Shaun Maguire, a partner at Sequoia Capital, has been instrumental in legitimizing defense tech as a venture-worthy domain. Maguire helped reframe the sector as a hotbed for dual-use technologies, particularly in AI, quantum computing, and sensors. Maguire has been vocal in his support for Israel, saying that “the smartest thing to do is to invest in Israel – not just from a business perspective but also from a moral one.”
Jordan Fried merges entrepreneurial agility with Zionism and humanitarian urgency. In the wake of the October 7 attacks, Fried founded Israel Friends and orchestrated emergency airlifts by chartering an Airbus A330 and delivering over $35 million in aid. Fried’s ventures, including Fried LLC, reflect a commitment to frontier technologies that serve both civilian and military resilience. His business-minded philanthropy, identifying logistical gaps and deploying resources with start-up-like precision, demonstrates how private initiatives can aid national defense efforts when it matters the most.
Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir Technologies, helped define modern defense analytics. Palantir’s data platforms revolutionized intelligence operations, and it has agreed to a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry to supply the country with technology for its military efforts. It also provides its technology to support the Ukrainian military in its war against Russia. Lonsdale’s VC firm, 8VC, has also backed next-gen defense start-ups like Anduril and Epirus, and his role in shaping Kinetica, a fund focused on Israeli defense innovation, underscores his global influence.
Together, these leaders bridge the gap between Silicon Valley ingenuity and national security imperatives, proving that defense tech is no longer just about weapons but about vision and values.