Zachy Hennessey
October 27, 2024

According to the World Health Organization, over 12.2 million strokes are recorded globally each year. 

Known medically as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and considered the brain’s version of a heart attack, a stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is disrupted, resulting in the rapid death of brain cells, which can in turn cause disability, permanent brain damage or even death. 

Some strokes are ischemic, meaning a blood clot blocks blood flow in the brain. Others are hemorrhagic, caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Both types can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, trouble speaking, lack of coordination and visual changes.

In the global battle to lessen the incidence of stroke and its potentially devastating consequences, Israel continues to punch above its weight.

From AI-powered diagnostic tools to revolutionary rehabilitation devices, Israeli startups are poised to transform stroke care and potentially save millions of lives worldwide.

To celebrate World Stroke Day on October 29, here’s a closer look at eight companies developing cutting-edge solutions for stroke prevention, early detection and treatment.

Aidoc

Based in: Tel Aviv

Total funding: $263.5M

Aidoc specializes in stroke detection and care coordination. Its advanced AI system can identify occlusions throughout the entire brain, including often-missed posterior strokes. 

The technology rapidly analyzes CT scans, prioritizing suspected stroke cases and notifying stroke teams immediately. The company’s system integrates into existing clinical workflows, appearing directly in radiologists’ workstations and mobile devices. 

Aidoc’s technology is implemented in over 1,000 medical centers worldwide, including seven of the top 10 US hospitals, to reduce treatment delays, speed up stroke diagnosis and treatment, and potentially improve patient outcomes.

Append Medical

Based in: Or Yehuda

Total funding: $12.55M

Append Medical is developing the Appligator, a device to reduce stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). It targets the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart, where most AF-related clots form before migrating to the brain and causing strokes. The device closes off the LAA via a minimally invasive procedure, preventing clot formation.

Append Medical is currently moving toward clinical trials, offering a new stroke prevention option for AF patients who cannot tolerate traditional anticoagulation therapy.

Avertto

Based in: Aderet

Total funding: $3.7M

8 startups transforming stroke prevention, detection, treatment
Avertto’s external carotid artery monitor. Photo courtesy of Avertto

Avertto is developing a sensor-based medical device for early detection and prevention of strokes. The system continuously monitors blood-flow patterns in the carotid arteries, using artificial intelligence to analyze this data in real time. 

By learning each patient’s unique baseline, Avertto can detect subtle changes that might indicate an impending stroke. When the system identifies a high risk, it triggers an alert, complete with GPS location data, to ensure rapid medical response.

The company is developing versions for both hospital and home use. The technology could be particularly valuable in situations where strokes might otherwise go unnoticed, such as during sleep or for individuals living alone. 

BioXtreme

Based in: Petah Tikva

Total funding: $5.67M

BioXtreme has developed a robotic system, deXtreme, to help stroke patients recover upper limb function more quickly, reducing the overall time and cost of rehabilitation. 

The company’s unique approach, Error Enhancement Technology, uses a robotic arm to intentionally exaggerate movement errors during rehabilitation exercises, prompting the patient’s body to naturally correct these movements, without conscious effort, through adaptive responses and neuroplasticity.

BioXtreme claims its approach can cut rehab time in half while doubling motor recovery improvements compared to traditional methods. The deXtreme system is undergoing clinical trials, and BioXtreme has signed contracts with large US and European distributors.

BrainQ

Based in: Jerusalem

Total funding: $47.3M

8 startups transforming stroke prevention, detection, treatment
A patient in a stroke recovery trial using the BrainQ neuro rehab system. Photo courtesy of BrainQ

BrainQ has developed an innovative approach to stroke treatment — especially during the crucial early stages of rehabilitation — using electromagnetic field therapy. 

Its wearable device delivers low-intensity, frequency-tuned electromagnetic fields to the brain and spinal cord, aiming to promote neuroplasticity and enhance motor function recovery. 

This noninvasive, home-based therapy is personalized using machine-learning algorithms to suit each patient’s specific needs.

BrainQ’s technology has received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for reducing disability after ischemic stroke, and the company is conducting clinical trials to further evaluate its effectiveness as a complementary therapy to standard rehabilitation practices. 

InspireMD

Based in: Tel Aviv

Total funding: $171.48M

InspireMD is a medical device company focused on preventing strokes during carotid artery stenting. 

Its main product, the CGuard Embolic Prevention Stent System (EPS), uses the company’s MicroNet mesh to trap plaque and blood clots, thereby reducing stroke risk during and after stenting procedures.

The company is conducting clinical research to broaden the use of EPS, including in acute ischemic stroke patients with complex lesions and in combination with other treatments like thrombectomy. 

Rapid Medical

Based in: Yokne’am Illit

Total funding: $82.31M

Rapid Medical is creating specialized tools to enhance the safety, effectiveness and personalization of stroke treatments, particularly in the critical area of clot removal for ischemic stroke but also in instances of hemorrhagic stroke.

Its flagship product, the Tigertriever, allows doctors to respond in real time to a patient’s unique anatomy during thrombectomy procedures, offering customized treatment options. The device is used in more than 30 countries.

Viz.ai

Based in: Tel Aviv

Total funding: $289.5M

8 startups transforming stroke prevention, detection, treatment
Viz.ai offers a technological solution for spotting large vessel occlusions and coordinating treatment quickly for stroke patients. Photo: courtesy

Viz.ai is an AI-powered platform that rapidly analyzes brain scans to detect large vessel occlusions, which are a common cause of severe strokes. 

When such an occlusion is identified, Viz.ai automatically alerts the entire stroke team, sharing images and facilitating quick communication through a secure messaging system.

This streamlined process can significantly reduce the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and the initiation of treatment, which is crucial in stroke care because clot-busting medication must be administered in the first few hours after the signs of a stroke begin.

By automating parts of the diagnostic process and improving coordination among healthcare providers, Viz.ai aims to enhance patient outcomes, especially in hospitals without on-site stroke specialists.

Viz.ai is currently used in over 1,600 hospitals and health systems, mainly in the United States and Europe.

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Jason Harris

Jason Harris

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