ALUT, the Israeli Society for Children and Adults with Autism, is launching a new startup accelerator aimed at encouraging the development of technologies for autistic people and their families, as demand for specialized solutions continues to grow.
The three-month program, called ALUTech, will provide startups with access to one of the sector’s biggest challenges: direct engagement with potential users. Participants will receive access to ALUT’s community, which serves tens of thousands of autistic people and their families, alongside the organization’s 50 years of clinical and professional expertise.
The initiative is designed to address a common obstacle facing startups developing healthcare and assistive technologies: limited access to users for testing and validating products, as well as a lack of clinical knowledge needed to tailor solutions to real-world needs.
Registration opens on July 21, with the first cohort expected to include 10 startups. The program will offer personalized mentoring over 12 weeks, including biweekly meetings with specialists from ALUT’s Autism Center, structured pilot opportunities, direct feedback from autistic participants and accessibility experts, and introductions to potential funding partners and industry professionals.
Unlike many startup accelerators, participation will be free, with no equity requirement and no transfer of intellectual property.
The accelerator is open not only to companies building products specifically for autism, but also to startups whose existing technologies could be adapted for autistic users.
ALUT says the program will initially focus on three areas where significant unmet needs remain: adapting physical environments to sensory sensitivities, early detection of emotional distress and support for emotional regulation, and technologies that help interpret social interactions and communication.
According to the World Health Organization, about 1% of the global population, roughly 78 million people, is on the autism spectrum. In Israel, National Insurance data shows approximately 68,000 children have been diagnosed with autism, with diagnoses increasing by an estimated 18% to 20% annually.
The accelerator will also receive support from Wix, which will host entrepreneurship workshops for participants at its campus, including lectures from entrepreneurs behind Base44.
The program is being guided by a volunteer advisory board drawn from Israel’s technology sector. Members include executives and entrepreneurs from companies including Lemonade, Apple, Google, Twitter and Twitch, alongside AI specialists and startup investors.
