Ruti Levy
Verified
Biomed/ Health Tech Journalist @TheMarker, business supplement of @Haaretz | ruti.levy@themarker.com
Articles by Ruti Levy
A Different Kind of Exit Israel Is Still Creating Tech Companies. They're Just Growing Somewhere Else
A new report points to a steady migration of jobs, research activity and decision-making centers abroad, even as high-tech remains the engine of Israel's economy Share to FacebookShare to X Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe 12:24 AM • June 01 2026 IDT For years, Israelis have measured the health of the local high-tech sector through...
FDA approves pancreatic cancer device that extends survival from Israeli-founded Novocure
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Israel-founded company Novocure to market a wearable device for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease. The device, Optune Pax, uses high-frequency electric fields and is designed to be used in combination with standard chemotherapy drugs gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The electrical treatment not only extended patients' lives on average, but also delayed the worsening of pain by about six months.
'Turns Out You Can Even Kill Cadavers': Inside the Scientific and Financial Catastrophe Iran Left in Israel
The Weizmann Institute and Ben-Gurion University suffered catastrophic damage from Iranian missile strikes. Buildings collapsed, irreplaceable research samples were destroyed, and entire colonies of lab animals were lost.
Pee size: The Israeli neuroscientist turning urine samples into miniature brains
Nisim Perets pulls a small test tube from his bag. A translucent, pea-size white lump floats gently in the tube. "This is a brain," he says. "These are brain cells from a child on the autism spectrum. We grew it from urine." This is no metaphor but rather, a three-dimensional tissue of human brain cells cultivated in lab conditions. It is capable of reacting to stimuli, sending electrical signals and even – according to preliminary tests – learning.
Unable to Cure Their Kids' Ultra-rare Diseases, Israeli Parents Built Company Saving Others
The technology of QRGenetics identifies the activity of defective proteins in children with ultra-rare disease with no cure, and seeks out existing drugs for other uses – that may change the course of the disease.
'Wow, This Is Happening Fast': Why Elon Musk Is Excited About Game-changing Israeli Startup
Just four months after a giant seed round, Decart has raised another $32 million. Its software speeds up AI training, but investors – and the gamers community – are drawn to its generative game model Dec 22, 2024 Send in e-mailSend in e-mail Dec 22, 2024 Israeli startup Decart, formed by veterans of the army's 8200 intelligence unit, is a game changer. In the most literal sense.
Is the startup nation another Israeli illusion about to go bust?
According to a new study by RISE, the number of new Israeli technology companies has plummeted by 45 percent in the past decade. The rate of major successes is also alarming Ruti Levy Dec 10, 2024 12:15 pm IST Dec 10, 2024 12:15 pm IST Send in e-mailSend in e-mail Ruti Levy Dec 10, 2024 12:15 pm IST Dec 10, 2024 12:15 pm IST "Everything will be okay" is the narrative accompanying the consistent and ongoing decline in the number of new startups being established in Israel.
The Israeli startup making it possible
When EyeControl embarked on its road in 2016, the startup's founders could not have foreseen the terrible timing at which its product would mature, and become a key tool in care at intensive care units. Dr. Ami Mayo [SP], Head of the Intensive care unit (ICU) at the Assuta Ashdod public hospital, admits he was surprised when a patient, who awoke intensely agitated, calmed down when the company's device, a light-weight headband with an earphone and a camera, was placed on his head.
Eat meat without killing animals? Israel is first to approve sell of cultivated beef
A year from now, or maybe less, Israelis will be able to eat steak produced in a way that doesn't involve slaughtering animals. On Wednesday, Rehovot-based Aleph Farms announced that it has obtained the first approval of its kind anywhere in the world from the Israeli Health Ministry to market its cultivated beef.
Con artist or misunderstood entrepreneur?
