Israel Tech Startups and Innovations: Weekly Roundup January 4 – January 10, 2025
New Startups / VC Funding
Israeli AI Startup Fermata Revolutionizes Agriculture with Computer Vision Technology
Fermata, an Israeli aggrotech startup which specializes in computer vision-based solutions for the agriculture industry, raised $10 million in a Series A funding round led by Raw Ventures.
Founded in 2020, Fermata builds AI-powered decision support systems for precise plant monitoring in greenhouses and indoor farms utilizing computer vision analysis… Read More Here
Israeli Startup Lava Network Offers Blockchain Infrastructure Protocol
Lava Network, an Israeli startup offering a blockchain infrastructure protocol, has successfully raised $12 million in its latest funding round, marking a significant milestone in its mission to revolutionize decentralized infrastructure.
A blockchain infrastructure protocol is the underlying set of rules and technologies that allow a blockchain network to function. It’s the foundation upon which decentralized applications (dApps) and cryptocurrencies are… Read More Here
Israeli Biotech Startup Senseera Offers New Cancer Blood Testing Technology
Israeli Biotech Senseera, an Israeli startup and a liquid biopsy company pioneering chromatin epigenomics, announced the successful close of a $7.1 million seed funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from I-Next Capital and the Lowy Medical Research Institute.
Chromatin epigenomics is a field of study that combines the principles of epigenetics and genomics to investigate how chemical modifications to chromatin (the complex of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosomes) affect gene Startup Senseera Offers New Cancer Blood Testing Technology… Read More Here
Israel Invests in 15 New Tech Startups Through Government Innovation Program
The Israel Innovation Authority announced 15 approved projects under its “Startup for High-Tech” program. These projects will establish new branches of high-tech companies in priority areas throughout Israel, from north to south. This initiative, a collaboration with the Ministry for the Development of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience; the Ministry for Social Equality (as part of the 550 Five-Year Plan); the Tkuma (Resurrection) Directorate (an organization responsible for aiding and developing Israeli communities located near Gaza); and the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, represents a total investment of… Read More Here
Israeli Commerce Tech Startup PrettyDamnQuick PDQ Launches Data Platform for Retail Profitability
PrettyDamnQuick (PDQ), an Israeli startup that offers an operational data platform for profitable commerce, closed a $25 million round of Series A funding led by Peakspan Capital, with participation from existing investors TLV Partners and Moneta. PDQ will use the funds to expand market presence and accelerate development of its cutting-edge checkout and shipping personalization engine, which helps mid-sized Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) e-commerce brands to boost revenue and compete more effectively with massive global entities like Amazon. PDQ has raised $38 million to… Read More Here
Politics
Not Just Brazil: 12 Nations Threatened Israeli Veterans of War Crimes Prosecution Over Gaza Conflict
Last week in Brazil an Israeli military reservist was threatened with arrest on human rights charges over his service in Gaza during the Iron Swords War against Hamas terrorists. The Israeli, identified only as ‘Y,’ was forced to leave the country. Now Israel’s Channel 12 News is reporting that the country’s Foreign Ministry said that there have been 12 such incidents against Israelis traveling in different countries around the world since October 7, 2023.
The countries in which Israeli soldiers who served in either Gaza or Lebanon were threatened with criminal charges were Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Belgium, the… Read More Here
Science/Culture
Brain’s Instruction Processing Impaired After Stroke, Research Reveals
The impact of the ability to follow instructions on the rehabilitation of stroke patients has not been previously studied. Researchers at the Joint Laboratory for Neurological Rehabilitation Research, a collaboration between Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Adi-Negev Nahalat Eran, investigated this relationship and its effect on motor recovery. Their findings were published in Neuropsychology.
A stroke, sometimes called a “brain attack,” occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting… Read More Here
Study: Ants Outperform Humans in Cooperation Test, Weizmann Scientists Find
Ants and humans, both highly social species, share a unique trait: consistently cooperating to transport loads far exceeding their individual size. This shared behavior formed the basis of a fascinating evolutionary competition conducted by Prof. Ofer Feinerman and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science. They asked: who is better at maneuvering a large load through a maze? The surprising results, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), offer new insights into group decision-making and the advantages and… Read More Here
1,500-Year-Old Byzantine Monastery Discovered in Southern Israel Near Kiryat Gat
During excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) as part of the Israel Land Authority’s development work for the “Karmey Gat North” neighborhood, the largest and most significant Roman and Byzantine-era site in the region was uncovered. The discoveries include a monastery featuring a colorful mosaic floor and a Greek inscription, a sophisticated winepress, and other buildings.
“Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out” (Deuteronomy 20:6). This is what was written on a… Read More Here
Mergers and Acquisitions
Kaneka Corporation Acquires EndoStream Medical: Israeli Medical Device Innovation Meets Japanese Healthcare Giant
Kaneka Corporation, a Japanese company, acquired a 96.8% stake in Israeli startup EndoStream Medical Ltd, an Israeli startup developing technologies in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. This acquisition aims to combine Kaneka’s manufacturing capabilities with EndoStream’s technology to jointly develop new medical devices, primarily for cerebrovascular treatment. While the purchase price was not disclosed, Calcalist estimated the value of EndoStream to… Read More Here
Other Business Stories
Bank of Israel Holds Interest Rate at 4.5% in Latest Decision
The Monetary Committee of the Bank of Israel on Monday announced that it decided to leave the interest rate unchanged at 4.5%.
Despite geopolitical developments, economic activity is recovering at a moderate pace, explained the Bank of Israel. However, supply constraints in certain industries continue to impede the closing of the gap between actual GDP and… Read More Here
Israel Defense Budget: 1 Billion Shekel Investment Boosts Military Self-Reliance
The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) announced on Tuesday the signing of two significant defense agreements with Elbit Systems, valued at approximately 1 billion Shekels ($276 million). The agreements were formalized during a signing ceremony by IMOD Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir and Elbit Systems President and CEO Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis.
These strategic agreements play a vital role in strengthening the IDF’s operational endurance and force-building capabilities. They reflect key lessons… Read More Here
FTC Fines Israel’s AI Web Accessibility Company AccessiBe $1Million Over Deceptive Claims
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached a settlement with software provider accessiBe, an Israeli startup that offers a platform for making websites accessible to people with disabilities, requiring the company to pay $1 million. The settlement resolves allegations that accessiBe misrepresented its AI-powered web accessibility tool’s ability to ensure any website’s compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for users with disabilities.
New York-based accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd. (accessiBe) market and sell a web accessibility software plug-in called accessWidget that the company has said can… Read More Here
Tel Aviv Restaurants Ranked Among World’s Best: 8 Local Spots Make La Liste’s 2025 Top 1000
Move over Paris! Tel Aviv‘s culinary scene continues to garner international acclaim, with nine Israeli restaurants featured in the prestigious La Liste 2025 ranking of the world’s top 1,000 restaurants and eight of these celebrated establishments are located in Tel Aviv, a city that has been a cornerstone of Israel’s culinary evolution for years. This strong showing underscores Tel Aviv’s status as a leading global culinary destination and a key driver of Israel’s evolving food culture.
So forget about Tel Aviv being the center of Startup/High-Tech Nation; Think of it… Read More Here
