Financial Services for Defense, Dual-Use & GovTech Companies
Raftel Strategy provides outsourced CFO services, accounting, FP&A, and strategic advisory for defense companies, dual-use technology businesses, and govtech companies operating in compliance-driven, government-focused environments. We support companies navigating government contracting structures, long procurement cycles, regulatory scrutiny, and cross-border operations between the US and Israel. Our clients range from early-stage defense startups managing their first SBIR to growth-stage contractors running multiple federal agreements across entities. We bring the full finance function, from clean books to board-level strategy, built for environments where structure, oversight, and forward visibility are not optional.
Why Defense and GovTech Companies Need Specialized Financial Support
Defense, dual-use, and govtech companies do not operate like typical startups. The sales cycles are measured in quarters or years, not weeks. Revenue recognition follows contract milestones, not monthly recurring subscriptions. Compliance requirements touch every layer of the business, from how costs are allocated to how reports are structured for agency review.
These dynamics create financial challenges that generic accounting firms and generalist CFOs consistently underestimate.
A company waiting 9 months for a contract award cannot manage cash flow the same way a SaaS company with monthly billing does. A dual-use business selling to both commercial and government customers needs financial reporting that satisfies two very different sets of stakeholders. A defense startup preparing for its first Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audit needs books that were built with that audit in mind from the beginning, not cleaned up the week before.
One reporting mistake can delay funding. One weak forecast can stall a critical hire. One compliance gap in your financials can create risk that extends well beyond the finance function.
This is why defense industry financial consulting requires more than someone who can close your books on time. It requires financial leadership that understands how government contracting structures, regulatory requirements, and long decision cycles affect every number on your P&L.
How We Work With Defense, Dual-Use & GovTech Companies
Raftel embeds directly with your leadership team. We operate as your outsourced CFO and finance function, bringing structure without adding bureaucracy. Some clients have no finance team at all. Others have a bookkeeper or finance team who need strategic financial support. We fit into either model.
Our focus is straightforward: give you financial clarity so you can focus on product, contracts, and delivery.
Strategic finance and CFO leadership
We guide capital planning, board reporting, and financial strategy. For defense companies, that means modeling around contract timelines, milestone-based revenue, and the cash flow gaps that come with long procurement cycles. We do not build generic forecasts and hope they hold. We model conservatively around the realities of government sales cycles, because the difference between a 6-month and a 12-month contract delay can be the difference between making payroll and not.
Accounting and financial reporting built for scrutiny
In regulated industries, "good enough" reporting is a liability. We build clean, audit-ready books with structured controls and clear documentation. When investors, auditors, or government agencies look under the hood, the numbers tell a consistent story. Every journal entry, every allocation, every recognition decision is defensible.
Govtech financial planning and budgeting
We align budgets and forecasts with contract structures, delivery milestones, and regulatory requirements. For companies managing multiple contracts across agencies, this means forecasting that reflects the reality of how and when money actually moves, not a top-down revenue target disconnected from operations.
Cash flow management for long sales cycles
Defense industry cash flow management is one of the most common gaps we see. Companies model revenue based on expected contract awards without adequately planning for the timing gaps between proposal submission, award, and first payment. We build cash forecasts that account for procurement delays, milestone payment schedules, and the working capital requirements of operating in an environment where revenue recognition and cash receipt rarely happen at the same time.
Compliance-driven controls and documentation
We establish financial controls and secure operations that satisfy the oversight requirements defense and govtech companies face. This is not a checkbox exercise. It is the foundation that everything else sits on.
Supporting Defense & GovTech Companies Across the US and Israel
Many defense companies with US and Israel entities face a specific coordination challenge. Different regulations. Different tax environments. Different reporting standards. Same leadership team trying to make decisions from a single, coherent set of numbers.
Raftel specializes in cross-border finance for defense and govtech companies operating internationally. Our team has deep experience coordinating financial operations between US and Israeli entities, which means we understand the practical realities, not just the theoretical frameworks.
We align reporting across jurisdictions so leadership sees one financial picture instead of two disconnected ones. We coordinate with local tax advisors, auditors, and compliance teams in both countries. And we structure forecasting and budgeting so that cross-border complexity does not slow down decision-making.
For dual-use companies with international operations, this kind of financial alignment is not a nice-to-have. It is what allows you to move with the speed your business requires while meeting every compliance obligation in both jurisdictions.
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Proof in Practice
Raftel has supported defense and dual-use technology companies through complex transactions, cross-border structuring, and rapid scaling. In one engagement, we provided transaction advisory for an Israeli defense technology company completing a US-based acquisition, led financial due diligence in three weeks, and built the pro forma models that became the foundation for a $100M equity raise at a billion-dollar valuation. That same client re-engaged Raftel to continue supporting its finance function after the deal closed, because the working relationship had already proven its value.
We do not just support defense companies through one-off projects. We build finance functions that leadership relies on long after the initial engagement ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Get Started
Defense and govtech environments are demanding. The stakes are real. The scrutiny does not get lighter as you grow.
If you are building in defense, dual-use, or govtech and need financial leadership that understands government contracting, regulated operations, and cross-border complexity, reach out. Tell us where you are and what is coming next. We will tell you exactly what your finance function should look like to support it.