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Israeli defense tech firm Smart Shooter raises $65m in IPO
Smart Shooter, an Israeli defense tech firm that makes electro-optical sights, raised NIS 200 million (US$65 million) in an IPO and will begin trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Existing shareholders sold NIS 60 million (US$19.5 million) in a secondary offering, valuing the company at NIS 900 million (US$293.2 million) post-money.
Founders Michal Mor, CEO and chairman, and Avshalom Ehrlich each sold roughly a quarter of their shares, reducing their stakes to 7.3% and 3.6%.
Smart Shooter sells to military and security agencies in over 25 countries, with the Israel Defense Forces accounting for 36% of sales in the first nine months of 2025.
After the IPO, 29% of shares are held by the public.
🔗 Source: Calcalist
🧠 Food for thought
Implications, context, and why it matters.
Soaring defense budgets and tech trends frame Smart Shooter’s market debut
- Smart Shooter’s IPO lands as the global small arms market is projected to grow by $2.60 billion from 2023 to 2028, with a 5.21% CAGR, according to Technavio 1.
- Europe adds momentum. Total defence expenditure for the European Defence Agency’s 27 member states reached €343 billion in 2024, the 10th straight annual increase, according to Market Data Forecast 2.
- The company’s electro-optical sights match demand to add smart technology to small arms, alongside advances in night vision and thermal imaging, according to Research and Markets 3.
- Europe’s market outlook includes smart optics plus fire control systems that connect with digital battlefield networks. Examples include TrackingPoint (a US maker of precision-guided rifle sight systems) and Rheinmetall’s Argus (a fire-control optic from the German defence contractor Rheinmetall) 2.
Smart sights and the push toward networked small arms
- IPO proceeds could speed work on weapon systems that do more than help with aiming.
- These tools can turn small arms into “active nodes in network-centric warfare,” with data shared across a squad’s network 2.
- Hardware and software now blend more tightly. That shift can shorten upgrade cycles and raise obsolescence risk as threats like drones change quickly 2.
- Wider adoption also raises supply chain exposure. Smart optic sensors may rely on rare earth elements that largely come from China, according to Market Data Forecast 2.