Israeli entrepreneur Ilit Raz became a tech star with Joonko, the company she co-founded, and top Israeli and American venture funds were pouring money in ■ But former employees recall a tyrant who the board says cooked the books ■ 'The jumble of claims presented in this article are, at best, cheap gossip,' says Raz Until a few weeks ago, Ilit Raz, founder and CEO of startup Joonko, was celebrated as an unusual success story.
An Israeli tech scam? U.S. investors lose millions to promising entrepreneur
Until a few weeks ago, Ilit Raz, founder and CEO of startup Joonko, was celebrated as an unusual success story. A relative unknown, she had co-founded a software company focusing on a market which rarely attracts investors - workplace diversity - and was putting up stellar growth numbers. Top Israeli and American venture funds were pouring in money. The company raised tens of millions of dollars at a time when investors around the world were shunning big risks.
Israeli startup's safe alternative
Invasive tests such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are considered the most reliable way to identify genetic disorders during pregnancy, but are stressful for women as they carry a certain amount of risk to the fetus. For this and other reasons, many pregnant women do not take these important tests.
These Israeli dogs could save your life
A zoologist, a dog trainer and a scientist specializing in smells don't sound like the typical team behind a technology startup, but SpotItEarly, which is developing technology for the early detection of disease, is no typical startup. Nor is its location - SpotItEarly works out of what used to be Kibbutz Hamaapil's dental clinic, amid green lawns and winter pools brimming with birds.
She was Israel's first female attack helicopter pilot. Now she's battling in-flight turbulence
A latchkey kid who grew up in Hadera, Maya Shpak clawed her way back into an air force pilots course from which she'd been ejected, to become Israel's first female attack helicopter pilot. Today she’s CEO of SkyPath, a startup that provides invaluable data to airlines about turbulence Maya Shpak was on a United Airlines domestic flight in the United States when the pilot announced, “The area ahead of us shows turbulence.
She was Israel's first female attack helicopter pilot. Now she's battling in-flight turbulence
A latchkey kid who grew up in Hadera, Maya Shpak clawed her way back into an air force pilots course from which she'd been ejected, to become Israel's first female attack helicopter pilot. Today she’s CEO of SkyPath, a startup that provides invaluable data to airlines about turbulence Jul 15, 2022 12:49 AM Jul 15, 2022 12:49 AM Maya Shpak was on a United Airlines domestic flight in the United States when the pilot announced, “The area ahead of us shows turbulence.
Chinese giant Alibaba to close Israel R&D center
Chinese multinational Alibaba plans to close its Israeli development center, according to an email sent to employees on Sunday and obtained by Haaretz. The center, operating from the square Azrieli tower, currently employs around 40 workers – most with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI). Six months ago, the two senior directors of the Israeli center left the company – Prof.
Made in Israel: First AI-designed antibody could lead to eradication of tumors
In recent weeks certain doctors and patients with terminal cancer in Australia have been participating in a highly important experiment. The doctors are injecting the patients with an antibody that they hope will activate a molecule familiarly known as IL-2, which is naturally produced in the human body and can eradicate tumors.
One of Israel’s most successful venture capitalists opens his books
Oren Zeev is not the classic investor. He has no partners or analysts, and his office is actually a café (Café Venetia) in Silicon Valley. Since 2015, Zeev has headed his own venture capital firm, Zeev Ventures, which manages $1.65 billion he has raised from the endowments of leading universities and private investors such as Peter Thiel.
From a lab in Israel: The first antibody designed by AI enters clinical trials
Aulos Biosciences is now recruiting cancer patients in Australian medical centers for a trial of the world’s first antibody drug designed by a computer. The computationally designed antibody, known as AU-007, was planned by the artificial intelligence platform of Israeli biotech company Biolojic Design from Rehovot, in a way that would target a protein in the human body known as interleukin-2 (IL-2). The goal is for the IL-2 pathway to activate the body’s immune system and attack the tumors.
