Mark Klein

I recently had the pleasure of joining Eyal David on the Product Builder Podcast to share the journey of building Kai.ai and how we’re reshaping emotional support through AI-augmented therapy . What’s AI-augmented therapy? It’s a unique approach that combines human therapists' expertise and empathy with AI's scalability and personalization. This ensures that support is both accessible and deeply tailored to individual needs. In the episode, we discussed: * The growing need for mental health solutions, especially for Gen Z: How we create stigma-free support that seamlessly fits into everyday life. * Why mental health matters for organizations: Supporting employee well-being boosts retention and performance. A big thanks to Eyal David for an engaging conversation and for exploring how we can make mental health a priority in the workplace. Links to the full episode in the first comment. If you’re a leader looking to support your team’s well-being and want to learn more about how Kai can help, feel free to reach out . #MentalHealth #EmployeeWellBeing #FutureOfWork #GenZ —------------------------

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Tech Transfer – Have You Tried It? Bridging the gap between research and commercial application is never simple, but it’s an essential leap for innovation, especially in the #foodtech sector that relies on deeptech and biology that takes time to develop. The journey often starts with tough negotiations over licensing agreements. Universities do an excellent job protecting their IP and ensuring their future incomes, and continues with the clash of cultures - academia thrives on exploration and discovery, while the industry needs fast, market-ready solutions. The timelines and priorities don’t always align. Medium Well Technological Solutions began as a spin-off from a concept that emerged at the The Hebrew University of Jerusalem . Like many ventures starting from academia, our path has been complex. But despite the challenges and the physical distance between our labs (initially 200 km apart and then down to 100 km…), we’ve managed to operate as a cohesive team, supporting each other every step of the way. The most important lessons we learned for positive collaboration: 📢 Effective Communication: we kept regular and transparent communication to bridge the gaps and align goals. 🔬 Leverage University Resources: we enjoyed access to advanced analytics, state-of-the-art labs, and experience across various fields. These resources can significantly boost a lean startup, especially in a sector as technically demanding as foodtech. 📈 Plan for Scale Early: We considered scalability and commercialization from the very beginning, and always focused on finding the right moment to transition from research to product development.

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CASE STORY - PART II ------- We are on with the second part of story about our implementation to Tel Aviv Medical Center - T.A.M.C Ltd. This time it's more detailed, and tells about how we moved this medical center from 6 systems to one. All-in-one is one of the basic concepts of our software. We really thing, that using multiple solutions (sometimes over 30) only make your clinic way less efficient. If you have a software mess in your medical center or chain of clinics - that one is for you 😊 https://lnkd.in/eQM-tNK8

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Tel-aviv has improved its position among the top startup ecosystems worldwide according to Startup Genome's 2024 report (https://lnkd.in/dN3aUa_h). What a powerful evidence of Israeli startup and innovation environment's resilience and the unshaken trust of the global investor community. The Israeli high-tech sector remains to be the engine of the nation’s economy, accounting for 18% of GDP, 48% of exports, and 11% of workforce. At Tachles VC we are proud we can back the next generation of cyber, cloud and infrastructure AI Israeli-born start-ups. Karel Tušek, Sivan Kanev, Boris Chovnik, Robin Bienfait

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Startup Nation Central - Once again, Israeli innovation has proven resilient. Israel’s investment landscape achieved modest growth in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023. Some Highlights: 🔼 #PrivateFunding Increase: Israeli private funding rose by 9% to $1.8 billion across 114 rounds, indicating robust growth and stabilization in the investment sector. 🤝 #MergersAcquisitions Growth: M&A activity in Israel surged to $2 billion, with significant acquisitions marking the most active quarter since early 2022. 💯 #MegaRounds: The quarter featured six mega-rounds totaling $716 million, emphasizing a shift towards larger, quality-focused investments. 🦾 #HealthTech Sector Recovery: Despite declines in private funding, public health tech companies experienced a recovery with significant deals in Q1 2024. This report vividly demonstrates that #Israelistartups are a radiant beacon of hope and innovation, consistently overcoming challenges with remarkable resilience, inspiring and propelling the #globaltech community forward with unstoppable momentum! #IsraeliTech #StartUpNation https://lnkd.in/dQCbh3qa

