According to a survey conducted by Startup Nation Central at the end of November 2023, involving 123 leaders active in the Israeli tech ecosystem, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a sector of high potential and will have a significant role in driving innovation and growth in the 2024 Israeli tech landscape – in particular with medical imaging.

Understanding AI and its Role in Medical Imaging 

By integrating AI technologies like machine learning and deep learning, medical imaging has seen substantial improvements in accuracy, efficiency, and predictive analytics. AI’s ability to process and analyze vast datasets enhances disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment planning. This integration not only accelerates diagnostic processes but also reduces human error, ensuring quicker and more reliable patient care.

What is artificial intelligence? 

At its core, AI encompasses a wide range of technologies capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. Among these, machine learning and deep learning stand out for their ability to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed, making them particularly suited for analyzing the vast amounts of data generated in medical imaging. 

What is medical imaging? 

Medical imaging is a crucial technique in modern healthcare, allowing clinicians to visualize the interior of the body for analysis and medical intervention. It plays a vital role in the early detection of diseases, monitoring of conditions, and guiding treatment decisions, encompassing technologies such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI, and ultrasound. 

How is AI used in medical imaging? 

AI enhances medical imaging in: 

1. Detection and Diagnosis: AI algorithms excel at identifying subtle patterns in imaging data, aiding in the early detection of diseases like cancer. 

2. Predictive Analytics: By analyzing imaging data alongside patient history, AI can predict disease progression and outcomes. 

3. Image Segmentation: AI automates the segmentation of images, isolating specific areas for detailed analysis. 

Key Benefits of AI in Medical Imaging 

The advent of AI in medical imaging brings a transformative shift in healthcare, offering multifaceted benefits that extend far beyond the confines of traditional diagnostic methods. The precision and efficiency introduced by AI not only enhance diagnostic accuracy but also streamline healthcare workflows. 

Improved accuracy 

AI’s role in medical imaging marks a significant leap in diagnostic accuracy. Algorithms trained on extensive datasets can precisely pinpoint disease markers and anomalies. This improvement in accuracy is pivotal for early detection, where AI’s ability to discern subtle indicators can lead to early intervention, significantly improving patient outcomes. 

Enhanced predictive analysis 

Extending beyond mere detection, AI offers predictive insights that were previously unattainable. By analyzing imaging data in conjunction with patient histories, AI models can forecast disease progression and potential health outcomes. This predictive capability is invaluable for personalized medicine, allowing healthcare providers to tailor treatment plans to individual patient profiles, improving the efficacy of interventions. 

Greater efficiency and speed 

AI dramatically accelerates the medical imaging process, enabling rapid analysis and interpretation of images. This acceleration is crucial, reducing diagnostic wait times and allowing for quicker treatment initiation. In emergency medical scenarios, where time is of the essence, AI’s ability to swiftly process and analyze images can be life-saving. 

Reduction of human error 

Automating the analysis of medical images with AI minimizes the risk of oversight and human error. By handling high-volume, routine tasks, AI allows medical professionals to concentrate on more complex diagnostic challenges, enhancing the overall quality of care and ensuring a higher level of diagnostic reliability. 

While AI in medical imaging presents these significant benefits, addressing the accompanying challenges is essential for maximizing its potential and ensuring its ethical and secure application in healthcare. 

Challenges Facing AI in Medical Imaging 

Despite its considerable advantages, the integration of AI into medical imaging is not without its challenges. These hurdles span technical, ethical, and operational domains, necessitating concerted efforts to address them effectively. 

Data privacy and security considerations 

As AI systems process vast amounts of sensitive patient data, ensuring the privacy and security of this information is paramount. The risk of data breaches poses a significant concern, underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity measures and stringent compliance with data protection regulations. 

Ethical aspects of AI 

The deployment of AI in healthcare raises complex ethical questions, particularly concerning accountability in AI-driven diagnosis and treatment decisions. Establishing clear guidelines and ethical standards is essential to navigate these issues, ensuring AI is used responsibly and in the best interest of patients. 

Limited understandability and transparency

The inherent complexity of AI algorithms — often called the “black box” problem — can hinder their acceptability among healthcare professionals. Efforts to increase the transparency and explainability of AI systems are crucial in building trust and facilitating their broader adoption. 

By addressing these challenges, the potential of AI in medical imaging can be fully realized, paving the way for a future where healthcare is more accurate, efficient, and personalized than ever before. 

Israel Leading AI Innovation 

In the rapidly evolving field of medical imaging, AI-driven innovations are not just enhancing diagnostic accuracy but fundamentally reshaping the approach to patient care. Real-world applications of AI in medical imaging, such as AI-driven radiology and AI in cancer detection, showcase its potential to significantly improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes – and Israel’s determined and bold innovators are leading the way. 

Aidoc: Enhancing real-time image analysis 

Aidoc stands at the forefront of Israeli innovation in AI for medical imaging. It provides advanced AI solutions that analyze medical images in real-time, integrating smoothly into doctors’ existing workflows. This technology supports medical professionals by augmenting their capabilities, ensuring no disruption to their daily routines while enhancing diagnostic speed and accuracy. 

Zebra Medical Vision: Early disease detection through deep learning 

Zebra Medical Vision has carved a niche in early disease detection by employing deep learning to scrutinize medical scans. This Israeli company’s technology spots early signs of various conditions, including liver and breast cancers, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Zebra was acquired by Nanox in 2021.

Israel’s vibrant ecosystem 

A host of companies from Israel’s vibrant tech ecosystem are developing groundbreaking solutions applying artificial intelligence solutions to medical imaging. View a full list of companies on Finder: 

Impact of AI on Medical Professionals 

 
The advent of AI is reshaping the roles of professionals in medical imaging. While there are concerns about AI replacing radiologists, the current trend suggests AI will augment professionals’ capabilities rather than replace them, necessitating new skills and training. 

