From Negev to Mars: Inhayle wins startup program to shoot for NASA-led space mission

Itai Benartzi’s father died after acquiring an infection following a hospital stay. Years later, the tragic loss drove Benartzi — who left the public sector two years ago after a decade-long career where he last served as the head of policy of the Israel National Cyber Directorate — to create technology that has an impact on real-life problems and health safety.

Last year, Benartzi co-founded Inhayle, an Israeli startup that develops technology to purify and disinfect air and surfaces from bacteria and germs in indoor spaces, from hospitals to space stations. After emerging as the winner of Israel’s space accelerator program Expand earlier this month, the Tel Aviv-based startup is gearing up to be able to deploy its technology for astronauts on deep-space exploration missions led by NASA in the coming years.

Following years of research and development led by its co-founder and director of technology Effy Shaarabany, Inhayle was established in late 2023 by Shaarabany together with Benartzi and Dr. Israel Biran. Then during the October 7 massacre, Shaarabany’s 21-year-old daughter Sivan was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival. READ MORE