By Jessica Goldfarb, JFGC Communications Specialist

Israel’ s innovation engine hasn’ t slowed, even during a difficult two years. Far from it. In labs, clinics, along the coastline, and in the desert, Israeli scientists, doctors, and engineers are pushing forward with practical breakthroughs that could improve lives around the world.

The ongoing war has brought profound challenges— disrupting daily life, affecting communities, and placing heavy emotional and economic strain on the nation. Yet, alongside the resilience shown in homes, schools, and workplaces, Israel’ s research and development community continues to drive progress, proving that innovation can persevere even in the face of hardship.

Four recent examples— spanning cancer care, fertility medicine, clean energy, and wildlife conservation— show how the country continues to lead in diverse fields of innovation: One Israeli team, New Phase, is tackling cancer with a heat-based approach called magnetic hyperthermia. Doctors place tiny magnetic particles

inside a tumor and then apply a safe, external magnetic field that gently heats only the cancerous area. Cancer cells are more sensitive to heat than healthy ones, so this targeted warming can damage the tumor while sparing surrounding tissue. It’ s not radiation and it’ s not chemotherapy; think of it as a precise“ thermal attack” that aims to make treatment more focused and potentially easier on the body.

In fertility care, the startup AIVF is using artificial intelligence to support IVF( in-vitro fertilization) decisions. During IVF, doctors watch early embryo development to decide which embryo looks healthiest for transfer. AIVF’ s software studies time-lapse images and patterns that are hard for the human eye to quantify, then provides a score that helps the medical team choose. This gives doctors a new data-driven lens to aid in their decision making. The goal is simple: reduce guesswork, shorten the path to pregnancy for hopeful parents, and make a stressful process a little more predictable.

On the environmental front,

Eco Wave Power launched Israel’ s first onshore wave-energy pilot. Instead of building far out at sea, this system attaches floating arms to existing structures at the port. As waves rise and fall, the motion pumps hydraulic pistons that drive a generator and produce electricity. Locating the equipment onshore makes it easier to install and maintain, and it turns everyday wave action into a steady, renewable power source that can complement solar and wind.

Innovation isn’ t limited to

labs— it can also transform how people connect with nature. In Beersheva, the Midbarium— a reimagined zoo concept— is redefining what an animal park can be. Spread across four desert-inspired habitats, it houses more than 100 rescued desert species in environments carefully designed to mirror their natural homes. Injured or displaced animals receive care and rehabilitation, with the goal of returning them to the wild when possible. Visitors explore immersive, interactive spaces that encourage them to experience

the world as the animals do— deepening appreciation for the delicate balance of desert ecosystems while promoting wildlife conservation.

These projects share a common thread— practical innovation aimed at real-world impact. Israeli innovation keeps moving from concept to application, remaining one of the country’ s most reliable strengths. Even in challenging times, the work continues— focused on saving energy, saving time, and, most importantly, saving lives.