Airovation Technologies has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Asper Prize for “The Hebrew University Rising Startup”. Organised by ASPER-HUJI Innovate—the university’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship—in partnership with the Asper Foundation and the Gail Asper Family Foundation, the competition drew entries from more than fifty start-ups. After pitching to an international panel of judges, Airovation Technologies emerged as this year’s winner, receiving both the coveted award and a grant of NIS 100,000.
Airovation Technologies, a climate-tech enterprise grounded in research from the Hebrew University and commercialised through Yissum, is making a significant impact by equipping some of the world’s most polluting industries—including cement, fertilisers and hydrogen production—with solutions to capture and reuse carbon emissions profitably and sustainably.
This year’s competition brought together start-ups from a diverse range of fields, all aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Five finalists were selected to present before a global assembly of the university’s Board of Trustees, following evaluation by leading figures from top Israeli venture capital funds.
Professor Asher Cohen, President of Hebrew University, remarked:
“As Hebrew University marks 100 years of excellence, I am deeply proud of our progress in transforming world-class research into societal benefit. This year’s Asper Prize finalists embody our mission, developing solutions to real-world challenges, from carbon capture and smart rail systems to breakthroughs in heart and gut health. Even in times of adversity, our university remains a beacon of resilience, creativity and hope.”
Gail Asper, Chair of the Asper Foundation, added:
“These outstanding finalists are tackling some of the most pressing challenges of our time, offering hope for the future. The Asper Foundation is proud to support ASPER-HUJI Innovate and its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurs who are turning bold ideas into reality.”
Dr Amnon Dekel, Executive Director of ASPER-HUJI Innovate, also praised the finalists, noting that their “purpose-driven innovation” stands as a testament to the power of science to effect positive change.
Other finalists included Harp Diagnostics (smart gastrointestinal monitoring), Wonder Veggies (gut-friendly probiotic produce), DirecTrainS (smart, modular rail networks) and CardioVia (novel heart disease treatment in partnership with Hadassah Medical Center).
The 2025 Asper Prize highlights the university’s continued role at the forefront of entrepreneurial innovation, helping guide visionary start-ups from lab to market, and strengthening the link between academic excellence and global impact.
Marat Maayan – CEO and Founder of Airovation Technologies | Credit: Yossi Zamir
The four other Finalist Start-Ups are:
- Harp Diagnostics – HARP Diagnostics is developing a smart and easy-to-use system for monitoring gastrointestinal (GI) conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Crohn’s and Colitis.
- Wonder Veggies – A Yissum company born out of cutting-edge research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Wonder Veggies is transforming the global fresh produce market—worth over $1.5 trillion—with a first-of-its-kind, patented technology that naturally adds gut-friendly probiotics to fresh fruits and vegetables, without altering their taste, texture, or shelf life.
- DirecTrainS – DirectTrains Systems (DTS) transforms rail lines into smart, modular, low-emission networks—without laying a single mile of new track.
- CardioVia – CardioVia is a medical technology startup that is developing a new and safer way to treat heart disease—by focusing on the outer surface of the heart, an area known as the pericardial space. A partnership between Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.