News Briefs

Israeli sustainable materials producer Solutum has teamed up with world-leading German packaging firm pester pac automation as the latter expands its range of environmentally friendly products.

A newly developed film by Solutum will be used with pester’s packaging lines, without any conversion required, as a greener alternative to packaging with conventional film material. 

The Solutum film is fully biodegradable in soil and water, and leaves no residue of microplastics or other toxic substances. It also has a high tear strength compared to conventional film, which means it can be used in a thinner form and therefore more economically.  

“At the end of its life cycle, Solutum’s material decomposes completely. When handled in a managed environment, Solutum biodegrades in industrial composting plants, and in unmanaged environments, including oceans, rivers or when openly dumped, Solutum film biodegrades in soil and natural waters,” said Solutum founder and president Sharon Barak. 

“With widespread adoption, Solutum can effectively mitigate the environmental harms caused by flexible packaging, while delivering on performance and economics,” she said. 

“With the possible use of Solutum’s biodegradable film on our plants, we are making an active contribution to environmental protection and also offering our customers the opportunity for efficient processing and material savings,” said Joachim Eckart, pester’s director of sales. 

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Essence SmartCare, an Israeli developer of remote technology that helps seniors live independently in their own homes, is partnering with a British local council as it transitions its alarm infrastructure from analogue to digital. 

The Herlizya-based company’s Care@Home platform includes digital features such as wireless, radar-based fall detection; personalized monitoring; an emergency panic button; and voice activation.

Colchester City Council will provide the platform for some 1,700 local senior citizens as it carries out the switchover, in order to ensure seamless safety provisions during the technology shift.

Essence also provided the council with trial equipment, staff training and technical support to maintain the platform.  

“With Essence SmartCare, our top priority remains the residents of Colchester,” said the council. 

“Together, we prioritize their well-being and safety, ensuring they receive the highest quality of service. Through our partnership, we extend a guiding hand to navigate this transition, always with the needs of our community at the forefront,” it said.  

“Digital transformation has the potential to improve health care across the board; but it cannot leave our most vulnerable population behind. As the digital switchover sweeps across the UK, Essence SmartCare is committed to ensuring seniors’ ability to stay safe and connected at all times,” said Essence SmartCare CEO Karin Schifter-Maor. 

“We are honored to be part of this important transition, ensuring that every senior in the community has the reliable, personalized support they need to safely and confidently age in place.” 

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An Israeli clean energy startup that uses hydrogen and ammonia to create electricity has been asked by its partner in Mexico to meet a second repeat order worth $4.4 million for its backup power units. 

Petah Tikva-based GenCell will supply the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), Mexico’s state-owned utility and the largest utility in North America, with dozens more of its REX units and aims to complete the rollout by next year.  

GenCell produces clean hydrogen gas from liquid ammonia (a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen) using a catalyst to separate the two, in a method that creates electricity that is then stored in fuel cells.  

The REX units are designed to kick in immediately during grid outages, to provide zero-emission power to CFE substations, regardless of the weather conditions and with minimal maintenance.

“We are honored and pleased to continue our partnership with CFE and to reach this exciting stage of the project, involving the professional rollout of dozens of units across Mexico and executing deep knowledge transfer to the CFE team,” said GenCell co-founder and CEO Rami Reshef. 

“We are proud to contribute to the crucial resilience of CFE’s distribution network and to the utility’s ability to transition to a clean, reliable energy future,” he said. 

“We trust that this project will serve as a beacon to the many utilities across North America looking in the face of climate disruption to fortify their distribution systems with clean, uninterrupted, failsafe backup power.” 

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A new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History has found traces of 10 common medications in coral samples collected from both shallow and deep sites in the Gulf of Eilat. 

Among the medications was sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic used for respiratory and urinary tract infections, which was found in as many as 93 percent of the sampled corals. The researchers expressed concern over the impact of the medication on both the corals and the marine life that lives there. 

The study was led by Prof. Noa Shenkar of TAU’s School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, and her PhD student Gal Navon, in collaboration with the Hydrochemistry laboratory led by Prof. Dror Avisar at TAU’s Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences. 

The researchers obtained a list of the most commonly used pharmaceuticals in Israel from Clalit Health Services, the country’s largest healthcare provider. 

Testing for 18 of these compounds, they detected 10 of them in the coral samples, and not one single sample, retrieved from either shallow or deep water, was found to be drug-free. 

The 10 pharmaceuticals found in the corals belonged to different categories: antibiotics, blood pressure medications, antiplatelet agents, calcium channel blockers, laxatives, proton pump inhibitors, statins and antidepressants.

“We were surprised to find an extensive presence of medications even in the deep-water corals – which usually escape contaminations affecting corals in shallower areas,” said Shenkar. 