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Due to the events in Israel, I've been getting many questions from Founders & CEOs about fundraising and building partnerships in the US. Having worked there for 12 years, summarizing the key points from the conversations here: 1. As the United States is more isolated than Europe, Americans are less exposed to war and global issues, which can make them more sensitive to them. It’s important to address this head-on and explain what life is like in Israel and the real impact. Although your U.S. counterparts may be polite, they will most likely be concerned about it. 2. U.S. companies are known to sign deals faster than other regions such as in APAC or EMEA. For this reason, it’s important to respond quickly to messages, with accurate information, and to be prepared. Structure the deal quickly and carefully – this is in contrast to a place like China, where you might work on the relationship for many months and start business proceedings. In the U.S., the business takes precedent over the relationship i.e. the merits of the deal. 3. I’ve seen Israelis assume that they are similar in professional style to Americans, but this is typically not the case. Israelis can be perceived as casual, direct, and sometimes arrogant; and we need to be aware of that. It can help if you’re able to work with someone who has experience in both worlds and can navigate cultures. 4. To sign a large deal or partnership, traveling to the U.S. is typically required. Being there to shake hands is very important, and most investors will not agree to a deal without multiple physical meetings to create both a personal and professional relationship. Although the deal is paramount, partners feel they are investing in the CEO/founders just as much, if not more, than the product. Image source: Bram Nash / Unsplash

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🚀Dror Bin , CEO of the🌟 Israel Innovation Authority רשות החדשנות 🚀🌟Israel's $155M fund to support 18 institutions in VC investments🚀🌟 🌟Significant Investment: Israel's $155 million fund to support 18 institutions in venture capital (VC) investments highlights the country's commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. This substantial investment will catalyze growth and technological advancements. 🌟Visionary Leadership: Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, plays a pivotal role in steering this initiative. His leadership exemplifies the importance of visionary thinking and strategic planning in driving national innovation agendas. 🌟Empowering Institutions: By supporting 18 institutions, this fund aims to democratize access to resources, enabling a diverse range of ventures to flourish. This inclusivity is crucial for nurturing a vibrant and dynamic innovation ecosystem. 🌟Fostering Innovation: The fund's focus on VC investments underscores Israel's dedication to fostering innovation and supporting groundbreaking startups. This approach encourages entrepreneurs to pursue ambitious projects with the backing of substantial financial support. 🌟Global Impact: Israel's strategic investment in innovation not only benefits its national economy but also contributes to global technological advancements. This initiative serves as a model for other nations aiming to boost their innovation sectors. 🌟Inspiring Future Leaders: Dror Bin's efforts and the creation of this fund inspire future leaders and entrepreneurs to pursue their ideas with confidence, knowing that there are robust support systems in place. 🌟Building a Thriving Ecosystem: The $155 million fund is a testament to the power of strategic investments in building a thriving innovation ecosystem. It highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving long-term economic growth and technological progress. ✅️Share Your Startup Story 🚀📲 https://lnkd.in/ggir3Qap ✅️visite our website🌐 https://lnkd.in/dad4nHP4 #IsraelInnovation #VCInvestments #DrorBin #InnovationEcosystem #Entrepreneurship #FundingSuccess #TechInnovation #GlobalImpact #Leadership #Inspiration #Motivation #StartupSupport #EconomicGrowth #VentureCapital #scoopearth

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In a historic move, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is expected to approve the Department of Health's recommendation to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. This decision acknowledges the plant's medical potential, removes barriers, and opens new opportunities in research and industry. While the ongoing situation in Gaza weighs heavily on our minds and hearts, as we constantly have our brothers and sisters held hostage in gaza in our thoughts and prayers, it is our duty to also continue our lives to the best of our ability and stay informed about significant global developments. This landmark shift in U.S. cannabis policy has far-reaching implications for the medical community, businesses, and society as a whole. Read more about the details and potential impact of this decision in my latest article [link below]. I discuss the differences between Schedule I and Schedule III drugs, what this means for cannabis, the federal implications, and where this could lead us in the future. As the global cannabis market continues to grow, this move by the U.S. government marks a turning point that may influence policies in other countries and accelerate the trend towards market regulation and potential legalization. #cannabis #medicalcannabis #cannabispolicy #historicshift https://lnkd.in/dkYtd6RV

