SightBit was founded and led by Adam Bismut (z”l), who tragically fell while fighting in the Gaza Strip
SightBit, an Israeli startup that has developed a revolutionary drowning prevention system using computer vision and artificial intelligence, announced today the appointment of Etan Hadaya as its new CEO. Etan, who immigrated to Israel in January after managing an international company in Hong Kong, brings a wealth of experience in leading international companies in the technology, communications, and life sciences sectors across Europe, Latin America, and the Far East. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and organizational psychology and is an expert in guiding companies through growth and international expansion.
SightBit was founded and led by Adam Bismut (z”l), who tragically fell while fighting in the Gaza Strip. Bismut, a lecturer in entrepreneurship and innovation at Ben-Gurion University, founded the company with a personal vision to prevent drownings after witnessing a tragic incident at the Dead Sea.
SightBit’s innovative system uses a combination of computer vision, artificial intelligence, and big data analysis to monitor beaches in real-time. The system can identify dangerous situations, such as swimmers in distress or strong currents, and alert rescue teams and beach managers.
Etan Hadaya, the incoming CEO of SightBit, said: “I am excited to join SightBit and continue Adam’s legacy, who dedicated his life to preventing drownings. He was a true entrepreneur who created the opportunities we have today. We are well aware of the challenges ahead, but we have a determined team and believe in the enormous potential of our technology. I am committed to leading the company to growth while fulfilling the shared Israeli vision of creating technological innovation for the benefit of all, more specifically, making SightBit a world leader in water safety.
SightBit’s technology has already proven its effectiveness in successful pilots in locations such as Tel Aviv, Ashdod, California, Brazil, Dubai, Australia, and Canada, providing life-saving alerts. Despite the difficult loss the company has suffered, SightBit continues to grow. The company is in advanced discussions with several beaches around the world and is expected to announce additional installations of the system soon.
Despite the challenges, SightBit is uniquely positioned to fulfill this vision. Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death worldwide, with over 400,000 deaths annually. In Israel alone, dozens of people drown fatally each year. In addition, for every person who drowns fatally, there are approximately 8 cases of non-fatal drowning, often requiring expensive and prolonged medical treatment.
In the face of a global shortage of lifeguards and the growing demand for technological solutions to improve water safety, SightBit offers an effective and advanced solution. The system is designed as a complementary tool that significantly expands the lifeguards’ range of activity, monitors wider areas of the coastline more accurately, identifies danger situations in real-time, and streamlines beach management – thus enabling more lives to be saved, with wider coverage and do so more effectively. In addition, the system enables local authorities to provide a response on non-guarded beaches, or during hours when lifeguards are not on duty.
Under Etan’s leadership, SightBit is committed to becoming a pioneer in the development of life-saving solutions in water by recruiting leading experts in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision. It will develop advanced capabilities for risk identification and alerting, expand to additional countries and continents, and raise strategic capital to support the company’s rapid growth.
The company has raised $2 million to date from the InNegev incubator and other strategic investors. The InNegev incubator was established in 2020 to strengthen the high-tech industry in the Negev. The incubator supports 13 startups in the fields of climate-tech and deep-tech and is backed by global investment bodies and leading industries from the south, such as SodaStream and Netafim. InNegev operates in collaboration with Ben-Gurion University, government R&D centers, and other entities to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the Negev. SightBit invites investors and strategic partners to join its efforts to make the world a safer place.
Arnon Columbus, InNegev CEO: “In recent months, since Adam’s passing, we have been frantically searching for a CEO who can fill the big shoes he left behind and realize his vision of saving lives. Etan is the right person for the job. Etan’s diverse experience as an entrepreneur, senior manager, and consultant to companies in the critical stage of entering target markets around the world, combined with the Israeli spirit of innovation he brings with him, will turn the dream into a daily reality and the SightBit system into an integral part of beaches around the world.”
Credit: Nikolas Smirnov – Art Spot