“These medications are taken by humans to affect a certain receptor or biological pathway, and they can also impact other organisms,” she said. 

“Previous studies, conducted by both our lab and others, have revealed many examples of this negative impact: estrogen from birth control contraceptive pills induces female features in male fish, impairing reproduction in certain species; Prozac makes some crabs aggressive and reckless; and antidepressants damage the memory and learning abilities of squids. There is no reason to believe that corals should be immune to such effects. For instance, if our pharmaceuticals should disrupt the spawning synchrony of coral populations, it would take us a long time to notice the problem, and when we do, it might be too late.”

 The results were published in the prestigious journal Environmental Pollution.

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Leading Israeli agritech company CropX, which specializes in digital agronomic agriculture, has acquired US startup EnGeniousAg, whose innovative nitrogen sensing technology has the potential to optimize fertilizer application while minimizing the environmental impact.

EnGeniousAg’s platform provides nitrogen measurements for plant tissue, water and soil, ensuring crops have the proper levels for maximizing profitability, sustainability and performance. 

CropX will integrate the patented technology into its own agronomic farm management system, thereby extending its own abilities in using data to help farmers be profitable and sustainable.  

“Acquiring this nitrogen sensor technology underscores CropX’s commitment to providing farmers with one-stop-shop agronomic solutions,” said CropX CEO Tomer Tzach. 

“Nitrogen management is a critical, unsolved challenge of modern farming. We are eager to provide a solution with such transformative potential. In our global search for synergistic technologies in the nutrient management space, EnGeniousAg stood out with high-potential technology that is ideally suited to our mission,” he said. 

“We have spent years optimizing and field testing EnGeniousAg’s nitrogen sensor technology and are excited to work with CropX to bring the benefits of this technology to the global market at scale as part of CropX’s agronomic farm management system,” said EngeniousAg co-founder Mike Castellano.

“The combination should be a big win for farmers’ profitability and environmental sustainability.”

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New materials developed by researchers at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology are expected to significantly improve the performance of MRI scans, helping with early diagnosis for a range of diseases and reducing the need for some radiation-intensive tests. 

An MRI – or magnetic resonance imaging – is a noninvasive procedure used by clinicians to get an image of what is happening inside a person’s body, including their organs, bones and blood vessels.  

But one of the limitations of conventional MRI devices is that they struggle to detect metabolites – small molecules involved in the body’s chemical processes – as they have a very low concentration in tissue. 

These metabolites are important clinical markers for various health conditions, including cancer, and as a result researchers have sought to find a way to identify metabolites in imaging scans. 

In a recent article published in the Science Advances journal, the team at the Technion outlines its new way of identifying metabolites during an MRI, with materials that can enhance the magnetic resonance signal by up to four times during the test and preserve the signal for around 10 minutes instead of the standard one minute. 

The researchers say this will allow doctors to track metabolites in various tissues over a period of time, and, because of the efficiency of the new materials, potentially replace expensive and radiation-intensive tests in certain cases. 

“Our discovery is very exciting for us, as the new method will provide physicians with a broader time window to perform the scan, and we estimate it will expand the use of radiation-free MRI scans,” said Prof. Aharon Blank of the Technion’s Faculty of Chemistry, who published the article alongside Dr. Itai Katz. 

“These materials will improve the capabilities of medical and research teams in early disease diagnosis, tissue characterization, disease progression monitoring, surgery planning, optimal treatment selection, and informed decision-making,” Blank said. 

The research was supported by the Technion Human Health Initiative (THHI) and the European Research Council (ERC), and included contributions from Prof. Boaz Pokroy and Dr. Arad Lang from the university’s Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, as well as Dr. Benno Meier from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.

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An Israeli provider of advanced security solutions in the workplace this week received an award for its ability to root out threats.  

Perception Point was awarded the 2024 SC Media Award for Best Threat Detection Technology, which honors the most cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.  

The Tel Aviv-based company focuses on different channels in the modern workspace, protecting the user in the areas of email, browser and app security from one platform, with just one interface that also operates from the cloud.  

Perception Point said the award recognized its innovation and leadership in defending organizations against the most advanced cyber attacks in a cost-effective way.

“This win highlights the platform’s ability to provide comprehensive protection against increasingly sophisticated email-based threats, leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning and proprietary detection engines to stay ahead of threat actors,” said US-based SC Media regarding Perception Point.

“We are honored to receive the SC Media Award for Best Threat Technology,” said Perception Point CEO Yoram Salinger. 

“This award is a testament to our solution’s leading innovation and our unwavering dedication to protecting our customers, no matter what their size, from advanced, targeted attacks. Our AI-powered advanced threat prevention platform, combined with a unique all-included 24/7 managed Incident Response service, allows security teams to stay ahead of even the most evasive cyber threats.”

