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.

The post Climate Tech Visionaries: Innovating for a Sustainable Future appeared first on Medika Life.

Trepidation. That one word describes the uncertain economic climate that grips corporate and investment decision-makers. If we are to believe headlines, wallets have tightened, and investment in digital health and health tech, as a result, has taken a nose dive. That go-to conclusion overly simplifies complex investment strategies in a sector that has shown great resilience year-after-after.

Two-Year Pandemic Funding Spree Fizzles Out

After an extraordinary two-year pandemic funding spree, there are apparent shifts in how investors make economic decisions. In this year of geopolitical turmoil and uncertain financial performance, digital health remains integral to the future of the health economy and in addressing public health pressure points. However, the development stages in which funds are directed, therapeutic categories selected, provider systems that demand transformation, and the regions where innovators establish headquarters are now key investment decision factors.

COVID served as an urgent sector testing ground. But the obsession with COVID must not overshadow the possibilities for continued growth in new areas of medicine and sustainability. As life-saving efforts around patient care and drug development ground to an almost complete halt, technologies that enhanced telemedicine and remote patient monitoring became the “no going back” path to pursue medical practice and innovation. This is just the beginning of the surge in how these technologies will transform human and planetary health.

Also, the human body – our well-being and survival- is biological and ecological.  We are beginning to see first-hand the harsh realities of climate change and these stormy reminders that the planet doesn’t need people; people need the planet. Follow shared urgencies, and you find value investors at the earlier stages seeking equity and influence.  Corporate environment, social and governance (ESG) priorities are becoming new due diligence points for investors as they access technologies and services of significant importance to governments and industries that have pledged commitment to net zero policies.

Tel Aviv Joins the Medika EcoHealth and Health Travelogue

While the digital health sector has grown significantly during the past decade, it must be mobilized to address unmet needs. From $2 billion invested in 2011, that figure morphed 28-fold to $56 billion in 2021. In the shadow of the COVID pandemic, unprecedented investment poured into digital health during this two-year window, accelerating the adoption of AI, AR, remote patient monitoring, telehealth, digital therapeutics, wearables, VR and more. These are all technologies Israeli entrepreneurs have called upon to improve care, track patient needs and reduce costs.

Tel Aviv, Israel – the first spot on our ecohealth and health tech travelogue – is taking the lead globally by combining the talents of biologists and engineers. Among the key people to watch in this market is Levi Shapiro, founder of mHealth Israel – a not-for-profit community of almost 20,000 innovators – from start-ups to established players.  Shapiro is more than the curator for this community. He is Israel’s unofficial ambassador for innovative ideas.

Collaboration is the SynBio Power Ingredient

Among the hottest new areas for investment – just coming onto our radar screen – is synthetic biology or SynBio.  Experts such as Avital Adler, Ph.D., Yuval Dorfan, Lior Nissim, Gita Reinitz, and Tamir Tuller are among the leaders in this growing collaborative movement to unlock solutions to the mega planetary challenges. Pearl Cohen, a leading Tel Aviv-based global law firm representing emerging innovation companies, is hosting SynBio 2023.

While too many headlines cite a significant drop in digital health private equity and venture capital investment, the magnetic pull to “follow the money” is misleading.  More “value” is being infused into the digital health category – monies are entering at earlier stages and targeting specific spots on the global innovation map.  Early in translates into more equity and influence. Follow the money and where the money is headed are linked.

If dollars and Euros are the only indicators of enthusiasm and commitment, it is easy to see why hand-wringing news stories prevail. Look at all the metrics that determine a vibrant sector. Look at the regions where funds are being directed and at what stages to resolve what broad–global – challenges. The cities in the Medika Life “Hot Spot Series” will explore what’s happening and some of the companies that are working to sustain human and planetary health.

Israel is an excellent example of that positive narrative.  From 2021 – the acknowledged boom year of capital infusion into the category – to the supposed global drop in investment – Israeli did not see a noticeable decline in private equity investment.  It continues to be a value-driven market and a testing ground for innovation.  We’re watching several Israeli-headquartered private equity funds, including aMoon, Our Crowd, Start-Up Nation, Welltech Ventures, and others, to see where they will place their bets – our future – in the coming months. They are active and strong.

“Israel is a paradigm-challenging innovation culture. Disrupting a conservative industry such as healthcare requires this kind of mentality of not accepting the way things have been done forever,” reflects Eran Eshed, co-founder and CEO of Fairtility, a cutting-edge company using AI, clinical, high-tech, software development, and business leadership experience to rapidly introduce new technologies and applications to the IVF process.

