Tel Aviv, Israel – November 27, 2025 — Tel Aviv’s renowned Loewenstein Hospital has partnered with Lakoom, a newly established venture builder focused on rehabilitation technology, to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative medical solutions for Israel’s war-wounded population. The collaboration represents a significant step forward in bridging the gap between cutting-edge rehabilitation research and practical, accessible treatments for patients recovering from combat-related injuries.
Since October 2023, more than 20,000 individuals in Israel, predominantly military personnel, have sustained serious injuries requiring extensive rehabilitation. The partnership between Loewenstein Hospital and Lakoom addresses a critical need within the rehabilitation sector by creating a structured pathway for transforming experimental treatments and assistive devices into clinically validated, market-ready products.
Loewenstein Hospital, established in 1973 and recognised internationally as Israel’s largest and most advanced rehabilitation facility, brings decades of clinical expertise and research infrastructure to the collaboration. The hospital operates 300 beds across seven specialised inpatient departments and treats over 100,000 patients annually. Its multidisciplinary teams of rehabilitation physicians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists have developed pioneering methodologies now adopted by leading rehabilitation centres worldwide.
Lakoom, which translates from Hebrew as “to rise,” functions as a venture builder rather than a traditional venture capital firm. This distinction proves crucial to the partnership’s effectiveness. Unlike conventional investment models that provide funding alone, Lakoom offers comprehensive operational support, regulatory guidance, and market development expertise. The organisation assists rehabilitation innovators in navigating clinical trials, securing regulatory approvals, and establishing aftermarket support systems—elements essential for bringing products from laboratory settings into hospital environments and patient homes.
The venture builder has established “living labs” at Loewenstein Hospital where new products and services can be tested directly with patients under clinical supervision. This approach allows developers to refine technologies based on real-world feedback whilst maintaining rigorous medical standards. The partnership particularly focuses on prosthetics and assistive technologies that can significantly improve quality of life for individuals with limb loss, sensory impairments, and neurological injuries.
One exemplar of the type of innovation Lakoom supports is open-source prosthetic design, which can reduce manufacturing costs to a fraction of conventional prosthetics whilst maintaining functional quality. However, such innovations face substantial barriers to widespread adoption. Developers must conduct clinical trials, obtain regulatory clearance, establish quality assurance protocols, and provide ongoing technical support. Lakoom’s venture building model addresses precisely these operational challenges that prevent promising innovations from reaching patients who need them.
Calanit Valfer, chair of Lakoom and managing partner of the Elah Fund venture capital firm, brings significant experience in scaling healthcare innovations. The organisation’s leadership team includes Yifat Shorr, who has spent two decades converting academic research into commercially viable medical products, and Ariel Beery, a founding board member who himself continues rehabilitation treatment from a military injury sustained 25 years ago. This personal connection to the rehabilitation journey informs the organisation’s mission and priorities.
The collaboration extends beyond Loewenstein Hospital’s walls. Lakoom has established partnerships with multiple organisations including The Orenstein Project, Impact Nation, Restart, Tikkun Olam Makers, and Beit Halochem. This ecosystem approach recognises that effective rehabilitation innovation requires coordination across government agencies, nonprofit organisations, private enterprises, and academic institutions.
The venture builder’s focus deliberately targets small- to medium-sized products and services rather than pursuing billion-dollar commercial opportunities. Whilst profitability remains an expectation, the ultimate objective centres on enabling the creation of solutions that allow injured individuals to heal more effectively and live fuller lives. This mission-driven approach distinguishes Lakoom from purely commercial investment models.
Loewenstein Hospital’s existing capabilities strengthen the partnership considerably. The facility already employs cutting-edge technologies including anti-gravity treadmills and robotic training systems that aid mobility recovery and neurological retraining. The hospital has achieved notable clinical outcomes, including returning 80 per cent of PTSD patients and 92 per cent of stroke patients to normal functioning. These successes demonstrate the institution’s capacity to evaluate and implement new rehabilitation methodologies effectively.
The partnership arrives at a critical moment for Israel’s rehabilitation sector. The concentration of young, severely injured patients requiring long-term care has created both urgent clinical needs and opportunities for innovation. By systematising the process of moving promising rehabilitation technologies from concept through clinical validation to market deployment, Lakoom and Loewenstein Hospital aim to establish Israel as a global leader in rehabilitation innovation.
The collaboration signals a broader commitment to transforming rehabilitation from a reactive medical service into a dynamic field of technological advancement and clinical excellence. Through structured venture building, rigorous clinical testing, and comprehensive market support, the partnership promises to deliver tangible improvements in rehabilitation outcomes for Israel’s injured population whilst potentially contributing valuable innovations to global rehabilitation medicine.
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Image Credit: Photo by iamromankraft on Unsplash
