The commander of unit 8200 on October 7, 2023 founded a new AI startup

Reserve Brigadier General Yossi Sariel, who led Military Intelligence Unit 8200 during the Oct. 7 massacre, founded a new startup company called Alma Labs earlier this year, Globes reports.

Until now, the company’s activities have remained out of public attention. According to Registrar of Companies filings, Alma Labs is controlled by Sariel and his partner Uri David Alter; each of them owns 48.2% of the company’s shares and holds the position of director. The remaining shares are distributed among several other holders in smaller shares.

Area of ​​activity: development of platforms in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with an emphasis on education and accessibility of knowledge for children and youth

According to sources cited by Globes, Alma Labs is already in negotiations with various government agencies and in the future may become the exclusive provider of services for the government in its field of activity.

Let us recall that on February 22, 2026, it became known that Sariel joined the management of the startup company Decart, founded by two of his former subordinates Dean Leitersdorf and Moshe Shalva.

Decart is among the most promising Israeli startups in the field of artificial intelligence. As of August 2025, it had raised $153 million from investors, earning it a $3.1 billion valuation and unicorn status.

The company develops models for generating real-time interactive video on an industrial scale; in August it also reported significant revenue from graphics processing unit (GPU) optimization technology.

Alma Labs was registered on February 3, 2026, that is, before Sariel joined Decart.

Sariel was the senior network intelligence officer in 8200 and later became head of the unit’s cyber division. Subsequently, he held the positions of intelligence officer in the Central District and head of the operational directorate of military intelligence (AMAN). He was appointed commander of 8200 approximately two and a half years before October 7. Sariel is considered the officer who deepened Unit 8200’s technological dependence, which came under fire after the Hamas attack.