Early-stage health care companies developing breakthrough medical technologies were given some good news recently with the launch of a new accelerator program by Israel’s Arc Innovation aimed at giving startups a $250,000 cash injection. With a $10 million investment from Ilex Medical Ltd., the initiative is looking to empower early-stage companies by providing financial backing, expert guidance and a support network.
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, are seeking – through the university’s commercial arm, Yeda Research and Development Co. Ltd. – to gain patent protection for methods and systems for detecting and treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that are based on nasal respiration parameters.
Israel’s finance ministry has increased the amount of funding high-tech companies with a short runway, including biotechs, can apply for under a fast-track scheme run by independent, publicly funded agency The Israel Innovation Authority, in response to the country’s war against Hamas.
Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University are seeking patent protection for a revamped mechatronic supported in-place walking training system, such as a stepper or elliptical trainer, that provides various types of expected and unexpected perturbations to improve balance control.
Israel’s finance ministry has increased the amount of funding high-tech companies with a short runway, including biotechs, can apply for under a fast-track scheme run by independent, publicly funded agency The Israel Innovation Authority, in response to the country’s war against Hamas. The program has been boosted by an extra ₪300 million (US$74.7 million), bringing the total budget to about ₪400 million, and from this month will assess applications from startups facing financial difficulties.
In interviews with BioWorld, med-tech industry leaders in Israel noted upfront that a hasty exit mid-conversation could occur in response to sirens alerting to missile attacks. Despite constant disruption, most companies said they were determined to maintain business as close to usual as possible. Still, challenges abound, including the potential mandatory military activation of CEO and key personnel, ongoing attacks and potential disruption or diversion of critical resources. The tenor remains positive, however, with companies praising strong support from the venture capital community and other investors and partners worldwide and the benefits of operations in the U.S.
The co-founders of Zero Candida Ltd. described, in the company’s first PCT filing, their development of a drug-free solution for treating vaginal fungal infections using an intravaginal light-based treatment device (ILTD) that projects light at predefined intervals and intensities to treat infection.
The latest patent application from Neuroderm Ltd. described a magnetic coupling and detection mechanism for its small two-part wearable infusion drug delivery device that delivers a liquid drug to Parkinson’s disease patients subcutaneously.
Israeli startup Briya Ltd. raised $11.5 million in series A financing which will support the expansion of its health care data exchange platform across Europe and the U.S. The round was led by Team8, and included existing investors Insight Partners, and Amiti Ventures, and was joined by the George Kaiser Family Foundation.