NetZero Tech Ventures and the National Energy Storage Institute are launching world-class research and development laboratories (Energy Prototype Labs) at Bar-Ilan University with an investment of tens of millions of NIS, aimed at supporting start-ups in developing technological prototypes in the fields of energy and climate and promoting their commercialization.
These laboratories create Israel’s first end-to-end ecosystem in the fields of climate and energy that will promote innovation and allow academic researchers from all educational institutions, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and industrial companies to leverage technological breakthroughs, reach initial implementation, with the potential to build commercial companies backed by NetZero Ventures and other investors.
The laboratories were established because deep technologies in the energy sector, early-stage climate start-ups, and academic research labs often lack access to the advanced equipment required to move breakthrough technologies from the lab to the commercial market. Without such resources, these technologies cannot prove feasibility and miss investment opportunities from investors, international grants, and strategic partnerships.
The initiative was realized through a total investment of tens of millions of NIS in infrastructure and equipment, led by the National Energy Storage Institute and NetZero Ventures, which pooled resources from multiple sources: Support from the Energy Ministry to the Energy Storage Institute, the Helmsley Trust, Bar-Ilan University, the Technion, private partners of NetZero Ventures, and the Innovation Authority. The laboratories will advance the energy innovation ecosystem from the lab to the commercial market.
Prof. Doron Urbach from Bar-Ilan University, Co-Director and Head of the Israeli Energy Storage Institute: "The goal of this infrastructure is to upgrade the technological readiness level (TRL) of innovative developments born in Israeli universities and early-stage start-ups. The new laboratories support the transition from the lab stage to large-scale pilots and thereby open opportunities for collaboration with industry and international investors, including European Union programs such as Horizon Europe, which sometimes require a higher technological readiness level to be accepted."
The laboratories include advanced infrastructure for developing innovative solutions in the fields of fuel cells, hydrogen and energy storage, carbon capture, storage, and utilization, with the highlight being a 'dry room' designed as the first open-space facility of its kind in Israeli academia. This innovative facility will allow the assembly of next-generation battery prototypes and includes a pilot production line that significantly reduces the risk in commercializing technologies in the battery field.
In addition to the technological development infrastructure, the laboratories create a complete ecosystem for innovation commercialization through the investment and start-up incubation framework led by NetZero Ventures, the most active investor in early-stage energy and climate technology start-ups in Israel.
NetZero operates an incubator in collaboration with the Innovation Authority, international funds, and multinational energy companies such as TotalEnergies, IP, DelekUS, BGV, and Eren Groupe. It invests in early-stage start-ups and provides them with technical expertise and business support in building companies and entering markets required for large-scale commercialization.
As part of the launch of the new laboratories, the winners of the international climate innovation competition led by NetZero Ventures in cooperation with Chevron were announced, as well as the winners of the academic research call by the National Energy Storage Institute.
Shmuel Kadmi, CEO of NetZero Ventures: "This is not just physical infrastructure, but a bridge between scientific discovery and commercial marketing. We bring together under one roof all the components required for this – from breakthrough laboratory tools to connections with international customers and follow-on investors – which will drive the next wave of innovative Israeli solutions in energy and climate."
Kadmi added: "We implement a business-economic approach that includes identifying promising technologies in the deep science of academic labs and building start-ups based on them. In addition, we invest in young companies that already have core teams."