Innovation in Neuroscience: Challenges & Opportunities

Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance hosted a special translational neuroscience event, bringing together leaders from academia and industry to bridge the gap between lab research and real-world applications.

We are pleased to introduce Ronny Peri Naor, PhD, who is joining the Bina team.

Ronny brings more than 16 years of interdisciplinary R&D experience spanning biochemistry, bioanalytics, organic chemistry, biotechnology engineering, and translational science. 
Ronny earned her PhD in Bio-Organic Chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she developed novel molecular tools for protein recognition and regulation.

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."
– Henry Ford

The Bina Committee for the Nurture program is pleased to support an innovative new project, “Next Generation Monitoring of Bioproduction,” in Prof. Ziv Reich’s lab at the Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science.
This groundbreaking research aims to develop an automated system for monitoring quality attributes in fermenting cultures at the single-cell level.
The project will be led by Dr. Yonatan Nutkewitz and mentored by Dr. Or Rotem, a molecular microbiologist with extensive industrial expertise.

The Bina team, together with xista, i&i Prague and IOCB Tech met to share best practices and knowledge in translational research and innovation management. 
We presented an overview of Bina’s activities—from idea generation to applied research, project management, and campus engagement. 
The workshop included productive brainstorming sessions, where we learned about each other’s initiatives and explored ways to further collaborate and advance translational science.

As part of a unique course exploring the success of Israel as the Startup Nation, MBA students from Columbia Business School and Reichman University visited the Weizmann Institute of Science.

During their visit, the students learned about the legacy of the Weizmann Institute of Science, the difference between basic and translational research, the role of technology transfer, and how clinical unmet needs can be fused with an innovative mindset to create new ventures.

ABChat - Hosted by Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance & AION Labs

We had the pleasure of hosting Assaf Kacen from PromiseBio.
Promise Bio develops computational algorithms to solve complex biological challenges.

Thank you, Prof. Irit Sagi, Vice President for Innovation & Technology Transfer of the Weizmann Institute of Science, for your inspiring opening remarks at the 6th Annual Fermentation Conference of the Israeli Fermentation Society. Your words set the tone for innovation and collaboration and thank you Sharon Fireman, for presenting Bina.

The Bina Nurture Committee is proud to announce its support for an innovative research project focused on therapeutic molecules for lung fibrosis, led by Prof. Valery Krizhanovsky in the Department of Molecular Cell Biology at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

The Bina Nurture program committee is pleased to support Prof. Mike Fainzilber's innovative project on the enhancement of nerve regeneration. 
This groundbreaking research aims to develop small molecules targeting nucleolin to promote axonal regeneration. 
The project will be mentored by Dr. Eran Blaugrund, CNS specialist, who brings invaluable industrial insights to support these pioneering studies.
Project guidance is provided by Hezi Sztainberg, from Bina and Elik Chapnik from YEDA - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science.

Exciting Wrap-Up of the "Idea to Action" Workshop!

Diving Deeper at Bina's "Idea to Action" Workshop

The third day of Bina’s "Idea to Action" workshop continued with insightful sessions, practical exercises, and inspiring discussions.

The day was structured around key themes:

Storytelling Workshop at Bina's "Idea to Action"!

We had an amazing storytelling workshop led by Ofir Gal On at the "Idea to Action" workshop at the Bina Hub. The focus of the workshop was how to pitch an idea in 5 minutes, and we gained many useful insights into captivating an audience.
Here’s what we learned:
• How to open minds
• Stand out from the crowd
• Incite curiosity
• Be authentic and captivating

Inspiring first day at Bina's "Idea to Action" Workshop!

Great talk by Dr. Yael Klionsky, General Manager of WIN - Weizmann Innovation Nest - The newest entity of the Weizmann Innovation Ecosystem.

WIN is the startup hub of the Weizmann Institute of Science that provides essential infrastructure and resources to incubate promising and applicative Weizmann inventions through the venture creation stage.

Such resources include: 
• Early-stage funding
• Mentoring 
• Support by industry experts
• Industry and investor networking
• Office and lab workspaces
• Support services

We are pleased to launch the second cohort of the Idea-to-Action workshop for staff scientists, in collaboration with the University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business, designed to empower participants with the skills needed to advance applied science within their research groups and units.

A challenge meeting was held at Bina, led by Dr. Reut Mashiach to address the need for sustainable alternatives to plastics in soil solarization.                       

