[Photo: Omer Keilaf, CEO of Innoviz. Credit: PR]

Innoviz estimates that its activity in the security and defense markets will grow more than tenfold in 2026, according to comments made during the company’s earnings call following the release of its annual results.

While revenue from non-automotive markets remains marginal — accounting for about 1% of total revenue in 2025 — the company expects these segments to represent roughly 10% of revenue in 2026, potentially amounting to several million dollars.

CEO Omer Keilaf linked the projection to a sharp increase in inbound interest from the defense sector. Speaking on the call, he described a recent event hosted at the company’s offices in Israel, attended by around 80 security consultants from airports, seaports and railway operators. “We probably left that event, only that event, with tens of opportunities,” he said.

The following week, Innoviz participated in a defense conference and, according to Keilaf, left with “a few tens of leads.”

The expansion is supported by the launch of InnovizSMART, a LiDAR sensor derived from the company’s automotive platform but tailored for perimeter security, critical infrastructure, smart cities and robotics applications. The company says the sensor offers long range and high resolution, enabling accurate detection and classification of objects even in complex environmental conditions and partially obscured areas. Innoviz recently reported initial deployments of the system at critical infrastructure sites in Israel.

Production Set to Increase 3–4x in 2026

Alongside its push into security markets, Innoviz is preparing a significant increase in manufacturing capacity. Keilaf said the company continues to ramp production with contract manufacturer Fabrinet, and expects 2026 production volumes to be three to four times higher than last year.

This scale-up is intended to support both autonomous vehicle programs — including collaborations with carmakers and truck manufacturers — and growth in non-automotive markets. The partnership with Fabrinet enables the company to transition from limited-volume manufacturing to full-scale serial production.

Humanoids and “World Models”: Why LiDAR Still Matters in the AI Era

Another key theme of the earnings call was the company’s positioning in what it calls “Physical AI” — encompassing robots, humanoids and intelligent infrastructure. Innoviz recently published the first part of a white paper outlining its view of LiDAR as a foundational layer for building “world models,” and plans to host a dedicated webinar on the subject in the coming weeks.

During the Q&A session, an analyst asked whether LiDAR remains necessary in an era of rapid AI advancement. Keilaf responded that the next stage of AI requires accurate, real-world data.

“When your AI is trained by data that is also provided by AI, you are creating a very big error that is inflated, and you create a bias in your models,” he said. High-resolution LiDAR, he argued, can “connect those world models … to life” by feeding them with real-time, accurate information from the physical world.

Keilaf added that no new dedicated product is required for humanoid robotics applications. The company’s existing automotive-grade LiDAR systems, developed to meet stringent reliability and safety standards, already meet the requirements of industrial and security markets.

Financial Summary

Innoviz closed 2025 with record revenue of $55.1 million — more than double the prior year. Gross margin reached 23%, compared with a negative margin in 2024. Operating expenses declined to $80.6 million from $100.8 million in 2024, a reduction of about 20%.

For 2026, the company forecasts revenue growth of approximately 27%, targeting a range of $67 million to $73 million.