Future of AI in Medical Imaging 

AI in medical imaging represents a significant leap forward in healthcare technology. With its ability to improve diagnostic accuracy, predict outcomes, and streamline processes, AI is set to play a crucial role in the future of healthcare. While challenges remain, the potential benefits are too significant to ignore. As the technology evolves, it will undoubtedly continue to transform the field, promising better patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery. 

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Diagnostics and Detection  

The early detection of cancer significantly improves treatment outcomes. Recent technological advancements have led to more accurate and less invasive diagnostic methods. 

• AI and Machine Learning: These technologies are revolutionizing cancer diagnostics by processing and analyzing vast amounts of medical data, leading to earlier detection and more precise identification of various cancer types. 
• Nanoparticle Sensors: These sensors can detect cancer markers in fluids like blood or urine, offering a minimally invasive method for early cancer detection, which is crucial for effective treatment. 
• Liquid Biopsies: This innovative technique allows for the detection of cancer cells or DNA in blood, enabling easier monitoring of treatment response and the detection of cancer recurrence. 

HERE ARE ISRAELI CANCER TECH COMPANIES LEVERAGING AI

Bioinformatics and Personalized Medicine   

Personalized medicine is reshaping cancer treatment by tailoring therapies to individual patient profiles, driven by bioinformatics and genetic analysis advancements. Bioinformatics integrates biological data with computational techniques to identify specific genetic mutations and pathways involved in cancer, paving the way for targeted treatment strategies. 

• Personalized Treatment Plans: Leveraging genetic information, treatments are increasingly being customized to the patient’s and tumor’s unique genetic makeup, enhancing effectiveness and reducing side effects. 
• Genome Editing Technologies: Techniques like CRISPR/Cas9 offer groundbreaking possibilities, including the potential to correct genetic mutations directly linked to cancer development. 

Precision Treatment  

Precision medicine is at the forefront of modern cancer treatment, offering more effective and targeted therapies based on individual patient characteristics. 

• Tumor Agnostic Therapies: These innovative treatments target specific genetic mutations in cancer cells, regardless of the cancer’s origin, leading to more effective and personalized care. 
• AI Enhanced Drug Selection: AI algorithms help select the most effective drugs for patients based on their genetic profiles, optimizing treatment efficacy and minimizing adverse effects. 
• Immunotherapy and CAR T-Cell Therapy: These therapies represent a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, utilizing the patient’s immune system to target and destroy cancer cells, showing remarkable results in certain cancer types. 
• Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery: This approach uses nanoparticles to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells, enhancing the precision and effectiveness of chemotherapy while reducing its side effects. 

Israeli Innovation in Cancer Tech and TTOs  

Israel’s impatient health innovation sector isn’t waiting for the green light to tackle complex global healthcare challenges. Our bold and determined problem solvers are developing solutions to improve quality of care, health equity, and health equality on a global scale.  

The largest and most robust tech sector in Israel, our health tech innovation ecosystem of startups and entrepreneurs encompasses biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and groundbreaking digital health solutions – including in cancer research and treatment where Israel’s contributions are globally recognized. 

Israel’s success in cancer technology is significantly driven by effective technology transfer (TTO) processes, which act as a bridge between academic research and the industry. These TTOs play a crucial role in translating groundbreaking research into commercialized solutions, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for cancer tech innovation, and offering a roadmap for health tech ecosystem-building. Here are some prominent examples of prominent TTO success stories in cancer innovation: 

• Known for its cutting-edge research, the Weizmann Institute has successfully transferred numerous cancer-related technologies to industry applications. This includes novel therapies and diagnostic tools developed in their labs, commercialized through partnerships with biotech and pharmaceutical companies. 
• Technion-Israel Institute of Technology‘s TTO has been instrumental in the commercialization of various cancer technologies. This includes advanced imaging techniques and new drug delivery systems, developed with industry partners. 
• Hadassah Medical Center and Roche Israel collaborated to develop personalized cancer treatments based on genomic profiling. This exemplifies how academic research can be translated into clinical solutions through effective tech transfer.  
• A partnership that stemmed from TTO activities, research from Tel Aviv University on novel cancer therapies was developed into commercial drugs by BioLineRx, an Israeli biopharmaceutical development company. 

MEET THE ISRAELI COMPANIES COMBATING CANCER  

Advancements in personalized medicine, precision treatment, and other emerging technologies from Israel are charting a new course in the global quest for a cure. Continued investment and support in these areas are key to achieving a future where cancer can be effectively managed and ultimately cured.

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Applications of AI in Healthcare 

AI is revolutionizing healthcare, enabling unprecedented advancements and enhancing medical capabilities. Some key applications include: 

•  Wearable Health Technology: Wearable devices equipped with AI capabilities, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, support continuous monitoring of vital signs and health parameters, promoting preventive care and early detection of health issues. 

•  Medical Imaging: AI-powered medical imaging has significantly improved diagnostic accuracy by analyzing images from X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other imaging modalities. This technology helps detect diseases at an early stage, allowing for swift intervention and better patient outcomes. 

•  Drug Discovery: AI-driven algorithms can analyze vast datasets, helping researchers find potential drug candidates more efficiently. This accelerates the drug discovery process, leading to faster development of new treatments and therapies. 

•  Personalized Medicine: AI analyzes individual patient data, including genetics, lifestyle, and medical history, to tailor treatments that are more effective and better suited to each patient’s unique needs. 

•  Predictive Analytics: AI-driven predictive analytics can forecast disease outbreaks and patient readmission rates, and find high-risk patients, allowing healthcare providers to distribute resources effectively and improve overall healthcare management. 

•  Clinical Decision Support in Healthcare: AI-powered clinical decision support systems help healthcare professionals make well-informed treatment decisions based on patient data and medical knowledge, resulting in optimized care and fewer medical errors. 

•  Robotics: Robots with AI capabilities are transforming surgical procedures by assisting surgeons in complex tasks, minimizing invasiveness, and improving patient recovery. 

Benefits of AI in Healthcare 

The integration of AI in healthcare comes with an array of advantages that revolutionize the industry: 

1. Improved Diagnosis Accuracy:

In the realm of medical diagnosis, the incorporation of AI has marked a significant leap forward. AI-enabled systems possess the extraordinary ability to discern subtle patterns and anomalies that might elude even the most skilled human clinicians. These systems have the potential to examine vast volumes of patient data, identifying nuanced trends that could otherwise be overlooked. This heightened analytical capability translates to more precise and timely diagnoses. By facilitating the early detection of diseases and conditions, AI not only enhances patient outcomes but also plays a pivotal role in preventing the progression of illnesses to more critical stages.

2. Speeding Up Treatment:

The expeditious processing power of AI technology has revolutionized the pace at which medical treatment is administered. Traditionally, diagnosis and treatment planning could be a protracted process, often involving extensive manual analysis of patient data. However, with the integration of AI, the duration of these stages has been significantly truncated. AI’s rapid data processing capabilities enable the swift assessment of medical information, empowering healthcare professionals to devise treatment plans more promptly. This acceleration is particularly crucial in cases where time-sensitive interventions can mean the difference between life and death. By facilitating quicker diagnosis and treatment initiation, AI optimizes patient care and contributes to improved medical outcomes.

3. Reduced Costs:

The economic landscape of healthcare is undergoing a transformation through the automation facilitated by AI. Administrative tasks that have traditionally demanded substantial human resources can now be streamlined through AI-driven processes. From appointment scheduling to billing and record-keeping, these automated systems are not only efficient but also cost-effective. By optimizing resource utilization and minimizing manual intervention, AI has the potential to significantly cut down operational expenses. This financial efficiency translates to more sustainable healthcare systems, making quality medical care accessible to a broader spectrum of patients.

4. Enhanced Patient Outcomes:

At the heart of AI’s impact on healthcare lies the promise of enhanced patient outcomes. The convergence of personalized medicine and AI analysis holds immense potential for improving the overall quality of care. By dissecting patient data at a granular level, AI can discern unique characteristics, needs, and responses to treatments. This intricate understanding enables healthcare professionals to tailor interventions that are precisely aligned with an individual’s requirements. The result is a higher probability of successful treatment outcomes, reduced adverse effects, and an overall improvement in patient well-being. With AI’s assistance, healthcare is evolving into a realm where treatments are not just standardized, but customized for optimal results.

Challenges and Risks of AI in Healthcare 

While the integration of AI in healthcare offers a myriad of advantages, it is important to acknowledge that this paradigm shift is not without its challenges and potential risks. These considerations are crucial to ensure that the benefits of AI are harnessed responsibly and ethically.

• Ethical Concerns:

As AI algorithms increasingly play a role in medical decision-making, the question of ethics becomes paramount. One significant concern is the potential for bias within these algorithms. AI systems are designed to learn from large datasets, which can inadvertently include biases present in the data. If these biases are not recognized and addressed, they can lead to unequal treatment and suboptimal care for certain patient groups. Ensuring transparency in AI algorithms, including regular audits and assessments, is essential to minimize bias and maintain ethical standards. The healthcare community must also grapple with ethical questions surrounding the delegation of critical decisions to AI, ensuring that human oversight and accountability remain central to the process.

• Data Privacy:

The vast amount of patient data generated and utilized by AI systems raises profound concerns about data privacy and security. Healthcare data is inherently sensitive, containing personal medical histories, diagnoses, and other intimate details. The collection, storage, and analysis of this data within AI systems require stringent safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, breaches, and potential misuse. Striking a delicate balance between the benefits of data-driven insights and the protection of patient privacy necessitates robust data encryption, anonymization protocols, and adherence to data protection regulations. Achieving this balance will be pivotal in maintaining patient trust and ensuring the responsible use of AI in healthcare.

• Safety Risks:

As AI becomes involved in critical medical tasks, such as diagnosis and treatment recommendations, the safety and reliability of these AI systems are of paramount concern. Errors or misinterpretations by AI algorithms can have serious consequences for patient health. Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI systems requires rigorous testing, validation, and continuous monitoring. Additionally, the integration of AI must be accompanied by mechanisms that allow healthcare professionals to intervene in cases where AI recommendations may deviate from standard protocols or exhibit unexpected behavior. Establishing fail-safe measures and protocols for the seamless transition between AI-driven insights and human intervention is vital to ensuring patient safety and maintaining the trust of both healthcare providers and patients.

Future of AI in Healthcare 

While the potential benefits of AI in healthcare are vast, it is crucial to approach its adoption with a clear understanding of the associated challenges and risks. Addressing ethical concerns, prioritizing data privacy, and mitigating safety risks are central to realizing the full potential of AI in healthcare while upholding the highest standards of patient care and medical ethics.

• Enabling more precise and personalized treatments. 
• Empowering patients with better access to healthcare information and resources. 
• Driving medical research and innovation at an unprecedented pace. 

The integration of AI in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize the medical landscape. By understanding its applications, benefits, and challenges, we can harness the power of AI to deliver better healthcare and improve patient well-being. 

Israeli Health Tech Ecosystem and AI in Healthcare

Israeli health tech is at the forefront of leveraging AI to address challenges and harness opportunities in the healthcare sector. With a rich ecosystem of innovative startups and established companies, Israel has become a hub for AI-driven healthcare solutions.

AI is being employed to enhance medical imaging and aid in the early detection of disease through more precise analysis of images. AI-driven drug discovery platforms are accelerating the development of new treatments, and personalized medicine approaches benefit from AI’s ability to analyze patient data on a granular level. Clinical decision support systems are becoming more sophisticated, providing healthcare professionals with valuable insights for better-informed decisions.

Here are some of the companies leading the implementation of AI-driven solutions in healthcare:

1. K Health:
   Kang Health is a Tel Aviv-based platform established in 2016 that utilizes AI and data to offer personalized health insights. The company aims to revolutionize the way individuals understand and manage their health by providing features such as a symptom checker, personalized health insights, and a community platform for sharing experiences. They have successfully raised $30 million in funding to further their mission.
   
2. MeMed Diagnostic:
   Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Tirat Carmel, Israel, MeMed Diagnostic is at the forefront of developing advanced diagnostic solutions. Their primary focus is on monitoring the immune state of patients to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. The company has introduced innovations like the MeMed BV test and the MeMed Key platform and has fostered collaborations with global partners to expand itsreach.
   
3. Diagnostic Robotics:
   Diagnostic Robotics, established in 2017 in Tel Aviv, offers an AI-driven platform dedicated to clinical decision support. Their system is designed to predict patients’ medical needs, providing a triage process that not only reduces waiting times for patients but also streamlines the care process. Their efforts have been recognized and adopted by leading healthcare providers, marking their significance in the medical field.
   
4. Healthy.io:
   Based in Tel Aviv, Healthy.io specializes in transforming smartphone cameras into clinical-grade medical devices, with a focus on at-home urinalysis and digitized wound care. The company has achieved milestones such as receiving FDA clearance for its innovative home
   
5. Nanox Vision:
   Nanox Vision is a pioneer in the realm of medical imaging technology and solutions. The company has developed the Nanox.ARC system, an innovative digital X-ray technology. With a series of FDA clearances for various products under its belt, Nanox Vision has showcased its advancements at major conferences and has established collaborations with global partners. Based in Neve Ilan, Israel, Nanox Vision continues to make strides in redefining medical imaging for the future.
   

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The ability of hospitals to effectively address these issues hinges on their adaptability to evolving healthcare landscapes, their proficiency in using data analytics for better outcomes, and their commitment to prioritizing patient-centered care.

In a collaborative transatlantic initiative, Baptist Health Innovations, ARC Sheba, and Triventures joined Start-Up Nation Central to launch the Hospital2Hospital tech challenge for startups with offerings that enhance clinical capabilities and healthcare delivery while maintaining cost-effectiveness, and leveraging technological efficiencies and innovative staffing models.

The chosen solution will offer clear, measurable benefits, either by reducing costs or by augmenting clinical capacity immediately. Preference will be given to solutions with a well-defined mechanism for either cost reduction or capacity enhancement.

Hospital2Hospital Clinical Capacity Tech Challenge Focus Areas

To reach the challenge objectives, we sought tech solutions across a range of sectors with the potential to redefine care delivery, enhance clinical outcomes, and boost capacity in a cost-effective manner. 

Meet the Startups

The call for startups specified that applicants must be Israeli early-stage startups aiming to co-develop solutions with a leading US healthcare provider.

The finalists utilize technology and innovation to enhance care delivery and clinical capacity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

The desired outcomes of the challenge include:

1. Improved workforce retention
2. Streamlined scheduling
3. Enhanced patient experiences
4. Reduced administrative burden
5. Increased direct patient interaction time
6. Better management of supplies and staffing for ancillary departments

The Hospital2Hospital finalists are eligible for several prize packages:

• Winner: $75,000 of in-kind expertise and assistance from Baptist Health innovations in the form of a pilot of the proposed solution and 20 office hours with ARC Sheba Experts.
• Runners-up: 5 office hours with the ARC team.
• Shortlisted companies: Office hours with Triventures.
  

The Results? 

106 companies with relevant solutions applied to the tech challenge 

8 have made it to the global showcase  

1 startup will win the challenge on September 12th, 2023

Keep reading to meet our Finalists!

Droxi’s smart AI physician inbox solves the biggest challenge for healthcare systems today: the EHR inbox (AKA “In Basket”). The In-Basket holds all electronic messages addressed to the physician, such as prescriptions, medical advice requests, and lab results. The EHR inbox takes away providers’ time from patient care and increases burnout. 

While other solutions attempt to delegate some messages to staff or eliminate non-important messages like Thank-You notes, Droxi is the only solution that addresses the core problem of reducing the time spent on messages, including the most difficult medical advice requests. Furthermore, unlike GPT-4, which gives black-box suggestions, Droxi’s AI always presents the context of the patient that was considered, making it useful in real-life scenarios. 

With a seamlessly integrated, easy-to-adopt solution, it successfully saves 50% of the time required for each task. Providers who use Droxi are happier (85%) and can afford to see an extra patient every day.  

Verame is an innovative information and collaboration platform designed specifically for hospitals. It addresses two interconnected challenges in the healthcare industry: the increasing administrative burden on medical teams and the rising rate of claims denials due to incomplete documentation.  

Today, medical teams often manage patient care through manual methods like text messages and beepers, leading to both resource strain and delayed data documentation. What they truly need is a seamless, integrated tool that becomes an intrinsic part of their workflow, facilitating real-time patient care management. Verame offers a solution by integrating into the daily workflow of medical teams, streamlining patient care management, and capturing essential information in real time. This not only eases the workload on medical teams but also provides billing teams with the vital data they require to reduce denied claims and revenue leakage. 

In essence, Verame empowers hospitals to take the next step in their digital transformation journey, bridging the gap between the dedicated medical teams on the front lines and the diligent billing teams handling financial aspects. It’s a game-changer for healthcare organizations seeking efficiency and collaboration in an ever-evolving industry. 

RoadSense is a unique source-to-target solution that delivers accurate answers, insights, real-time information, and predictions according to the relevant use case. 

We generate data using our proprietary IoT sensors, cloud computing, and AI about people and mobility without infringing privacy under any weather, day and night. 

