Pitch Night isn’t just a student competition — it’s a launchpad for the next generation of Technion innovators. By turning bold ideas into real-world solutions, these students are gaining hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, engineering, and impact. It’s a powerful glimpse into how the Technion is shaping Israel’s future, and the future of technology itself. Keep scrolling to see what innovation in action really looks like.

I think there’s something entrepreneurial in Israeli DNA. I feel beyond privileged to have listened to all the wonderful pitches tonight and hopefully follow up with them.” – ERIC BRANDON, STARTUP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

On June 18, 2025, Pitch Night brought together food, networking, and fierce innovation as Technion t:hub students took the stage to present the next generation of Israeli startups. From AI to sustainable solutions, each team unveiled their business plans, elevator pitches, and bold visions for the future.

An esteemed panel of investors and entrepreneurs challenged the students on everything from scalability to go-to-market strategy, culminating in the selection of a standout winner: Omer Sabary, whose pitch left the judges and audience inspired.

Whether you’re passionate about Israel, technology, or the future of global innovation, Pitch Night offered a front-row seat to what’s next from Startup Nation.

The crew of the cargo ship Eternity C could hardly believe their eyes – within minutes, their vessel was sunk in broad daylight in the Red Sea by an unmanned boat and RPG missiles, and they were taken captive by Houthi rebels. The next day, another container ship was attacked in the Red Sea – and it too was sunk. Just a few years ago, such a scenario would have sounded completely far-fetched. Yet these two alarming incidents occurred just this past month – and they are not the only ones. Worse still – they are only part of a growing wave of threats to the global supply chain, driving up the costs of production, transport, and logistics.

In recent years, the global supply chain has been severely shaken by a series of crises and events: the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the Houthi attacks on the maritime route through which approximately 50% of global goods once passed, and the latest disruptive development – the U.S. administration’s new tariff policies.

Pickommerce CTO Amir Shapiro and Cybord Founder and CTO Eyal Weiss and CEO Oshri Cohen are both Technion alumni.

Michael Belkin is a serial entrepreneur of a particularly rare breed. Like other serial entrepreneurs, he never stopped developing, researching, and inventing throughout his life, but he did so not out of a pursuit of money, but primarily out of the joy of creation, curiosity, and a desire to bring medicine to the world. It so happened that he made his first exit when he was already 68 years old. At an age when most of his peers were retiring, Belkin sold a company he founded for $180 million. Even then, he had no intention of retiring, but continued to research and invent. Last year, when he was 82, the second exit came: one of his greatest inventions, an automated device for treating glaucoma, was sold for $466 million to the eye care giant Alcon.

And there’s still no talk of rest. Every morning, as he has for 30 years, Belkin shows up at the same office at the Eye Research Institute at Sheba Medical Center, turns on the fluorescent light above him, and begins his workday in a space that looks like a small museum. The room is packed with compact binders, framed certificates, photos, posters of organs of vision, and medical models collected over decades. It perfectly suits his image as a professor of ophthalmology at Tel Aviv University who has authored more than 500 scientific articles and holds over 40 patents.

In a year marked by war, political upheaval, and global economic volatility, Israel’s tech sector continues to defy the odds — and the Technion is once again at the heart of its resilience. Three of the standout companies on Calcalist’s 2025 list of the 50 most promising Israeli startups — Decart, ForSight Robotics, and OX Security — all trace their roots to the Technion, where bold ideas and deep scientific training are shaping real-world solutions. These startups aren’t just succeeding; they’re changing the game across AI, healthcare, and cybersecurity.

Decart: Accelerating the Generative AI Revolution

Just 18 months after its founding, Decart has raised $53 million, earned a half-billion-dollar valuation, and captured the attention of top-tier venture firms like Sequoia Capital and Benchmark. At its core is a powerful systems-level AI infrastructure that enables a tenfold improvement in training and inference speed for large generative models, unlocking real-time AI applications previously limited to tech giants.

The company’s momentum is fueled by deep academic and technical foundations. Technion alumnus Dean Leitersdorf, Decart’s CEO and co-founder, launched the company with fellow co-founder Moshe Sason during a period of reserve duty — building their team and vision under extraordinary pressure. Their platform dramatically reduces the resource load of generative AI, allowing them to train and deploy their own foundational models. It’s a leap forward in making powerful AI not only faster and cheaper, but more accessible to companies and creators around the world.

