On a chilly early Israeli winter evening, we gathered at our home bar, the Dizzy Frishdon. The crowd included dozens of entrepreneurs, professional experts, and representatives from the mental health field for a fascinating third meeting in our series: Mental Health and Technology.
The event took place as part of the Entrepreneurship On Tap project, which we have been leading for over a decade. This session focused on new ways to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The meeting was curated and led by our project partner, Adi Ostry Matalon, an investor and expert in the worlds of mental health and technology.
The panel included Miri Polachek (Co- Founder & CBO at Nuri Braintech), an entrepreneur with deep knowledge of brain science and former manager of the JOY investment fund; Rani Cohen (Co-Founder & Executive Chairman at GrayMatters Health), an entrepreneur with years of venture capital experience; Dr. Alona Barnea (Director of Neurotechnology Division, Government), a brain researcher and expert at the intersection of neuroscience, military technology, and civilian mental health applications; and Yonit Serkin (Investor & CBO at embARC Ventures), VP of Business, who provided the investor’s perspective.
Highlights from our speakers:
Miri Polachek, Co-founder & CBO at Nuri Braintech: "We have reached a point of significant development in our understanding of neuroscience, the technologies that allow this science to manifest, and the tools that enable the application and treatment of mental illness. This is exactly the time to advance this field."
Rani Cohen, Co-founder & Chairman of the Board at Gray Matters: "PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that is very difficult to treat. For the first time, our solution allows for the treatment of relevant areas like the amygdala and the reward system, measuring activity directly from the brain and allowing patients to practice controlling these areas. Many patients find it difficult to talk about their issues, which is why conventional therapy isn't always effective. We believe in combining our treatment with psychotherapy."
Alona Barnea, Director of Neurotechnology Division, Government:
"There is one point I want to emphasize: when you start a startup, make sure there is a professional on the team. When we meet companies that don’t have a psychologist or psychiatrist involved from an early stage, it is very noticeable. If someone says they are 'certain' the treatment will work before conducting research: that’s a red flag."
Yonit Serkin, Investor & CBO at embARC Ventures (Sheba Medical Center’s investment arm):
"We are meeting a younger generation that is open to this and thirsty for solutions... and despite the many difficulties in this field, and the complexity involved, I believe Israeli technologies know how to reach out, connect with global consumers, and provide the right translation of needs to solutions."