The list was published for the fourth time. For the 2026–2027 edition, 60 companies were selected from more than 300 applicants. The selection was made jointly by Fortune, the investment firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, and the technology corporation Amazon Web Services (AWS). Factors taken into account included the companies’ growth, their products, their significance for the market, and the demands of the IT security industry.
Particularly striking is the strong presence of Israeli founders among the younger companies. In the category of start-ups that have already achieved greater growth, eleven of the 20 selected firms were founded by Israelis. Among companies in the earliest stage of development, the figure is as high as twelve out of 20. In the category of established growth companies, six out of 20 come from Israel.
From corporate networks to the protection of artificial intelligence
Among the best-known names is Cato Networks. The company was founded by Shlomo Kramer and Gur Shatz. It develops a platform that combines network security and internet communication. Companies can use it to centrally secure their offices, remote workers, and cloud applications. Cato Networks served more than 4,800 customers in the second quarter of 2026.
Also on the list is Island, founded by Dan Amiga and Mike Fey. The company develops a specialized internet browser for businesses. This allows companies to better control what information their employees access and share. The platform now also encompasses the management of AI systems that autonomously complete tasks. In September 2026, Island raised $400 million in a funding round, valuing the company at $6.4 billion.
An increasingly important business segment is the security of artificial intelligence applications. The start-up Noma Security was founded in 2023 by Niv Braun and Alon Tron. Its software is designed to prevent AI applications and so-called AI agents from accessing confidential information without oversight or carrying out unwanted actions.
Corma Labs is also working in this field. The company, founded by Alon Pluda, develops AI models specifically designed to defend against cyberattacks. The systems are intended to support security teams in analyzing threats and to independently take on certain protective tasks. In August 2026, an initial funding round of $60 million was announced.
New challenges posed by AI
The strong presence of Israeli companies is also linked to a fundamental shift in IT security. More and more companies are deploying AI systems that do not merely answer questions, but can independently access data, operate programs, and carry out tasks. This gives rise to new security risks. Companies must ensure that such systems can only access information and perform actions for which they are actually authorized.
Another example is Neo. The company was founded by Nick Warner, Shlomi Salem and Eran Shirazi. Its technology is designed to identify which AI agents and additional software programs are active within a company. Security teams can use it to define which actions are permitted and which processes first require approval from a human employee.
The Fortune list thus not only highlights the strong position of Israeli founders in the international cybersecurity market. It also illustrates how many young companies from Israel are working on solutions for an industry that is currently undergoing fundamental change driven by the increasing use of artificial intelligence.
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