ForSight Robotics: Precision Eye Surgery for a World in Need

More than 2 billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment, but there aren’t nearly enough trained eye surgeons to meet the growing demand. ForSight Robotics aims to bridge that gap with a robotic microsurgery platform that delivers 10x the accuracy of a human hand. Their technology integrates robotics, machine learning, and computer imaging to perform delicate eye procedures with unprecedented precision, starting with cataract surgery.

The company was co-founded by Technion alumnus and company President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Nathan. A practicing ophthalmologist and engineer, Dr. Nathan helped launch ForSight alongside Technion Professor Moshe Shoham, a pioneer in medical robotics and founder of Mazor Robotics. Together with CEO Dr. Daniel Glozman, they’ve built a platform with the potential to democratize surgical care, especially in regions with limited access to specialists. With the world’s aging population and rising chronic disease rates, ForSight’s mission is not just to enhance surgical performance, but to make sight-saving procedures globally scalable.

OX Security: Cutting Through the Noise in Cyber Defence

In today’s cybersecurity landscape, overwhelmed teams are bombarded with alerts — many of them low-risk. OX Security takes a radically different approach, focusing only on the small percentage of vulnerabilities that could truly cripple a business. That philosophy, born in the wake of the SolarWinds hack, has resonated strongly with customers and investors alike. Since emerging from stealth in 2022 with a $34 million Seed round — one of the largest in Israeli cybersecurity history — OX Security has quickly amassed hundreds of paying clients.

The company was founded by Technion alumnus Neatsun Ziv, former VP of Threat Prevention at Check Point, alongside CPO Lior Arzi. Both are Unit 8200 veterans and cybersecurity experts with decades of combined experience. Their mission is to cut through the noise, reduce alert fatigue, and help organizations defend themselves more effectively against the threats that truly matter. With most of its early competitors already acquired, OX Security is now a standout in a space that demands clarity, speed, and precision.

Together, Decart, ForSight Robotics, and OX Security reflect the Technion’s role as a launchpad for ideas that matter — and for startups built not just to survive disruption, but to lead through it.

Outstanding Achievements for the Israeli Chemistry Team Trained at the Technion

The Israeli National Chemistry Team has won four Olympic medals — two gold and two silver — at the International Chemistry Olympiad held in the United Arab Emirates, with participation from 90 countries.

At the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), held this year in the UAE, 354 competitors from 90 countries around the world took part. The Israeli Chemistry Team proudly representing Israel:

  • Itamar Ben Shmuel – from Ramat Gan, 11th-grade student at the Kfar HaYarok School – Gold Medalist
  • Jonathan Gontmakher– from Rishon LeZion, 12th-grade student at the Krieger Real Gymnasium – Gold Medalist
  • Omer Zachary Ben-Ami – from Tel Aviv, 12th-grade student at Ironi Dalet High School – Silver Medalist
  • Yehonadav Marienberg – from Mazkeret Batya, 10th-grade student at the Har Etzion Yeshiva High School for Youth, Alon Shvut – Silver Medalist

The Ministry of Education and the Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center lead the preparation of Israel’s national science teams for participation in international olympiads. The Israeli Chemistry Team was trained at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion, led by Academic Director Prof. Zeev Gross and Head Coach Dr. Reut Shapira. Accompanying the delegation were Prof. Gross, Dr. Eyal Barnea, and Dr. Zack Patrick Sarcel.

Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch: “Behind every medal stands an Israeli student with a spark in their eyes, curiosity in their heart, and a willingness to work hard – children like Itamar, Jonathan, Omer, and Yehonadav, who dared to dream big and saw it through to the end. Each one of them represents a story of persistence, talent, and educational support that believes in the student every step of the way. The achievement at the Chemistry Olympiad is not just a peak – it’s the result of daily quiet effort, a deep partnership between the Ministry of Education, the Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center, and the Technion, and teams who never stop seeing the child, even when immersed in science. This is how we build an education system that moves forward: not waiting for success, but growing it. With consistency, humility, and deep faith in our children’s abilities.”

Technion President, Prof. Uri Sivan, thanked the Technion team that trained the delegation and said: “At the Technion, we are proud to train the next generation of Israeli scientists. The students competing in the International Chemistry Olympiads undergo screening and preparation in a special program that has been running for years at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion, under the direction of Prof. Zeev Gross. Winning the international competition is a major achievement. Jonathan, Itamar, Omer, and Yehonadav – I congratulate you. You reached the competition after much effort and have proven your excellence. I hope to see you in the future as students at the Technion – fulfilling your potential and bringing us academic pride.”