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🌍 Israel: Leading Innovation in Alternative Proteins 🌍  #Israel stands out as one of the most #innovative nations, driving the future of food with a thriving #alternative_protein sector. With over 75 startups, over $1.3 billion in venture capital, and strong academic and government backing, Israel has become the world’s second-largest hub for alternative protein development. In challenging times, Israeli resilience fuels our global impact. At EFISHient Protein, we’re proud to be part of this revolution, working toward a sustainable and secure food future. 🐟 #AlternativeProtein #IsraeliInnovation #Sustainable #FoodSecurity #EFISHientProtein

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My Suk (open market) Marketing insights from my weekly shopping at the Tel Aviv Carmel open market. Post #2 This week: the arrogant cheese store vendor or how to build brand loyalty. ⭐ This week's focus lies on the loyalty practices of stall owners in the bustling market of Tel Aviv. Over time, they've honed a sixth sense for distinguishing between transient opportunists and potentially loyal, long-term customers. This discernment has prompted some vendors to invest their efforts in cultivating relationships with the latter group, rather than expending energy on one-time visitors unlikely to return. 🧀Take for instance my cheese store. Few years ago, I noticed that my neighbors bought their cheese at a different stall than mine…. I followed their footsteps to reach a store a few hundred meters away from the market main alley. 😩 While I was ordering cheese for the first time there, I was treated by the vendor with despite and arrogance (as a onetime shopper) but since my neighbors were buying there, I took upon myself his unfriendly attitude. I had to taste those cheese…and yes, their brand's reputation was confirmed a few hours later when I opened their bags at home. ❤️ The quality of their cheese overcame by far the unwarm service I received the first time I shopped. But after several visits over there, smiles came upon the vendors' face: they started to joke with me, I was accepted in the "exclusive cheese club store". I was not considered anymore an opportunist one time shopper. The vendors are now buddies and I get to drink coffee when I shop there. 💰 Reflecting on this experience, I have gained a marketing insight: a combination of unwavering confidence in the product's quality with a "hard to get" attitude / scarcity of the offer creates brand loyalty and long-term revenue. But let's keep proportion, there is not yet a line the night before the opening of the cheese store as for the Apple store in NY before the launch of a new IPhone version!

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Today's new anti-ageing formula is derived from a fly's wing! CEO of Smart Resilin Dr. Gilad Lando and Co-Founder Prof. Oded Shoseyov from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem explain the technology behind the beauty industry's newest addition to anti-ageing properties. Resilin, whose name derives from resilience, is a material from nature. The elasticity of the protein is making strides in consumer products - specifically in beauty products that fight against aging of skin. Read more about Smart Resilin's endeavors at Calcalist כלכליסט that we've posted here: https://bit.ly/3yexeFw If you'd like to learn more about this technology, please reach out to Dr. Ilya Pittel, PhD. #Innovation #Skincare #HighTech #NoMatterWhat

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I was happy to share my thoughts on what 2025 has in store for Israeli tech and venture, published on Calcalist כלכליסט today. If I could summarise 2024 in one word, it would indeed be "Resilience". And for the record, despite the headline, I do believe that the new administration in the US is generally good news for tech and venture, including Israeli startups. I've also mentioned 3 investments we made which are still in stealth... Link to the article in the first comment 👇

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#Israel's #investment landscape in Q1 2024 is growing compared to Q3. Despite the current challenges in Israel, #startups are proving again to be #resilient as they continue to raise money and grow. Israel's decrease in investments is in par with that of the US in 2023. Read more about Israel's investment landscape and about ICI Fund's portfolio companies in ICI Fund's May newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dBnXWYcK #Startupnation will always stay #resilient, #nomatterwhat.

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Want to know what it takes to build a startup in Israel's thriving tech scene? Get ready to be inspired! We sat down with Hanan Brand the powerhouse behind Israel's startup scene. As Vice President and Head of the Startup Division at the Israel Innovation Authority, Hanan is the driving force behind the government's support for hundreds of groundbreaking companies. With over 15 years of experience in venture capital and executive roles, Hanan is a true industry veteran. In this exclusive interview, he shares insights into the Israel Innovation Authority's role in shaping the future. Discover how programs like the Technological Incubator and National Climatech are fueling innovation and tackling global challenges. Watch now and see how Israel is leading the way in technology and sustainability! Hosted by Yoel Israel