Born in Israel: The first rapid home pregnancy test using saliva
In recent months, four PhDs and a professor have been splitting their time between Jerusalem and northern Israel. With an investment of roughly $2.5 million, they have established a 1,000 square meter (11,000 square foot) assembly plant at the Lavon industrial park in the Galilee, just north of Carmiel. On the first floor of the plant, a robot sits next to a small window overlooking forklifts. It’s turning plastic handles on a kind of carousel, placing sealing rings on them.
AI vs dog poop: ‘Black mirror’ in Israel as town eyes autonomous enforcement
A central Israeli city announced it is forming a partnership with an artificial intelligence firm with the goal of setting up an automatic enforcement system for the city. Netanya, a coastal city located to the north of Tel Aviv, announced its intention of working with a firm called Incontrol and acquiring their artificial intelligence system.
Exclusive: Intel to buy Israeli cloud service startup Granulate for $650m
American tech giant Intel is on the cusp of inking a deal to buy the Israeli startup Granulate for some $650 million, Haaretz has learned. The deal is not yet final but according to the current agreement, roughly $100 million is intended for severance packages and talent retention of 70 of the Israeli firm’s workers. “The employees are about to become millionaires,” a source with knowledge of the deal said. Granulate was set up in 2018 by Assaf Ezra and Tal Sayag.
Bags of diamonds, kidnappings and private eyes: Israeli firm fights copycat in India
The 20,000 pages of the lawsuit filed by Sarine against Indian company DBC contain all the elements of a good thriller film: Private investigators, sacks of diamonds, the abduction of a witness’s father, incriminating videos, and even machines stored in an office in India that were copied in full from their original, down to the redundant screw.
The Walmart deal: Meet one of the only Israeli women to seal a nine-figure exit
Late one evening in mid-May, during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Walls, entrepreneur Yael Vizel, founder of the Zeekit startup – which, using artificial intelligence, enables clothes to be tried on via a dynamic virtual platform – left the den of her Tel Aviv home after concluding a decisive Zoom meeting. Long months of negotiations, over minute contractual clauses, had ended, and a deal to sell Zeekit to the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, had been wrapped up.
The 20 most promising Israeli startups to follow in 2021
Throughout the year, Haaretz’s hi-tech and technology reporters meet and speak with hundreds of startups and entrepreneurs, and each year, around July, we collect those that impressed us the most. It can be an eloquent entrepreneur, an intriguing product, or an exciting goal. It’s important to us that there be well-known investors behind the company, who have done due diligence, and we make sure to find out, consult, and verify that the company is the real deal and actually has a real product.
The 20 most promising Israeli startups to follow in 2021
Throughout the year, Haaretz’s hi-tech and technology reporters meet and speak with hundreds of startups and entrepreneurs, and each year, around July, we collect those that impressed us the most. It can be an eloquent entrepreneur, an intriguing product, or an exciting goal. It’s important to us that there be well-known investors behind the company, who have done due diligence, and we make sure to find out, consult, and verify that the company is the real deal and actually has a real product.
The next big names: The 20 most promising Israeli startups in 2021
Throughout the year, Haaretz’s hi-tech and technology reporters meet and speak with hundreds of startups and entrepreneurs, and each year, around July, we collect those that impressed us the most. It can be an eloquent entrepreneur, an intriguing product, or an exciting goal. It’s important to us that there be well-known investors behind the company, who have done due diligence, and we make sure to find out, consult, and verify that the company is the real deal and actually has a real product.
‘The Israeli Sherlock Holmes’: How a 7th grade project turned into a multi-million startup
In late February, only one day after he’d signed a deal involving the sale of most of the shares of online genealogy platform MyHeritage to the private equity firm Francisco Partners for $650 million, Gilad Japhet was already immersed in another project. He was getting ready to launch a new tool that would animate the faces from old photos.
Startup Nation registers record low of new startups
Israel may have a new record low of startup companies, data recently obtained by Haaretz indicates. A chart made by the IVC Research Center has – seemingly – worrying data: The chart highlights the long-term and continued drop in the number of technological startups founded in Israel. This trend is not new. It has been underway for six years.
