Nura Global Innovation Lab l Pears Challenge Alumni

The Pears Challenge is generously supported by the Pears Foundation.

About the Pears Challenge

The Pears Challenge is a venture builder enabling experienced Israeli entrepreneurs to create successful impact tech ventures that meet critical needs in developing countries.

Graduating ventures have developed technologies that are impacting thousands of people worldwide and have raised over 24 million dollars in seed financing and contracts since the program launched in 2014.

Learn more

20+

ALUMNI STARTUPS OF THE PEARS CHALLENGE

$24 M

RAISED IN GRANTS, CONTRACTS, & FUNDING

30+

COUNTRIES WHERE ALUMNI ARE OPERATING

Meet the Pears Challenge Alumni!

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Rural Senses

Enhanced Impact with Data-Driven Insights

Pears Challenge IV (2019)

Rural Senses combines AI innovation with authentic community voices to MEASURE, MANAGE, and CELEBRATE impact, simply.The company utilizes networks of local data collectors, advanced AI technology, and a robust methodology developed at the University of Cambridge. It partners with leading international non-profits that work with vulnerable communities. Rural Senses reduces the hassle associated with high-quality impact management, ensuring strategies reflect the genuine experiences of people.

Rural Sense's response to the Israel-Hamas war

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EFA

Med-tech for Everybody

Pears Challenge III (2017)

EFA Technologies has developed RevDx, an affordable handheld blood test diagnostic tool. The RevDx is a mobile end-point solution for performing automatic microscopy tests, including whole blood sampling and an automatic diagnosis of blood count. The product is easy to operate and uses a blood sample from finger prick without the need for laboratory conditions or specific preparations, enabling users to make real-time informed decisions. The RevDx is a disease-mapping solution for integrated community case management. The real-time, multichannel platform is a programmable portable lab that aims to automatically diagnose infectious diseases, starting with parasitology and blood cell count, in order to enable safe, precise, and affordable testing, treating, and tracking.

Spotlight on EFA

Soapy

Intelligent Hand Hygiene System

Pears Challenge III (2017)

Soapy Care is the developer of the CleanMachine Pro, a personal hand-hygiene station powered by computer vision, machine learning algorithms, and the internet of things. CleanMachine Pro can identify individual users for personal compliance or a personalized user experience and uses visual content to educate users and promote hand hygiene best practices. In addition to measuring and monitoring hand cleaning cycles for hand hygiene quality and compliance, CleanMachine Pro can monitor users’ body temperature and control the water volume and temperature as well as the amount of soap or sanitizer being dispensed. Its reporting tools can provide valuable data on hand hygiene cycles, spot trends, offer insights for improvement, and more.

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Soapy's story

NOF: Natural Offset Farming

Cooling technology for In-Field Post-Harvest Applications

Pears Challenge V (2022)

NOF – Natural Offset Farming has developed advanced cooling technology and heavily focuses on the field of CO2 utilization and decarbonization. The company-patented technology utilizes liquid CO2, and provides a ‘cooling-as-service’ value model for the farmer. NOF is currently focusing on Post Harvest solutions, tackling the $1trillion market opportunity by providing in-field pre-cooling treatment, starting the cold-chain in the field.

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Better Leaf

Novel Bio-pesticides from Indigenous Plants

Pears Challenge V (2022)

Better Leaf creates novel bio pesticides from the African flora - making a beneficial impact on the environment and local economic development. Better Leaf aims to combine Israeli research and development with on-the-ground knowledge to create novel biopesticides from Ghanaian medicinal plants. Biopesticides have many advantages over 'traditional' pesticides - they are less energy-intensive to produce, less harmful to the environment when used, and with beneficial unit costs to the farmer. They can also increase yields and lead to greater food security

Market validation trip to Ghana

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Cassit

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Innovative Splints and Casts

Pears Challenge III (2017)

Cassit designs and produces splints and casts for orthopedics, rehabilitation, and emergency care. The company's products are simple, smart, and of premium quality. Each product embodies user-centered design and reusable and recyclable design approaches. Cassit is an R&D company with over 40 medical devices for limb fixation. The products can be customized according to individual limb anatomy, to provide excellent orthopedic support and recovery without embarrassment.

Cassit's story

Keheala

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Healthcare Infrastructure and Behavioral Expertise

Pears Challenge III (2017)

Keheala is a mobile health company that aims to improve healthcare access and treatment outcomes for patients. By empowering patients with information, motivation, and support, Keheala delivers tools to overcome the non-medical drivers of disease that exist away from health facilities. Healthcare agencies are provided with remote-monitoring capabilities and vital analytics to combat epidemics in resource-constrained environments. Keheala is a social enterprise committed to reinvesting a majority of gross revenue in order to achieve sustainability, scale its impact, and address some of the world's greatest challenges with innovative behavior change interventions.

Keheala's story

Crafts of Africa

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Empowering African Artisans, One Craft at a Time

Pears Challenge VI (2024)

Crafts of Africa is an innovative e-commerce platform designed to connect global customers with authentic, high-quality African handicrafts. The company carefully curates handmade products from skilled artisans across the continent, each piece showcasing Africa's rich cultural heritage. With a streamlined drop-shipping model, Crafts of Africa ensures fast and efficient global shipping, making unique African crafts easily accessible to customers worldwide.
Beyond commerce, Crafts of Africa is driven by a mission to empower local artisans and foster sustainable economic development. By sharing the stories and craftsmanship behind each product, the platform promotes fair trade, supports traditional skills, and strengthens the connection between artisans and buyers, preserving Africa's cultural legacy.

MultiKol

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Providing Ultimate Protection for People, Assets and Data

Pears Challenge VI (2024)

MultiKol is at the forefront of transforming user authentication in financial services with its groundbreaking generative AI-based voice biometric system. This innovative solution not only enhances security and eliminates fraud and identity theft, but also ensures accessibility and reliability, supporting multiple languages and dialects. MultiKol's commitment to adhering to all relevant regulations and standards underscore its dedication to creating a secure environment for users. Moreover, the system's user-friendly interface caters to individuals with varying levels of digital literacy,

boosting usage, compliance, and consumer confidence. By seamlessly integrating with existing financial services and procedures, MultiKol is paving the way for a safer world by fostering trust among individuals and businesses, and significantly reducing losses due to fraud and cybercrime.

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Safecoin

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Empowering People to Achieve Financial Freedom

Pears Challenge VI (2024)

SafeCoin is improving financial education in Kenya through a digital platform that combines gamified learning with practical financial tools.

Users learn essential skills like budgeting, saving, and investing by engaging with real-world applications. As they advance, the platform offers opportunities for investment and financial growth, supported by a unique investment matching system that helps users boost their investment potential while managing risk.

By making financial education more engaging and accessible, SafeCoin aims to provide a practical path to building wealth beyond traditional credit systems. The platform's AI-driven customization ensures a personalized learning experience, helping users in Kenya achieve financial stability and better manage their finances.

Graduating ventures who are no longer active

Since 2014, we've taken the ambitious mission of being the only venture builder in Israel focused on international development challenges.The Pears Challenge is continuously growing and improving to guide entrepreneurs to make the most impact through their ventures, with each cohort designed to focus on a different region and sector.