Israel Tech Guard's volunteer force calls for $2 million to drive security innovations

In response to last month’s devastating Hamas shock attack, over 200 volunteers from Israel’s tech community have joined forces to rapidly develop Generative AI and computer vision-based security and defense solutions. This initiative, known as Israel Tech Guard, is a not-for-profit organization formed during the terror attack on October 7, aiming to bolster the nation’s defenses with the latest technologies.

Israel Tech Guard has spearheaded a series of innovative projects to address the dynamic challenges of the current conflict. These include a mobile web app streamlining blood donation eligibility checks; an app tracking the location of patients during rehabilitation to support physicians throughout the recovery process; an automated media analysis system for social networks detecting faces and objects of interest; an app that pinpoints the geographic origins of various media content to aid in the identification of missing persons, abductees, and terrorists; a platform which detects drone-based attacks occurring during warfare; a SaaS-based solution which detects toxic content violating terms of use on social media; and a WhatsApp-based solution which connects volunteers with individuals in need.

Co-founded by serial tech entrepreneur Mor Ram-On, software engineer Ron Balter from Cybereason, and Maveriks CTO Lior Mizrahi, Israel Tech Guard is actively seeking $2 million from major donors to hire current volunteer management, acquire SaaS services, secure office space, and obtain physical machines and equipment for a makers lab dedicated to rapid prototyping.

“Over the last few years, there has been an explosion in the development of technologies such as computer vision and GenAI, some of which have not been fully absorbed into the army,” said Ram-On.

Obtaining machinery to meet their needs

“Feedback from our ‘clients’ and in the field has been phenomenal so far as, on average, each solution has taken a week to develop as we meet the fast-changing needs of this new level of warfare. Unlike most homeland security projects that are managed in Waterfall methodology, we take an agile approach, ensuring ultra-rapid development and deploy cycles for newly operational requirements.”

One of the beneficiaries of Israel Tech Guard’s initiatives is Elbit, an Israel-based international defense electronics company. Yuval Bargil, CIO, C4I, and Cyber Intelligence Systems at Elbit, expressed satisfaction with the speed and professionalism demonstrated by Israel Tech Guard.

“From the moment that Israel Tech Guard received the assignment, through the speed of execution, they exceeded all our expectations,” Bargil said. “Throughout the work process, we felt that we had fully devoted partners who bear the responsibility for the delivery of the project and operate in a professional manner with a clear sense of mission and the desire to do good. I look forward to working with them in the future, under more favorable circumstances.”