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Member Spotlight: Elior Peles Bring Scientific and Academic Experience and Excellence to the Club

Elior Peles, respected researcher, teacher, and author, was one of the early Members of the Genesis Business Humanity Club and is a perfect example of what makes our global group different and effective.

As founder and leader of the Peles Lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Elior received his BSc and MSc degrees in biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After completing his studies towards a PhD in biochemistry at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Elior moved to California to take a Group Leader position at Sugen Inc. in California.

Sugen went public in October 1994, and in 1997 filed its first Investigational New Drug (IND) application, for a PDGFR inhibitor. SU5416 (Semaxanib) and SU6668 went into clinical trials for colon cancer in 1999. SU5416 proceeded to Phase 3 trials, while the follow-on compound, SU11248 (Sunitinib) was later approved for human use, and a related compound SU11654 (Toceranib) was approved for canine tumors.

Sugen was acquired by Pharmacia & Upjohn in 1999 in a stock swap valued at $650 million, and in December 1999, Pharmacia & Upjohn merged with Monsanto. The company was renamed Pharmacia in 2002. Pharmacia was then acquired by Pfizer in April 2003.

In 1997, Elior returned to the Department of Molecular Cell Biology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He headed this department from 2010-2014 and served as the Dean of the Faculty of Biology from 2014-2021.

He is the incumbent of the Hanna Hertz Professorial Chair for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroscience. His lab studies the molecular mechanisms underlying axon-glia interactions and myelination by Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes.

The Peles Lab today is continuing research on Myelin, an insulating membrane sheath produced by specialized glial cells; Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). It enables fast and efficient nerve conduction and provides essential trophic support to maintain axonal integrity and survival.

Destruction of myelin leads to several neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and is also associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Our lab combines molecular, biochemical, and advanced light and electron microscopy techniques to study the various aspects of myelinating glial cells and the mechanisms that enable them to form one of the most complex structures found in nature.

Three projects include:

Axon-glia Communication

The formation and maintenance of myelinated nerve fibers requires reciprocal communication between Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes with their associated axons. We are using various molecular approaches to identify the axonal signals that enable Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes to ensheath the axons they contact and to myelinate them.

PNS and CNS myelination

Myelinating glia undergo dramatic morphological changes to generate large, specialized membrane extensions that warp around the axon. These substantial morphological changes require extensive reorganization of the cytoskeleton. We are studying the role of cytoskeletal adaptor proteins which link extracellular signals to the intracellular machinery that controls myelin formation.

Organization of myelinated axons

The physiology of myelinated nerves depends on the organization of the axonal membrane into distinct domains which contain different ion channels. This exquisite molecular organization of the axon is controlled by the overlying Schwann cells or oligodendrocyes. We are using different molecular and genetic approaches to reveal how myelinating glia shapes the membrane of the axons they wrap.

The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences. It is in Rehovot, Israel, just south of Tel Aviv. It was initially established as the Daniel Sieff Institute in 1934, by Israel and Rebecca Sieff of London in memory of their son Daniel. In 1949, it was renamed for Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the first President of the State of Israel, and Founder of the Institute.

When Elior is not researching, teaching, traveling, or participating in Genesis Club initiatives, Ori (as he is also known) is an enthusiastic triathlete, so outside of the lab you can often find him swimming, cycling, and running.

We are honored to have Professor Peles as a Member of the Club, especially given to his devotion to discovering and developing cellular-biology-based technologies that reduce suffering, and improve lives.

July 18, 2023
Member Spotlight: Harley Lippman and Diversity as a Blessing
In 1999, Harley Lippman asked 12 of his former colleagues to help him build a professional technology services firm that companies across the U.S. would rely on to deliver experienced, professional business and IT talent. Ten colleagues said yes, and the company was named Genesis10 in their honor.

Today, Genesis10 is a talent, workforce solutions, and technology consulting firm. Recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as one of the Largest IT Staffing Firms in the U.S., the company is dedicated to helping companies implement business and technology initiatives cost-effectively. Genesis10’s unique hybrid service model adapts and scales to deliver proven business and technology professionals how, when, and where needed.

Clients include some of the world’s most recognized public and private companies in industries including financial services, energy, healthcare, insurance, communications, consumer products, manufacturing, and technology.

Based in New York, Genesis10 has grown organically and has more than 2,000 employees and consultants and more than 20 sales and recruiting offices throughout North America, including three U.S.-based delivery centers.