Our solution offers numerous enhancements on a single platform from supply chain enhancements to controlling patients’ waiting time. The information is delivered to our customers as a dashboard, daily/weekly reports, API to legacy systems, and even direct messages to the relevant personnel. Deploying the solution across hospitals is easy as the sensors fit any hospital without the need to heavily invest in new infrastructure. All it takes is plugging the sensors to power and mounting them in the relevant location to start analyzing any specific location indoors and outdoors. 

TrackiMed introduces the first-of-its-kind AI-powered perioperative assistant exclusively designed for Operating Rooms (ORs). Operating 24/7, 365 days a year, our cloud-based platform leverages computer vision and machine learning to offer real-time analytics and actionable insights, enhancing OR efficiency.  

Our technology not only elevates patient care and safety but also significantly minimizes both labor and non-labor expenditures. The result? Up to 55% reduction in OR costs within 24 months. By controlling costs and waste, the benefits of TrackiMed extend beyond hospital walls; we directly lower out-of-pocket expenses for patients and reduce expenditures for insurance companies, thereby alleviating the increasing burden of medical debt. In a landscape where healthcare costs are skyrocketing, investing in TrackiMed is an investment in a long-term ecosystem for sustainable and safe hospital care. 

A data-driven AI company specializing in predicting medical outcomes for the aging population, encompassing mortality and medical incidents such as heart failure and falls. What sets LiST apart is its practical approach to predictive healthcare.  

LiST concentrates on crucial health events alongside comorbidities, achieved through an individual’s medical history analysis to generate personalized insights. It serves as a pivotal risk tool within the longevity economy, spanning preventive care, long-term care, and insurance. 

LiST’s machine has been embraced by its customer base, showcasing proven success and underscoring its efficacy. Comprising an adept team of experienced data scientists, medical specialists, and actuaries, LiST boasts exceptional capabilities. 

CatAI is a Digital healthcare platform that saves lives and improves patient outcomes. CatAI was founded to address the urgent needs of home care companies, home hospitalization companies, and hospitals to extract data in an easy way, based on mobile technology.  

CatAI extracts data and solves the technical challenges that current RPM and EMR systems face: coupling hardware and software, a variety of non-transmit medical devices, and difficulties in transmitting medical information reliably, accurately, and affordably with the slow adoption of new technology. CatAI is a remote patient technology application that harnesses artificial intelligence and machine learning to extract medical device data and more through a smartphone camera.  

This breakthrough eliminates the technological hurdles faced by existing remote patient monitoring companies, leading to seamless integration in home hospitalization and home care companies as well as hospitals. This has led to a very high patient engagement. With unparalleled ease of use, patients experience a user-friendly interface that ensures their active participation.  

The accuracy of extracted data, along with its alerts and invaluable insights, is effortlessly transmitted to the dedicated care management team, streamlining healthcare processes and enhancing patient outcomes. 

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a common cause of in-hospital morbidity and mortality and are associated with increased healthcare costs. Caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria and thus poses a treatment challenge.  Contaminated surfaces play a significant role in the hospital’s transmission of pathogens. Chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or quaternary ammonium compounds used in routine hospital sanitation do not provide any residual effect, thus the surface can become contaminated over and over between cleaning cycles.   

“OxiLast”, based on Bio-fence’s patented technology, is a film-forming transparent and safe product  

Once applied on high-touch surfaces in the near-patient room, it can stabilize and prolong the activity of added chlorine and sustained antimicrobial effect demonstrated an average of 5.4 log reduction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria up to 7 days as proved in a lab and fully equipped patient room studies.  

Moreover, the effect of OxiLast remained even after the addition of organic material (simulating patient-area contamination with body fluids). The use and application of OxiLast were convenient and practicable and did not affect the sanitation routine. 

Not surprisingly, the chlorine-only control did not show any residual effect.  

OxiLast is a promising modality for improving hospital room hygiene without complicating the daily routines of cleaning staff or adding costly devices. The pre-clinical effectiveness demonstrated by OxiLast, in reducing the burden of nosocomial pathogens in the patient’s surroundings has a great potential for improving hospital hygiene.

In today’s global environment, last-generation solutions fall short. Logistics managers need visibility, traceability, and real-time alerts only attainable from a cutting-edge, AI and data-powered platform.

Amphorica is a smart logistics platform based on advanced artificial intelligence for logistics optimization and automation. Amphorica’s artificial intelligence powers actionable problem-solving optimization and process automation, allowing logistics managers to improve services, lower costs, raise network resilience, and minimize operational and financial risk. Predictive algorithm technology autonomously identifies potential logistical snags before they occur or escalate. The technology works behind the scenes to preemptively prevent logistical failures with little to no human intervention required.

One application for this technology addresses time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals that require efficient, fool-proof, cold-chain logistical management. From the first mile to the last mile, environmental and climate conditions must be monitored, and regulatory compliance and timelines need to be met. Large data sets are collected, aggregated, and analyzed to ensure the safe transfer of critical shipments.

Hospital2Hospital Partnerships for Better Health Outcomes: Start-Up Nation Central, Baptist Health Innovations, ARC Sheba, and Triventures

The Hospital2Hospital Clinical Capacity Tech Challenge targets the need for innovative solutions in healthcare delivery. Hospitals worldwide face multifaceted challenges, and this initiative seeks to address them by harnessing technology, data analytics, and collaboration. The challenge focuses on enhancing workforce retention, streamlining scheduling, improving patient experiences, reducing administrative burdens, increasing direct patient interaction time, and optimizing supplies and staffing. The finalists’ contributions are impressive, showcasing a range of groundbreaking solutions designed to transform healthcare efficiency and patient care. With the selected winner set to receive valuable support and resources, this challenge marks a significant step towards reshaping the healthcare landscape for the better.

Learn more about the Hospital2Hospital Health Tech Challenge here and stay tuned for the announcement of the winning startup!

