That tension became unmistakable during the recent EcoHealth dialogue convened by The Galien Foundation. The gathering brought together innovators addressing climate and environment needs, not-for-profit organizations mobilizing global youth action and corporate-enabling technologies strengthening responsible business.

Their work spans ocean-wave power, grassroots environmental leadership, women-led solar entrepreneurship, next-generation water treatment, industrial cooling, soil restoration platforms and algae mitigation technologies. Their perspectives may differ, but their commitment to science is united. However, each voiced the same underlying truth: climate tech, like medicine, advances only when society answers the defining question of our era –Who pays?

A Planet Under Stress and a Market Slow to Respond

Climate instability is not a distant worry; it is a daily force shaping people and planetary health. When lakes collapse due to toxic blooms, communities lose access to drinking water, fisheries and tourism. When drought tightens its grip, agricultural regions face diminished yields and economic pressure. When wildfire smoke drifts across borders, respiratory health deteriorates even hundreds of miles away. Stability in water, air and soil is inseparable from human wellbeing, and climate innovators working in these areas, such as BlueGreen Water Technologies, which restores threatened lakes, operate on the very front line of prevention.

Yet companies like BlueGreen often face a steep path to investment because their work benefits everyone but belongs to no single customer. A restored lake sustains tourism, agriculture, local economies, ecological health and community wellbeing. However, responsibility is spread across municipalities, counties, state agencies, and the Federal government and national ministries, all of which manage immediate crises that overshadow the slow, devastating progression of environmental decline.

The same challenge confronts innovators such as Solar Sister, which expands access to clean, safe solar energy for communities without reliable power, and the POP Movement, which mobilizes youth populations to drive local environmental action. Their impact is generational, and their value is immeasurable, yet their funding often relies on philanthropy or public grants, mechanisms that rarely match the scale of the problems they address.

Even climate technologies designed for industrial operations face the challenge of being essential but not urgent in public budgets. Infinite Cooling, for example, captures water evaporating from power-plant cooling towers, reclaiming resources that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere. It offers a response to the costs of water as an essential business resource. Yet, because these benefits impact industries – from pharmaceutical companies to power plants – rather than county governments, adoption is championed by supply chain and corporate financial stewards. 

A similar story emerges from companies like Greenore, which is building biological solutions to regenerate soil systems. Healthy soil underpins food security, agricultural productivity and community resilience. It is as essential to global health as any medicine. However, soil restoration often lacks a corporate customer and competes with established agricultural practices and stretched public budgets.

Corporate Imperative: Climate Tech Cannot Wait

Compare these funding obstacles with the experiences of corporate-oriented climate tech innovators whose solutions support operations, reduce costs, or address regulatory pressures. Eco Wave Power illustrates the point with clarity. Its technology harnesses ocean waves to produce clean electricity, transforming coastal infrastructure into renewable-energy assets. For ports, industrial campuses, and commercial centers along coastlines, this is not only an environmental benefit but also an energy security strategy and an additional revenue source.  The value is concrete, the payer is clear. Operations leaders can place it within a capital plan.

The contrast is evident in how global companies behave. Cloud providers racing to meet AI demand are committing billions to renewable power purchases, as their data centers cannot operate without stable, cost-controlled energy. Manufacturing companies often sign long-term agreements for clean electricity because energy risk poses a significant threat to their production output and profitability. Logistics and e-commerce giants invest heavily in biodegradable packaging because regulations are tightening, and sustainable materials avoid reputational damage and secure supply chains. These forms of climate innovation do not wait for budget approvals across 10 public agencies. They fit within the clearly defined corporate operating model.

Two Speeds, One Planet

The result is a two-speed climate economy. The technologies that support business continuity scale quickly; in contrast, the technologies that protect the environmental foundations of life struggle to secure investment despite their importance.

The Galien Foundation EcoHealth dialogue highlighted the precarious nature of this imbalance. BlueGreen restores waterways before they collapse. Solar Sister brings clean energy into homes before households turn to harmful alternatives. Greenore regenerates soil before agricultural regions face collapse. POP Movement ensures communities are engaged before consequences become irreversible. However, without clear lines of accountability, these organizations perpetuate the existential paradox of the Myth of Sisyphus, who is constantly pushing the rock uphill only to see it roll down again and again.  The problem is real.  The solution is proven. The funding environment is challenging.

Meanwhile, corporate-oriented climate tech companies are racing to meet demand because their value proposition directly connects to corporate cost, efficiency, or continuity. Eco Wave Power and Infinite Cooling demonstrate how quickly solutions advance when they operate within a budget line rather than under a public-funding process.