Prior to starting Genesis10, Harley was the founder and sole owner of Triad Data Inc., an information technology consulting firm. Harley sold Triad Data in 1998 just before founding Genesis10.

Harley serves on the boards of many business, educational and cultural organizations. Among them, he is:
- A member of United States Agency for International Development’s Partnership for Peace Advisory Board
  (he was appointed by the Biden administration to sit on this advisory board addressing ways to improve relations between the Israeli and Palestinian people. The goal is to bring them together and build trust without the involvement of the Israeli government or Palestinian Authority)
- A member of the US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad by Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation (appointed by Bush and reappointed by Obama, Trump, and Biden)
- A Board Member of Yale University Business School of Management
- An Advisory Board Member of Columbia University’s Graduate School of International and Public Affairs
- A Political Leadership Council and Executive Committee Member, American Israel Public Affairs Committee
- An Executive Committee Member, Middle East Forum
- A trustee, The Brookings Institution
- A trustee, The Washington Institute
Neurodiversity A Multiplier

In 2023, Genesis10 became certified as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE), which is granted to businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, controlled, and managed by a person with a disability.

Our CEO Harley Lippman is neurodivergent.

In a 2013 interview with Forbes, Harley shared, “For me, it strengthens other traits that I have, like intuition, and being able to read people. It also forces me to ask people to give me the bottom line first.”

Harley has always asked people to begin with the bottom line—start with the outcome, ensure mutual understanding, and then discuss supporting particulars. This approach, which encourages transparency, curiosity, deep listening, and a focus on what matters, laid the cornerstones of the company’s culture.

Be present. Listen deeply. Execute. It’s how we do business. It’s how we separate ourselves from our peers. Unchanged since our founding in 1999.

While some may describe neurodiversity as a deficit, we believe it’s a multiplier.

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Giving Back

A dedicated philanthropist, Harley and his family have been caring for children in Cambodia for more than 20 years. Near Phnom Penh, they built the Children First Center, which opened in 2018. At the center, the family helps the children with their education through college and, to date, have paid college tuition for 11 children. The family also supports an English-language center in Siem Reap, paying the salaries of two teachers. Harley and his family will be involved in the lives of the children of Cambodia for years to come.

Harley also has funded efforts since 2009 to explore an overlooked aspect of the Holocaust. He works to find mass graves where Jews were murdered and buried. He has memorials to honor and preserve their memory throughout the year. He made a documentary on this, Safeguarding Memory, which appeared on PBS and won two awards. He also funds scholarships and financial aid programs for American military veterans – particularly soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In keeping with their core values, Genesis10 actively encourages and makes it possible for their team to give back and support dozens of diverse charities and other organizations with contributions of time, energy, financial and other forms of support. You can learn about some of the many organizations that benefit here.

This article was originally published by Genesis10.
July 18, 2023
Israel’s Rich History of Technological Innovation: Ten Inventions That Changed the World for the Better
The success of Israel’s “Innovation Nation” has been stunning. Consider the facts:
- Number of Israeli Noble Prize Winners: 13
- 2022 Investments in Israeli Tech Start-ups: $17 billion
- Number of Israeli unicorns (private companies valued at over $1 billion): over 70 and counting.
- Number of Israeli companies listed on the Nasdaq Exchange: 91 with a total market cap of over $116 billion. (Israel has the third most companies listed on the NASDAQ, after the United States and China).
- Number of multinational corporations with offices in Israel: over 300 benefitting from Israel’s renowned R&D capabilities.
Beginning in the 1960s, the Israeli government supported R&D in the defense industry, aligned with its mandatory military service, and out of the work associated with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

In the late 1980s, the government established the Office of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy, which in 2016 became the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), an independent but government-funded agency.

Today, the IIA offers a wide variety of support, ranging from “incubators” for the initial stages of innovation to providing training and seed money to connecting startups with funders in Israel and overseas, while exceptional non-profits like Start-Up Nation are using technology to match entrepreneurs with partners and funders, with an impressive track record (which you can access here).

Israel’s academic institutions continue to play a strategic role, with universities including Hebrew University, the Technion and the Weizmann Institute ranked among the top in the world. These universities have educated tens of thousands of startup founders in Israel’s high-tech sector as well as its scientists and engineers.

Genesis Business Humanity’s team has created this list of ten of our favorite social impact companies born in Israel which are actively protecting people and the planet, while driving prosperity for bold entrepreneurs and committed teams.

