Four Startups Win Biomed Israel 2026 Competition

Biomed Israel 2026 and 8400 The Health Network named Starget Pharma, caVos Biotherapeutics, Protai and BAIBYS™ as winners of their life science startup showcase and competition. The four companies were selected from nearly 100 applicants, with 12 finalists competing at the Tel Aviv conference held May 12 to 14. Their work spans cancer radiotherapies, drug discovery, age-related disease treatments and IVF sperm selection. The awards recognize four young companies developing technologies for life sciences.

Four Different Health Technologies

Starget Pharma is a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing peptide radioligand therapies for cancer. The company operates in the United States and Israel, uses an AI-driven platform for peptide design and theranostic imaging, and plans multiple clinical entries in 2026.

caVos Biotherapeutics is building therapies for age-related diseases, including fibrosis, regenerative medicine and oncology. Its platform uses evolutionary biology, artificial intelligence and a cross-species genomic atlas to identify genetic variants associated with longevity and regeneration.

Protai uses structural proteomics and AI to study protein complexes in their disease native state. Its internal drug pipeline is led by a KAT6A degrader for breast cancer and other solid tumors.

BAIBYS™ has developed a CE-marked autonomous robotic platform for sperm selection and isolation in IVF. The system scans samples, evaluates sperm using World Health Organization criteria and isolates cells for injection through what the company describes as a Nespresso-like workflow.

Competition Draws Nearly 100 Applicants

The competition selected 12 finalists from nearly 100 applicants. Alongside the four winners, the finalists were Avertto, Cellergy, Coltac, Endo Pulse, Orvida Pharma, Plas-Free, Potentia and Renewal Bio.

The judging panel included representatives from venture capital firms and multinational pharmaceutical and device companies in the United States and Israel.

“We are incredibly proud of the caliber of companies that participated in this year's competition. From nearly 100 applicants, we selected 12 finalists that reflect the breadth and diversity of innovation emerging from Israel's Life Sciences sector. Selecting the winners was no easy task, and we believe each finalist has the potential to make a meaningful impact on patients' lives and shape the future of healthcare. Their technologies embody the originality, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit that continue to define Israeli innovation.”

Support For Young Companies

Biomed Israel said the competition is designed to help young life science companies enter the market and form partnerships. More than 150 life science companies presented and exhibited products and technologies at the conference.

Ruti Alon, Founder and CEO at Medstrada and Co-Chairperson at Biomed Israel, stated:

“The Biomed Israel startup competition helps spotlight promising startup companies in the life sciences. We are grateful for the opportunity to assist young companies in entering the market, and to promote them with the goal of forming partnership that will eventually lead to solutions and products that will benefit millions around the world.”

A Shared Healthcare Mission

The winning companies show the range of work represented in the competition, from AI-supported drug development to reproductive health technology. Biomed Israel and 8400 The Health Network brought the finalists together as part of the startup showcase at the conference.

“One of the most inspiring aspects of this competition was seeing entrepreneurs come together around a shared mission of advancing healthcare. Israel's HealthTech and lifescience ecosystem is uniquely collaborative, and organizations like 8400 and the Biomed conference play an important role in bringing the industry together in ways that make the whole far greater than the sum of its parts. Israel continues to create unique opportunities at the intersection of healthcare and technology, helping accelerate innovation and improve outcomes for patients around the world.”