Silicon Valley Missed This Israeli Breakthrough ft. Kobi Marenko of Arbe

What if the future of autonomous cars isn’t powered by cameras or LiDAR, but by radar?

In this episode, Kobi Marenko, CEO and Co-founder of Arbe, joins Yoel Israel to unpack how radar-on-chip technology could reshape the future of autonomous driving and why the giants of silicon may be standing in the way of true innovation.

We explore:

- How radar sees what cameras can’t, and why that matters for safety
- The challenges of building semiconductors in a world dominated by mega-corporations
- Kobi’s journey from TV reporter to deep-tech founder
- Why philosophy and yoga play a role in how he leads and invests
- Israel’s place in the global semiconductor race

It’s tech, science, and a little bit of soul - all from the front lines of Israel’s deep tech ecosystem.

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Shorts of the Week

From beer tanks to biotech breakthroughs ft. Eran Miller of MNDL Bio

When investors chase you, the meeting feels different ft. Nina Raab of LionRun Consulting

How old tech became the eyes of autonomous cars ft. Kobi Marenko, CEO of Arbe

This Week in Israeli Tech News

1. Prisma Photonics Raises $30M to Transform Fiber Networks Into Smart Infrastructure Sensors

   Tel Aviv–based Prisma Photonics secured $30 million in an oversubscribed round to expand its AI-powered platform that converts existing optical fiber networks into advanced infrastructure monitoring systems.

   Already deployed across thousands of kilometers of critical energy and utility assets, Prisma’s technology detects threats and faults in real time - helping operators prevent outages and improve resilience worldwide.

   

2. Omnix Medical Secures $25M Series C to Fight Deadly Drug-Resistant Infections

   Jerusalem-based Omnix Medical raised $25 million to advance OMN6, its next-generation antimicrobial peptide therapy that kills bacteria by destroying their membranes - bypassing antibiotic resistance.

3. Andreessen Horowitz Backs ARGU in $2M Pre-Seed to Redefine Real-Time Vision AI

   Qiryat Shmona–based ARGU has raised $2 million from Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun accelerator, marking a rare early-stage a16z investment in an Israeli startup.

4.  BIRD Foundation Awards $5.5M for U.S.-Israel Deep Tech Collaborations

   The BIRD Foundation approved $5.5 million in grants for five U.S.-Israel R&D projects in quantum technologies, AI healthcare, and advanced medical devices, leveraging $14 million in total investment.

5. Selah Ventures Joins $6.7M Seed for Industrial AI Platform Corbel

   Israeli VC Selah Ventures joined Ibex Investors, Joule Ventures, and Restive Ventures in a $6.7 million Seed round for Corbel, a New York–based startup co-founded by Israeli entrepreneur Dor Litay.

6. Netanyahu Names AI Chief to Orchestrate Israel’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy

   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed Brig.-Gen. (res.) Erez Askal as the first head of Israel’s National AI Directorate, a new body within the PMO tasked with turning Israel into a world leader in artificial intelligence.

Culture Corner

Monday was one of the biggest news days in recent history. Not just for Israel. Not just for the middle east. For the whole world. But we are not out of the weeds just yet. And while there have been many celebrations across Israel and the Jewish world, many are holding their breaths until the last hostage body comes home.

On Monday October 13th, a major deal was executed between Israel and the Hamas terror group. 20 hostages were returned alive from the Gaza strip into Israel. Reports are already out that against the instruction of professionals, Hamas handlers fed the captives so as to make them look healthier after having intentionally starved them for two years.

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