The Israeli start-up Naki won an international competition at the Energy Tech Week conference for innovation in the energy sector. Barak Manbar, CEO of Naki—who is expected to gain international exposure and significant investment opportunities following the win—announced during the event the successful completion of a $2 million pre-seed funding round. Energy Tech Week is Israel’s largest conference in the fields of energy and climate, attracting dozens of leading investors and start-ups from around the world.
Naki has developed a unique process that transforms oil-rich industrial waste into energy through biofuels, promoting a sustainable circular economy and reducing environmental carbon footprints.
The Energy Tech Week conference was held at the offices of Herzog Fox Neeman in Tel Aviv, initiated by Ignite the Spark, and attended by hundreds of key industry figures, investors, and start-up entrepreneurs who came to discover the latest trends in smart energy.
Among the prominent speakers at the conference were: Lilach Danewitz – Director of Strategy and Partnerships at NTT Israel; Roy Furman – CEO of Doral Energy-Tech Ventures; Barak Manbar – CEO of Naki; Lior Handelsman – General Partner at Grove Ventures; and Marc Phillips – Partner and Head of Project Finance and Infrastructure at Herzog Fox Neeman. The conference also saw the presence of senior representatives from companies such as Tadiran, E.ON, Ormat, Israel Electric Corporation, Honda Xcelerator Ventures, and other international partners—signaling the growing global interest in Israel’s smart energy landscape.
One of the event’s highlights was the Israeli Energy Tech All Stars competition, now in its fifth year, where 10 Israeli start-ups presented their innovations before a panel of senior judges, including representatives from leading venture capital funds. The event also featured VIP tours for leading energy companies, panels on AI, cybersecurity, and geothermal energy, and the launch of the 2025 Israeli Energy Tech Ecosystem Map.
Shon Dana, CEO of Ignite the Spark, said: “This week is a true milestone for Israel’s energy ecosystem—with over 1,000 participants, five separate events, and the unveiling of an updated start-up map featuring more than 165 companies out of over 350. This isn’t just a week of innovation—it’s a testament to the resilience, stability, and growth of energy innovation in Israel, even during challenging times.”
Lilach Danewitz, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at NTT Israel, added: “The Israeli market is rich with breakthrough energy and climate technologies and entrepreneurs with exceptional flexibility and execution abilities. The real challenge lies in breaking into global markets—and this is exactly where partners like NTT Israel come in. We know how to take Israel’s outstanding innovation and turn it into global success.”