SC Media is the in-house magazine of CyberRisk Alliance, a business intelligence and services company for the cybersecurity sector. Its annual awards are now in their 27th year.

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Israeli company SuperCom, which provides security solutions for digital operations in the governmental, IoT and cybersecurity sectors, says it has secured its first new contract in New York State. 

The contract with a county in the state, which was secured following a competitive selection process, leverages SuperCom’s advanced electronic monitoring solutions to enhance public safety and provide reliable monitoring services. 

The new agreement also aids the company’s strategic expansion across the US and, Tel Aviv-based SuperCom says, marks another milestone in its ongoing growth.

“This latest win in New York State underscores the value and differentiation of our solutions, reinforcing our commitment to expanding our market presence in the US,” said SuperCom CEO and President Ordan Trabelsi. 

“By consistently winning competitive contracts, we continue to solidify our position as a trusted leader in public safety technology. With a focus on innovation, reliability, and customer success, SuperCom is building long-term partnerships with government agencies nationwide.”

The company has also recently signed agreements in Maryland and West Virginia, and in July announced commissions from unnamed European governments worth $2.9 million – the third block of such orders from Europe within 90 days.

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Three leading European automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will begin using a chipset made by Israel’s Valens Semiconductor, the Hod Hasharon-based company says. 

The OEMs, who work with a range of automotive brands, will each embed the MIPI A-PHY chipsets in certain vehicle models beginning 2026, for an estimated total of around half a million vehicles per year. 

Valens estimates that this will generate more than $10 million in annual revenue, for a period of five to seven years.

“We’re proud to have been selected by such leading OEMs, and to receive this resounding confirmation of the superiority of Valens technology,” said Valens Semiconductor CEO Gideon Ben-Zvi. 

“We knew that our investment into the automotive industry would take time, but we’re thrilled to see our long-term strategy yielding results. I feel proud of the Valens team, which worked tirelessly over many long years to turn our vision for an automotive connectivity standard into a reality,” he said. 

“As a former CTO and executive for major automotive OEMs, I can attest to how the industry has been waiting for a safe and resilient high-performance connectivity standard,” said Dr. Peter Mertens, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Valens Semiconductor. 

“This is exactly what Valens has brought to the industry. I anticipate that this OEM validation will open the floodgates for further adoption of this important connectivity technology.”

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Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital both in Israel and the entire Middle East, has again been internationally ranked by Newsweek magazine, this time as one of the world’s best smart hospitals for 2025. 

In February, Newsweek placed Sheba on its annual list of the world’s best hospitals overall, for the fifth time in six years.

Sheba’s number 10 spot for smart hospitals marks the first time it has placed in the top 10, having previously ranked at number 13 for both 2023 and 2024.

The medical center is also the first Israeli hospital to be placed on this top 10 list, alongside leading institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital. 

The ranking, which Newsweek compiles every year in association with German data-gathering platform Statista, assessed hospitals in more than 30 countries, examining the use of digital technologies, including AI, robotics, telemedicine and digital imaging, as well as the results of an online survey of hospital managers and healthcare professionals around the world. 

Sheba attributes its innovation success to its ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) platform, which works to develop advanced healthtech solutions through a global network of medical practitioners, entrepreneurs and innovators. 

“The entrepreneurial and innovative DNA that drives nearly $1 billion in tech exits is also what makes Sheba one of the smartest hospitals in the world,” said  Sheba Medical Center Director General Prof. Yitshak Kreiss. 

“We are not far from the day when Israel’s next healthcare unicorn will emerge from our system. If we don’t break the mindset that sees healthcare as a financial burden and start viewing it as a fruitful investment, we will not only lose valuable personnel but also miss a golden opportunity to turn the health system into a major growth engine for the entire economy.”

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Israeli agritech startup Nanovel has unveiled its new AI-powered autonomous robot capable of picking fruit off the trees for the fresh market. 

The company says the robot offers a worldwide solution to farm labor shortages and rapidly increasing costs, the two most pressing issues identified in a survey by the Western Growers organization, which works with farmers in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. 

According to Nanovel, the robot is the world’s first-of-its-kind system designed to pick citrus fruit in dense foliage, involving a high level of technological complexity, including advanced edge computing and AI-driven data analysis. 

The system includes a multi-arm platform, which will initially be towed by a tractor although planned future versions will include an internal driving unit and autonomous navigation. 

The telescopic arms are equipped with edge computing, advanced vision systems, and AI to identify, assess, and selectively pick fruit with precision that meets fresh market quality standards. Each arm has a patented vacuum gripper to hold the fruit and cutters to trim its stems without damaging it.  

In the first phase, the robot will harvest oranges, later expanding to other citrus fruits, and the company’s long-term plan includes lemons, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes, peaches and nectarines.

