Creative Thinking in Times of Need: Insights from Dov Moran at the Yedioth Ahronoth Defense Tech Conference

Innovation is often born out of necessity—and that was the core theme of an inspiring conversation at the recent Yedioth Ahronoth Defense Tech Conference, where Dov Moran, Managing Partner at Grove Ventures, joined Prof. Yonina Eldar to explore how creative thinking drives defense technology and startup innovation.

From Urgency to Innovation

In a candid discussion on the origins of big ideas, Dov highlighted how Israel’s unique environment and entrepreneurial mindset play a critical role in shaping world-class technologies—particularly in times of crisis or conflict.

“We live in a place where the potential to develop defense technologies is huge—we are a nation of entrepreneurs. But where do ideas and creativity come from? Many times, they emerge from academia, but mostly, they arise out of need. If you have the initiative, you find a solution—you build a startup.”

He went on to explain how, during recent times of war and uncertainty, Grove Ventures witnessed a surge of innovative ideas from individuals with firsthand experience of urgent problems—people who chose to act, build, and solve.

The Intersection of Necessity, Academia, and Entrepreneurship

This session underscored the power of necessity as a driver of innovation, especially in defense and dual-use technologies. Whether emerging from academic research or real-world pain points, the ideas with the biggest impact are those that bridge critical needs with scalable solutions.

At Grove Ventures, we believe that purpose-driven innovation has the power to protect, connect, and improve lives. We’re proud to support founders and technologies born out of both vision and real-world necessity.

📽️ Watch the full discussion (in Hebrew):
🔗 Creative Thinking in Defense Innovation – Full Panel