The laser missile defense system will be managed by the newly established Energy Warfare Administration in Rafael’s Land and Naval Systems Division.

With Israel’s Iron Beam laser missile defence system to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2025 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems today announced the establishment of a new Energy Warfare Administration in its Land and Naval Systems Division. The new administration will manage high-power laser systems projects.

The new administration head named only as Dr. Y. will serve under Rafael EVP & General Manager of the Land & Naval Systems Division Tzvi Marmor. Dr. Y., a graduate of the Technion with a Ph.D. in physics, joined Rafael about 12 years ago and has since held a series of senior positions in the engineering sector while leading the development and production of groundbreaking systems for national security. Among other things, she served as head of Israel’s Iron Dome production line and as head of electro-optics, which is integrated into most of the company’s advanced systems.

Rafael’s Land and Naval Systems Division at Rafael will continue to be responsible for the development, production and marketing of complete and integrative products and solutions in the areas of precision attack, including the Spike missile family, active, reactive and passive defense systems for tanks and armored vehicles, including Trophy, and Iron Beam.

The new administration will be responsible for Iron Beam in particular and the development and production of Rafael’s laser systems in general.

Rafael CEO Yoav Tourgeman said, “Dr. Y. brings with her extensive management experience of teams of hundreds of developers, as well as a deep understanding of technological needs and operational requirements. All of this will allow her to promote these flagship projects and realize the marketing and business potential in Israel and around the world.”

High-power laser system for ground-based air defense

Iron Beam is a high-power laser system for ground-based air defense, against aerial threats (rockets, mortar bombs, drones, and cruise missiles). The Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D) (MAFAT) is leading the project, along with Rafael, the main developer, and Elbit Systems.

Iron Beam be integrated into Israel’s multi-layered air defense system, alongside Iron Dome, which is an interception system for rocket threats within a range of 40 kilometers. Iron Beam will be a complementary system for intercepting rockets within a range of up to 10 kilometers, using a powerful 100 kilowatt laser beam. The major advantage of Iron Beam is in significant cost savings. While each interception with Iron Dome costs an estimated $30,000, each interception with Iron Beam will cost just $5-$10.

TEL AVIV, Israel, May 19, 2025 — Quantum Machines, the leading provider of advanced hybrid quantum-classical control solutions, announced today the release of QUAlibrate, an open-source framework for calibrating quantum computers.

The framework dramatically shortens calibration times and provides a comprehensive solution for creating, executing, and sharing calibration protocols across different quantum computing platforms. By creating an open ecosystem, QUAlibrate enables researchers and companies worldwide to build upon each other’s advances, accelerating the path to practical quantum computers.

“QUAlibrate has been transformative for our company,” said John Martinis, CTO and co-founder of Qolab. “Its automated calibration capabilities now complete full calibrations in less than 10 minutes – tasks that otherwise would demand up to two hours of manual work. This efficiency boost frees up our team to focus on accelerating our QPU development.”

Calibration has emerged as one of the most critical bottlenecks in scaling quantum computers. To properly initialize and maintain a quantum computer’s performance, calibration must be performed not just once, but frequently during operation to compensate for system drift. As quantum systems grow in size, the calibration challenge becomes exponentially more complex. For instance, calibrating a 100-qubit superconducting quantum computer from scratch can take up to two days, and even recalibrating an already-calibrated system can take an hour or more. This becomes impractical when scaling to future systems with hundreds of thousands of qubits.

“We care both about how long it takes to calibrate and about how good the calibration is, two things that sometimes collide, and this impacts the performance of the quantum computer as a whole,” said Dr. Yonatan Cohen, co-founder and CTO of Quantum Machines. “We built an open-source solution because we believe this is a challenge the community can solve together. Researchers in both academia and industry continuously develop new calibration algorithms and protocols. One day, a team in Boston might develop a protocol that increases quantum operation fidelity, the next day a European company might create a method to speed up calibrations. The path to solving this fundamental challenge lies in a collaborative approach where teams can instantly leverage each other’s advances and build on them.”