“Our mission is to secure the affordability of fresh fruit through autonomous harvesting,” said Nanovel founder and CEO Isaac Mazor. 

“Our goal is to deploy Nanovel’s solution into major global citrus markets, particularly in the US and Southern European countries like Spain and Italy. We aim to set a new standard for fresh market harvesting, ensuring high quality and economic viability for growers.”

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Working alongside three major Israeli medical centers, researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a new method to detect protein aggregation (abnormal protein activity in cells), which is a key indicator of Parkinson’s.  

The new technology can help make a diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disease up to 20 years before the first motor symptoms appear, helping treatment or even prevention of the severe and currently incurable disorder. 

The research was led by Prof. Uri Ashery of TAU’s School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics at the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, and PhD candidate Ofir Sade, in cooperation with Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) in Tel Aviv, Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer and Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba.

The novel approach is based on super-resolution microscopy combined with computational analysis, allowing for precise mapping of the aggregates’ molecules and structure. 

“Our method can be used to identify early signs and enable preventive treatment in young people at risk for developing Parkinson’s later on in their lives,” said the researchers. 

“In the future the technology may also be adapted for early diagnosis of other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.”

With proof of concept obtained through their study, the researchers now plan to expand their work, with the support of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, in order to further identify differences between people with Parkinson’s disease and people without it. 

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An Israeli startup that uses sophisticated AI software to dub movies and shows into foreign languages has launched its new Enterprise Plan, which includes API integration to meet an increasing need for scalable, high-quality localization solutions by major Hollywood studios and global dubbing houses.

By using deep learning algorithms, Deepdub’s AI dubbing software can be trained to quickly learn the patterns of a particular voice sample and convey the voice actor’s specific tone and emotion, as well as adapt to different local cultural contexts and accents from country to country.  

According to Deepdub, the new feature enables content owners to streamline their dubbing workflows, with the API feature allowing for seamless and flexible integration of its advanced technology.

The new model also improves its voice synthesis features with superior audio, accent control and newly introduced singing capabilities. The company says this allows for more dynamic and precise character portrayal in dubbed content, including in different genres such as anime.  

The company has simultaneously reported a fivefold increase in annual revenue as compared to 2023, which it says is driven by demand for its dubbing solutions and rapid adoption of its technology worldwide.  

“With the Enterprise Plan… we are providing content companies with the tools they need to scale faster, reduce production time and maintain creative control,” said Deepdub CEO Ofir Krakowski. 

“This technology caters perfectly to the growing economic and production demands of Hollywood and dubbing studios worldwide. Our 5X revenue growth this year is a testament to the market’s confidence in our solutions.”

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Israeli startup H2OLL has launched its first complete system to produce high-quality and affordable water from the air. 

The system was installed at the Wadi Attir initiative in the Negev, a groundbreaking project led by Israel’s Bedouin community to create a model of sustainable farming. 

H2OLL’s technology started as a project by Eran Friedler and David Broday, two professors from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. They were joined by Dr. Khaled Gommed from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering as they sought to  find ways to provide clean drinking water for everyone. 

The technology was developed into a practical system by the Haifa-based startup under the leadership of its CEO Joab Kirsch, CTO Ilan Katz and VP Business Development Oded Distel.

It enables water extraction from the air even in dry and desert areas, while completely blocking chemical and biological contaminants.  

The system is set to produce 1,000 liters of water per day at the Negev site, using the technology developed by Broday and Friedler. It enables water extraction from the air even in dry and desert areas, while completely blocking chemical and biological contaminants. 

H2OLL has recently also launched a crowdfunding campaign, and has so far raised more than four million shekels. The money will help to fund international marketing efforts, connect the technology to solar energy and develop a system that will produce about 10,000 liters of water per day.

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Dr. Nir Shlezinger, a researcher into AI machine learning at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has been awarded this year’s prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, which provides funding of up to 1.5 million euros over a five-year period. 

The research by Shlezinger, who is a member of the university’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, centers around the link between machine learning, signal processing and wireless communications. 

His ERC project, entitled, Flexible Lightweight AI-Aided Receivers (FLAIR), aims at bringing AI to wireless communications.

Shlezinger’s goal is to devise a new, more flexible form of AI specifically for dynamic wireless communications, which can cope with constantly shifting data as well as limited power and computational resources.   

“This is a fundamental departure from conventional deep learning, based on highly parameterized DNNs trained with massive data sets using lengthy learning procedures,” says Shlezinger. 

“Our preliminary data show that this paradigm shift achieves substantial performance, robustness, and complexity gains over conventional deep receivers. The project will transform how communications systems are studied, and profoundly impact a multitude of applications that rely on wireless communications.” 

Established in 2007, the ERC has four grant programs for outstanding researchers working on groundbreaking projects, aiming to bridge the gap between research and early commercialization.

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