1. VAST Data
The most valuable Israeli-founded private company.
VAST builds the data platform that many AI clusters run on, and counts Nvidia as a partner and shareholder.
Valued at $30 billion after raising $1 billion in April 2026.
Israeli Unicorns 2026: The 15 Most Valuable Startups in Israel
The most valuable Israeli unicorns in 2026 are VAST Data ($30 billion), Cyera (above $12 billion), DriveNets ($8.5 billion), Tipalti ($8.3 billion) and StarkWare ($8 billion). Israel has several dozen private companies valued at $1 billion or more, led by AI infrastructure and cybersecurity. The top fifteen, below.
A unicorn is a privately held startup valued at $1 billion or more. Israel has one of the highest numbers of unicorns per capita in the world, and 2026 minted new ones at a fast pace, mostly in AI and cybersecurity, while some of the biggest left the list by being acquired (Wiz by Google) or going public (Navan, Via). This ranking orders Israeli-founded, still-private, still-independent companies by their latest reported valuation, as of October 2026. Older valuations are marked with their year, since private valuations are only updated when a company raises money.
2. Cyera
Israel's most valuable security startup after Wiz's sale to Google.
Cyera secures sensitive data across cloud and SaaS, and has been acquiring smaller Israeli security startups.
Valued above $12 billion after three rounds in 2026.
3. DriveNets
Software-based networking, now aimed at AI data centers.
DriveNets runs carrier networks for AT&T and others on standard hardware and has pushed into networking for GPU clusters.
Valued at $8.5 billion after a $410 million round in June 2026.
4. Tipalti
Automates global payables for mid-size and large companies.
Tipalti handles supplier onboarding, invoice approval, global payments and reconciliation, and has added procurement and AI tools.
Last valued at $8.3 billion in its 2021 round.
5. StarkWare
The company behind STARK proofs and the Starknet network.
StarkWare's cryptography lets blockchains verify large batches of transactions cheaply.
Last valued at $8 billion in 2022.
6. Snyk
Security tools built for developers.
Snyk finds and fixes vulnerabilities in code, open-source packages and containers inside developers' workflows.
Last valued at $7.4 billion.
7. Gong
Records and analyzes sales conversations to tell teams what works.
Gong's AI captures customer calls and emails and turns them into insights and forecasts for sales organizations.
Last valued at $7.2 billion in 2021.
8. Island
Made the browser the place where corporate security happens.
Island's enterprise browser controls how company data is used and shared at the point of work.
Valued at $6.4 billion after a $400 million round in September 2026.
9. Wonderful
The fastest-growing Israeli unicorn of 2026.
Wonderful deploys multilingual AI agents for customer service at large companies.
Valued at $5 billion after a $550 million round in September 2026, about a year and a half after founding.
10. Moon Active
The maker of Coin Master.
Moon Active is Israel's largest gaming company, with annual revenue reported at around $2 billion.
Last valued at about $5 billion.
11. Cato Networks
Networking and security delivered from the cloud.
Cato replaces branch firewalls and VPNs with one cloud service, and is a long-tipped IPO candidate.
Valued at $4.8 billion.
12. Rapyd
Payments infrastructure across more than 100 countries.
Rapyd lets platforms accept and send money globally through one integration and bought PayU's global payments business.
Valued at about $4.5 billion, down from its 2021 peak.
13. Decart
Interactive AI video in real time, and a reported acquisition target.
Decart builds real-time video generation models and efficient AI inference software.
Valued at $4 billion in May 2026; reported in October 2026 to be nearing a sale to Amazon at about $5.5 billion.
14. Upwind
More than doubled its valuation within 2026.
Upwind secures cloud workloads using runtime data and bought AI security startup Aegis in 2026.
Valued at $3.8 billion after a $300 million round in September 2026.
15. HiBob
The HR platform Bob, popular with fast-growing companies.
HiBob's Bob platform covers HR, payroll and people analytics for mid-size and global companies.
Valued at $3.5 billion after a $166 million round with Salesforce in September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many unicorns does Israel have?
Counts vary by tracker and definition, but Israel has several dozen private companies valued at $1 billion or more in 2026. Data trackers list around 50 Israeli companies above the threshold when public and acquired ones are included, and new unicorns were minted almost monthly in 2026, including Wonderful, Glow, Guardio and Covenant.
What is the most valuable startup in Israel?
VAST Data, valued at $30 billion after a $1 billion round in April 2026, is the most valuable Israeli-founded private company, though it is headquartered in New York. Among companies headquartered in Israel, Cyera, valued above $12 billion, leads.
Which Israeli unicorns were acquired or went public recently?
Wiz was acquired by Google for $32 billion (completed March 2026), Armis by ServiceNow for $7.75 billion and BioCatch by Visa for $2.4 billion. Navan and Via went public in New York in 2025. Decart was reported in October 2026 to be in talks to sell to Amazon.
Which sectors produce the most Israeli unicorns?
Cybersecurity has produced the most, followed by AI infrastructure, fintech and enterprise software. In 2026, AI and AI security have been minting new unicorns fastest.
Are these valuations current?
Each valuation is the latest one reported when the company last raised money or was publicly valued. Where that round was years ago (Tipalti and StarkWare in 2021 and 2022, for example), the real value today may be higher or lower.