1.

Iron Dome

Iron Dome detects incoming short-range rockets and shells, assesses the threat, and dispatches a high-speed missile to intercept and destroy anything determined to be a danger. Developed by two Israeli firms—Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries with support from the United States, the system has thwarted approximately 97% of missiles launched to strike Israeli population centers by Hamas and Hezbollah since it was introduced in 2011.

2.

Waze

In 2006, Israeli entrepreneurs Ehud Shabtai, Amir Shinar and Uri Levine developed a commercial-free digital database to help drivers shorten travel times around Israel. Today it is Waze, the real-time driving app now owned by Google and used by 140 million people a month worldwide. Users report traffic accidents, road hazards, police activity, street events and even gas prices. Waze then uses the data to constantly update its maps and offer increasingly accurate recommendations which lead to safer driving which can save lives.

3.

Pillcam

A tiny camera inside a swallowed capsule the size of a jellybean takes pictures of a patient’s bowel that are transmitted via sensors attached to their abdomen. Pillcam, a noninvasive method for diagnosing diseases of the digestive system that are often missed by painful traditional methods including colonoscopies was invented by Israeli engineer Gavrial Iddan and Israeli gastroenterologist Eitan Scapa.

4.

Rewalk

After a 1997 car accident left him a quadriplegic, Israeli entrepreneur Amit Goffer invented the ReWalk robotic exoskeleton. Available for home use since 2014, the ReWalk “exo-suit” features motorized joints and a computerized system that allows the wearer to stand, walk and climb stairs. While the ReWalk suit is expensive (upwards of $70K), it is in use in some hospitals for patients recovering from strokes and spinal cord injuries.

5.

ESGgo

ESGgo is an AI-based “sustainability operating platform.” A SaaS powered by AI, it provides different tools for public companies and consulting firms. With ESGgo teams can strategize, examine, report and operate programs efficiently and cost-effectively. in a highly fast and cost-effective way.

6.

Conflu3nce Health AI (CHAI)

Conflu3nce/Conflu3nce Health AI’s healthcare agenda focuses on developing personalized, user-centric evaluation metrics: biomarkers of change that can support early detection of disease for vulnerable and at-risk populations. Healthcare practices changed with the pandemic, engaging consumers, shifting point-of-care to telehealth, and recognizing acute and historical service gaps.

7.

Effectivate

With a mission to empower seniors and preserve quality of life, Effectivate sets a new standard for computerized-brain-training in the neuro-wellness and AgeTech arenas. By providing cutting edge memory training for older adults and helping them maintain their cognitive abilities and quality of life, the company contributes to advances in medicine and innovation, With age, many physical abilities decline, including cognitive abilities such as memory and attention.

8.

AIVF

Founded and headed by clinical embryologist Daniella Gilboa, AIVF uses artificial intelligence (AI) to guide the embryo selection process when retrieving and choosing eggs for fertilization. This June, AIVF completed a $25 million investment round to expand the use of its main software platform, called EMA, an acronym for Embryology Management Assistant—and the Hebrew word for mother.

9.

Gabriel Network

Formerly Blue Systems, the Gabriel Network is an Israeli startup that created a “smart panic button” for crisis management during violent incidents like school shootings and terror attacks. The company has seen demand for its advanced security software rise significantly in recent years among companies and organizations in the private sector. Yoni Sherizen, the co-founder of Gabriel Network says the solution has already been rolled out across a double-digit number of Jewish institutions in the US including synagogues and community centers over the past three years, and that the company has been expanding to many more communities, businesses, educational institutions and more in North America.

10.

Hortica

Hortica is an Israeli company that develops and manufactures technologies for precision horticulture. Their proprietary “environment within an environment” aims to bring sustainability, resilience, and stability to full-spectrum local food security. Hortica has developed an automatic device that allows cannabis growers to control crops using sensors, providing the highest quality buds required for pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis, used to treat pain more effectively, safely, and economically than opiods and other traditional options.

We’d love to hear from you if you have a story to share about more inspiring start-ups in Israel. Contact our editor, Arti Loftus, here. (form)
July 18, 2023
GENESIS COMPANY Spotlight: Yaniv BenHaim Founder and CEO of New Photonics
With cloud growth surging, the impact of Generative AI, and the future of quantum computing growing closer to reality, hyperscale data centers are under pressure to support real time computing at a scale many could never have imagined.