The Israeli startup trying to reimagine wheat
Dr. Anna Chuprin doesn’t have much time for telephone calls in the lab, but for some calls she’ll put everything on hold. This doesn’t happen often, maybe twice or three times a week, when she is notified by one of Israel’s hospitals that a potential celiac patient is undergoing a biopsy and has agreed to donate part of it for research being conducted by Ukko, the startup company Chuprin works for as an immunologist.
Israeli cyber firm Orca Security hits unicorn status with latest fundraising round
Cybersecurity company Orca Security announced Tuesday that it completed a $210 million fundraising round that gives the company a valuation of $1.2 billion post-money. The company was founded all of two years ago, and has raised a total of $300 million, including the current round. The previous round, of $55 million, was completed three months ago.
Wix is bringing its web design training program to Israel
The website design platform Wix has said it's planning to bring its Wix Playground Academy to Israel, where the company is based, this July. The program is meant for design students and freelance web designers in the early stages of their careers. The program has already been held twice since 2018 at company offices in New York City, an online version of the course was recently conducted in Europe and some of the academy's 150 graduates have already found jobs in high-tech.
‘One of the best inventions ever': Israeli startup solves 170-year-old problem
News and Partnerships Life and Culture Columnists and Opinion Haaretz Heb and TheMarker Haaretz.com, the online English edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, gives you breaking news, analyses and opinions about Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. © Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Israel’s eToro to merge with SPAC at $10.4 million evaluation
The social online investment platform eToro will merge with a so-called SPAC at a corporate valuation of $10.4 billion, the company announced on Tuesday. After discounting eToro's cash reserves, the deal with FinTech Acquisition Corp V is worth $9.6 billion. eToro will be raising $850 million through the merger, including $250 million from the SPAC and another $650 million from investors including Softbank, ION, Third Point, Fidelity and Wellington Management.
‘One of the best inventions ever': Israeli startup solves 170-year-old problem
Eliyah Radzyner, 36, has been fascinated by bees for a long time. He began raising them in his backyard while studying at the Hebrew University’s Agriculture Faculty, and afterward he worked at an apiary in northern Israel. His day would begin at 4 A.M. “Beekeepers need to take advantage of all the daylight hours to understand what’s happening in all their hives,” he explains.
This Israeli firm wants to hack gluten and peanut allergies. Big pharma is investing
Bayer, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, has invested $40 million in an Israeli start-up which is developing solutions for allergies and food sensitivities using artificial intelligence and protein engineering. The start-up, called Ukko, is focusing on two strategies.
The Israeli professor who actually made the world a better place with data compression
The personal story of Jacob Ziv, 89, is woven into the fabric of Israeli high-tech’s history. You’ve probably never heard of him, but you have certainly used technology based on his mathematical inventions - most famously lossless compression of data which enables us to use files like PDF, GIF, MP3 and countless others. Ziv was one of the first Israeli scientists who completed their doctoral studies abroad and returned to teach at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, in Haifa.
When an Israeli farmer declared war on an algorithm
A tax dispute between a ranch in Israel’s southern Negev desert and the country’s tax authority has given rise to an issue which could have far reaching repercussions on the public’s ability to oversee and even understand government acts. The issue, currently being debated in the Justice Ministry, is whether a software or its source code can be seen as “information” the authorities are obliged to disclose to the public.
Startup feeding frenzy: How Israeli high-tech firms are scooping up the cash
For the past few months, a relatively rare event has become nearly commonplace: startups that have doubled or even tripled their value in the private market within a brief period, sometimes in less than a year. Just a few examples: In August, the Israeli startup Gong.io, which uses artificial intelligence to analyze sales conversations, announced a $200 million funding round that gave the company a valuation of $2.2 billion (all figures are post-money), triple that of December 2019.
