel’s defense exports and strengthen industrial partnerships with trusted partner countries. Finland stands out as a consistent and reliable partner, with its defense industry offering both world-class technological capabilities and an unwavering commitment to this cooperation.
Among the participating Israeli companies were:
- Aeronautics,
- Air VEV,
- Airis Labs,
- Axon Vision,
- Beesense Sensors Systems,
- BIRD AeroSystems,
- BlueBird Aero Systems,
- Commtact,
- CONTROP Precision Technologies,
- DefenSync, DSIT Solutions,
- Edgy Bees,
- Elbit Systems,
- eyesAtop,
- Gilat Satellite Network,
- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI),
- In3D,
- Kela Defense Systems,
- MAGNA B.S.P,
- Modelyo,
- Orbit Communication Systems,
- Prisma Photonics,
- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems,
- Rayzone Group,
- Roboteam Defense,
- Septier Communication,
- Skylock Systems,
- Thirdeye Vision,
- TOMER,
- TSG IT Advanced Systems,
- UVision Air,
- XTEND Systems.
מהדקים את השותפות הביטחונית: משרד הביטחון הוביל משלחת עם 32 חברות וסטארטאפים ביטחוניים בפינלנד
— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) May 14, 2026
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המשלחת הישראלית ייצגה את מגוון היכולות הרחב של תעשיית הביטחון הישראלית, עם דגש על הגנה אווירית, כטב”מים וטכנולוגיות אנטי-רחפנות, הגנת גבולות, מערכות אוטונומיה, פיקוד ושליטה, פתרונות אלקטרו-אופטיים, ביטחון פנים ומודיעין סייבר. pic.twitter.com/3OXkzVZzW3
— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) May 14, 2026