AI and Innovation Take Center Stage at Sheba Medical Center’s ARC Summit 2024

The ARC Summit 2024 took place on September 12 at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv, hosted by Sheba Medical Center’s ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) Innovation Center. This year’s summit, held against the backdrop of ongoing conflict, focused on how Israel’s resilient health-tech ecosystem continues to innovate. The summit also featured discussions on AI-driven healthcare solutions, showcasing how these technologies are transforming patient care and operational efficiency.

A major announcement at the summit was the launch of embARC Ventures, a new accelerator for health-tech startups. Backed by ARC and Ilex Medical, the program provides $250,000 in guaranteed funding for each selected company, along with mentoring and access to Sheba’s international network.

“We are launching a new and unique model that will help bold entrepreneurs reach the market quicker and more efficiently,” embARC CEO Dan Shwarzman said. The accelerator will run three-month cycles for five to 10 startups, with participants engaging in a US roadshow to connect with global partners.

Sheba Medical Center also announced a partnership with Paradigm Health Inc. to create a global network for clinical trials aimed at improving access to advanced care and optimizing trial operations.

“Partnering with Paradigm allows us to leverage cutting-edge technologies to create a unified global network that standardizes and optimizes clinical trials,” Prof. Eyal Zimlichman, chief innovation officer at Sheba, told The Media Line.

Despite the ongoing war, the ARC Summit exemplifies the strength and resilience of Israel’s healthcare system. It continues to develop through cutting-edge research, new clinical trials, and groundbreaking technologies, demonstrating the country’s commitment to medical innovation.

Avner Halperin, CEO of Sheba Impact, the entrepreneurship and innovation company of Sheba Medical Center, told The Media Line that Israel’s healthcare industry remains resilient and continues to drive innovation.

“The health care industry in general, and certainly in Israel, is very resilient. As was mentioned in some of the talks, a crisis is an opportunity, as Churchill said, ‘Never let a crisis go to waste.’ We see that crises like COVID and the current war actually accelerate innovation. We’ve had dozens of new inventions, and we’re building startups around them. So, while there is the pain of the crisis, there is also excitement and hope, as the innovations born out of this time are literally saving lives,” he said.

Halperin emphasized the importance of continuing events like the ARC Summit, even in difficult times: “Some people questioned whether we should hold this conference, but the answer is clear. It’s crucial to bring people together and connect Israeli innovation with global efforts.”

Mati Gill, CEO of AION Labs, addressed the challenges of maintaining continuity in the healthcare and biotech industries during the war. “We’re a resilient country and resilient people,” he told The Media Line. “On October 8, we gathered our team and laid out three priorities: personal and family safety, continuing to build and support the startups we already have, and ensuring the pipeline for growth in the next year. Anything outside those priorities, we stopped.”

Gill noted that Israel adapted quickly during the conflict. “Unlike Ukraine, where clinical trials stopped during the war, Israel continued. Regulatory agencies here provided flexible guidance, and technology allowed us to maintain operations without being physically present.”

He highlighted the shift from traditional biotech to “tech-bio,” where AI and machine learning are transforming drug discovery. “The future of biopharma is in AI and computational models. These technologies are transforming how we discover, develop, and commercialize drugs,” he said.

While Israel has faced challenges in large-scale drug manufacturing, Gill stressed its strength in tech-bio. “We’re seeing startups using AI to make clinical trials more efficient and discover new drugs. Israeli entrepreneurship excels at solving complex problems like lowering the 90% attrition rate in clinical trials.”

Prof. Zimlichman spoke about the necessity of transformation in the health care system: “Health care faces so many challenges, and wars only increase those challenges. It’s completely unsustainable. If we don’t see change, health care in the future might actually provide less value to patients.”

He explained that the ARC Innovation Center, led by Sheba Medical Center, is focusing on driving this transformation, particularly by utilizing new technologies and change management strategies. One of the key areas of focus, according to Zimlichman, is artificial intelligence.

“We use AI to improve decision-making, such as recognizing a stroke in the emergency room much sooner. AI is helping us transform diagnosis and expand access to complex tests at the patient’s home,” he said.

Halperin highlighted AI and personalized health care, pointing to innovations like Liv, an AI tool addressing the mental health crisis. “There’s a global shortage of mental health clinicians, and in Israel, that shortage is tenfold because of the war and the post-trauma. AI like Liv can help solve this global problem, not just a local one.”

Telemedicine and remote care, already vital during the conflict, have also advanced. “The war in Israel has helped accelerate advancements in remote care because people want to stay home for various reasons. We’ve made a lot of progress in transforming the home into a smart environment for chronic disease management and aging in place,” Zimlichman added.

In addition to AI, Halperin emphasized advancements in personalized health care and genetic-based treatments. “We see personalized health care as the next big breakthrough, with genetic-based care and treatment leading the way.”

Addressing economic strain, Zimlichman said, “When faced with financial challenges, the natural reaction is to cut expenses, not invest in new technologies, but without these changes, the health care system will face even greater financial problems. There’s a growing gap between resources and what’s needed, driven by an aging population and the increasing cost of technology.” He said that AI offered a solution: “Artificial intelligence, in the end, is not very expensive. It’s computer algorithms that can help us break the cycle of rising costs.”

What the future holds

Looking ahead, Gill believes Israel will lead in biotech innovation. “The future of health care will incorporate more tech capabilities, and Israel is one of the few places with the expertise to be a top player in this space.”

Despite the challenges of war and economic pressures, Zimlichman remains optimistic about healthcare innovation. “We must break away from traditional ways of thinking and embrace these new technologies to provide better, more affordable care for the next generation.”

Halperin’s vision includes two key goals: “First, we want to change global health care and the way it’s delivered. We know we have to do it. Second, we want to be an economic growth engine for Israel and the region. We’ve already created startups worth billions and thousands of jobs. Now we want to help rebuild after the war, both in the area of Sheba and in the Negev, and be a real engine of growth there,” he shared.