To address this fundamental challenge, Quantum Machines has developed QUAlibrate, an open-source calibration framework that transforms quantum calibration from a collection of isolated scripts into a modular, collaborative system. QUAlibrate enables researchers and quantum engineers to create reusable calibration components, combine them into complex workflows, and execute calibrations through an intuitive interface. The platform abstracts away hardware complexities, allowing teams to focus on quantum system logic rather than low-level details.

In a recent demonstration at the Israeli Quantum Computing Center (IQCC), QUAlibrate completed a multi-qubit calibration of superconducting qubits in just 140 seconds. The result demonstrates the system’s speed and efficiency in real-world conditions.

QUAlibrate’s open-source nature and modular architecture mean that when researchers develop new calibration protocols, these innovations can be immediately shared, validated, and built upon by the broader quantum computing community. Companies can also develop proprietary solutions on top of QUAlibrate that leverage advanced approaches like quantum system simulation and deep learning algorithms. This creates an ecosystem where fundamental calibration advances can be shared openly and enables specialized tools that push the boundaries of performance.

“It was fantastic to see QUAlibrate rapidly perform a complex, full tune-up on the Architect system, OQC’s partner system with OINS and Quantum Machines,” said Simon Philips, CTO of Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC). “The results clearly demonstrated the power and efficiency of QUAlibrate’s automated calibration approach, as showcased by Quantum Machines.”

“At Quantum Elements, we see QUAlibrate as a meaningful step toward a more open and empowered quantum ecosystem,” said Izhar Medalsy, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Elements. “Calibration has long been a hidden bottleneck, often locked behind proprietary tools and inaccessible workflows. By making it open source, Quantum Machines is helping turn calibration into a shared foundation the entire field can build on. We believe this kind of openness not only accelerates progress — it also gives scientists the clarity and control they need to push quantum computing forward, together.”

“QUAlibrate has laid a vital groundwork for fast, reliable and efficient calibration on our QPU while we continue to scale up the size, connectivity and fidelity,” said David T. Lee, Research Scientist at Academia Sinica. “It’s definitely a game changer.”

Along with the framework, Quantum Machines is releasing its first calibration graph for superconducting quantum computers, providing a complete calibration solution that can be immediately deployed and customized. The graph leverages QUAlibrate’s parallel calibration capabilities to dramatically reduce calibration times. Looking ahead, Quantum Machines and NVIDIA are developing software libraries that will integrate QUAlibrate with accelerators like the NVIDIA DGX Quantum, enabling even faster calibration times and higher fidelity calibrations using machine learning models.

Quantum computing researchers and engineers can begin using QUAlibrate today by accessing the open source repository at: https://github.com/qua-platform/qualibrate or visit Quantum Machines’ website to learn more: https://www.quantum-machines.co/products/QUAlibrate.

About Quantum Machines

Quantum Machines (QM) is a leading provider of quantum control solutions, driving the advancement of quantum computing with its Hybrid Control approach. By harmonizing quantum and classical operations, Hybrid Control eliminates friction and optimizes performance across hardware and software, enabling researchers and builders to iterate at speed, resolve setbacks, and bring visionary ideas to life. Its platform supports any type of quantum processor, empowering the industry to scale systems, accelerate breakthroughs, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Medical robotics first entered general surgery in the 1980s with laparoscopic tools that enabled minimally invasive procedures, reducing incision size and recovery time. These early systems extended surgeons’ capabilities, transforming the surgical landscape.

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in a new era of precision and control in the operating room. Yet despite this progress, robotic systems remain limited to select procedures, leaving most surgeries dependent on traditional methods — and many patients without the benefits of enhanced consistency and outcomes.

As medical technology continues to evolve, how can AI applications in surgical robotics scale to transform healthcare on a broader level?

Fueled by increased robotic VC funding and the digital transformation of the last five years, the robotics industry is seeing fast-tracked market results with no signs of stopping. Earlier this year, Nvidia announced its intent to increase investments in its robot development, signaling a positive shift for the future of robotics. Similar investments in robotics by large-scale players will further advance robotic technology through data collection and machine learning, while providing additional resources and insights.

Surgical robotics industry leaders, such as Intuitive Surgical, Medtronic, and Stryker, have pioneered robotic-assisted surgeries for various procedures. Since introducing its da Vinci system for general surgery in 2000, Intuitive Surgical has continued to iterate its robotic platform to expand its offerings to cardiac, bariatric, gynecology, and thoracic surgeries, among others. With the mass adoption of robotic-assisted surgeries, surgical robotics have consistently been adopted at a faster scale. Between 2012 and 2018 alone, robotic-assisted procedures rose 738% in general surgery.