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The COVID-19 pandemic has not only caused the obvious suffering related to a sudden, widespread illness, it has also impaired the ability of our health care systems and services to deal with many other health-related challenges. With resources diverted to the pandemic response, we are seeing new outbreaks of other deadly diseases such as TB, HIV, and malaria. Vulnerable populations such as women, children, lower socioeconomic strata, and the elderly, have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, exposing the structural weakness of our economic and health systems. 

Complex Problems Require Innovative Thinking

Although some advancements towards the ambitious goal had been achieved in various health areas prior to 2019, the disruption caused by the pandemic has now slowed progress and even reversed some gains made. According to a recent survey by the WHO, about 90% of countries and territories still report one or more disruptions to essential health services. Due to the unprecedented strain on global health systems, the amount of resources being diverted to the pandemic response, and the added burden of sporadic lockdowns disrupting regular access to healthcare facilities, technological innovation has never had a bigger role to play in working to overcome these challenges. 

Impact Investments in the Health Sector

While addressing the unique challenges of this SDG certainly requires the leadership of governments, a combination of creativity, expertise, technology, and financial resources is necessary to completely achieve the aims of the SDG. Indeed, Impact Investors are hearing the calling: according to Pitchbook, $39.5B was channeled worldwide into health care services companies with impact targets from 2017 through March 2021. Health is the second strongest sector for impact investments, after energy.

SDG 3 & Israeli Tech

Although some of the technological solutions required to address these pressing issues already exist, they still require rapid commercialization to achieve large-scale implementation and there is an immediate need to expedite the innovation and commercialization processes, in addition to adapting legislation and lifting other practical barriers.

Israel’s innovation ecosystem is well-positioned to address the particular challenges associated with this SDG: The following solutions are only a taste of the technologies being developed in the country.

• Maternal Health: Heramed provides connected pregnancy monitoring solutions for in-home use, which were originally aimed at consumers as an OTC wellness product. The company has started working with hospitals, including in emerging markets like Brazil, Turkey, and India, to bring remote pregnancy monitoring to rural hospitals which lack expensive professional equipment. 
  
• Combating infectious diseases: 
  • Keheala operates a mobile healthcare infrastructure that utilizes behavioral science for addressing the non-medical drivers of disease that exist outside of clinical settings. The company operates in Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, and plans to expand into many additional African and Asian countries. Its current use cases include TB and HIV, as well as other non-infectious diseases. 
  • Nearly 700 million people contract mosquito-borne illnesses each year, causing more than one million deaths. To address this growing health risk, a number of Israeli companies are tackling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases including Forrest Innovations, Diptera.ai,  Must-Quito, Senecio Robotics, Westham Co., and  Zzapp Malaria – who recently won the IBM AI XPrize. 

• Facilitating access to basic health care and coverage: eWave MD, a well-established Israeli company, offers telemedicine solutions for primary care in remote areas, remote consultation and monitoring, and more. MobileODT developed an optical diagnostic technology for women’s health; its connected portable colposcope can be used for remote diagnostics and consultation everywhere, helping detect cancer at its earlier stages, among other health conditions. A similar solution developed by Illumigyn enables women to carry out remote gynocoligal examinations and consult with physicians anywhere in the world to help with early detection of cervical cancer. The company recently signed a contract with Nigeria-based PeraMare Enterprises to distribute 20,000 devices. K Health is disrupting the American market with its 24/7 mobile healthcare platform that is also accessible for the uninsured population. The company has raised $274M in funding and has a valuation of $1.6B (a true ‘unicorn’ company).

The SDGs and the Israeli tech ecosystem

Start-Up Nation Central elevates the Israeli innovation ecosystem to meet the growing global demand for sustainability solutions and cultivates global partnerships that create business, social and environmental value on the ground. We are deeply committed to improving the conditions for SDG-related tech companies to shine.

Start-Up Nation Central has built a classification framework that translates all 17 of the  SDGs into indicators/challenges that can be addressed by leveraging technology, and that are intuitively investable. This allows us to identify the startups – and the more mature tech companies – that are incorporating the importance of a positive contribution to sustainable development into their core mission and strategy. 

Visit Start-Up Nation Finder to identify and connect with more than 1,200 SDG-related Israeli startups. Read our past blogs and find out how Israeli providers of ClimateTech and FinTech solutions are helping achieve other SDGs.

Lena Rogovin and Sigalit Lidai contributed to this post

The post Israeli Innovation is Offering Solutions to Global Health and Wellbeing Challenges appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

Start-Up Nation Central revealed in a new report that investments in companies operating in the Israeli Digital Health Sector crossed the $1B mark for the first time ever in the first half of 2021. Having raised a total of $1.021B in H1/2021, the sector has more than doubled (114%) the $438M raised in H1/2020 and already surpassed the full-year total of 2020 and also of 2019, which was the previous record year.

Data compiled on the Start-Up Nation Finder Innovation Business Platform found that the median round size of Israeli Digital Health Companies more than doubled from $4M in FY/2020 to $10.3 in H1/2021. The average amount raised in early-stage rounds stood at $5M in H1/2021 (compared to $3M in 2020) and in later-stage rounds, the average was $30M in H1/2021 (compared to $20M in 2020.) 

2021 sees far more diversification in investments in the Digital Health Industry

The first half of 2021 saw investment capital spread out much more evenly among the various Digital Health subsectors. The Big 3 subsectors (Remote Monitoring, Decision Support, Diagnostics) accounted for only 53% of the total amount raised compared to the historical 80%. The Digital Therapeutics subsector exhibited the largest growth, raising $147M, which triples the total amount raised by the subsector in 2020. The investment spree has made it the third most funded subsector after Diagnostics and Decision Support, overtaking Remote Monitoring, which had received a boost of investment in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

2021 also saw a greater diversity in the sources of capital, with many new investors, both Israeli and foreign, Investing in the sector. These include local financial institutions like Poalim Capital Markets, VCs that haven’t focused on the Israeli Digital Health sector in the past, such as Hanaco Ventures, as well as large global VCs like IVP.

