Ten startups working on delivering the healthcare of the future have been selected to participate in the second cohort of “RISE with US,” a unique program powered by the Assuta Medical Centers’ innovation arm aimed to connect Israeli emerging companies with the global healthcare market, with a focus on the American market.
“Assuta constantly strives to lead and implement advanced medical technologies together with groundbreaking medical R&D partners,” said CEO of Assuta Medical Centers, Gidi Leshetz. “The RISE with US program enables Assuta to take part in designing the future of medicine, and continuing carrying the flag of quality of care, professionalism and humane healthcare service.”
The selected startups are focused on developing digital health solutions based on artificial intelligence and big data.
The program was established last year in collaboration with Philadelphia’s University City Science Center. In 2023, Start-Up Nation Central (SNC), a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world, also joined the project.
“This partnership is part of our ongoing effort to develop the health tech sector in Israel, with an emphasis on international connections and the creation of strategic opportunities for developing innovative companies from Israel,” SNC CEO Avi Hasson said. “The Israeli ecosystem has a wide range of technologies that can solve global challenges and we at Start-Up Nation Central are proud to team up with Assuta, and together to strengthen and create global opportunities for innovative Israeli companies.”
The program is also supported by tech giants AWS and Nvidia along with venture capital funds of LionBird and eHealth Ventures.
Over 100 companies applied to become part of this year’s cohort, but only ten were accepted.
Some of them focus on delivering innovative ways of detecting diseases. Among such companies are Aisap, which has developed an artificial intelligence platform to detect diseases and analyze findings found in point-of-care ultrasound examinations and SpotitEarly, which offers an early detection screening test for various kinds of cancer through testing of exhaled breath,
Other startups focus on monitoring and prevention, including GaitBetter, an evidence-based neurotherapeutic platform designed for gait rehabilitation, fall prevention, and prediction of neurodegeneration diseases, as well as Agamon Health whose platform redefines the process of handling radiology patients, and Nervio which is developing a unique solution for neurophysiological monitoring that will reduce dependence on human experts.
Some of the selected companies offer several solutions to improve the interactions between different actors within the health system. Patient2Patient helps insurers and medical organizations increase the effectiveness of care and reduce the cost of medical treatment of patients with complex chronic ailments, like cardiac failures. BeCare is developing an AI-based system for reducing the physicians' burden. HealthEi is working on a patient-faced medical resource, revolutionizing the way health information is delivered and shared to help bridge critical communication gaps
The tenth participant, EFA has developed a portable medical product that can be used anywhere to perform several medical analyses.
“In the post-Covid world, healthcare systems are rapidly changing and investors are demanding entrepreneurs to prove their product value very early on in their development cycle,” Head of RISE, Daniel Rabina, said. “This requires medical startups today more than before, to gain an intimate understanding of the needs and pains of their specific target market.”
During the program, a team of business, technology and clinical experts who have had success in breaking into the global market and specifically in the United States will share their expertise. Areas of action will include the commercialization and implementation of solutions in the health system, various regulatory compliance needs and building scalable healthcare solutions.
The fourth and final week will take place in the US, where companies will interact with local actors and receive their feedback. The trip will include the opportunity to meet with potential investors, clients and partners in Israel and the US.
In addition, participants will have direct access to Assuta Medical Centers and receive tailored clinical guidance from physicians who are leaders in their respective fields.
The companies will also receive access to the expansive network of contacts of the University City Science Center, which has 50 years of experience in implementing technologies in foreign countries.
“Through our program, Assuta helps leading medical startups succeed in these challenging times, and ultimately touch the lives of patients, to promote care and medicine at Assuta and all over the world,” Rabina concluded.
This article was written in cooperation with Start-Up Nation Central