Looking ahead, surgical robotics have even greater market potential, and are predicted to grow to over $14 billion by 2026 – up from just over $10 billion in 2023. This is mainly due to greater access to robotic surgery procedures, advancements in automation and digital technologies, and new players who aim to deliver cutting-edge medical solutions that harness the power of AI.

Deep Tech Approach

Built on the intersection of disciplines, deep tech merges multidisciplinary technologies such as AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and robotics to usher in a new era of technology. Startups embracing a deep tech approach in robotic surgery are creating innovative solutions for the future, as can be seen in healthtech development, which can improve patient access to critical medical care. With deep tech development, surgical procedures may become fully automated down the road, requiring minimal surgeon assistance and significantly expanding access to treatment.

Emerging deep tech technologies in surgical robotics can make a lasting global impact. With roughly two-thirds of the worldwide population – 5 billion people – lacking access to surgical treatment, these new modalities, powered by AI, can expand general access and close the surgical care gap.

Fusing AI and Surgical Robotics

AI has innovated and changed how we interact with different technologies and each other. Over the last five years, the transformation brought on by AI has accelerated the development of robotics and created additional applications for AI within different modalities, including robotic surgery.

Here are three essential ways AI is making a fast and profound impact:

1. Embodied AI

Technology is changing how we interact with our environment and the people around us. Embodied AI, which includes autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots, is the fusion of AI with physical systems to execute complex tasks in real-world settings. When embodied AI is applied to surgical robotics, it has the potential to have long-lasting impacts on enhancing surgical care and improving existing techniques. However, embodied AI requires significant real-world data to develop training simulation models, which are used to train and expand AI capabilities and improve data-driven insights. Until recently, access to large amounts of training data has been somewhat limited; however, as the industry continues to invest in the training and development of AI models, the simulated data pools are growing at a quicker pace and improving embodied AI functionality.

2. Continuous Data Insights and Guidance

AI-based systems can absorb and comprehend large swaths of information in seconds – much faster than the human brain. By training machines on large data sets, data-driven insights can inform surgical decisions before surgeons even set foot in the OR. AI-driven training simulations can significantly benefit surgeons, as training on data sets that are based on thousands of surgeries provide surgeons with trends and techniques to deliver a better patient experience, and also allow them to prepare for and understand the intricacies of rare or complex cases before they face them in the OR. This process can significantly accelerate and shorten the long learning curve surgeons face when training to reach peak surgical performance.

When applied to real-time imaging and visualization technologies, AI-driven data can also enhance surgeons’ decision-making capabilities during operations. By providing surgeons with insights to adjust surgical plans during procedures, AI-based systems can empower surgeons to optimize techniques and approaches in real-time. Through AI-driven imaging systems, surgeons can receive advanced imaging analytics and real-time 3D “maps” of the surgical sites. These augmented overlays can give surgeons expanded insights into the surgical field alongside real-time feedback on their surgical techniques. Robotic surgery platforms are at the forefront of integrating this technology into the OR, with the goal of increasing surgical precision and outcomes.

Furthermore, by providing ongoing feedback post-operation, AI-based systems can provide valuable feedback to surgeons about their performances during procedures – highlighting weaknesses and strengths, and suggesting specific strategies on how to improve them. Such platforms can also recommend new treatment plans based on each patient’s history and the particular procedure’s data analysis, and empower surgeons with additional information that can enhance further treatment. As such, AI platforms have the potential to absorb and adapt surgical feedback throughout the full surgical cycle (before, during, and after) through an AI feedback loop to increase surgeons’ precision and performance.

3. Increased Accuracy and Precision

Individual surgical skills often vary among surgeons due to their access to top-tier opportunities, from program location to surgical mentorship access. For instance,  the field of ophthalmology has a steep learning curve. On average, it takes at least 15 years of training and surgical experience to reach peak performance as an ophthalmic surgeon. With a growing aging population and a dwindling number of surgeons, a new solution is needed to reduce the surgeon’s training period and standardize the accuracy and precision of care for all.

