Decart Positions Israel as Key Player in AI Models with $6 Billion Anthropic Deal

Decart, an Israeli AI startup founded in September 2023 by Dean Litersdorf, is on the verge of a landmark acquisition by AI giant Anthropic for $6 billion. This deal would establish Decart as the base for Anthropic's development center in Israel, marking a significant milestone for the Israeli high-tech sector. Currently employing about 100 people in Tel Aviv, Decart's technology enhances the efficiency of AI chips, including GPUs and competitors from Google and Amazon, enabling AI models to run up to eight times faster and drastically reducing computational costs.

The acquisition comes at a critical time as the AI industry shifts from model training to inference, where computational expenses are rising sharply due to increased use of AI applications like Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, and OpenAI's ChatGPT. Anthropic's interest in Decart signals Israel's emergence as a vital hub in the global AI landscape, potentially attracting further investments and prompting major companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta to expand their presence in the country.

Decart's breakthrough technology, led by Litersdorf who completed a PhD in computer science at age 23, also includes real-time video generation capabilities initially developed for gaming but now seen as crucial for AI-driven robotics. Despite not yet having a sustainable business model or a defined product, Decart has been recognized as Israel's most promising AI startup and ranked first in Calcalist's 2025 list.

Anthropic's planned acquisition is set to precede its historic IPO on Wall Street, expected in September or October, with the company valued at around $2 trillion. The deal represents a strategic move to secure Decart's technology ahead of competitors, underscoring the urgency and high stakes in the AI sector. For Israel, this acquisition could be a pivotal leap, complementing its status as a leading country in AI talent, startup density, and cloud AI usage.

While the $6 billion price tag offers a 50% premium over Decart's recent $4 billion valuation, it may fall short of the founders' original ambitions to become the "Google or Apple of AI." Nonetheless, the acquisition provides a rapid exit and positions Litersdorf as a key figure within Anthropic before he turns 30. Overall, the deal integrates a crucial piece into Israel's AI ecosystem, enhancing its global competitiveness and innovation potential.