Our vision
The Innovation Competition for Israel's Renewal
About the Competition
MerageNext is a national startup competition with $100K first prize empowering visionary entrepreneurs to create bold, scalable solutions that support the renewal of Israel.
From housing and resilience to Lifesciences & health, advanced manufacturing, Defense & Cyber, Agro-FoodTech, Desert & Climate, FinTech, SmartMobility Education- this competition calls on innovators to help shape the next chapter of collective rebuilding and growth of Israel.
The Merage Startup Competition started back in 2014, and proudly supported diverse innovators, including:
Entrepreneurs over the age of 45 transitioning from top careers into the startup world.
Women founders, who are building innovative startups at growing rates — yet still receive only 10% of global investor funding.
October 7th events changed the competition focus to support the renewal and strengthening of Israel.
Each of the finalists will receive personalized coaching to prepare them for the actual pitching competition as well as:
Access to knowledge sessions, networking events, mentoring and media exposure.
First prize:
100K$ GRAND PRIZE
(a) one hundred thousand US dollars to be used for the initial financing of the winning project according to the business plan.
(b) automatic acceptance into the prestigious Merage Institute Innovation Bridge Program in California (all expenses paid; flights are excluded).
Second and third Prizes
Automatic acceptance into the prestigious Merage Institute Innovation Bridge Program in California. (all program related expenses in California are covered; flights are excluded).
2025 program
The Competition Structure
Prizes
The Competing Projects
There is no restriction on the type of projects participating in the competition. Any project from any field that meets the conditions of the competition is suitable for the submission of a proposal in the competition.
Eligibility Criteria - MerageNext 2025
The Innovation Competition for Israel's Renewal
This year, in response to Israel's current challenges, the competition is open to all entrepreneurs. We are calling for bold, scalable solutions that support the renewal and rebuilding of Israel — across housing, resilience, agriculture, education, economic recovery, health, security, and more.
We are looking for ventures that will help shape the next chapter of Israel’s growth and resilience.
Admission Terms
Register
The first date for registration:
May 25, 2025.
Last date for registration:
July 15, 2025.
Registration for the competition must be completed by this date.
Congratulations to our 2022
1st Place Winner and 100K Grand Prize
Social Mind Autism
Keren Sagiv Friedgut
Congratulations to our 3 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of gender or age. Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success! From Paul Merage & all of us at the Merage Institute, we sincerely thank you.
Congratulations to our 2021
1st Place Winner and 100K Grand Prize
Sharkbitt
Jenny Chernobelsky & Omer Holzinger
Congratulations to our 4 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
Full Video 2021 Digital Brochure
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of gender or age. Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success! From Paul Merage & all of us at the Merage Institute, we sincerely thank you.
Congratulations to our 2020
1st Place Winner and 100K Grand Prize
NuTek
Dov Cohen
Congratulations to our 5 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age. Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2019
1st place winner and 100k grand prize
Neurotrigger Ltd
Assaf Deutsch
Congratulations to our 5 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2018
1st place winner and 100k grand prize
Curiosity Robotic
Yaron Ball and Sherry Perlov
Congratulations to our 5 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
2nd Prize Winner / Ze'ev Fine and Ofer Shamay - Chesstories
Tamar Merhav – Wallyz
Ofer Weinberg – Tweexit
Michal Magen and Rafi Chen - Indorse
Yigal Elharar – Livetrip ( Popular Vote )
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2017
45+ competition & student winners
45+ Competition Winners:
1. SensePD - Software company in the digital health market offering a solution for early diagnosis of autism. Raffi Rembrand, Kobie Cohen, Assaf Gur, Prof. Ditza Zachor, Prof. Doron Urbach, Dr. Michal Begin, Prof. Eitan Kimmel
2. MindsEye - Provides assistance in diagnosis and monitoring of ADHD and other mental disorders using Pupillometry Biomarkers. Ophir Atar, Anat Barnea, Boaz Brill, Sam Zatelman.
3. Append Medical - Developing a device to prevent stroke. Dr. Leonid Sternik, Oded Meiri, Zachi Berger.
TrekAce - a patented wearable tactile monitor, packed with applications and technologies, that transforms traditional forms of communication into intuitive tactile language. Ronen Gabbay, Eliaz Hashdi, Tamir Konortov, Nir Dafni.
