A start-up for every victim of 7 October
Nearly one year after Israeli tech veteran Izhar Shay set in motion a unique project to honour his son and the 1,599 others who have been killed during the war, his project, Next October, has already recruited 600 companies
While prominent Israeli entrepreneur Izhar Shay was sitting shiva for his son Yaron, who was killed protecting civilians at the Israel/Gaza border on October 7, he made a pledge. The former Minister of Science and Technology vowed to create a start-up in honour of every person whose life was brutally cut short in the war with Hamas. The target was 1,200, rising to 1,400, now 1,600. Each one bearing the name of someone who was killed. Each one “to make the world a better place”.
Nearly one year on and his project, Next October, which stands for hope, resilience and optimism, has already recruited 600 companies. One thousand to go, although there are likely to be many more. Shay will continue to count. He hopes he soon won’t have to.
The business community and beyond have united in support of Next October, to help make its vision a reality.
The initiative, which has been endorsed by President Isaac Herzog and backed by dozens of major organisations, including Google, Amazon, Sisco, Meta, LeumiTech and Deloitte, has now matched 250 of the 600 tech-for-good start-ups with families in honour of their loved one. Between 50 and 80 new and meaningful connections are being made every month.
Izhar said: “It has been incredible to see the response. We have been both surprised and touched by the level of commitment from those who have approached us, insisting on being part of it. We now have close to 50 volunteers who want to help spread the word and vision – many are doing so alongside their full-time day jobs.
“People are identifying with our message: not only the need to commemorate those who have lost their lives but that Hamas came to try to destroy us and we are responding by creating innovation and building a better world.
“Next October must be better, and the one after that even better, and so on. So, we are introducing a bit of optimism, a hint of Israeli resilience and entrepreneurship.”
Pery – commemorating Yaron Oree Shay
Yaron Oree Shay, 21, was killed on October 7 while shielding Israeli civilians from Hamas terrorists. The son of Hilla and Izhar Shay, and brother to Ophir, Shir and Lior, Yaron loved comedy, music and sport and had dreams of being a coach. He supported both Hapoel Tel Aviv and the UK’s Cardiff City. During his gap year, he volunteered as a mentor for socially and economically challenged children in south Tel Aviv.
Pery is revolutionising primary care by integrating mental health support through its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform. By enabling primary care providers (PCPs) to offer mental health screenings, treatment and referrals, Pery enhances patient outcomes while streamlining care coordination.
The platform not only improves access to mental health care but also helps clinics optimise revenue through the effective use of Behavioural Health Integration (BHI) reimbursements. With customisable patient check-ins, real-time AI insights and seamless Electronic Health Records (EHR) integration, Pery supports both care providers and patients in delivering comprehensive, accessible mental health care.
Ziv Elul, Pery co-founder and CEO, said: “We chose to dedicate our start-up to the memory of Yaron Oree Shay, a fallen hero, because of the profound values he embodied and his remarkable character. His heroism during one of the country’s most challenging days resonates deeply with us. Our long-standing friendship with the Shay family has given us unique insight into Yaron’s bravery and the significance of his actions, which inspire our team and mission at every step.”
Izhar said: “Yaron loved people and spent his gap year volunteering, leading sports activities for kids and this year Pery’s team also volunteered extensively and dedicated part of the office to Yaron’s memory. This exemplifies how Pery is aligning its commemoration with Yaron’s values and the way we want to remember him.”
Izhar added: “One of the most touching aspects [of Next October] is how many entrepreneurs are reaching out to families, learning about the victims’ legacies, and tailoring their start-ups to honour those victims. This collective effort has become deeply meaningful, not just to the families, but also to the companies involved.”
linkedin.com/company/peryhealth
Minovia – commemorating Major Ido Shani
Major Ido Shani died on October 7, aged 29. Ido loved the Israeli army and saw his service as a calling. He demonstrated leadership and mentoring qualities and was an exemplary role model to his soldiers. On the morning of October 7, in the midst of a massive rocket barrage and reports about terrorist infiltration, Ido quickly realised the severity of the situation, mobilised the forces under his control, and approved opening fire. His actions saved many lives.
Minovia Therapeutics is a small start-up located in the north of Israel, focused on the development and application of mitochondrial cell therapies for patients with mitochondrial dysfunction. Before the war, the company was completing the product development area and intending to assess clinical feasibility.
Today it has two clinical programmes: the Pearson syndrome (PS) trial and the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) trial. Minovia has named its new clinical trial in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome Shani, after Ido.
