For the 4th year running, The Luzzatto Group powered this award, giving the stage to five female startup entrepreneurs.
Next-Gen Women Entrepreneurship competition judges with this year's winner: Maya Lebow, co-founder and CEO of ANeustart.(photo credit: MICKY Albi SELLEM)
This year's Next-Gen Women Entrepreneurship competition brought to the stage strong female leaders who shared their diverse initiatives from very different industries. For the fourth year, The Luzzatto Group sponsored this competition, with judges Dr. Esther Luzzatto, CEO of The Luzzatto Group, Dr. Adina Cohen, partner and head of biotechnology department of The Luzzatto Group and Merav Davidson, Vice President and head of IndustryAI at Microsoft.
The winner this year was Maya Lebow, co-founder and CEO of ANeustart, a startup bringing personalized first aid for the developing brain of children facing learning difficulties of varying kinds. She emphasized that, "Nutrient needs are fundamental, high impact and can improve behavioral symptoms."
At ANeustart, they have developed an AI driven algorithm that matches the right nutrients to a child's unique physiology. All parents have to do is download an app, fills out a form and is then given a list of supplements that will help optimize their child's brain development, saving valuable time on speculations and appointments.
A little bit about our other innovative finalists
Ronya Rubinstein CEO of Endospot spoke about the crippling pain of endometriosis which impacts one in 10 women. Endospot's solution works on shutting down the endometriosis legions, with minimum side effects.
Ronya Rubinstein CEO of Endospot (Credit: MICKI ALBI SELLEM)
Becky Peer co-founder and CEO of Angelbe discussed the need to strengthen Jewish communities and rebuild Israel. Angelbe provides a central hub to guide strategic giving, unify efforts and maximize influence, giving impact leaders the ability to contribute where it matters most and to join forces with other impact leaders to drive real change.
Becky Peer co-founder and CEO of Angelbe (Credit: MICKI ALBI SELLEM)
Dr Orna Yehuda-Abramson, co-founder and CSO of Endpoint-Security explained that as businesses lose billions annually to cyber breaches; their mission is to deliver the ultimate Air-Gap security for remote endpoints by ensuring data is only decrypted at the user's eye level. This allows organizations to work remotely and locally, without compromising their security.
Dr Orna Yehuda-Abramson, co-founder and CSO of Endpoint-Security. (Credit: MICKI ALBI)
The final competitor was Jessica Zandani, CEO and founder of STEM-Up Israel. This is a practical and tangible, real-life science and technology program that focuses on state-of-the-art technology. They invite technology companies to mentor the next generation of technology by participating in their program.
Jessica Zandani, CEO and founder of STEM-Up Israel. (Credit: MICKI ALBI)
We asked a variety of hi-tech industry leaders, “Ma nishtana? What has changed in the tech industry over the past year?” Here are their responses.
(photo credit: MICKY ALBI)
AI agents are redefining enterprise technology
Orna Kleinmann, managing director of SAP Labs Israel
In the past year, AI (artificial intelligence) agents have shifted from concept to reality – emerging as autonomous systems that don’t just assist users but also perform tasks, bring insights, and make recommendations, helping make decisions across the business. This evolution is not only changing how enterprises operate, but it’s reshaping priorities in the tech world.
Supporting this shift requires more than just powerful algorithms; it demands a strong data foundation. One of the biggest challenges today is fragmented, inconsistent, and inaccessible enterprise data. Without reliable, connected data, even the most advanced AI agents can’t deliver trustworthy insights.
That’s why the tech industry is increasingly focused on tools and platforms that unify organizational data, making it usable for business AI. One example is the rise of unified data infrastructures – frameworks that consolidate data across systems and contexts. At SAP Labs, this led to the development of our Business Data Cloud (BDC), which helps AI access accurate, up-to-date, and well-structured information.
Israeli start-ups adapted to isolation by expanding global footprint
Maayan Shahar, general manager of UST Spark – UST’s Open Innovation Program
In a year shaped by conflict and uncertainty, Israeli start-ups demonstrated remarkable agility and resilience. With far fewer international delegations and tech leaders visiting the country, start-ups had to adapt to the loss of what had been a key engine for partnership and growth. Instead of waiting for global players to come to them, tech founders went out into the world.
They met investors and customers abroad, often operating across multiple time zones. One CEO I work with was in a different country almost every time we spoke. A strong global presence became essential, and Israeli entrepreneurs quickly adjusted.