We are thrilled to collaborate with this pioneering facility, which opened in 2022 as the first dedicated rehabilitation hospital in Israel's Negev region. This innovative center is making significant developments in addressing rehabilitation needs, offering specialized services in orthopedic, neurological, and soon, geriatric care.

Our collaboration focuses on advancing research and care for individuals with disabilities and reflects our commitment to addressing the complex challenges associated with disabilities.

From Academic Research to FDA-Approved Drugs: Insights from Alon Seri-Levy

We had the privilege of attending an inspiring talk by Alon Seri-Levy, CEO of Sol-Gel Technologies at the Bina 'ABC' chat. 
Alon shared his remarkable journey, transitioning from the chemistry bench at Prof. David Avnir, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem to building a successful company that develops FDA-approved treatments.
His story is a testament to determination, commitment, and focus, even when faced with challenges like limited industry knowledge or costly missteps.

We had the privilege of hosting Dr. Michal Levy, the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Agriculture. Dr. Sharon Fireman and Prof. Tony Futerman, Chairman of the Steering Committee, shared Bina's vision, goals, and innovative hashtag#agricultural projects currently in development at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

This week marked an exciting collaboration between the Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance team and Wolfson Medical Center clinicians.

ABC Chats - Joint venture with AION Labs

At Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance, we facilitate meaningful collaborations that bridge exceptional research teams across the globe. 
Recently, Daniel Ben- Hur and Edo Kiper from Neta Regev-Rudzky lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science visited the Institut Pasteur in France as part of a joint initiative led by Bina to advance malaria research.

Bina is launching a new program for drug discovery that aims to identify scientific breakthroughs in biological processes, disease mechanisms and potential drug targets that can serve as the basis for the development of new drugs and therapies. All projects will be mentored and supervised by Bina’s teams and professional advisors.

Funding amount: up to $500,000
Funding period: 24-36 months

Inspiring Talk with Dr. Michal Tsur: "From startup to a public company – an open conversation".

We were honored to host Dr. Michal Tsur, co-founder and co-CEO of Remepy, at our ABC chat meetup! As a serial entrepreneur and leader in biotech and tech, Michal shared her inspiring journey from co-founding Cyota and Kaltura to leading Remepy, the pioneer of hybrid drugs company.

Key Takeaways:
Build the Right Team: Success starts with passionate, capable individuals who share your vision.

Last week marked an important milestone in the international scientific collaboration between the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines (IMol) at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Women for Science Luncheon 2024

It was an honor to gather at the Women’s Athletic Club in Chicago, bringing together remarkable leaders, scientists, and philanthropists to celebrate cutting-edge research at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Dr. Sharon Fireman, head of the innovation and translational research at Bina, shared insights into Bina's critical role in turning groundbreaking discoveries into real-world applications.

Innovation is a state of mind at Bina, and that's why we've launched “BinAi,” our AI club, which is designed to equip our team with cutting-edge AI tools and capabilities. 
Thank you to Smadar Szekely Gal-Ezer and Yigal Aviv for leading the workshops and bringing us one step closer to achieving our goals! 

What an incredible evening in NYC! 
Alon Kaplun & Shuly Leviant hosted Dr. Sharon Fireman, Head of Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance, The Weizmann Institute of Science, for a fascinating discussion on "Bright Ideas to Bold Innovations: How Weizmann Institute Discoveries Change the World."

Sharon was truly outstanding, providing deep insights into Bina's role in bridging academic research and practical applications. Our fireside chat covered everything from Weizmann's multidisciplinary approach to translational research challenges.

We congratulate Prof. Tamir Klein from the Tree Lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science on his successful approval by the Bina Committee under the Nurture program.

We announce the launch of a new track for drug discovery at Bina. This initiative aims to bring together Weizmann Institute of Science scientists and world-class experts from the pharmaceutical and drug development industries, as well as clinical practice. Harnessing Weizmann’s deep and innovative basic science research into the discovery of disease mechanisms and molecular and cellular pathways can lead to the development of new targets and therapeutic agents.

We are delighted to have David visit us at the Weizmann Institute of Science to explore our innovative model. i&i Prague is renowned for its commitment to early-phase biotech innovations, focusing on drug discovery, diagnostics, and MedTech. This visit marks our shared vision of transforming groundbreaking research into impactful real-world applications.
 