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Israeli #founders today need to embrace design thinking This means focusing on the consumer who will be using the service or product that you’re developing The process may have been initially built without thorough consideration, but design thinking allows us to revisit and analyze what exactly is needed in the most efficient way As an example, processes may have been accepted as they are, until someone comes along and suggests a better way... and when that person steps in and proposes a fresh perspective, that's when #innovation happens At its core, design thinking is about understanding what is truly necessary in a process or action, and determining if it can be done differently, and is the ability to understand what the consumer really needs in any given situation or process, whether it's buying groceries, transportation, communication, etc. There are various methods and stages in design thinking. However, I use the Harvard Business School method, which has four stages, the first one being clarification The goal of clarification is to understand and identify the main pain point in the situation. This stage is about filtering out the noise and focusing on the situation at hand, to glean insights that may have been overlooked or undervalued before Often, this pain point is latent, something the consumer experiences but doesn't recognize as the main issue. The methods used at this stage involve observing the situation, being present in the space, and trying to understand what is missing and how the process can be improved The key is to gain a different perspective or insight that others haven't yet identified. If you can solve a problem that everyone is experiencing, then you potentially have a good business idea…. A prime example of the importance of being customer or human-centered, which is at the core of design thinking, is Google's failed Google Glasses project. Google invested about a billion dollars to develop this unique device, but after years of development and attempts to market it, they had to shut it down Why? Because no one was buying it! The product didn't solve a problem for anyone… it was a "nice to have" but not a "must-have" In design thinking, we're looking for solutions to real problems There are three must-have attributes in design thinking to determine if a product is worth investing in: Desirability Feasibility And viability If a product lacks any of these characteristics, it's not a go. These three characteristics are crucial in testing if a product is worth developing and investing time and resources into. Without them, there will be a flaw or failure in the process, and it simply won't work If you’re a founder, how are you currently incorporating design thinking into your startup strategy? I'd love to hear about your experiences in the Comments section below! #startupnation #venturecapital #designthinking

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"AR computing!" Say goodbye to traditional laptops. An Israeli entrepreneur has innovated a technology that bids farewell to our traditional laptops. Tamir Berliner- founder of Sightful and the innovator behind the Spacetop G1! What is the Spacetop G1? Spatial computer that seamlessly integrates the functionality of a laptop with the capabilities Of Augmented Reality (AR). A 100-inch virtual workspace replaces the need for a physical screen. Spacetop G1 adapts to various environments, whether at home, in the office, or on the go. This represents a step forward in integrating AR technologies with daily tasks. Spatial with AR transforms how we interact with digital content, personally and professionally. The real test will be in its execution. The usability of the AR interface, the battery life, the comfort of AR glasses, etc., are crucial. I believe Sightful has managed to address these practical concerns effectively. And I am awaiting the official release in india. Congrats to Tamir Berliner and the team for their bold move and fantastic innovation. The Spacetop G1 is an evolution in how we think about personal computing. Soorya Narayanan | AppLogiQ #applogiq #innovation #entrepreneur #techentrepreneur #augmentedreality #spatialcomputing #management #startups

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At what point does a company move on from founder-led sales to a full-on sales team? When Yotam Segev CEO Cyera was starting, he got advice from a mutual dear friend Yevgeny Dibrov CEO Armis, that till $20M all sales should be led by the founder. Link to the full episode in the comments

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𝗔𝗫𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗔𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝙏𝙀𝘾𝙃 𝙎𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀! 𝘐𝘯𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦-𝘵𝘰-𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 / 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺   Here at Axis Innovation we scout for the best custom technology and startups for corporations and governments, which means that we have the fantastic privilege of witnessing groundbreaking tech innovations at their nascent stage. Just a few weeks ago we held our 11th annual Axis Tel Aviv event where we showcased 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲, preventing against deepfake voice attacks. This AI-powered tech will, according to Corsound AI’s CEO, “𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.” You can read all the highlights of this revolutionary technology in our first 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘜𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦, attached here. Already being trialled, among others, by an Israeli Homeland Security agency and a tier 1 North American bank, we invite you to experience Corsound AI’s voice intelligence in action. It will be of specific interest to the 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗲𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 and 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 sectors. Contact me here, or email me at [email protected] to request a meeting or presentation. #ai #artificialintelligence #deepfake #tech #startups #banking #finance #lawenforcement #security #defense

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