Mr. / Reservist Major Or Ben Shabat
Chief Executive Officer,
DCA- Digital Combat Academy
Israel
Or Ben Shabat (36) is the Founder & CEO of Digital Combat Academy (DCA), pioneering the integration of game-based simulation into military training. A lifelong gamer with 10,000+ hours in military simulation and tactical shooters, he has spent nearly a decade in the gaming industry, specializing in game design and product management, and lectures on Game Design at the Open University of Israel.
Or has been a soldier in the IDF since 2007 (18 years of service). He began his military career as an aviation cadet before transitioning to the armor corps, where he now serves as a Reservist Major and tank company commander in the 10th Armored Brigade. He has participated in every conflict in Gaza since 2014, including the first three months of the October 7th war, gaining firsthand experience in modern combat challenges.
His unique background—combining military leadership with advanced gaming technology—led to the creation of DCA, which delivers high-fidelity, interactive training for tactical units, ensuring soldiers experience missions before they happen, not after.
At ITEC 2025, Or will share how DCA transformed lessons from real combat into next-generation military training, redefining readiness through AI-driven, multiplayer simulation.
Or has been a soldier in the IDF since 2007 (18 years of service). He began his military career as an aviation cadet before transitioning to the armor corps, where he now serves as a Reservist Major and tank company commander in the 10th Armored Brigade. He has participated in every conflict in Gaza since 2014, including the first three months of the October 7th war, gaining firsthand experience in modern combat challenges.
His unique background—combining military leadership with advanced gaming technology—led to the creation of DCA, which delivers high-fidelity, interactive training for tactical units, ensuring soldiers experience missions before they happen, not after.
At ITEC 2025, Or will share how DCA transformed lessons from real combat into next-generation military training, redefining readiness through AI-driven, multiplayer simulation.