The final session of Bold - In this session, we explored various types of intrapreneurship within organizations that can lead to unique careers and enhance career development by boosting an individual's visibility and gaining recognition from management and peers.
Our very own Sharon Fireman shared her intrapreneurship journey at TEVA, where she created the company's first crowdsourcing platform to address unsolved challenges significantly impacting the company's performance. 

We are excited to share that the Bina committee has approved a project led by Prof. Valery Krizhanovsky, which focuses on exploring the therapeutic effects of novel bi-specific antibodies on senescence in cancer. 
These innovative antibodies will be developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science's Life Science Core Facilities under the direction of Dr. Ira Zaretsky, with project guidance provided by Dr. Merav Marom from Bina and Dr. Yael Klionsky from YEDA - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science.
 

Bina and AION Labs hosted Noam Solomon, CEO of Immunai, for an inspiring talk about his journey from academic research to leading a biotech company. Noam shared Immunai's mission to map the immune system using engineering and artificial intelligence. Noam transitioned from theoretical mathematics and computer science to the fascinating world of biology and immunology.

Noam's emphasized the crucial qualities needed to excel as a CEO:

Welcome Hezi Sztainberg - New Project Manager at Bina

Winning with Strength - We had the pleasure of being hosted at the Meta offices Tel Aviv for an enlightening workshop by Dr. Michal Paz Shimony, Organizational Psychologist.

We had the pleasure of hosting the Women in Foodtech Leadership program, supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Thank you for a fantastic afternoon!
We want to thank everyone who joined us at the opening event of the Weizmann Innovation Ecosystem Wine Club! 

It was a mix of innovation, collaboration, and wine by GALIL MOUNTAIN WINERY. A small contribution to a winey that is evacuated from up north due to the ongoing war.

Your presence made this event a success, and we can't wait to see the innovative journeys that will emerge from these new connections.
 

Our latest session focused on the essentials of starting a startup. Students had the incredible opportunity to learn from top female entrepreneurs who shared their personal experiences and insights on the unique journey of founding a startup.

This week, we held the second session of the Bold program. The session addressed the uncertainties and decisions at the start point of a career.

Dafna Shelly, an organizational expert, delivered an inspiring lecture, providing tools for career development that begins with identifying personal likes, values, and priorities. She emphasized that a career is not a straightforward ladder but a climbing maze where various opportunities arise, and the key is to choose wisely and take risks.

We are excited to share that the StoPFAS research project, led by Prof. Brian Berkowitz, Dr. Ishai Dror, Dr. Omri Seemann, and Phillip Vershinin at the Weizmann Institute of Science, has been selected as 1 out of 4 winners of a challenge initiated by MEKOROT® Innovation Unit (MEKOROT® Innovation - WaTech®).

We are Bold!
We're thrilled to announce the launch of the first cohort of Bold in Bina, which took place yesterday.
The Bold program was created with a vision to see more women in senior positions within the Israeli industry. 
Our goal is to equip women students with the knowledge and tools needed to advance to senior roles. 
Yesterday, 15 outstanding Ph.D. and postdoc students embarked on this journey.

We had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Irit Carmi-Levy, General Manager & Chief Scientific Officer at Aummune, a clinical-stage oncology company focused on personalized cancer therapies.
Dr. Carmi-Levy's talk was truly inspiring. She shared her journey from academia to a successful career in the biotech industry, highlighting the invaluable experience of a postdoc. She emphasized the importance of critical thinking, intuition, and building strong networks.

“AI at the Interface of Academia and Industry: Science Driving Technological Advancements”

We gathered at 2024 symposium in memory of Prof. Haim Garty with brilliant minds from academia and industry to explore the future ofAI and its real-world applications.

Prof. Shie Mannor from The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, enlightened us on how AI is shaping markets and facilitating the transition to sustainable energy.

Dear friends and colleagues of Bina, 
Despite the challenges—both global and close to home—we remain committed to harnessing scientific innovation to improve human life.
This past year, our projects have achieved significant milestones, and our collaborations have expanded, reflecting this commitment.

We wish you all a peaceful Passover,

The Bina Team
Sharon Fireman
Orel Yaverbaum Vaknin
Merav Marom
Reut Mashiach
Reut Magor

April 3, 2024 — Final Session: Shark Tank presentations

The Shark Tank presentations by our talented Bina Innovation Fellowship members were nothing short of awe-inspiring! Each presentation was a testament to their dedication and ingenuity.

