Ramot at Tel Aviv University

CEO Keren Primor Cohen oversees Ramot's commercialization strategy and investment committee. The office evaluates roughly 100 invention disclosures annually, selecting those with the clearest path to patent and commercial viability. Actual company formation and follow-on funding decisions involve the university's licensing team and external venture partners (per the firm's public disclosures, 2024).

Ramot does not raise traditional venture funds. It uses Tel Aviv University resources, government R&D grants, and accumulated royalty income to pay for patent filings and initial company formation costs. External venture capital is then sought post-incorporation — Ramot typically retains equity and licensing rights rather than leading priced rounds.

Ramot is a separate legal entity from the university's $600 million endowment. The endowment does not directly invest in Ramot's spinouts, though Ramot's board includes university trustees and faculty representatives. The two entities coordinate on IP strategy but maintain independent investment postures (per public record).

Life sciences accounts for the plurality of Ramot's patent filings, with notable density in neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, and immunology. Key historical out-licenses include patents underlying Copaxone (multiple sclerosis) and Azilect (Parkinson's), both multibillion-dollar drugs. Current activity also includes digital-health and medical-device IP from TAU's engineering and medical faculties.

Ramot typically does not co-invest cash alongside external VCs. Instead, it contributes IP, patent protection, and early-stage business development support in exchange for equity. External investors receive commercial licensing terms for the underlying technology, and Ramot retains oversight through board seats or observer rights.

TAU Ventures, launched in September 2024, is a separate early-stage venture fund that invests in companies spun out of Tel Aviv University research. Unlike Ramot — which handles patent filing, licensing, and company formation — TAU Ventures provides dedicated venture capital from an independent fund structure. The two entities coordinate on deal flow but operate with distinct investment committees.

Confirmed spinouts include OrCam Technologies, the wearable AI-assistive device company acquired by Intel in 2024; Vayyar Imaging, the 4D radar-on-chip firm backed by SoftBank and Koch Disruptive Technologies; and Anodot, the AI-driven business-monitoring platform later acquired by ServiceNow. The office has also supported exits in cybersecurity, agritech, and drug development (per public record).