The Answer That Determines the Future

The question, then, is not whether climate innovation exists; rather, it is whether it is effective. It is without question. The polemic is whether society is prepared to fund climate innovations that protect human survival with the same urgency as those that safeguard business operations.

Municipalities, counties, and state agencies are tasked with safeguarding water, soil and air; yet, public funding cycles often prioritize immediate crises over slow-burning threats. Tourism boards rely on restored lakes and healthy ecosystems, yet rarely have the budget authority to invest early. Agricultural departments rely on resilient soil, yet their funding models prioritize short-term yields over long-term regeneration. Responsibility is diffused across institutions, so that no one bears the full responsibility to allocate resources.

This is where climate tech faces its greatest challenge and where corporate and public leadership must step forward. Preventive climate action needs its equivalent to the payer system that supports access to health care. Blended finance, climate resilience bonds, public–private partnerships and impact investment models can help fill the gap. Policy can make restoration and resilience non-negotiable long before crises mature. Communication can transform the invisible and delayed into the immediate and owned.

The innovators showcased in the Galien Foundation EcoHealth dialogue offer a roadmap. Their work illustrates that climate technologies are not abstract “science fiction” climate solutions; they are the infrastructure of human continuity. They restore the systems that allow communities to thrive, and they ensure the global economy has the stable environmental foundations it requires.

The future of climate tech equity will be defined by whether society chooses to treat environmental health with the same seriousness as business operational resilience. Without an answer to who pays, one side of the climate tech industry will continue sprinting while the other waits for the world to catch up.  

The post The Climate Tech Paradox: Innovation Surges, But Who Pays? appeared first on Medika Life.

Several non-governmental organizations, such as PLANETech, a non-profit dedicated to advancing climate technologies, are at the heart of this ecosystem. By fostering collaboration among startups, investors, and policymakers, PLANETech accelerates the development and deployment of solutions critical to combating climate change.

Working alongside the Israel Innovation Authority, mHealth Israel, MassChallenge Israel, Startup Nation Central, and Women in Tech Israel, the country leans into partnerships—bringing together investors, NGOs, and CEOs to share insights and apply lessons learned at breakneck speed. There is an unmistakable urgency and purpose among these entrepreneurs as the ticking clock for meeting 2050 net zero goals becomes louder.

Israel’s commitment to renewable energy is evident in its ambitious goals—aiming to generate 30% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. The Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Station, one of the largest of its kind, stands as a testament to the nation’s leadership in harnessing solar energy. Additionally, Israel is at the forefront of alternative proteins, mitigating the environmental impact of traditional livestock farming by developing lab-grown meat and plant-based alternatives that promise sustainable and ethical food solutions.

The startup ecosystem, bolstered by government initiatives, venture capital, and a national culture of innovation, ensures a steady pipeline of groundbreaking technologies. Private equity leaders such as Shani Zanescu of Jibe Ventures, Adi Vagman of E44 Ventures, Anne Baer of iKare Innovation, and Jonathan Schwartz of IBEX Investors are providing the community with needed perspective on market challenges and financial backing to help climate-tech startups scale effectively and find future funding sources.

During my visit, I had the opportunity to sit down with executives from several remarkable companies, discussing their progress, research priorities, and strategies for scaling their solutions. Here are some high points from those conversations:

AgriPass: Precision Agriculture Through AI Robotics

Founded in 2023, AgriPass is transforming smart agriculture with its AI-powered robotic system for weed management. By leveraging AI and IoT, AgriPass helps farmers make informed decisions, addressing soil degradation and water scarcity—two significant threats to global food security.

AgriPass is revolutionizing sustainable agriculture with AI-driven, robotic weeding technology—offering farmers a powerful alternative to chemical herbicides while preserving soil health. By executing rapid, precision-based weeding at hundreds of weeds per second, AgriPass reduces labor costs, minimizes soil disruption, and cuts greenhouse gas emissions linked to traditional farming. Its Adaptive Selective Tilling (AST) approach aligns with global regulatory shifts, including the EU Green Deal, making it a future-ready solution.

As herbicide resistance and soil degradation threaten food security, AgriPass stands at the forefront of regenerative agriculture, supporting high-residue farming and climate resilience. This innovation isn’t about efficiency; it’s about securing the future of agriculture while protecting the planet.

Weeding the Way:

• Real-time crop and weed distinction using sensors and cameras
• The non-chemical approach that minimizes soil disruption while enhancing fertility
• Targeting 2027 production ramp-up after securing seed funding
• Collaboration with global agriculture experts

AgriPass technology aligns with tightening environmental regulations, positioning it as a cost-competitive solution for sustainable farming.

