Mind the Tech NY
The 2026 NY Dream Team: “Solving real, big problems, not riding a trend”
From growing milk proteins in potatoes to refunding airline compensation in a minute: 12 Israeli startups selected from more than 150 applicants presented their innovative solutions at the Dream Team event as part of Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s Mind the Tech Conference.
Hilla Ovil-Brenner
( Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko)
"What impresses me about this group is that every entrepreneur here comes to solve a real, big problem, not to ride a trend. From molecular agriculture to artificial intelligence in the operating room, they are building things that really change something." This is what Dr. Michal Tsur, co-founder and co-CEO of Remepy and a member of the steering committee, said at the Dream Team NY ‘26 event held as part of the Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s New York 2026 Mind the Tech conference.
The main event of the "Dream Team" delegation, a joint initiative of Calcalist, Showcase IL and LeumiTech, was one of the highlights of an entrepreneurial business trip, the goal of which was to create a direct and unmediated connection between early-stage Israeli startups and investors, corporations and partners in global power centers.
Yafit Keret, CEO of ERB Proximo and a member of the steering committee, said at the event: "Meeting entrepreneurs and hearing their dreams, seeing people with a true passion to build something that can change the world, is one of the reasons I love what I do so much."
Keret noted that among the selected companies, Pink Star Technologies particularly caught her attention. "I connected with their vision of changing the world of MRI for breast cancer using AI. As a woman, seeing women leading innovation with a real impact on women's health is particularly exciting and inspiring."
The selection process was rigorous and professional. More than 150 Israeli startups applied, and only 23 were selected to advance to the final pitch stage. The judging panel ranked the candidates based on five criteria: market opportunity, team quality, level of innovation, traction, and growth and expansion potential.
At the end of the process, a list of 12 companies was chosen to represent the delegation. According to the project's protocol, only CEOs or founders were allowed to represent the companies on stage, in order to ensure the presence of decision-makers in the room. After the selection, the entrepreneurs underwent a concentrated training day (bootcamp) at the Google for Startups campus, where they polished their pitches and received practical training on raising capital, working with foreign media, and adapting to the American business environment.
The delegation was accompanied by a Leadership Board that included industry executives: Maya Eisen Zafrir, CEO of Leumitech; Attorney Yuval Horn; Justin Borus, founder of Ibex Investors; Yafit Keret, CEO of ERB Proximo; Amir Elichai, CEO of Carbyne; Dr. Michal Tsur; and Jenny Fielding, co-founder and director of Everywhere Ventures.
Hilla Ovil-Brenner, founder and CEO of Showcase IL, commented on the Israeli resilience reflected in the team: "This year's Dream Team was built in the shadow of war. While Israel faced reserve service, uncertainty, security challenges, food security concerns, and tremendous national pressure, these founders kept building. They are solving some of the most critical challenges, from education and cancer treatment to agro-tech, artificial intelligence, flight cancellations, and security, and now they are bringing these solutions to the global stage. Their resilience and determination are what make this team so extraordinary."
Tsur emphasized the real value of the ventures: "If I had to choose one name that particularly caught my eye, it would be Dafna Gabbay from Finally Foods. She grows real milk proteins inside plants, and has already signed a commercial agreement with the Coca-Cola Israel Group. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her!"
Borus shared the perspective of an American investor. "I came to Israel 14 or 15 years ago for a four-day trip, after reading the book 'Startup Nation,' to visit startups, funds, and entrepreneurs. I was immediately amazed. Since then, Ibex Investors has invested in hundreds of Israeli companies, as part of this innovative and unique ecosystem. Hearing here on stage today, the founders of companies like GYRO, Catch, and Sequent Tech, and the entire talented and ambitious Calcalist dream team, reminded me once again why we believe so much in the Israeli economy, and why our venture capital investment strategy in Israel is an integral part of our global investment strategy as an American firm."
Fielding was excited about the diversity and the companies’ ability to scale. “I loved seeing the diversity of the companies that were on display, especially Finally Foods, which has the opportunity to transform the dairy industry using potatoes. With price parity and the ability to distribute across multiple countries, I’m excited about how this startup can scale effectively.”
The event in New York not only showcased the forefront of Israeli technology, but also illustrated the ability of local high-tech to continue operating and growing even under complex conditions, while building strategic bridges that ensure the place of the next generation of Israeli entrepreneurship in the global market.
At the event, the team members presented 12 three-minute pitches about the startups they founded, and answered questions from the steering committee members, who asked to hear more about, among other things, the business models, the companies competing in the markets in which the ventures operate, and the effects of AI on the startups' activities. The entrepreneurs presented developments that combine artificial intelligence, advanced agriculture, and solutions for traditional industries.
These are the companies that presented at the event:
april: Develops a smart tax platform in an embedded tax model, which accesses complicated regulations for a smart electronic filing track within financial applications and payroll platforms.
Daniel Marcous
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
GYRO: Offers an artificial intelligence system that enables instant compensation reimbursement from airlines in just 60 seconds, replacing bureaucratic claim processes that take months.
Jonathan Attias, GYRO
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Catch: A retail media platform for physical stores, which provides personalized marketing experiences through a multi-agent system, with the aim of maximizing the return on investment for marketing networks.
Shlomi Dayan, Catch
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Guardian7: Develops an autonomous operating system for tactical communications, which provides durable connectivity and real-time data and video synchronization for military and rescue agencies.
Nir Goldstein, Guardian7
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Edventure.il: An ed-tech company that operates an AI platform that combines real-time student diagnosis and a smart private tutor, for the benefit of personalized learning and improving academic achievements.
Eran Heller, Edventure.il
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Finally Foods: A molecular agriculture company that grows milk proteins inside plants such as potatoes, and has already signed an initial supply agreement with Coca-Cola Israel.
Dafna Gabbay, Finally Foods
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Shopeaks: Offers an artificial intelligence-based commerce infrastructure that creates a personalized online store that is customized to the customer's intent in real time, with the aim of increasing e-commerce conversion rates.
Daniel Abitbul, Shopeaks
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Pink Star Technologies: Develops a decision support system for objective interpretation of breast MRI images using AI models, with the aim of more accurately detecting cancer and preventing unnecessary invasive procedures.
Sivan Sadan, Pink Star Technologies
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
AgriPass Robotics: Provides a solution to the shortage of manpower in agriculture through an autonomous weeding robot that performs soil cultivation operations with high precision and without the use of herbicides.
Liron Cohen Yanay, AgriPass Robotics
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Sequent Tech: Develops a software platform that enables secure and verifiable online voting systems for public bodies and governments, as a modern alternative to postal voting.
Shai Bargil, Sequent Tech
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
TrackiMed: Develops a surgical assistant system that uses visual and voice intelligence to streamline processes and automate documentation in operating rooms, with the aim of preventing human error and operational losses.
Inbar Oz, TrackiMed
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
Modelyo: Develops a cloud platform that enables financial organizations to manage core systems and AI models in encrypted environments using cryptographic proofs, without exposing sensitive information.
Benny Meir, Modelyo
(Reyan Preuss, Tomeriko, Live Focus)
