ISRAEL INNOVATION PROJECT

Afimilk’s Synergy robotic milking system is transforming dairy farming by introducing advanced automation for medium-sized farms with 500 to 5,000 cows. Leveraging 3D vision, machine learning, and spatial algorithms, the system ensures efficient milking while monitoring cow health and productivity. Building on its legacy of innovation, including the 1979 launch of the first “milk meter,” Afimilk continues to revolutionize the dairy industry, offering a state-of-the-art solution that bridges the technological gap between small robotic farms and large industrial operations.

Three Israeli companies won 2025 BIG Innovation Awards for groundbreaking contributions in their fields. ICL Group of Tel Aviv was honored in agriculture for its sustainable solutions, including advanced ag-tech products and fertilizers from Dead Sea minerals. OncoHost of Binyamina and North Carolina won in healthcare for its AI-powered PROphet platform, improving immunotherapy decisions for metastatic lung cancer. Trax Retail, founded by Israeli entrepreneurs, was recognized in retail for its image-capture technology and merchandising system that helps address inventory and pricing challenges.

Weizmann Institute researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to analyze all proteins in a stool sample, revealing insights into the microbiome, diet, and human health. By combining DNA sequencing and mass spectrometry, the approach creates personalized protein maps, uncovering how gut bacteria interact with the human body. This method, called IPHOMED, identifies proteins from food, the microbiome, and human tissue, enabling researchers to decode gut activity with unprecedented precision.

Israeli startup qbiq raised $16 million to expand its AI-driven platform for fast, accessible architectural planning. Founded in 2019, qbiq's tool generates complete interior layouts in minutes, allowing users to customize spaces while optimizing costs and timelines. Headquartered in Tel Aviv with offices in New York and Miami, qbiq serves major clients like Brookfield Properties and JLL, aiming to revolutionize commercial real estate planning globally.

Nvidia is investing over $500 million to establish a state-of-the-art AI research center in northern Israel, set to open in 2025. The 10,000-square-meter facility will feature advanced infrastructure, including Nvidia’s latest AI chips and technologies, supporting R&D in networking, software, and CPU design. This expansion underscores Nvidia’s commitment to innovation in Israel, where it already employs over 4,500 people across seven R&D centers.

Ari Teman, founder of Jovari, is developing the world’s first four-door convertible electric hypercar in Israel, blending luxury, customization, and advanced technology. Retailing at $2.7 million, the Jovari S1 will feature AI-driven customization, real engine-like vibrations, and unique design elements tailored to buyers, with 10% of sales donated to charity.

Blockchain analytics company Chainalysis has acquired Israeli fraud prevention startup Alterya, known for its real-time detection of social engineering scams in crypto and instant payments. Founded in 2022, Alterya uses AI and cyber tools to combat fraud, detecting over $10 billion in crypto scams in 2024 and protecting $100 million in assets for clients like Coinbase and Binance. With this acquisition, Alterya will operate independently as an R&D center, enhancing Chainalysis’s fraud prevention capabilities and global reach.

FireDome, an Israeli startup inspired by Iron Dome, has developed an AI-powered system to combat wildfires. It deploys eco-friendly fire-retardant capsules to create protective barriers and uses AI to detect and extinguish spot fires. Initially designed to protect 100 acres, it aims to expand coverage to a mile, with testing in Israel set for 2025 and U.S. pilots in 2026. Backed by $3 million in funding and a $1.5 million grant, FireDome seeks to enhance wildfire response and mitigate the billions in annual wildfire damages.

Kaneka Corp. has acquired Israeli startup Endostream Medical for $100 million, making it its first Israeli R&D hub. Endostream developed the Nautilus device, a safer, blood-thinner-free implant for treating brain aneurysms, already approved in Europe and set to launch in the US and Japan by 2027.

Weizmann Institute researchers have developed a method to improve the safety and lifespan of lithium metal batteries. By studying dendrites, which can cause fire risks, they discovered that a 40% ceramic composition in solid electrolytes blocks dendrite growth and enhances performance. Their research also highlighted the importance of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer in controlling dendrite behavior, leading to safer, more efficient batteries.

Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), an Israeli humanitarian organization, recently conducted a life-saving mission in Zambia, performing 25 open-heart surgeries and catheterizations on children with congenital heart defects. The mission, held in Lusaka, involved an international team of medical professionals from Israel, Tanzania, and Zambia, including former trainees of Israel’s Wolfson Medical Center.

A study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published in Food Chemistry, reveals that the size of milk fat globules influences bacterial interactions, promoting beneficial bacteria like Bacillus subtilis while impacting biofilm formation. Led by Professor Nurit Argov-Argaman, the research highlights that structural properties, rather than just chemical composition, play a key role in microbial dynamics.