Israeli AutoTech Firm Innoviz to Lay Off Quarter of Workforce
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Israeli auto-tech firm Innoviz is laying off about 25% of its workforce, impacting over 90 employees. This is the third round of job cuts for the company in recent years. Innoviz is expanding its focus to the defense sector, particularly drone detection, integrating its LiDAR technology. The company, led by CEO Omer Keilaf, is publicly traded on NASDAQ.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Innoviz, an Israeli auto-tech firm, will lay off approximately 25% of its workforce.
- The layoffs will affect over 90 employees, marking the third round of job cuts since 2024.
- The company is expanding into the defense market, focusing on counter-drone technology.
- Innoviz's LiDAR technology, originally for cars, is now used for drone detection.
- The company, led by CEO Omer Keilaf, is listed on NASDAQ with a $66 million valuation.
Innoviz, an automotive technology company based in Rosh Ha'ayin, is planning to dismiss approximately 25% of its employees. This marks the third round of layoffs for the company in recent years, following reductions of 13% in 2024 and 9% in 2025. As of the end of 2025, Innoviz employed 372 people, with the majority (344) located in Israel, primarily in research and development roles. The planned layoffs would affect over 90 individuals.
In recent months, Innoviz has expanded into the defense sector, specifically focusing on counter-unmanned aerial systems (Counter-UAS) and announcing several collaborations. The company's LiDAR technology, originally developed for the automotive industry and autonomous vehicles, is being integrated into solutions for detecting and tracking drone threats. Notably, Mobileye, which previously developed its own LiDAR technology, has ceased that operation and is now partnering with Innoviz in this area.
Innoviz, led by CEO Omer Keilaf, is currently trading on NASDAQ with a market capitalization of $66 million. The company recently appointed Yoav Har-Even, former CEO of Rafael, to its board of directors as part of its strategy to advance its defense business. The company went public in 2021 through a merger with a SPAC, reaching a valuation of $1.4 billion at its peak.