The cloud computing market value reached USD 545.8 billion in 2022, but experts predict the market will grow at a CAGR of 17.9 percent, with estimates putting the market value at USD 1,240.9 billion by the end of 2027.

The rapid growth in cloud computing is breaking all records, and outpacing even the most optimistic growth forecasts, as more cloud devices and applications require higher-speed computational power.

The rising cost of energy has magnified the problem as cloud computing giants including AWS, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Alibaba, and other major players around the world.

Furthermore, hyperscale data centers are harming the environment and facing increasing regulatory pressure to reduce carbon emissions and the consumption of electricity. For both financial and sustainability reasons, cloud computing enterprises have increasingly begun to look for ways to be more energy efficient, and among the most promising new technologies os silicon photonic (SiPh), all-optic processing chips.

SiPh all-optic chips can help enable, extend, and increase data transmissions, as well as facilitate all-optical computing. This method uses light waves produced by lasers or incoherent sources for data processing, data storage or data communication for computing, which offers advantages such as low power consumption, high computational speed, large information storage, and inherent parallelism that cannot be rivaled by its electronic counterpart.

NewPhotonics Inc, a fabless chip startup and developer of a silicon photonic alternative to Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology used in most of today’s integrated circuits, has been funded in part by Genesis Business Humanity Club, and continues to receive guidance and business development support from team.

Their first-in-market optical gearbox, supporting the demand for 224G and 448G per lane signaling rates required for AI-based applications, including the explosive Generative AI domain, and other data intensive compute.

Established in 2020, with funding from AWZ Ventures, the European Innovation Council, the Israeli Innovation Authority, NextLeap Ventures, Trirec VC, Vahoca and the founding team, NewPhotonics has created a breakthrough micro processing photonic chip with the potential to immediately solve the most acute challenge hyperscale data center operators and others face.

The growth in energy consumption and inability to scale to meet demand is well-documented, and with an All-Optic chip that works within existing infrastructure, replacement of power-hungry and costly electronic chips has arrived.

The company has been developing a range of chips which will dramatically reduce energy consumption, increase the speed of processing massive amounts of data, and lower operating costs for OEMs, data center operators, and cloud and network service providers.

“NewPhotonics products enable end-to-end optical connectivity, significantly reduce power consumption, and address the pressing need to address exponential data rate growth and high processing power demands for AI applications, all at a lower total cost of ownership,” said Founder and CEO Yaniv BenHaim, who is also an active Member of Genesis Club. “Our approach will make a substantial contribution to reversing climate change, while supporting advanced innovations including generative AI applications, and will unlock value to the global tech community for decades to come. We are just at the beginning of this revolution, and proud to be pioneers, with over 50 patents in process.”

New Photonics silicon technology represents an all-optic paradigm shift with fabless chips by using photons versus electrons. The benefits are significant:
- Speed of Light performance
- 80% cost reduction
- 50%-90% energy savings
- Designed to easily scale
- Future proof approach
- Uses existing infrastructure
- Matures existing foundries
New Photonics has the potential to save 400 thousand metric tons of CO2e by 2027 during the initial market entry period, by replacing just a fraction of the chips in the market, according to studies conducted by the company.

Scaling to 1.6 GBps is challenging, but New Photonics has met that challenge with technology that works with existing infrastructure, including 112G/224G PAM4 SERDES and 112G/224G optical Modulators and PDs, while reducing power consumption. Their products can run in existing mechanics (OSFP-XD/1600), and their ultra-high bandwidth PiC design is based on CPO Chip-to-Chip communications, with 3.2Tbps single light sources and proprietary signal modulation.

The global silicon photonics market reached USD 1.49 billion by the end of 2022, with experts estimating a CAGR of 23.23 percent, bringing the predicted market value to USD 3.44 billion by 2026. However, with the cloud also set to grow, these numbers may certainly increase, and cloud computing organizations continue to adopt and implement SiPh technology to reduce energy consumption, for both their own, and the environment’s benefit.
July 18, 2023
Celebrating 75 Years of United States and Israel Cooperation and Innovation
The United States was the first country to recognize Israeli statehood when Israel declared independence in 1948. This strong and meaningful partnership has been built on mutual interests and shared democratic values from its inception, with Israelis and Americans united by their commitment to democracy, economic prosperity, and regional security.

With annual bilateral trade of nearly $50 billion in goods and services annually, several treaties and agreements, including the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), are a foundation for future growth. In fact, since the FTA’s signing in 1985, the United States has become Israel’s largest trading partner.