An illustrative image of a computer with code running vertically down the screen behind an opaque image of an Israeli flag. (credit: Albi)
At the same time, the local presence of multinationals in Israel became more valuable than ever. As the on-the-ground point of contact for a global company like UST, I’ve helped connect international teams to Israeli innovation they might not have been able to access otherwise.
Once again, the Israeli tech spirit – driven by creativity, adaptability, and persistence - rose to the occasion. While “normal” never fully returned, a new mode of operation took shape, and Israeli start-ups found ways to grow, expand, and scale – even under the toughest conditions.
Cyber resilience takes center stage in next wave of security innovation
Amit Shaked, VP of data security posture management (DSPM) at cybersecurity company Rubrik
According to a Rubrik Zero Labs State of Data Security report, 74% of cyberattacks on surveyed organizations’ data backups were at least partially successful. This illustrates a shift in the cybersecurity threat landscape, in which prevention alone is no longer enough: Organizations must assume that a breach is inevitable and prepare for that day, adopting a cyber resilience approach.
This shift is influencing the entire cybersecurity ecosystem and brings to light a new focus: help companies bounce back from cyberattacks with minimal downtime and disruption to business continuity.
Security companies are evolving their offerings, expanding beyond perimeter defense into full-stack protection and rapid recovery. We’re seeing accelerated investment in cloud-based architectures that support scalable detection, isolation, and data recovery.
Another major trend is the rise of data security posture management) (DSPM), which helps organizations with the visibility and control needed to proactively reduce the risk of data exposure and exfiltration, thereby minimizing the damage of inevitable cyberattacks.
AI handles code, humans handle vision
Arik Faingold, chairman of Commit and founder of the unicorn Pentera
One of the most significant transformations we’ve witnessed is the emergence of AI agents in software development. This shift impacts the entire development life cycle – from product managers to architects, developers, and QA teams.
Today’s AI tools are evolving at a breathtaking pace, providing capabilities that were unimaginable just months ago. The most striking aspect isn’t just the acceleration of innovation but how these tools are fundamentally redefining productivity benchmarks. Teams that fail to adopt AI agents will find themselves at a severe competitive disadvantage, potentially delivering just 10%-20% of what AI-augmented teams can accomplish with identical headcount.
The implications are profound but nuanced. Routine coding tasks that once consumed days of developer time are now handled automatically by AI agents. This liberation allows teams to focus on the truly human aspects of development – creative problem-solving, complex architectural decisions, and delicate system integrations where judgment and experience remain irreplaceable.
However, this isn’t simply about automation. The real transformation lies in how these tools extend human capability rather than replace it. They amplify the impact of skilled professionals by eliminating cognitive friction and mundane tasks. In Israel’s tech ecosystem specifically, we’re seeing start-ups leverage these tools to achieve development velocities that would have required triple the headcount previously.
Therefore, it’s crystal clear that the relevant question is no longer whether AI will transform development roles but how quickly professionals can adapt their workflows to this new paradigm. Those who master the symbiosis between human creativity and AI capability will define the next generation of breakthrough innovations.
Israeli tech proves it is worth the investment amid uncertainty
Evan Renov, co-founder and managing partner at Arieli Group
The Israeli tech ecosystem showed remarkable resilience in 2024, navigating global economic challenges and regional instability. After an initial slowdown in funding following October 7, investment in Israeli technology companies surged to $10 billion in 2024, cementing Israel’s position as the world’s third-largest tech fundraising hub. Foreign venture capital played a key role in driving this growth, accounting for more than half of all initial investments in Israeli start-ups this past year.
Several leading international VC funds have expanded their presence in the country, while M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity continues to rise - most notably with Google’s record-breaking $32 billion acquisition of Wiz. This momentum has continued into 2025, fueling the rapid expansion of cyber and defense tech ventures.
The healthcare and life sciences sectors also experienced growth in 2024, with VC firms significantly increasing their investments over 2023 levels. This surge was driven by heightened funding for biotech, medical devices, and digital health start-ups.
Despite the ongoing geopolitical challenges, Israeli research institutions, universities, and medical centers continue to operate at full capacity, achieving groundbreaking scientific advancements. At Arieli Group, we believe in the entrepreneurial spirit of Israeli researchers and scientists, which is why we launched the SHAAR Hub together with Shaare Zedek Medical Center (SZMC) and announced our partnership with BIRAD, Bar-Ilan University’s commercialization arm.
Looking ahead, I am optimistic about the increased availability of funding and the fresh inflows of capital, ensuring that Israeli hi-tech continues to lead the way in innovation.