Start-Up Nation Central Digital Health Analyst Lena Rogovin: “The Israeli Digital Health sector broke the funding record on the back of record global investments, increased maturity of the sector, and reduced focus on COVID-19 solution alongside a greater emphasis on consumer health, as we forecast in our previous reports. We expect this trend to continue in the second half of the year driven by investors’ greater attention to previously overlooked subsectors and an improved understanding of the market needs as a result of recent global exits and large strategic partnerships that provide a benchmark for the entire market, including the Israeli ecosystem.”

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It seems like the digital health industry, and nearly all the companies operating within it have reached a tipping point. The confluence of several strong forces will lead to the emergence of a few winners who will reap the fruits of the creation of new industry categories (similar to what happened in retail, marketing, etc.) alongside many more that will perish as unfulfilled promises while burning A LOT of money along the way.

The great potential of digital health, combined with multiple tailwinds (some due to COVID-19 but others that are unrelated, such as, favorable regulations, maturation of relevant technologies, attempts to stop the increase in healthcare expenditures, attempts to meet the influx of demand for care), have initiated what appears to be a tectonic shift. However, this emerging opportunity has also brought with it meaningful challenges:

1. Growing competition as more digital health startups are now trying to reach the market (since more entrepreneurs are attracted to the digital health space given the sizeable opportunity combined with shorter development cycles compared to traditional devices).
2. Companies are sitting on piles of dry powder due to highly accessible private and public capital, requiring them to scale fast and conquer more ground before their competitors do, in order to justify these large investments (and to the previous point, there’s an ever-increasing number of competitors).
3. Saturated sales channels given that there are more sellers (points 1 and 2) coupled with the limited number of buyers (in part because of on-going consolidation in each category) and their limited bandwidth / capability to select the right offering (just try selling to the health benefit manager at a US self-insured employer).
4. Many companies offer solutions that address only part of the buyer’s problem (a great example is the area of remote patient monitoring, where many companies are generating new data but not actionable insights or real alterations in clinical workflows. More color here). Part of the reason is that building solutions in healthcare nowadays takes time and significant resources. Buyers, on the other hand, are looking for broader (and not niche) solutions. It may sound trivial, but it’s worth keeping in mind that if you solve only part of the problem, the buyer remains stuck with a problem. Moreover, partnering with endless number of companies (following the self-insured employer’s example, chronic care solutions per each disease) is simply unsustainable.

The result? An arms race has begun.

There is more than enough ammunition (private and public capital) and everyone is trying to secure more beachheads (value). The past few months have felt like the “digital health fantasy league” with a staggering rate of M&As. The graphic below showcases how (relatively) new industry entrants are acquiring their way to becoming broader, more comprehensive, and more compelling vendors.

It is worth noting that all of these transactions occurred only in the last two years, and there are many more examples for such platform attempts (e.g. GoodRx, Olive.ai, Hims & Hers Health, etc.)

This storm – which is only expected to increase – has some very interesting repercussions: the platform companies are starting to become more and more similar (again using the self-insured employer’s example – combining in-person and virtual care, navigation tools, health benefits management, etc.) while trying to expand from different directions (pick your color above). At the same time, offerings that not so long ago were unique and promising (such as general telemedicine) are now more of a me-too layer.

Within these repercussions, there is an opportunity for the Israeli industry. It’s safe to say there are many great and relevant technologies coming out of Israel, for example as Israel is ranked 1^st in the world in AI-based startups per capita (see this report). One byproduct is the sheer number of active Israeli digital health startups – more than 600 active companies (see this report from Start-Up Nation Central for more color) meaning that in almost any sub-sector of the industry you can find prominent Israeli contenders.

While many of these companies may find it is very difficult to triumph on their own (accentuated by the previously-discussed challenges), there seems to be a large pool of companies that could either greatly augment – or even become the linchpin of – a (much) larger play. In that respect, it is also my hope that we will see more Israeli companies actually become the platform themselves.

The “digital health alchemy game” has begun. While this successful matchmaking of different technologies, business models and company cultures is far from trivial, especially given the rapid pace, whoever is able to think ahead, aim, and execute the right “combos” stands a chance to win big.

Dr. Nadav Shimoni leads the digital health sector at Arkin Holdings, the largest private Israeli healthcare investor, managing more than $1.5 billion in a diverse healthcare portfolio located both in Israel and globally across pharma, BioeTech, MedTech, and Digital Health.

More information is available at http://arkinholdings.com/ and via Arkin’s digital health blog, “Differential Diagnosis”

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Start-Up Nation Central

The post Digital Health Alchemy – The Israeli Angle appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

New research published by Start-Up Nation Central reveals that Israeli companies in the Digital Health sector have managed to raise approximately $700 million during the first four months of 2021, nearly matching the $813 million total for 2020. As the investment world and the healthcare industry begin to look beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, they have their sights set on the “Start-Up Nation” and the incredible innovation taking place in the local healthtech scene, particularly in the fields of deep tech and AI that are game-changers when it comes to Decision Support, Diagnostics, and Clinical Workflow Management. 

Research conducted by Lena Rogovin, Senior Research Analyst and Sector Lead, Digital Health & Life Sciences at Start-Up Nation Central found that the main reason for the uptick in the total amounts invested, constituting an 85% increase, is an increase in later-stage funding rounds. Out of the 31 funding rounds that were completed since January, 17 were round B or later, compared to a total of only 21 later-stage rounds in 2020. The median amount raised in 2021 nearly tripled that of the previous year, climbing from $6 million to an astounding $14 million, a sign that the ecosystem is maturing and investors are recognizing the opportunities in growth companies. For an in-depth analysis of 2020 Digital Health funding figures and investment trends, check out Start-Up Nation Central’s 2020 Digital Health Report. 