In addition to reducing the learning curve for surgeons and allowing them to reach peak performance faster, introducing AI-based platforms into the surgical process can increase accuracy and precision and may improve suboptimal outcomes. Semi-autonomous and increasingly autonomous features in robotic platforms can eliminate the surgeon’s natural hand tremor and improve overall precision and accuracy, thus improving clinical outcomes. In addition, the ability of AI-based systems to recognize unique anatomical structures and provide the exact location for incisions and other surgical steps – especially in complex procedures or anatomical areas – can significantly reduce the rate of surgeon errors by improving spatial awareness of anatomical structures. As such, all surgeons utilizing AI-based systems will be able to provide consistently more precise care.

When incorporated into the surgical process, AI-based robotic platforms provide invaluable insights that can enhance the overall experience for both the patient and the surgeon.

Conclusion

AI will continue to play a significant role in advancing healthcare in the future. Incorporating advanced AI technologies into our healthcare services, such as electronic filing, diagnostics, and health monitoring and tracking, as well as surgical care, is imperative. In doing so, we can improve the overall patient and surgeon experience.

In robotic surgery, AI  is expediting the technology’s transformation and patient access to consistent, high-tier treatment. Advancements in robotics, coupled with AI and automation, will continue to usher in new applications, creating a higher level of standardised care and launching healthcare quality and access to new heights.

Technion team discover proteins in human breast milk can help deliver sensitive medical compounds, such as vaccines and insulin, through digestive system into bloodstream

Technion Prof. Assaf Zinger is working to make medications and vaccines more accessible by allowing people to take them in liquid form rather than by injection. The concept is based on how breastmilk delivers sensitive compounds directly into the bloodstream via the digestive system, which his team aims to replicate. They plan to combine nanoparticles and breast milk proteins, which they believe could develop into “taxis” to transport drugs, vaccines, and other vital compounds into the bloodstream. Such a breakthrough could help prevent and treat conditions such as inflammation, diabetes, infections, cancer, and malnutrition, significantly improving patient care, particularly for those with chronic or acute illnesses. Their study was recently published in the Journal of Controlled Release.

Imagine a world where antibodies, proteins such as insulin, and even COVID-19 and flu vaccines could be consumed orally instead of injected. This vision is closer than ever. The fundamental idea is to make medications and vaccines more accessible by allowing people to take them in liquid form rather than by injection.

The inspiration for this research came from home—literally. Dr. Asaf Singer, a researcher at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, observed his wife, Noa, breastfeeding their two daughters. He wondered how breast milk could naturally deliver so many essential substances to infants. 

The deeper he delved into the topic, the more he realized that breast milk is far more than just nutrition—it is a sophisticated biological transport system capable of something that medicine has long struggled with: delivering sensitive compounds directly into the bloodstream via the digestive system. This is exactly what his research team aims to replicate.

Their study was recently published in the Journal of Controlled Release under the title: “Harnessing the Potential of Human Breast Milk to Enhance Intestinal Permeability for Nanoparticles and Macromolecules.” Conducted in collaboration with two Technion faculties, the research highlights the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation.

The Secret of Breast Milk

Breast milk is a remarkable fluid containing a wide range of essential components. To affect an infant’s health, these substances must pass from the digestive system into the bloodstream. This requires crossing biological barriers, including the intestinal barrier—a large membrane separating the inside of the gut from the circulatory system. The body typically distinguishes between beneficial and harmful substances, which is why some oral medications fail to reach their intended targets. However, breast milk contains special proteins that “convince” the body to let them pass.

Doctoral student Si Naftaly, who co-led the study with Singer, posed a crucial question: If substances in breast milk can cross this barrier, then the milk must contain “keys” that enable them to do so. What are these keys? To investigate, the researchers compared human breast milk, cow’s milk, and infant formula. Breast milk demonstrated the highest permeability through the intestinal barrier.

To conduct the research, a significant supply of breast milk was needed. Due to the October 7 attack and its aftermath, breast milk donations in Israel were directed toward orphans. As a result, the research team turned to mothers at the Technion to collect donations for the study.

How Does It Work?

The study uncovered a key mechanism: a natural protein coating from breast milk, termed Human Breast Milk Protein Corona, which facilitates the passage of nanoparticles (ultra-small particles) through the intestinal wall. This discovery was confirmed in both human intestinal cells and pig intestines, which closely resemble human digestive physiology.