Among the hot Israeli companies on our Medika Life EcoHealth and Health Tech Hot Spot, radar screen are these six covering decentralized clinical trials, environment and sustainability and patient adherence.  During the week of February 6^th, we will be onsite and meeting with these and other company leaders – hearing about their ideas and plans to improve people’s and the planet’s health and sustainability. 

Six Israeli Health Tech Companies Worth Watching

Next week, we head to Tel Aviv, Israel, and look forward to meeting companies on the leading edge of health innovation.  Here are six companies on our radar screen – we’re planning on meeting more and updating this list.

Belong.Life is a leading global tech provider of high-engagement social and professional care management platforms and patient communities, with more than one million users providing and receiving emotional support, advice, and information from peers and health professionals. Plus, as more patients with serious health concerns seek access to clinical trial options, Belong offers a clinical trial matching service that analyzes all available clinical trials around the globe in real-time, matching patients to trials relevant to their diagnosis and location. The Belong Beating Cancer Together app is used by almost 1 in 10 U.S. cancer patients, and 1 in 5 US-based multiple sclerosis patients are using BelongMS.

BloomX is addressing the challenge of crop pollination and sustainability. Farmers and crop growers rely on insects and honeybees for pollination, which plays an integral role in crop and fruit development and higher crop yields. Due to parasites and habitat loss, the honeybee population is decreasing, leading to a crisis that impacts crop production and food supply. BloomX is an early-stage ag-tech startup that has developed bio-mimicking pollination technology. This AI-based tech solves significant challenges by improving crop productivity and quality over the pollination process and supporting sustainability goals.

Enzymit may have cracked the price and time code for enzyme development and functionality.  Inventing new enzymes for bioproduction, the company is poised to replace outdated, pollution-producing chemical manufacturing with validated green production methods efficiently and cost-effectively. The Enzymit proprietary technology platform uses deep-learning algorithms and high-throughput testing methods to rapidly screen billions of sequence changes for every single experiment. The company can uncover and develop novel proteins for varied applications, such as fine chemical manufacturing, food and beverages, health and nutrition, biodefense and energy.

Sweetch is tackling chronic conditions that consume the health system and providers using the transformational power of AI, behavioral science, and its “Just-in-Time-Adaptive-Intervention” (JITAI) technology. Medication non-compliance results in more than 100,000 preventable deaths and $100 billion in preventable medical costs annually. The company has developed a precision engagement solution for chronic conditions through hyper-personalized communication with individual patients powered by. The Sweetch solution is cost-effective, sustainable and scalable, offering a ready-made solution for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers globally.

UBQ Materials is transforming unrecyclable and organic waste into bio-based thermoplastic using advanced conversion technology. The company diverts unsorted household waste from landfills and incineration, protecting the natural environment and people’s health. Water, soil, and air quality suffer when waste is sent to landfills or incineration. It is well known that there is increased respiratory risk for people residing near incineration plants. Also, there is significant research on microplastics in humans resulting from plastic pollutants in the water supply. UBQ Materials is among the pioneers engaging the health and planet sustainability challenge by focusing on renewable material solutions.

X-trodes has developed the world’s first multimodality dry wearable technology for advanced electrophysiological monitoring and analytics so that people with health concerns can be diagnosed in their home setting. X-trodes technology is a smart skin conforming to inaccessible areas of the body and provides a user-friendly solution to generate data. This new approach monitors EEG (brain activity), EOG (eye movement), EMG (muscle stimulation), and ECG/EKG (cardiac monitoring).  Applications include sleep, fitness, sports, rehab and general health, and specialized monitoring targeted to specific markets.

We hope to feature other companies in this special Health Innovation Hot Spots Tel Aviv Report. We will continue to use the Galen Growth/FINN Partners “Global State of Digital Health” as our guide in highlighting innovation that can improve people’s and the planet’s well-being.

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Digital Health Interviews: Levi Shapiro and Ellie Hanson on Digital Health in Israel

This new episode of Digital Health, hosted by Ukrainian health innovation leader Alex Koshykov, focuses on the topic of digital health in Israel. Guests are mHealth Israel Founder Levi Shapiro and FINN Partners Partner Ellie Hanson. Together, they discuss the current situation in the digital health market in Israel, how government helps startups in their early stages, and what are the main differences between American and Israeli health systems.

Ellie provides a short intro to a marketing strategy for digital health startups while Levi gave lots of useful tips for startup founders.

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