CarbonBlue: Versatile Carbon Capture Infrastructure

Innovative solutions that bridge environmental urgency with economic viability are essential in the global effort to confront climate change. CarbonBlue stands out as a game-changer in carbon dioxide removal (CDR), leveraging a unique water-based approach that transforms existing water infrastructures such as desalination plants—into CO2 capture hubs.

Unlike many traditional CDR methods, which require extensive construction or chemical-intensive processes, the CarbonBlue system is adaptable, scalable, and environmentally sensitive. The company addresses two significant climate challenges by mitigating ocean acidification while extracting CO2.

Beyond its technical advantages, CarbonBlue progress and industry recognition signal its potential to reshape the climate tech landscape. With $10 million in seed funding and a goal to remove gigatons of CO2 annually, the company is proving that climate innovation can align with economic sustainability. Its 3-in-1 solution—combining carbon removal, desalination, and e-fuel production—positions it as more than just a CDR player; it is an integrated climate tech possibility. As the world seeks scalable climate solutions, the CarbonBlue approach deserves much attention.

Latest Advancements:

• Secured a $10 million seed round in July 2024
• Developed water-based CO2 removal technology integrated into desalination plants and e-fuel production with the potential to remove gigatons of CO2 annually
• Pilot facility repurposing existing infrastructure for climate action

CI Sensing: Safety and Simplicity

Based on CI Networks’ legacy expertise, CI Sensing is revolutionizing energy system efficiency and safety monitoring through advanced sensing technology for gas detection and emissions, focusing on methane and other hazardous gases. The company’s innovative approach transforms uncertainty into certainty, addressing a critical issue in today’s monitoring systems: frequent false alerts lead to alert fatigue and increased operational risk. By significantly reducing false alarms, CI Sensing enhances site safety and reliability.

The company’s solutions offer unparalleled flexibility, allowing for installation across diverse locations, from offshore platforms to urban facilities. CI Sensing prioritizes data security by utilizing on-premises devices, eliminating the risk of data leaks associated with cloud-based systems. This comprehensive approach improves operational efficiency and strengthens monitored sites’ integrity and safety, marking CI Sensing a leader in the energy sector’s digital transformation.

Risk Reduction:

• Reduces risk and increases reliability by minimizing false alerts and addressing the issue of alert fatigue in monitored sites
• Training is made simple with one standard device used across multiple gas production platforms
• Offers greater flexibility with installations adaptable to various locations, enhancing utility across different energy system environments
• Prioritizes data security through on-premises device operation, eliminating risks associated with data leaks

Eco Wave Power: Harnessing Ocean Energy

Since 2011, Eco Wave Power has developed patented, cost-efficient technology for converting wave energy into electricity. Its innovation offers a predictable, low-impact alternative to fossil fuels, enhancing energy security worldwide.

While wave energy lags behind solar and wind adoption, it is increasingly cited as a promising complement to mainstream renewables and, for the right reasons – predictability in providing more consistent energy output than intermittent solar and wind, aiding grid stability. Recent 24/7 operations at Israel’s Jaffa Port (even during storms) and a licensed 100-kW project in Los Angeles demonstrate operational consistency.

The Eco Wave Power onshore and nearshore design minimizes marine disruption by attaching custom-made floaters to existing marine structures, with most of the system located on land. This approach significantly reduces potential impacts on aquatic life and coastal ecosystems, distinguishing it from offshore competitors. Third-party testing verified the technology as environmentally friendly, with no adverse effect on the surrounding environment. By utilizing existing infrastructure, the company avoids introducing new structures into the ocean, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.

Wave energy technologies, including Eco Wave Power, still face scrutiny regarding potential coastal ecosystem impacts; the company has prioritized environmental protection in design and implementation. As a publicly traded company, Eco Wave Power emphasizes its environmentally responsible approach, aiming to advance wave energy with minimal ecological disruption.

Breakthrough Achievements:

• Secured a permit for a 100-kW wave energy station at the Port of Los Angeles in December 2024 and partnered with Shell for the project
• Onshore system operational in waves as low as 1.6 feet
• Installation slated for early 2025

Firedome: AI-Driven Wildfire Prevention and Response

Wildfires have become one of the most devastating consequences of climate change, destroying ecosystems, displacing communities – even cities – and straining emergency response systems over extended periods – even putting their lives at heightened risk. Firedome combines the resourcefulness of information and action by integrating AI-driven predictive analytics, real-time data monitoring, and automated fire suppression deployment. The company’s platform augments situational awareness for firefighting teams, drawing on advanced sensors and satellite imaging to identify high-risk areas before ignition occurs. With its ability to seamlessly interoperate with other emergency response systems, Firedome is a coordinated defense against wildfires, improving response efficiency and protecting vulnerable landscapes.