A breakdown of the completed funding rounds according to subsectors indicates that investments increased across the board, with a slight advantage for companies active in the Diagnostics, Decision Support, and Remote Monitoring fields. The figures suggest that investors are looking past the COVID-19 pandemic that dominated the landscape in 2021 with an eye towards companies with the promise of longer-term growth as innovation leaders.

“The strong start to 2021 shows that Israel has a lot to offer both in terms of the post-Corona reality and for other areas of Digital Health which were less of a focus for investors in 2020, but remain essential for global healthcare industry transformation in the longer term. As the healthcare situation returns to normal, interest is starting to shift back to other parts of the sector that were a lower priority during the height of the pandemic,” Lena Rogovin, the report’s author noted.

“There is no question that the sector is maturing as evident in the shift to later-stage funding. The companies that are receiving the most attention are those associated with Deep-Tech and Artificial Intelligence and we anticipate that they will remain the core technologies going forward in 2021 with an emphasis on Decision Support and Clinical Workflow Management,” she added.  

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The tech sector that has the highest rate of women entrepreneurs in Israel is digital health (17%), according to Start-Up Nation Central data; and while we’re still far from equality, female leaders have been on the frontlines of the fight against coronavirus – diagnosing, treating, vaccinating, and saving lives – while giving the world much-needed hope.

“2020 was the best year ever for the global digital health industry,” says Lena Rogovin​, Senior Digital Health Analyst and Sector Lead at Start-Up Nation Central. “The agility of the Israeli companies in this sector – including those led by women entrepreneurs – is truly impressive, as they’ve adapted their solutions or developed new technologies to address the rapidly emerging needs of the global healthcare industry in a time of pandemic.”

While some Israeli women entrepreneurs made the headlines with their groundbreaking technologies – for example, Dr. Kira Radinsky’s AI-based medical triage platform Diagnostic Robotics, which uses already discovered patterns to predict the virus spread – International Women’s Day gives us a reason to highlight up-and-coming* tech entrepreneurs.

Ruth Polachek: Testing the world for coronavirus

Ruth Polachek, cofounder and CEO of Israeli startup LessTests, is the woman behind the technology that allows masses of people around the world to test for COVID-19. The budding startup – cofounded last year by Polachek and Tsvika Vagman – dramatically increases coronavirus testing capacity by pooling samples.

The company’s software solutions allow virology laboratories to analyze and optimize their COVID-19 diagnostic throughput and protocols. Its multi-variant algorithms offer dynamically optimized diagnostic efficiency models based on pandemic variables and other factors. According to LessTests, its COVID-19 single-step group testing solution offers between 2x to 12x improvement on diagnostics test throughput, thus helping communities and economies return to normal faster.

Chairwoman and founder of ‘she codes’ – a community of women in technology designed to empower women to integrate into and advance in Israel’s high-tech sector – Polachek has been awarded multiple accolades for her contribution to the tech world, and specifically to women in this field, including by Forbes Israel and other media outlets in Israel and abroad.

Hillary Harel: Prioritizing medical procedures’ waiting lists, which reach epic proportions during a pandemic

Led by CEO and cofounder Hillary (Orly) Harel, Serenus.AI is an innovative AI-based platform, developed to empower patients and medical professionals at critical post-diagnostic crossroads, providing the right treatment to the right patient, fast. The solution efficiently prioritizes patients on waiting lists, as well as referrals for medical procedures, reducing exhaustion of key frontline staff (critical in times of a pandemic), while saving lives and valuable resources. 

Winner of the 2020 European Women in Tech Award and the 2020 MTL Tech Awards, Harel is a serial impact entrepreneur who has led technological startups and nonprofit organizations. She cofounded Serenus with Prof. Josef Elidan and Dan Berachowitz in 2017.

Ruth Poliakine Baruchi: Using voice analytics to screen COVID-19 patients

MyndYou, led by cofounder and CEO Ruth Poliakine Baruchi, has developed AI-based technologies that use unique passive voice analytics and remote engagement tools to enable care providers to effectively screen for COVID-19 in their communities, and combat the effects of social isolation in older adults. By leveraging voice and activity data, MyndYou’s predictive algorithm can detect changes associated with chronic conditions, hospitalization risk, mental health, and more. The company has developed an AI-based voice bot called MyEleanor, which is used for COVID-19 screening; it asks the elderly about symptoms such as shortness of breath, follows up with them, and ultimately alerts a human caregiver.

Baruchi has nearly two decades of experience as an entrepreneur in the healthcare sector, including in the fields of medical devices, digital health, and wearable tech.

Galit Zuckerman: Monitoring for mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients

Medasense’s technology monitors mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients via its non-invasive sensor platform. Powered by AI technology, the system quantifies patients’ physiological response to pain, which helps clinicians to optimize analgesia treatment for sedated ventilated patients, thus minimizing harm associated with inadequate analgesia, and avoiding overmedication.

Medasense Biometrics was founded by CEO Galit Zuckerman, who has over 20 years of entrepreneurship, management and engineering experience in startups and corporations.

Zwickel and Meiri: Patient prioritization for hospitals

Cofounded by two women – CEO Michal Meiri and COO Rotem Lev-Zwickel – Agamon helps healthcare organizations deal with COVID-19 by prioritizing non-coronavirus patients based on their medical history and demographics.

Founded in 2018, Agamon’s AI-based solution uses advanced algorithms to glean and structure data from clinical reports, and provide critical insights. The company is already working with hospitals in the U.S. and elsewhere.

*Are you a female entrepreneur in the field of digital health? Let us know.

Photos: Shutterstock, MyndYou, She Codes, Serenus.AI

To explore cutting-edge Israeli technologies for the “New Normal,” visit the Start-Up Nation Finder.

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