Minovia joined Next October at the start of its clinical trials. Its chief scientific officer, Dr Noa Sher, is a relative of Ido’s wife, Ma’ayan Kfir Shani.
Last week, in Israel and all over the world, landmarks were illuminated in green to raise awareness of mitochondrial disease, during Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. The company said: “We illuminated in green a viewpoint in the village of Harutzim in Israel, built as a memorial place for Major Ido Shani’s.
“We thank Ido’s family for the enormous sacrifice they had to pay, and for the cooperation with us to bring awareness to this important issue. They came to destroy, we are here to build and save lives.”
Limor Lior, VP People and Culture at Minovia, said: “From the first conversation with Ido’s parents, we felt a connection. We were excited to hear about Ido’s life and work – his strong connection to the army, his love for his soldiers and the heroic story of his actions on 7 October.
“We have named our latest trial ‘Shani’, which also means ‘red’ in Hebrew, the colour of the red blood cells that these patients lack. May the connection of his name to the trial bring hope of red, of Shani, to MDS patients.”
Minovia’s chief executive, Natalie Yivgi Ohana, said: “We strongly believe that being part of this initiative is important as part of our being in this country. Entrepreneurship and creativity are part of the Zionist idea, which is unfortunately still intertwined with the complex realities of living in this region.
“The act of commemoration ensures the world will not forget our essence: we live in a country in which it is not obvious to live in, in which existence is a struggle, and yet we are driven to create and to do good.
“Therefore, the initiative of establishing a company to commemorate every person who falls in defending our right to existence and our dream of improving the world is natural. This connection, and the connection between entrepreneurs and their initiatives and the families, strengthens the entrepreneurial spirit: it reminds us that nothing should be taken for granted and gives a daily reminder of why it is important to do what we do.”
Ido’s parents, Deborah and Tomi, said: “We are deeply moved and thankful to participate in the Next October initiative of combining Israeli start-ups with the commemoration of Israelis, who were murdered or killed in combat on 7 October.
“The match between Minovia and major Ido Shani is both remarkable and symbolic as it highlights the noble value of saving lives. Ido would have been proud to be a part of such a unique project.”
MicroCon – commemorating Captain Eden Nimri
Captain Eden Nimri, 22, was the commander of a team of all-female fighters in the ‘Sky Rider unit’ (Rochash), which operates Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to accompany special forces in the field.
Eden was killed in battle on October 7, fighting the terrorist who had entered the base, which enabled some of the other female soldiers to survive. One of the survivors said: “What she did was simply the greatest self-sacrifice possible. Even if she didn’t know exactly what was going on, she walked alone in the direction of the shots and the shouting in Arabic.”
The daughter of Sharon and Michael, and sister to Hadar and Noga, Eden was a professional international-level swimmer.
MicroCon specialises in electro-optics observation systems. Its technology can capture detailed images and videos for use in drones in the defence industry and help users to see clearly in challenging situations where normal cameras would not work well. Chen Almog, MicroCon’s co-founder and CEO, is a retired colonel and previously a brigade commander of the “Sky Rider” unit, where Eden served.
Chen said: “Participating in Next October holds deep significance for both the company and me personally. My initial connection was personal as I lost my younger brother, Liran Almosnino, on October 7.
Liran was a reservist soldier in the special force of terror fighters of the “Lutar Unit” – “Peled team”. That morning, he and his team were called, from their daily lives as civilians, into active duty and battle in the southern Gaza Envelope, where they fought courageously, killed Hamas terrorists and, more importantly, saved hundreds of civilian lives. Liran was killed during the battle to liberate Kibbutz Holit. He was 42 and a farmer who dedicated his life to raising sheep in the desert and left behind his wife, Efrat, and their five young children, his parents and two brothers.”
Chen felt it would be better not to bring personal commemoration into the company so asked for another start-up to honour his brother.
“When I heard about Eden’s heroic actions, I knew I wanted to commemorate her legacy, as she exemplified the core values we strive to embed in our company – resilience, leadership and the will to safeguard lives.
“By dedicating part of our work to her memory, we aim to channel her spirit of leadership and courage into the advanced solutions we are developing.
“We are naming one of our key innovations after her – the Micro-EDEN ISR, a specialised system designed to enhance situational awareness and response time in critical combat zones. This is our way of ensuring her legacy not only lives on but actively contributes to saving lives and protecting soldiers in the field, just as she did.”
linkedIn/company/microcon-vision
Next week, Jewish News will continue showcasing the NEXT OCTOBER start-ups that are matched with families in memory of their loved ones.
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