(March 10, 2025 / JNS) Florida-based Jewish venture capitalist Peter Kash is known for making bold predictions that have proved spot-on. He made his latest one at the IATI MIXiii Health-Tech.IL Conference, Israel’s premier life sciences and health tech gathering, from March 4 to 5 at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. “By 2026, Israel will be an economy on steroids,” Kash predicted.

Kash, a keynote speaker, reminded the audience that he had predicted growth in 2011, “and they didn’t believe me—but I was right!”

His talk on the second day of the conference, “Condensing 3,000 years into a decade,” captured the essence of Israel’s revolution in the biotech sector. Holding an ancient olive oil lamp, he drew a striking contrast between the past and the future, emphasizing the nation’s scientific prowess and the need for greater collaboration among Israeli universities to maximize their research impact.

Kash envisions not only unicorns (companies valued at $1 billion) but also decacorns (companies valued at $10 billion) in Israel’s future, as its GDP grows to a trillion dollars and technology extends life expectancy and improves quality of life over the next 10 years. 

Hosted by Israel Advanced Technology Industries (IATI), the Jerusalem conference brought together global experts, innovators and investors to explore groundbreaking advancements in healthcare technology. While Israel positions itself as a global leader in biotech and health innovation, Kash’s insights are more relevant than ever.

The future of Israeli health tech looks promising, Kash said, with predictions of a trillion-dollar market encompassing medical devices, AI, nanotech and food technology. He pointed to Israel’s innovative spirit in food tech, recalling how hummus and pita once defined Israeli cuisine, and highlighting the creation of a vegan egg omelet made from hummus as a testament to Israeli ingenuity. The next day, Yo Farm, the Israeli startup that produces vegan eggs from soy and hummus, Yo Egg, won a prestigious food award in the United States.

In his three decades in the life sciences industry, Kash, 64, has been instrumental in funding and developing innovative treatments for cancer, diabetes and other pressing health challenges. As a principal at the Miami-based Camelot BioCapital, he has worked closely with inventors, research institutions and academic centers to propel medical breakthroughs from concept to market.