The United States and Israel also coordinate scientific and cultural exchanges through the Binational Science Foundation, the Binational Agricultural Research and Development Foundation, Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, and the U.S.-Israeli Education Foundation.

In July 2022, the United States and Israel held a Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology to partner on critical and emerging technologies to address global challenges.

Beyond a thriving business and technology ecosystem, Israel and the United States have developed and are continually expanding a rich variety of cultural, educational, and professional programs. Approximately 17,000 Israelis are alumni of such programs including:
- The Fulbright Program. The State Department has supported over 3,400 United States and Israeli citizens through this flagship academic exchange program.
- The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). IVLP executes exchange programs for Israeli rising leaders and professionals.
- UGRAD and Education USA. These programs allow Israeli students to study in the United States; 2,027 Israelis participated in the 2021-2022 academic year.
- English Access: This language program annually engages 700 students and teachers.
- American Space (Jerusalem): In 2022, this State Department-administered space hosted 3,662 visitors and offered 249 programs for 8,656 attendees on topics including civil society, democracy and rule of law, women’s empowerment, and STEM.
U.S.-sponsored arts programs include an environmental arts virtual residency, as well as an exchange among Arab and Israeli youth – centered on hip hop, spoken word, and urban dance – that seeks to promote grassroots reconciliation.

Consistent with a 10-year, $38 billion MOU signed in 2016, the United States provides $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing and an additional $500 million in missile defense funding. Missile defense funding supports several cooperative missile defense programs, including David’s Sling and Iron Dome, as well as Arrow, Arrow II, and Arrow III, whose life-saving capabilities have proved vital to Israel’s security.

In 2022, the United States provided $1 billion in supplemental funding to replenish Israel’s stock of missile interceptors for the Iron Dome.

The United States is committed to promoting a more integrated, prosperous, and secure Middle East that benefits all its people.

We are dedicated to deepening and expanding normalization and integration between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority states – as exemplified by the Abraham Accords, other normalization agreements, and the Negev Forum. Established in March 2022, the Negev Forum – consisting at present of Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, the UAE, and the United States – advances regional integration, cooperation, and development to augment peace, security, and economic prosperity for the wider region, including initiatives that could strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve Palestinians’ quality of life.

GENESIS BH Club is on a mission to bring the most exciting and meaningful innovations from Israel to the United States and to other regions globally, inviting entrepreneurs to meet the highly successful and respected Members of our Club, with a focus on solutions that have the potential to solve the world’s biggest challenges.

To learn more about our passion for the mission, read our Manifesto here. (internal link to webpage).
July 18, 2023
Bringing Joy to Orphans in Israel

Earlier this year, our generous Club members, working with Simcha Connections, based in our global headquarters city in Miami, Florida, sponsored a Shabbat Kidush at the Kotel in Jerusalem, sponsoring Bar & Bat Mitzvah celebrations.

Simcha Connection coordinates and facilitates several celebrations throughout the calendar year for young boys and girls. They conduct a spiritual ceremony at the Kotel with the families, and host a beautiful celebration party with music, gifts, and entertainment.

Each boy receives a pair of Tefilin, a Tallit, a suit, a hat, a pair of shoes, Holy Books, and a check for his Bar Mitzvah.

Each girl receives gifts, clothing, silver Shabbat Candlesticks, earrings, and a check. This great organization also provides a meaningful contribution towards the Kiddush at their Shabbat ceremony.

After the ceremony and the celebrations, volunteers reach out to the children to reconnect and continue to educate them.

Together with Rabbi Dalfin, this celebration at the Western Wall is just one of many ways in which Genesis contributes and supports the growth and development of those who have faced difficult circumstances.

Our dedication to the community, those in need, and to humanity is unwavering. We believe that every child deserves to feel loved, valued, and celebrated. We are proud to be a part of making this a reality for these orphans.

Simcha Connection strives to improve the lives of those who are less fortunate. They help widows and orphans who have experienced tragedy and grief in their lives by providing Tzedaka and other meaningful forms of assistance.

They espouse the Torah’s teachings of Ahavat Yisroel following in the steps of the Holy Ba’al Shem Tov.

“One should endeavor to be proactive in helping others and always do so in joy and happiness.” – Ahavat Yisroel.

To learn more and donate, please visit Simcha Connection’s website.

July 18, 2023
Miami Mentorship

June 13, 2023
Orphans in Israel

June 13, 2023