January 3, 2022, Jerusalem Israel –
Yissum, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Technology Transfer Company, MCCR – The Hebrew University’s Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research, and TechforCann Europe Accelerator – Europe’s First Tech Accelerator Dedicated to Medical Cannabis, announced today a strategic collaboration to strengthen the European medical cannabis tech ecosystem.
As part of the agreement, Hebrew University MCCR affiliated researchers will act as advisory board members, mentors, and potential recruitment candidates for the startups that are accepted from around the world into the TechforCann Europe accelerator program. The Hebrew University Medical Cannabis online curriculum will also be available to international audiences through the accelerator platform. TechforCann Europe will have access to a pipeline of innovative research projects that will benefit from the acceleration program. In addition, the parties will collaborate for licensing or co-development of new products.
MCCR, the biggest cannabis research center in Israel, and one of the few centers in the world, conducts breakthrough research on cannabinoids, endocannabinoids and Medical Cannabis, focusing on the following areas: cancer, pain, inflammation and stress management, immunity, metabolism, drug delivery & nanotechnology, pharmaceutical chemistry, neuroscience and plant science & genetics.
TechforCann Europe is the first accelerator on the continent to focus on medical cannabis technologies. The accelerator identifies and nurtures early stage IP based companies with potential for exit/IPO. The hybrid acceleration program focuses on entrepreneurs who are solving challenges across the supply chain, with a focus on Healthcare and Biotech, Digital Health, Precision Agriculture, and new product technologies. As a result of the program, participants reach milestones faster, with less error and expense – increasing their valuation and probability of commercial success.
“One of our major objectives at MCCR is to foster collaborations between our own teams and other groups around the globe who are conducting medical cannabis research,” said Professor Yossi Tam, Director of the MCCR, Associate Professor of Pharmacology, and Head of the Obesity & Metabolism Laboratory at Hebrew University. “One of our priorities is a cannabis-based synthetic API which may change people’s lives. For example, we have recently completed pre-clinical work with a synthetic derivative of cannabinoid-acid, demonstrating its efficacy in treating obesity, and we have a lot more research in the pipeline”.
“Partnering with such important and world-breaking institutions such as Yissum and the MCCR validates our goal of supporting early stage IP based startups from around the world who are solving challenges across the medical cannabis supply chain,” said Lilac Mandeles, CEO of TechforCann Europe Accelerator. “We are excited to nurture and promote top-tier research that is currently being conducted, as well as offer our startups access to world-leading clinicians and researchers and cut the time to market for these remarkable innovations.”
For more information: www.techforcanneurope.com
For interview requests: yona@techforcanneurope.com
Yissum is the technology transfer company of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Founded in 1964, it serves as a bridge between cutting-edge academic research and a global community of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry. Yissum’s mission is to benefit society by converting extraordinary innovations and transformational technologies into commercial solutions that address our most urgent global challenges. Yissum has registered over 10,875+ patents globally; licensed over 1140+ technologies and has spun out more than 191 companies. Yissum’s business partners span the globe and include companies such as Boston Scientific, Google, ICL, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Microsoft, Novartis and many more.
For further information please visit www.yissum.co.il