Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Academia-industry Partnership

Connections and collaborations between academics and industry professionals are among the pillars of Israel as a "start-up nation." The international competitiveness index of the Swiss Research Institute IMD demonstrates that the academia-industry relationship reflects one of Israel's strengths, alongside the scope of R&D investment as a percentage of GDP. Behind this connection lies a built-in mechanism of knowledge transfer operated by commercialization (or technology transfer) companies that operate alongside the universities. One of the most prominent is BIRAD Research and Development Company Ltd., the commercialization firm of Bar-Ilan University, which in the past year has signed several prominent agreements with leading companies in Israel and worldwide for the purpose of strategic cooperation along the academia-industry axis. These agreements, and those that preceded them, have led to the development of market-ready products and services based on the results of the research carried out in the university laboratories. They also help develop new technologies that contribute to the local economy and address some of the global challenges facing humanity.

"Scientists in academia are sowing the seeds of the technological future," says

"The relationship with industry is critical in designing research with practical implications and developing groundbreaking solutions in various areas of life: energy, advanced materials, life sciences, cyber, quantum computing, electrical engineering, and many other fields."

"The university conducts dozens of joint studies with the leading technology companies worldwide. These studies advance both the science and the ability of companies to bring technological innovations to market," he adds.

You spoke about innovation and entrepreneurship. How do you help emerging startups commercialize research products?
"At the initial stage, BIRAD supports startups launching their new venture. We help them with management, Situational assessment, risk management, and financial investment. The numbers speak for themselves; dozens of startup companies started out at Bar-Ilan University and today their market cap stands at over a billion dollars."

What about intellectual property, which is a critical element in the commercialization process?
"BIRAD deals with all issues related to protecting intellectual property, the fruits of research at Bar-Ilan, as well as business issues related to intellectual property and the knowledge that was created. It guides the process, protects the intellectual property resulting from the inventions, locates entities that can continue their development, conducts commercial negotiations with them, and grants licenses to industrial entities to make commercial use of the final products. The licenses include royalties, milestones in the development process, the sale of the products included under the license, and more. The licenses are for veteran companies as well as start-ups, which were established based on technology developed at the university, and BIRAD makes possible subsequent spin-offs from existing companies."

"This extensive activity, which helps efficiently and quickly carry out the range of commercial and legal engagements required, is conducted vis-à-vis industry, entrepreneurs, and government bodies, as well as patent attorneys, lawyers, and venture capital funds."

A variety of business opportunities for industry players
In addition to commercializing inventions and patents, BIRAD also provides scientific services to the industrial community, utilizing the knowledge base and technological infrastructure of Bar-Ilan University. All this is done under the auspices of the Scientific Services Division, which provides outsourcing services to the business sector. Within this framework, BIRAD provides access to university facilities to companies in the life sciences, nanotechnology, chemistry, and other research fields. The company also works in cooperation with the Center for Nanotechnology and the Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee and enjoys cooperation agreements with many international companies.

"BIRAD currently offers a variety of business opportunities to industrial entities, based on the extensive research carried out on university premises by the best experts in a long list of fields, from marine biology, through imaging, optics, computing, communication and cyber security, energy recycling and biophysics, to cancer research, diseases of aging, computing, and cognitive sciences," concludes Ben-Porat, who introduces three recent prominent applications in the field of chemistry (see frames).

A network of sensors to optimize the use of renewable energy
Prof. David Zitoun is the head of the Department of Chemistry at Bar-Ilan University, and his research lab focuses on materials and devices for energy applications. About a year ago, in June 2022, in order to promote the vision of sustainable oil and gas industry, he founded Fast Sense together with David Suter Sharabi, a high-tech entrepreneur, and Guy Rahamim, a PhD student.

The transformative journey of Fast Sense underscores the profound impact that collaboration with universities and the pursuit of scientific innovation can have in the formation of cutting-edge companies. At its core lies a remarkable hydrogen sensor technology, born from academic endeavors and propelled by visionary entrepreneurs.

"All over the world today, stakeholders want green energy sources to reach their zero-emission targets" explains Prof. David Zitoun. "It could be through biogas and hydrogen from water electrolysis using renewable electricity. Hydrogen does not emit greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide. Gas pipelines will transport not only natural gas but also biogas or hydrogen. Exactly like the electricity grid mixes electricity from gas peakers, nuclear plants, solar farms or windfarms. The problem with gas mixtures is that each of them has a different chemical formula with different figure of merit, value and risk. In our research, we discovered ways to selectively sense one gas in a mixture and developed sensors that could identify exactly what chemical formula exists in the gas pipeline. The information transmitted by the sensors helps knowing the calorific value, the monetary value and the risks for the integrity of all the assets. It answers a critical concern on how to use the gas mixture, and also how much energy can be produced from it."

"The discovery became a registered patent of the university," explains Director David Suter Sharabi, "and on its basis, the company Fast Sense was subsequently established. Our journey with Fast Sense exemplifies the incredible potential that arises when universities, visionary entrepreneurs, and cutting-edge science converge. It's not just about creating a product; it's about shaping the future and addressing pressing global challenges."

