Israel's healthtech sector is rapidly advancing, positioning the nation as a key player in global healthcare innovation. The recent ARC Summit in Tel Aviv, hosted by Sheba Medical Center, highlighted Israel's pivotal role in incubating healthtech solutions, even amidst ongoing economic and security challenges.
Israel's Healthtech Ecosystem
Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Director General of Sheba Medical Center, emphasized that innovation is central to Sheba's mission, contributing significantly to Israel's economy and global standing. Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, noted the resilience of Israeli tech companies, which continue to thrive and rank third globally in tech company density, behind only San Francisco and New York. He added that global crises are driving new levels of healthcare technology innovation, where Israel is uniquely positioned to lead.
With over 9,000 active technology companies, many are at the forefront of digital health and biotech. The ARC Innovation Center (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) at Sheba Medical Center serves as a central incubator for global healthtech solutions, advancing care models that integrate technology with human-centered design.
ARC Innovation Center's Role
Professor Eyal Zimlichman, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at Sheba and Director of ARC, stated that ARC was established to lead the global health revolution through innovation, focusing on technologies that solve real problems and impact patient outcomes. Sheba's work in AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine, and personalized care models has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Telehealth, initially a pandemic solution, has demonstrated its potential to revolutionize care delivery. These innovations are designed for immediate implementation, with the potential to reshape healthcare delivery worldwide.
EmbARC Ventures: A Healthtech Startup Accelerator
The summit also saw the launch of embARC Ventures, a healthtech startup accelerator developed with Ilex Medical. EmbARC offers early-stage companies a comprehensive support package, including $250,000 in guaranteed funding, mentorship, and clinical trial access through Sheba’s global network.
Avner Halperin, Deputy Director of ARC and CEO of Sheba Impact, explained that embARC aims to empower the next generation of healthtech startups by removing barriers to success, such as funding, market entry, and clinical validation. The vision for embARC extends beyond Israel, aiming to establish the country as a global leader in digital health, biotech, and medical devices.
AI Revolutionizing Clinical Trials
Sheba has also formed a strategic partnership with Paradigm Health Inc., a U.S.-based healthtech company focused on using AI to revolutionize clinical trials. This partnership aims to address inefficiencies in patient recruitment, data management, and cost management, which often slow the development of life-saving treatments.
Kent Thoelke, CEO of Paradigm Health, noted that the current clinical trial model is slow, expensive, and often excludes diverse patient populations. The collaboration with Sheba has the potential to overhaul clinical trial processes, making them faster, more inclusive, and more effective. The partnership will leverage Paradigm’s AI-driven platform to streamline clinical trial operations and enhance patient recruitment, while Sheba’s clinical expertise and network of researchers will facilitate global implementation.
This collaboration also aims to democratize access to clinical trials, ensuring that more patients, especially those with rare diseases, can participate in the testing of new therapies. Together, Sheba and Paradigm aim to offer patients worldwide access to life-saving trials with fewer hurdles.