An illustrative image of an Israeli using security programs on a computer. (credit: Albi)
Defense tech enters start-up era
Yinnon Dolev, head of Sompo Digital Lab Israel
The defense tech sector is undergoing a revolution. What was once considered a conservative, heavy, and highly regulated field is now attracting private capital and attention at an unprecedented pace. The recent conflicts – notably, in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific – have heightened the need for fast, effective, and dual-use technologies, both military and civilian. Start-ups are no longer just developing features for existing systems; they now offer complete solutions with independent operational value. Whereas in the past military technologies would later be adapted for civilian use, today the trend is reversed: Civilian technologies are being integrated into defense systems. With Europe’s renewed rearmament and the entry of major investment funds into the field, a new market is emerging, one that seeks innovation, agility, and boldness - exactly the areas in which Israeli hi-tech excels.
Privacy considerations reshape product architecture, industry standards
Gal Ringel, co-founder and CEO of MineOS, a platform for privacy compliance, governance, and data security
Forget buried terms and conditions. Privacy is no longer a legal checkbox; it is becoming integral to the architecture of modern technology. With regulations like the EU AI Act and Israel’s evolving privacy landscape, the question has shifted from “Are we compliant?” to “How do we design for data control?”
AI is accelerating this shift. When products rely on personal data, privacy becomes a core engineering challenge. Questions like where data is stored, who has access to it, and whether AI decisions can be explained are no longer abstract. They shape how products are built, how investors assess risk, and how global customers measure trust.
For Israeli tech start-ups to remain competitive, privacy must be embedded into infrastructure, workflows, and company culture. That means collaboration across teams, clear accountability, and systems designed for visibility and adaptability. It is not a policy layer – it is part of the product.
Engineering for data control is not about slowing down. It is about building with intention. As AI becomes deeply integrated into the tools we use and build, companies that prioritize transparency and responsible data practices will not just earn compliance. They will earn a lasting advantage in trust, adoption, and long-term growth.■
Flags of the United States and China on a processor, CPU or GPU microchip on a motherboard (illustrative)
(photo credit: Albi)
The US government has granted tariff exclusions for smartphones, computers, and other electronics imported largely from China, sparing them from US President Donald Trump's steep 125% reciprocal duties.
In a notice to shippers, the US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) agency published a list of tariff codes that will be excluded from the duties. The exclusions are retroactive to 12:01 a.m. EDT (7:01 a.m. Israel time) on April 5.
The US CBP listed 20 product categories, including the very broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disc drives, and automatic data processing. It also included semiconductor devices, equipment, memory chips, and flat panel displays.
The notice did not provide an explanation for the Trump administration's move. Still, the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major US technology firms, including Apple, Dell Technologies, and many other importers.
Trump's action also excludes the specified electronics from his 10% "baseline" tariffs on goods from most countries other than China, easing import costs for semiconductors from Taiwan and Apple iPhones produced in India.
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 2, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)
For the Chinese imports, the exclusion only applies to Trump's reciprocal tariffs, which climbed to 125% this week, according to a White House official. Trump's prior 20% duties on all Chinese imports that he said were related to the US fentanyl crisis remain in place.
Trump to launch trade investigation into semiconductors
However, the official said Trump will launch a new national security trade investigation into semiconductors soon, which could lead to other new tariffs on the sector.
Separately, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump has made it clear the US cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops.
But she said that at Trump's direction, major tech firms, including Apple and chipmakers Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor, are hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible."
One in ten women between the ages of 15-49 are affected by endometriosis, which can make it difficult to get pregnant.
Ronya Rubinstein, the CEO of EndoSpot, an Israeli startup working to treat endometriosis, joined The Jerusalem Post's Eve Young in the studio to discuss EndoSpot's work to treat endometriosis.
Endometriosis impacts one in ten women aged 15-49 years old. Among other symptoms, the condition can cause pain in the lower stomach, back, or pelvis, significant pain during menstruation, and difficulty getting pregnant.
Ronya will speak about the staggering impact of endometriosis and will share how EndoSpot is working to provide a real solution that would shut down endometriosis lesions with minimum side effects.
They call this day Easter. Christians have celebrated it as the day of the resurrection of Jesus and His ascension to be with Allah (God) to wait until a particular time that He may come again and judge the world.
However, it is strange that every year the resurrection takes place at a different time. It would seem that if my mom, my dad, or my leader died on a particular day, that every year around that time, we would honor his or her passing.
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However, Easter comes at different times. Sometimes Jesus is resurrected in March, and, sometimes in April. Why is that? What is all of this nonsense about Easter eggs being laid by a bunny rabbit rather than a chicken?