We want to extend our gratitude to Yaron Daniely, Yael Gruenbaum-Cohen, and the entire aMoon Fund team members as well as Renana Ashkenazi and Tal Abuloff from Grove Ventures, who made this Fellowship possible.

March 26, 2024 — Session 8 Highlights: Grove Ventures

What a fantastic gathering at Grove Ventures headquarters! This week’s Bina Fellows met Dov Moran, who shared his entrepreneurial journey with the students. Dov delved into the true essence of being an entrepreneur, what qualities make one successful, and the inevitable challenges, from the highs of triumph to the lows.

March 20, 2024 — Session 7: Industry Experts

During yesterday’s Fellowship session, we had the privilege of hearing from industry experts and learning about their professional and personal journeys. Additionally, we explored current trends in three exceptionally active research areas within the industry: Quantum Computing, AI for Drug Discovery, and Climate Technology.
Thank you Oded Melamed, CEO of Quantum Source, Yair Benita, CTO, AION Labs, and Raanan Shelach, CEO and Co-founder at Carbonade, for taking the time to contribute to the development of our fellows.

ABC Chat with Ronit Harpaz, CEO & Co-founder of Endoron Medical
Inspiring Talk on Women in MedTech Leadership & Startup

March 11, 2024 — Session 6 Recap: VC Introduction - aMoon Fund
This week’s Bina Innovation Fellowship session was held at the aMoon Fund offices in Ra’anana. Yaron Daniely, General Partner at aMoon Fund shared insights on how entrepreneurs should engage with venture capital companies. the Dos and Don'ts and tips for crafting a compelling 10-slides-killer presentation for effective communication. his expertise illuminated our path forward. Thank you, Yaron Daniely we learned so much!

March 4, 2024 — Session 5: Developing Soft Skills
At the 5th session of the Bina Innovation Fellowship, we honed essential soft skills. Tamir Huberman from YEDA - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science introduced the students to dedicated search engines.

February 28, 2024 — Session 4: Analysis Session - IP & Market

Yesterday we delved into the basics of IP review and market analysis with the second cohort of the Bina Innovation Fellowship. Liora Bogin, Chief intellectual property at YEDA - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science, led the IP evaluation session, while Ohad Hollander from aMoon Fund tackled market and competitive analysis. It is so rewarding to see the students engage with the material that we at Bina live and breathe daily.
 

February 21, 2024 — Session 3: Technologies Assessment
Our third session of the Bina Innovation Fellowship focused on technology assessment. Sharon Kredo-Russo from AION Labs taught us how to evaluate academic technologies and guided us in designing a proof of concept. We wrapped things up with an in-session exercise where our cohort used their skills and conducted a basic evaluation of academic technology. It was inspiring to see the students engage with the material in such a dynamic way!
 

February 14, 2024 - Session 2: Interrelation of Academia and Industry
In this week's Bina Innovation Fellowship session, we dove into the dynamics between academia and industry. Lively conversations echoed as insights from VC and industry were shared. Yael Gruenbaum-Cohen from aMoon Fund enlightened us on the VC model, while Mati Gill shared the AION Labs model. Idan Alyagor, an alumnus of the Weizmann Institute of Science, whom co-founded FreezeM shed light on the technology transfer from academia to industry.  

Yesterday, we marked the kickoff of the second Bina Innovation Fellowship Program!

We were honored to have Sharon Fireman from Bina, Yaron Daniely from aMoon Fund, and Renana Ashkenazi from Grove Ventures open the program. Ronen Kreizman from WIN introduced us to the world of Technology Transfer, and our talented cohort members shared their inspiring journeys. The atmosphere was charged with a collective determination to make a meaningful impact in translational research.

We are delighted to announce a collaboration between Bina, the translational research and innovation unit of the Weizmann Institute of Science, and IMol (The International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines, Polish Academy of Sciences).

Our joint efforts focus on advancing several research topics, such as mitochondria metabolism, stem cell, RNA, structural virology, and Immunological epigenetics. 
We extend our gratitude to Agnieszka Chacińska and the IMol staff for their exceptional hospitality.

Today, The Innovation Ecosystem units of the Weizmann Institute of Science met the members of Team8: Yuval Shachar, Assaf Mischari, Bobi Gilburd, Ohad Finkelstein and Israel Makov. 
Together Bina, YEDA - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science and Team8 will explore opportunities that exist at the intersections of science and Innovation focusing on AI technologies to address real-world challenges. 
 