Pension Compass - Online information system that provides customers actual monetary saving by constantly monitoring their status in reaction to changes in their working and personal life. Abrahan Zvi Barak, Gad Shavit, Orit Nir, Yitzhak Dvir.
cMeSafe - innovative autonomous personal safety solution that wholly independently identifies when a user is encountering a distressful situation and automatically calls for help. Dr. Gideon Meiry.
Student Winners:
1. SmartAir - personal device that predicts and prevents asthma attacks. Uriel Klar, Nimrod Partush
2. Fun42 - O2 enables better intimacy and sexual pleasure through technology and innovation. Hila Gadot, Naor Penso
3. Xenia - Intelligent design platform that automatically generates optimal store layouts in real time. Shmulik Bilgoray, Dr. Efi Fogel, Hila Goldenberg
TypeIt - a platform that teaches literacy, spelling and keyboard typing through a musical game experience. Asaf Fadida, Nave Ohana, Revital Hollander
Canvas Earth - Create and share digital art in augmented reality. Jonathan Ataria, Ori Shapira, Nitzan Hadar, Tal Avinari
Poney - Application built to manage children's pocket money using an app and a credit card. Ido Shechter, Itzik ben nun, Tal Cohen, Abed Zaitun
Billbear - Monitors bills, splits them between roomates, pays them automatically. Amir Fuerst, Ben Tlusty, Niv Pulver
Blind-Tech - Wearable system based on the sharp senses of the visually impaired. Omer Gohari, Or Gafni, Aviram Berg
Picolo - A smart and unique application which identifies everyone in a photo and is able to share it among them. Moshe Sar Idan, Yossi Saldof, Shaked Chaim, Amir Geller
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2016
1st place winner and 100k grand prize
iSilla – Movement for people with disabilities
Efrat Shenhod - Malihi, Gani Rami, Danny Shahaf, Dr. Iris Shichor & Dr. Lior Yizhaki
Congratulations to our 6 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
2nd Prize Winner / Shmuel Levin - SonicBone - Bone Age - Ultrasound Device for Bone Age assessment
3rd Prize Winner / Kobi Olin, Danny Gelman, Boris Shvartsev & Prof. Yair Ein-Eli – Inensto - Aluminum Air Battery
Kathie Shefer & Anai Green – ClayPlay - Platform to create applications and games on touch screens
Roy Gurion, Mark Heifets, Alon Buchnik & Dr. Nava Shaked - Onvego - Voice and multi-modal control for app developers
Ravid Roif, Israel Weinereich & Naftali Geffen – SMBIDS - Fintech startup dealing with loans to SMBs based on transaction history
Meny Lev-Sagie, Ahinoam Lev-Sagie & Nimrod Lev - VagX - Point of care microscopy solution for inflammation of the vagina
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2015
1st place winner and 100k grand prize
AmplioSpeech
Yair Shapira, Ofer Amir & Yoav Medan
Congratulations to our 6 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
2nd Prize Winner / Asa Ziv & Prof. Yoel Sasson - HySAS – A new Hydrogen Energy Storage
3rd Prize Winner / Dr. Arthur Rabner, Dr. Moshe Ben-David & Michael Belkin – Glasses for AMD Macular Degeneration
Jacob Kaufmann & Serge Goldmann – 3D dental X-Ray imaging
Tal Ben-David & Assaf Harel - PeerSay - Disrupt the way businesses choose products
Shaie Shvartzberg & Mor Shvartzberg – Alto - Allows deaf people to feel and sense the joy of music
Shai Richter - MARPHOBIOS – Medical Auscultation by Remote Bio-Sensing
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
Congratulations to our 2014
1st place winner and 100k grand prize
OffLA
Dr. Nachshon Margaliot, Ori Einhorn & Yuval Raz
Congratulations to our 5 finalists who did an outstanding job in the competition!
2nd Prize Winner / Avi Balouka - PV Optimizer
3rd Prize Winner / Dr. Yoel Arieli & Haim Engler– Progressive Lens
Mike Shaked – Urethral Tech
Dorit Deddi, Efrat Blaier & Ran Zfoni - MMUZE
Dr. Yossi Rosemberg, Mark Funt & Ori Bar-On – Myo
We sincerely applaud each of you who took the time to submit your amazing ideas; the submissions exceeded all expectations. The idea of this competition was to stimulate the Entrepreneurial Spirit, regardless of age.
Because of all of you, the competition was a huge success!
We thank you.