Why on this day do you find it necessary to enrich the rich by buying new garments to wear to church like you’re putting on a fashion show? What does this have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Then there is another mystery. It is said that Jesus died on a Friday, and, they call it Good Friday. I tried to figure that one out, and, I came to the conclusion that the good in it was that His Death, not His Birth, or His Ministry meant the beginning of the religion or the faith.
His Death meant salvation for those whom they say He died for. If a man dies for your sins and my sins, tell me why is there a judgment? If he died for my sins, then, I do not have to pay my debt because it has been paid. What is all this talk about the punishment of hell if Jesus died for me?
It is said He would be dead for three days. He dies on a Friday and on early Sunday morning He gets up, but, He did not die early Friday morning because he was on the cross for 11 to12 hours just hanging there, before He finally gave up the ghost.
So, that had to be Friday evening. From Friday evening until Saturday evening is 24 hours. From Saturday evening until Sunday evening would be 48 hours. So, what are you talking about three days in the grave?
We have raised these questions because we need to understand how Christianity has become corrupted and is far away from the Real Message of Jesus Christ. If the scripture tells us that Satan would deceive the whole world, then, that is a pretty big deception, but, what is this deception about?
The deception of Satan is about Allah (God), because Satan understood that he had a limited season to do his work, but, on the Coming of Allah (God), Satan would be discovered, uncovered, revealed and Satan’s world would begin to be upset by the Presence of Truth.
Whenever pagans are convinced of the Truth of Divine Revelation, they are never happy until they can incorporate some of their old ways into the truth. They can never do it while the bearer of truth is present.
They can only do it after the bearer of truth is gone. Jesus never told the people to worship Him. Jesus told the people to follow Him and to worship the Father. He never tried to equal Himself to His Father. He never taught three gods.
The Jews were given the Law by Moses, which starts with the Commandment that, “The Lord, your God, is one God and thou shalt have none other gods before Him.And, thou shalt not make any graven images, any statues, and bow down to them or worship them.”
That is the law. When Jesus healed on the Sabbath day, they got angry with Jesus and accused Him of breaking the law, and, the words of Jesus were, “I have not come to change the law but to fulfill what was written in the law.”
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
So, the greatest change would be if Moses and all the prophets from Abraham on up taught that Allah (God) is One, and, Jesus said He did not come to change the law, but, then started teaching that Allah (God) was three in one—a Father, a Son, and a Holy Ghost—and that the three of them were equal.
Jesus never said He was a third part. He said, “Worship the Father.There is none good but the Father.” When he was on the cross, one man said, “If you be the son of God take yourself down from this cross and get me down too.”
Jesus could not take Himself down nor one of the thieves that was mocking Him. He cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.” Who was he calling? He said, “My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me?” Those nearby said, “Behold, He calls for Elijah … let us see if Elijah will take him down.”
When King Constantine accepted Christianity he wanted to appease the pagans because Christianity would then become the religion of Rome. The Romans were worshipers of a sun god. They worshiped the sun as a god. So, since Jesus was called the Son of Allah (God), they tried to incorporate sun worship with the worship of Jesus as the Son of (God).
They said Jesus was born on the 25th day of December, but, the scripture says there were shepherds abiding in the field tending their flocks by night. In Palestine in December it is cold. The sheep are in the barn. Shepherds are not out in December, but, they are out in September and October.
The sun worshipers saw the sun leaving them because the days were getting shorter, and when it got to the 21st of December, which is called the winter solstice, the sun appears to stand still. It is the shortest day of the year.
The sun worshipers determined that at the time when the sun stands still and begins its journey back toward them, where the days start getting longer, they call it the birth of the sun. They burn a Yule log and they have a holly wreath, which is round-looking like the sun.
If you look in the 10th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, it says, “The heathens go in the forest and they cut down a tree and they deck it with silver and with gold.” What do you do at Christmas time?
You let them sell you a tree and you put it up in your living room and dress it down with tinsels. You put little balls on the branches of the tree. These balls represent the sun. You put candle lights in your windows, which represent the sun.
Around March 21, between the last part of March and early April we get what is called the vernal equinox, where the sun is in a certain position relative to the earth. When the sun and the earth are in this position, winter ends and spring begins.
When spring comes it is marked by the springing to life of the earth after its death in winter. The sap begins to rise in the trees and the trees begin to bud. Flowers begin to come out of the trees and on the bushes. So, you have your Easter bonnet with little flowers on it and you feel springy.
What is the significance of a rabbit? The rabbit is one of the fastest producers, so the rabbit is used for Easter to show that spring has sprung and life has come back into the earth from its death, and, as the sap rises in the tree you find nature beginning to take its course.
When the pagans were worshiping the goddess of fertility, which means that they had these sexual orgies, during this time, when Christianity became the religion of Rome, not wanting to give up their paganism they began to incorporate sun worship into the worship of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
King Constantine had a vision of a cross. The interesting thing about this cross was that there was a snake climbing up on it. A snake cannot be upright. A snake has to get up on something that is standing up and it weaves its way around the thing that is standing and then can attack you from above.
Constantine saw these Latin words, “In Hoc Signo Vinces,” meaning “With this sign we conquer.” So, Moses is lifting up a serpent, a human being that has a nature to lean toward that, which is against the will, the way, the practice of Allah (God).
Allah (God) says in the Qur’an that everything submits except the rebellious devil. The sun submits, the moon submits, the stars submit, the mountains submit, the fish, the birds, the bees, and, the animals, they all submit.
Well, what is wrong with us that we are in rebellion to Allah (God). Who taught us rebellion? Paul said that sin is transgression of the law. The scripture says that as by one man sin entered into the world and death came also by sin. All men have sinned and death is upon all men.
Constantine wanted to use the cross, not a fish, because he wasn’t fishing people out of the sea of sin. That is the work of Jesus, not Constantine, and not Christianity as Christianity is taught, preached and practiced. Christianity tolerates sin and it makes you believe that Jesus died for your sins so you can keep on raising hell without ever facing a Day of Judgment.
The True Teaching of Jesus is what you want. It is what I want. The True Teaching of Jesus Christ is what the whole world needs. If Satan is going to deceive us, he has to deceive us about the most important person, and, the most important person is Allah (God) and Jesus because Jesus is the one that ends the power of Satan. He absolutely overcomes death.
If you are on a horizontal level, you are living your life, not as an upright human being, but, you are living your life as a low-life human being with a dog-like existence. A people that have taken their low desires as a god besides Allah (God), a lying, thieving, people.
You are operating on a dead level. When you operate on that level, you are not of Jesus. You are of Satan, but, he has masqueraded so well, he has you thinking you are with Jesus, but, you are with Satan all the time.
There is only one test for love, and that test is going through a time of crisis. I’m not talking about a “Gee, honey, I locked my keys in the car, can you give me a ride?” crisis; I speak of a deep crisis—a health crisis, the death of someone close to you, or a period when you bottom out.
If someone is serious about you, they won’t run away from this; that will be the last thing on their mind. They will be present. They wouldn’t dream of leaving your side. Moreover, they will be there because they really want to, not because they feel obligated. Many couples don’t get tested for a long time—years, sometimes. Then the unthinkable happens, and … skid marks.
I wish there were any other way, but that is the ultimate test of loyalty. See, it’s easy to stay when everything is nice and lovely and things are on the uptick. But staying when things get really hard takes a person with good problem-solving skills. Takes a person of character.
Shares in Japan fell in early trading on Wednesday.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was about 3% lower.
The index had jumped by 6% a day earlier, after heavy losses at the start of the week.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi was broadly flat.
Japan's main Nikkei index of shares fell in early trading Wednesday after Wall Street stocks turned lower on worries about U.S. tariffs and a trade war with China.
The Nikkei 225 was down 2.67% to 32,130.00, having rebounded 6% on Tuesday from heavy losses after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs.
The S&P 500 Index rallied as much as 4% in early trading in what was its biggest advance since 2022, on signs Trump was open to negotiating trade deals. Yet it ended down 1.6% after the White House said it’s pressing ahead with its tit-for-tat retaliation against China.
Trump has assigned two members of his Cabinet to kick off bilateral trade talks after a telephone call with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Japan appeared set to get priority over other U.S. trading partners in talks on tariffs, putting Tokyo at the head of a long queue of nations seeking to roll back the levies.
Trump made a string of comments Monday about his planned duties on worldwide trading partners. Yet the president offered little clarity about what he is seeking in exchange for lowering duty rates — or whether he’s willing to offer relief at all.
The White House has published a document confirming that China's 34% tariff rate - set to come into effect in a few hours - will be increased to 84%.
Chinese exports to the US had already been subjected to 20% tariffs. This means that the total tariffs on Chinese goods will reach a whopping 104%.
The move comes "in recognition of the fact that the PRC has announced that it will retaliate against the United States", the White House statement reads.
After Trump unveiled a 34% so-called "reciprocal" tariff on Chinese goods, China slapped its own 34% counter-tariff on US goods.