This H2 sensor technology, a testament to the power of collaboration, forms the cornerstone of Fast Sense's endeavors. Since its inception, the company has achieved remarkable milestones. It has garnered awards from prominent gas pipeline companies in Spain and Italy, showcasing the significance of this sensor in the industrial landscape. Additionally, Fast Sense has signed agreements to conduct pilots with European counterparts, further solidifying its position as an innovation-driven enterprise. Crucially, Fast Sense recently received a grant from the Innovation Authority, a pivotal moment that signifies the importance of nurturing innovation in Israel. This grant empowers Fast Sense to transition from university laboratories to its independent commercial laboratory, propelling the company into a new phase of growth and development.

While Fast Sense's multi gas sensor technology extends its impact across various sectors, it also contributes to our broader sustainability goals. Notably, it plays a role in optimizing processes related to bio methane—a renewable and low-carbon energy resource.

In conclusion, the story of Fast Sense is a testament to the symbiotic relationship between academia and industry, the importance of technological innovation, and the role of organizations like the Innovation Authority in fostering startup growth. As we continue to pursue innovation and sustainability, Fast Sense embodies the spirit of progress and promise in Israel's vibrant startup ecosystem.

Polyethylene without mold and treatment of dental tartar
Prof. Shlomo Margel is a world-renowned chemist, winner of international prizes and research grants. He is Professor Emeritus at the Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, in the Department of Chemistry at Bar-Ilan University. He is currently engaged in the chemistry of nanoparticles and new polymers as well as the preparation of very thin and resistant antimicrobial coatings for plastic or glass. Green materials are inserted into these coatings through an encapsulation process for controlled release. These developments have many applications in medicine, industry, and agriculture.

One project in which Prof. Margel's lab is currently engaged is with the Tama Group from Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek. This project, which received funding from the Innovation Authority, is co-sponsored by Eyal Malka, a doctoral student in the lab, Dr. Ayelet Caspi, principal researcher at Tama, Dr. Shai Adar-Laor, a researcher at Tama, and Reuven Hugi, VP R&D of the company. Tama produces covers for hay packaging made of polyethylene. The cover is intended to preserve the hay used as animal feed for a long time, but because of the moisture that accumulates in different areas of the hay, mold forms in it and harms its quality. The project partners developed a method for coating the polyethylene on the underside with a particular polymer, preventing mold from forming over time. The project has already been tested in the laboratory and field experiments are now beginning.

Another project is in the area of medicine, and it involves the development of an innovative technology for removing tartar from teeth. This is a collaboration between Prof. Margel and OYM Innovation Ltd., founded by Dr. Yarden Goldstein (dentist and microbiologist) and Or Lapid (attorney and financier). For the first time in history, technology has been developed to remove tartar from teeth in a non-mechanical process.

Prof. Margel explains: "We are developing a method to easily remove tartar by washing or brushing teeth so that everyone can clean his teeth from tartar at home. Tartar contains a lot of calcium and other organic substances, such as bacteria and food residues. As part of the collaboration, we have developed nanoparticles that release active chlorine in a controlled manner and another substance that has a very high chemical affinity with calcium. The technology that is made up of these materials knows how to 'attack' the tartar, separate it from the tooth, and quickly break it up."

OYM will introduce the technology developed in collaboration with Bar-Ilan into existing dental products on the market so that they do not change consumers' consumption and usage habits. After extensive research in the past two years, the company has carried out an industrial scale-up process, and the company is negotiating with well-known and leading international companies to commercialize the technology. It has so far registered patent applications in 11 countries.

High-speed data transfer with less energy
Prof. Doron Naveh from the Faculty of Engineering is an expert in nanoelectronics and materials engineering. These days he is engaged in developing industrial applications of a material called graphene. Graphene is a material one atom thick: a two-dimensional layer of carbon atoms. The British scientists were the first to isolate it in 2004 received the Nobel Prize in Physics. Graphene has unique, extraordinary mechanical strength and very high thermal and electrical conductivity.

"In all communication centers today, from data centers to server farms, as well as between the computers themselves and between the computers and the chips inside them, there is fast communication for transferring data," explains Prof. Naveh. "Electrical signals need to be conveyed at a high transfer rate, which requires an outstanding high-frequency conductivity, that has been accomplished through copper conductors that have been reaching its full data transfer rate capacity, so further increments come with a significant loss of energy. Semiconductor chips are sensitive to temperature that trends inversely totheir efficiency and can drive a bottleneck. This problem requires investing significant additional energy in cooling the system, that often involves a very high hydrocarbon footprint. The correct approach and the goal for the next decade is to use a technology that from the beginning is more suitable for a high data transfer rates, like graphene, which consumes less energy and generates less heat. And the heat that is nevertheless produced should be stored for further use or be recycled into electricity with significant utilization."

Prof. Naveh and his team currently work with a company that owns large communication centers for the purpose of "developing a graphene-based solution to treat the excess heat instead of throwing it into the sea or melting glaciers with it as is often done today," as Prof. Naveh explains.

In association with BIRAD Research and Development Company