Breast milk serves as the primary, and sometimes only, source of nutrition for infants. It is a complex and dynamic liquid that adapts to a baby’s needs, supplying enzymes, growth factors, hormones, antibodies, nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and cells. These components are crucial for the development of various bodily systems. Unlike infant formula, which is uniform in composition, breast milk varies based on numerous factors related to the mother. Awareness of its medical value has grown in recent years, and it is now recognised as a natural remedy for various diseases, particularly those affecting the intestines.

The study provides a solution for delivering nanoparticles and molecules from the digestive system to the bloodstream. Based on these findings, the next step is an engineering and applied research phase—developing nanoparticles that mimic this mechanism, ensuring their successful passage through the intestinal barrier. These nanoparticles could carry various medical payloads, including RNA vaccines, proteins, and contrast agents for imaging. Their protective properties help shield medical compounds from the harsh conditions of the digestive system, making them a promising drug delivery method.

What Does This Mean for the Future of Vaccines?

By combining two natural elements—nanoparticles and breast milk proteins—the researchers believe they can develop tiny “taxis” to transport drugs, vaccines, and other vital compounds into the bloodstream. This concept could revolutionize medicine by replacing injections with orally administered treatments. Such a breakthrough could help prevent and treat conditions such as inflammation, diabetes, infections, cancer, and malnutrition, significantly improving patient care, particularly for those with chronic or acute illnesses.

The study was led by Dr. Asaf Singer and doctoral student Si Naftaly, along with Prof. Maya Davidovich-Pinhas from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering at the Technion, and four additional students from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering. 

It was supported by the Israel Science Foundation, the Israel Cancer Research Fund, the Stuart & Linda Resnick Sustainability and Catalysis Institute at the Technion, the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, the Bruce & Ruth Rappaport Cancer Research Institute, the Alon Fellowship, the Noam Seiden Fellowship in Nanotechnology and Optoelectronics, and the European Research Council’s “Milkosomes” grant.

The company is developing DeltaStem, an AI-driven platform designed to improve the production of human cells for therapeutic use.

Somite AI, a biotechnology company developing AI tools for human cell therapy, has raised over $47 million in a Series A funding round led by Khosla Ventures. Other participants include Max Levchin’s SciFi Ventures, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Fusion Fund, Ajinomoto, Pitango HealthTech, TechAviv, Harpoon Ventures, along with angel investor and former Chairman of Recursion, Dr. R. Martin Chavez.

The company, which once called itself “the OpenAI of stem cell biology”, has also welcomed its new CEO of Applications and Board Member Fidji Simo as an investor. Earlier investors included Texas Venture Partners, and this new round brings its total funding to roughly $60 million.

Somite AI is developing DeltaStem, an AI-driven platform designed to improve the production of human cells for therapeutic use. The new funding will advance its capabilities and support programs targeting Type 1 Diabetes, orthopedic injuries, muscular diseases, and blood disorders.

“We’re building the foundation model for the human cell,” said Founder and CEO Dr. Micha Breakstone. “By generating the world’s largest cell signaling dataset at 1000x the efficiency of current methods, we’re training DeltaStem to deliver protocols with unmatched purity, scalability, and reliability. We are rapidly driving towards an AlphaFold moment for developmental biology, enabling the scalable production of any cell, for anyone.”

Somite AI’s capsule technology generates large-scale cell state transition data that feeds into the DeltaStem model. According to the company, this allows faster development of cell differentiation protocols compared to traditional approaches.

“I think we’re really at a dawn of a new age where we’re really using or leveraging AI to usher in this new age or era of human regeneration and repair,” Breakstone added, in an interview with CTech. “I think if you believe in AI and the exciting opportunities that it yields and the ability to make us more creative, smarter, more intelligent, more prosperous, I think the next frontier is actually not resigning ourselves to letting our own body deteriorate. I think that is what Somite is about: to come in and replenish the body with our own types of cells, but any type of cell to cure diseases. That’s the next level of prosperity and abundance that we want to be ushering in.”

Somite AI was co-founded by Breakstone, a serial AI entrepreneur, and Dr. Jonathan Rosenfeld, Head of the Fundamental AI Group at MIT. Other co-founders include Harvard and University of Washington researchers Prof. Olivier Pourquié, Prof. Allon Klein, Prof. Jay Shendure, and Prof. Cliff Tabin.

“Traditional cell therapies are expensive, slow to develop, and unpredictable. AI can systematically solve these challenges,” added Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. “Somite AI’s foundation models, once fully developed and validated, will not only create value for their own pipeline, but have the potential to reshape the entire field of human cell therapy.”