MeToo? A start-up that covered up sexual harassment raised $70m
Ronni Zehavi, founder and CEO of the high-tech start-up Hibob, can breathe a sigh of relief following a sexual harassment scandal reported by TheMarker in January. It’s still business as usual at the firm and the money keeps pouring in. On Thursday, the media reported that Hibob had finished raising the enormous sum of $70 million, led by two new investors.
Without an IPO, Israeli startup Innoviz to list at a $1.4b valuation
The Israel startup Innoviz Technologies, which has developed LiDAR sensors that enable self-driving cars to see their surroundings, said on Friday it would list on the Nasdaq Stock Market by merging with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. The SPAC, which is a “blank check” corporation formed to take companies public without an initial public offering, is called Collective Growth Corporation.
How two ultra-Orthodox men created Israel's most promising startup
Yoni Luksenberg relates that when he walks around Bnei Brak, the ultra-Orthodoc city in central Israel that he and many devout Jews call their hometown, young Haredi men will occasionally stop him to tell him about their idea for a great new app or website. It began after the first time he appeared in the newspaper. Word got out. "I'm an anomaly," he admits.
‘AI firms destroy jobs – we try to preserve them’
In a supermarket in central Israel two classic cashiers were replaced by four self-service checkout stations. The number of checkout clerks was reduced as well, because instead of two clerks per shift, only one was needed to oversee the four digital stations and quickly help customers who were having trouble.
‘It’s the software Plato would have developed’: Meet Israel’s most philosophical start-up
The Tel Aviv startup Ment.io has a somewhat strange way of making decisions. Every issue that comes up among the executive members is published as a question in a program the company has developed and is visible to its 20 employees. Ment.io invites its workers to take part in any discussion they want to, even on the most sensitive decisions. It could be a question about the company’s business development, concerns about a new feature or even how fun days should be held.
Dramatic rise in number of Arabs in Israel studying STEM
The number of Arabs majoring in computer science, math, computer engineering and electronics rose in the 2019/20 academic year to 4,534 students, a 12 percent rise over the previous year. In the 2015/16 academic year the number of STEM students from Israel’s Arab population was only 2,691, meaning that in those few years the number rose by 68 percent. During those same years, the total number of Arab undergraduates rose only 30 percent.
The Israeli-run university that enrolled over 20,000 new students during coronavirus
University of the People (UoPeople) is not a normal academic institution. It has no buildings and no “live” lectures. In fact, all of its instruction is based on text. Though it has over 40,000 students, the number of participants in every course is never more than 30, and classes are held in an online collaborative group forum in which students are required to respond to one another and make a significant and original contribution to the discussion.
The only American university that doubled its enrollment during coronavirus
Israel News | Tech News Coronavirus has driven thousands from across the world to study for a degree at University of the People (UoPeople), which was founded by an Israeli and is accredited. Among its students: refugees and undocumented immigrants Published on 22.10.2020 Published on 22.10.2020 University of the People (UoPeople) is not a normal academic institution. It has no buildings and no “live” lectures. In fact, all of its instruction is based on text.
This PowerPoint deck earned an Israeli startup $150m in 100 hours
Tipalti, an Israeli payment automation firm, announced on Tuesday that it has raised over $150 million in funding based on an evaluation of $2.05 billion. The company’s founder shared with us the pitch deck they used, and helped them raise the funds in just four days. Chen Amit, the company’s founder and CEO, told Haaretz’s sister publication TheMarker that he met Henry Ellenbogen from Durable Capital Partners, which led the latest funding round, over a Zoom meeting three weeks ago.
The Israeli tech company making sure workers worldwide get paid despite coronavirus
At the height of the epidemic in Italy, Eynat Guez, CEO of Papaya Global, received an urgent call from an Israeli start-up. They were agitated and told her that the local supplier who manages their salaries in Italy was not answering, and that they now feared they would not be able to pay their employees there on time. They thought that Papaya, which provides wage management software, might be able to help out.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Ruti
Contact Ruti, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack