6 Israeli startups nab spotlight in global awards for profitable, impactful tech

Six Israeli startups were chosen out of 270 global firms for awards in a number of categories on Friday in London in this year’s Transformational Business Awards, an impact-driven award set up by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank Group, and The Financial Times (FT) newspaper.

This is the largest number of Israeli wins in the 13-year history of the awards initiative, Start-Up Nation Central (SNC), a nonprofit organization that matches startups to investors and companies, said in a statement. Start-Up Nation Central was the IFC/FT partner in Israel, helping to source relevant companies.

The awards pinpoint the crucial role of private sector initiatives and capital in efforts to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — a blueprint set out by the organization to achieve a more sustainable future and address climate change.

Impact-related initiatives aim to generate profitability from technological developments and to enhance society and life, helping weakened populations.

Out of the 35 shortlisted applications for this year’s awards, 10 were Israeli, SNC said in the statement.

Transformational Solutions in Health

Tel Aviv based MobileODT won first place in the award in this category. The firm seeks to save lives by enabling the early detection of cancer. Its EVA System mobile colposcope is used in countries globally and in US health centers to help detect cervical cancer.

Israeli start-up MobileODT has created the Eva System, which uses an Automated Visual Evaluation (AVE) algorithm, which has proved to be more reliable than a human expert when conducting a colposcopy in identifying abnormal tissue that points to a possible future development of cervical cancer (Courtesy)

Healthy.io got a special commendation in this category. The firm developed a kit for clinical analysis of urine at home.

Transformational Solution in Food, Water & Land

Tipa Corp., founded in 2019, won first place in this category. The startup produces fully compostable flexible packaging — with the durability, functionality, transparency and sealability of conventional plastic. The firm, which uses a mix of resin, multi-layer film structures, and laminates to create bio-degradable polymers, says the solution works for dry, baked and frozen goods, including fruit and vegetables.

Special Award: Innovation for Disability

Jerusalem-based TuneFork won second place in this category. The startup, founded in 2016, has developed software audio personalization technology that aims to optimize mobile sound systems, The software guides users through a hearing test to set out their needs, and then tailors a precise audio filter for every user, matching their hearing to their sound system — whether of phone calls, rings and alerts, or music and videos. The company is seeking to license its technology to headset and mobile phone manufacturers, TV makers and internet call apps.

N-Drip is an Israeli startup that has developed a drip irrigation system that works with gravity and not energy (NDrip)

Overall Award Excellence in Disruptive Solution

N-Drip has developed a way to enable large agricultural areas to use drip irrigation, helping farmers save water and boost yields at lower costs. Founded in 2015, the Bnei Atarot-based firm is selling its products globally, including in Africa, Australia and the US.

Special commendation in the area of Health

Rishon LeZion-based Anima got a special commendation in this category. The startup, founded in 2016, developed software that aims to detect and monitor changes in a child’s behavior based on their drawings, done on a touchscreen. Anima uses guidelines to track the child’s performance in real time in order to alert a designated adult if abnormal behavior is detected.

“Israel’s innovation ecosystem has some 1,900 companies whose solutions fit the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” said Eugene Kandel, the CEO of Start-Up Nation Central. Israeli technological innovation, driven by the country’s necessity to solve its own existential problems, is now helping many other people around the world solve theirs, he added.