Beyond detection, Firedome delivers an immediate, on-site solution—its autonomous systems can deploy fire-retardant liquid precisely where needed, slowing the spread of flames before they escalate into uncontrollable infernos. This proactive approach reduces reliance on costly aerial firefighting missions and increases the odds of containment in the critical early moments of a fire. As extreme heat and prolonged droughts intensify wildfire risks worldwide, Firedome technology offers a lifeline, empowering communities and emergency teams with the tools to fight fire before it takes hold.

Key Takeaways

• AI-Powered Fire Prevention – Uses predictive analytics and real-time data to identify wildfire risks before they ignite.
• Seamless System Integration – Interoperates with existing firefighting and emergency response infrastructure for coordinated action.
• Automated Fire Suppression – Deploys fire-retardant liquid precisely where needed to stop flames from spreading.
• Scalable and Cost-Effective – Reduces reliance on expensive aerial firefighting while enhancing community resilience against wildfires.

Hydro X: Reinventing Hydrogen Storage

Hydro X’s water-based hydrogen carrier, developed in 2018, slashes storage costs to under $1/kg while eliminating flammability risks. This is a company to watch closely, addressing the primary obstacles to greater use of hydrogen—safety and cost. Generally, ammonia has been used to store hydrogen. So, the Hydro X water-based solution replaces the ammonia as a carrier.

Hydro X technology could play a crucial role in enabling the hydrogen economy as the global focus on decarbonization intensifies. The company’s ability to address safety and cost concerns is a significant industry change. Its non-toxic approach simplifies infrastructure needs, de-risks hydrogen projects, and supports the transition to clean energy. With 94% energy efficiency, Hydro X technology offers a safer and more cost-effective alternative to ammonia for long-distance transport, using existing oil tankers to do the job.

Investors, energy companies, and policymakers interested in advancing clean energy solutions should closely monitor the company’s progress. As Hydro X moves to commercialize and scale its technology successfully, it will significantly accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a key component of the global energy transition.

Innovative Solution:

• Water-based hydrogen carrier reduces storage costs to under $1/kg
• Eliminates flammability risks
• A non-toxic solution simplifies infrastructure needs
• 94% energy efficiency

SolCold: Solar-Powered Cooling Breakthrough

Established in 2016, SolCold is pioneering a nanomaterial coating that reflects sunlight and actively cools surfaces, providing an energy-efficient alternative to traditional cooling systems. The company has harnessed the power of nanotechnology to create a coating material that uses sunlight to cool cars, buildings, planes, and even clothing items or electronic devices.  It’s not conceptual!  SolCold is already an in-market enterprise working with some of the global economy’s best-known corporate brands.

Medika Life sat with SolCold co-founder and CEO Yaron Shenhav at the company’s new offices in Rehovot, amidst the new workstations being assembled, to learn about his journey as a science-based engineer who took his idea from a Hebrew University lab to the company’s prototype development site in nearby Nes Tziona. Its new headquarters provides sufficient production facilities to scale globally.

Product Highlights:

• Glacier 110 coating reduces surface temperatures by 5–13°C through passive cooling
• Automotive trials show 9–12°C cabin temperature reduction and a 30% lower AC energy use, extending electric vehicle range by 7 percent
• In-market applications show the ability to protect stored foods and beverages, reducing company dependency on fossil fuel cooling systems
• Addresses rising global cooling demands in building materials
• Startup World Cup World Cup Winner at the CES Las Vegas 2025 competition

A National Ecosystem Driving Global Innovation

Israel’s climate-tech surge is fueled by collaborations among startups and a robust innovation ecosystem, including incubators and accelerators pushing ideas from concept to commercialization. Collaboration is the superpower of healthy innovation communities.

Uniquely, the country is a testing ground for these pressing ideas. Its renewable energy targets—30% by 2030—and leadership in alternative proteins further highlight its integrated approach to sustainability. Private equity leaders provide critical scaling support, ensuring these innovations achieve global impact. 

These companies exemplify Israel’s ethos of transforming existential challenges into scalable, economically workable solutions. By merging technological ingenuity with environmental stewardship, they redefine what’s possible in the challenge to overcome climate change.

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