PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2020 | OUR FIRST 50

CELEBRATING OUR FIRST 50

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 Participants in the Cactus Capital program, BGU's student-run venture capital firm, celebrate the end of its first year

COMMERCIALIZATION AND APPLIED RESEARCH

Prof. Jacob Moran-Gilad of the Dept. of Health Systems Management will develop novel approaches to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria as part of a new Swiss consortium, which received a €25 million grant for the next four years.  INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP 14 teams took part in the Inno-Negev Technology Accelerator , managed by the Bengis Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and BGN Technologies. Cactus Capital , BGU’s $1 million student venture capital fund, has made 14 investments in two rounds. During the Fund’s first year, over 1,000 students participated in sponsored activities. A UN report on innovation for social good praised Trademarker , an artificial intelligence tool developed by students in a joint BGU Google program.

Josh Peleg was appointed Chief Executive Officer of BGN Technologies , the University’s technology transfer company. ANANDA Scientific and BGN Technologies signed a license and research agreement to develop and commercialize cannabinoid products, based on research conducted by Prof. Amnon Sintov of the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering and Prof. Shimon Ben-Shabat , director of the School of Pharmacy. BGU sent a Prototype Solar Power Generator developed by Prof. (Emer.) Jeffrey Gordon and his US colleagues for testing on the international space station. BGN Technologies and Vaxil Bio signed a license and research agreement to develop targeted cancer therapies. BGU, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy agreed to pursue joint R&D programs to advance quantum technology .

 Josh Peleg, the new CEO of BGN Technologies