The “Promising Young Leaders in the Defense Industry” competition by Robel Innovation and Israel Defense for 2026 is officially underway, for the third consecutive year.
Among the prominent winners of the competition over the past two years are Ben-Zion Levinson, CEO and Founder of HevenDrones; Shahar Lili Amiel, VP of Strategy and Growth at High Lander; defense-tech entrepreneur Yonatan Barkat; and others.
Following the impressive success of the past two years, the 30U30 in Defense competition is back, bigger than ever. Registration for the 2026 competition is opening these days, seeking the next generation of young men and women leading Israel’s defense, HLS and defense-tech industries.
The competition is a joint initiative of Robel Innovation and Israel Defense, created to introduce the general public to the future generation of Israel’s defense industry – the young men and women who are expected to become the spearhead of Israel’s defense industries.
Among the prominent winners of the competition over the past two years are Ben-Zion Levinson, CEO and Founder of HevenDrones; Shahar Lili Amiel, VP of Strategy and Growth at High Lander; defense-tech entrepreneur Yonatan Barkat; and others.
As part of the competition, thirty young men and women aged 30 and under (inclusive) will be selected, having already achieved notable accomplishments in the field at a young age, including:
Developing innovative and groundbreaking technologies
Holding unique and significant positions within the defense industry
Making a special contribution throughout the years of war
Taking on key positions at leading companies in the field
In 2025, an exceptional list of 30 young men and women from across the industry was selected, becoming a leading community within Israel’s defense industry. Many of them are already continuing to achieve impressive international accomplishments and have become ambassadors for the new generation of defense-tech.
Rotem Mey-Tal, CEO of Robel Innovation and initiator of the competition: “It is exciting to see how, within just three years, our competition has become a true tradition in Israel’s defense industry. From year to year, we see that the interest and demand to participate continue to grow, and even before we opened the 2026 competition, dozens of young men and women had already approached us asking to submit their candidacy and become part of this year’s list.
“None of this is surprising. Israel’s defense industry is today at the forefront of the global arena, with technologies and capabilities that are at the cutting edge of the world’s defense industries. Naturally, the young men and women leading this work are also among the most promising and prominent forces in the field, both in Israel and around the world.
The competition gives them a platform, enables them to receive recognition for their work, and connects them to a community of a young generation that is leading – and will continue to lead – Israel’s defense-tech industry for years to come. I am certain that this year as well, we will meet quite a few names that we will be hearing a great deal about in the years ahead. Best of luck to all the participants.”
Now is your opportunity to become one of the 30 most promising young talents in Israel’s defense industry.