Amidst these challenging times, we're delighted to launch the second cohort of the Bina Innovation Fellowship.

Please join us in welcoming: Adi Hazak, Dan Elhanati, Carmel Sochen, Dina Hochhauser, Yarden Danieli, Arik Toren, Hila Weiss Tishler, Oz Ben Joseph, Inbar Zohar, Tal Finkelman., Omer Cohen, Dima Azaiza Dabbah, Sacha Lebon, Noam Galili Darnell, Yonatan Nutkewitz, Welmoed van Zuiden

Meet Dr. Reut Mashiach who is joining the team as a Project Manager. 
Reut is holding a B.Sc. in Biophysics and a Ph.D. in Chemistry, and will be leading these fields under the Bina Nurture Program.

Reut brings a high level of academic expertise and industry experience, particularly in Materials and Foodtech R&D activities.

We are excited to have Reut on board and are looking forward to the innovation and expertise she brings to our team.

Join us in extending a warm welcome to Reut! 

It was our pleasure to host Blumberg Capital, which focuses on early and growth-stage investments, particularly in AI and transformative technologies. Our discussions focused on collaborative ways to advance technology, science, and innovation.

We look forward to continuing our dialogue.
 

Welcome to the Team, Reut Magor! 

We are delighted to introduce our newest team member, Reut Magor, who will be joining us as our Administrative Coordinator. 
Reut holds a Master's degree in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation from Bar Ilan University and comes to us with over two decades of administrative experience, making her a valuable addition to our team.

We're confident that Reut will be an integral part of our team, contributing to our ongoing success and achievements. Join us in welcoming her to our family!

We proudly announce that Prof. Irit Sagi, VP for Technology Transfer at the Weizmann Institute of Science, was recently featured on Forbes' powerwomen 2023 list.

This distinction is not merely a testament to her professional prowess, but a reflection of the dedication, hard work, and passion she has consistently poured into her endeavors.

Summarizing one week in Finland: 3 universities, 47 global mentors, 2 innovation programs, and 1 mutual research collaboration.

Thank you, Alfonso Gutierrez, Andres Peña Archila & Irina Blomqvist, for welcoming Sharon Fireman into the NEXUS entrepreneurship program at the University of Helsinki. Your efforts in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship are remarkably impressive.

Thank you, Jouko Uusitalo & Markku Känsäkoski from the University of Oulu, for your hospitality and efforts to promote the carbon uptake research collaboration with Oulanka Research Station.

A great scientific brainstorming session with Elbit Systems Ltd!

Over the past few months, we have discussed with Elbit's team how to integrate Weizmann Institute's scientific innovation to accelerate joint development.

We met with leading researchers at the Weizmann Institute Dvir Gur, Lia Addadi, Dan Oron, Assaf Gal, Filipe Natalio for a joint industry-academia brainstorming session. We discussed the potential of synthetic biology and metamaterials as innovative and emerging new materials, 

We had the pleasure of hosting our dear friend Dr. Michal Preminger of Johnson & Johnson Innovation. We gathered with students, researchers, and colleagues from Yeda - Technology Transfer Company of Weizmann Institute of Science for an informal conversation about the interplay between academia and Industry.

We enjoyed hosting our partners AION Labs and the bootcamp participants at Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance.

We discussed our model for facilitating cross-talk between basic and translational research and fostering campus engagement.
Wishing the boot camp participants, a successful week! Keep the spirit and high energy!

Congratulations to Daniel Ben Hur, a graduate of our first cohort of the Bina Innovation Fellowship program, who partnered with Edo Kiper, a PhD student at Prof. Neta Regev-Rudzky lab, to develop an innovative malaria treatment using new synthetic peptides.

One of the persistent issues in current malaria treatment lies in the parasite’s ability to develop resistance to conventional drugs. In contrast, Ben-Hur and Kiper’s treatment relies on a different mode of action, which is expected to overcome the resistance challenge.

We hosted a talented group of young individuals from the Ofakim Gap Year Scientific Training Program. These teenagers devote a year following their high school studies to expand their knowledge of the sciences at the Davidson Institute of Science Education, the educational arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Sharon Fireman presented Bina - Bridge Innovate Nurture Advance in the context of Weizmann’s tech transfer and innovation ecosystem. She told them all about her day-to-day work here at Bina, and how Bina promotes translational science and innovation on campus.