Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial R&D Foundation to invest $8 million in 9 new projects
The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has recently approved $8 million in funding for nine new projects between U.S. and Israeli companies. Among the projects to receive funding is a collaboration between the companies Quantum Machines and QuEra Computing, to develop a photonic control unit and photonic integrated circuit for quantum computing devices. In addition to the grants from BIRD, the projects will access private-sector funding, boosting the total investment in all projects to $23 million.
The BIRD Foundation promotes collaborations between U.S. and Israeli companies in various technological sectors for joint product development. In addition to providing conditional grants of up to $1.5 million, the foundation assists by working with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions.
The submitted projects are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Israel Innovation Authority.
The projects approved are:
Agado Live and Adventist HealthCare to develop an end-to-end remote rehabilitation platform for neurologic diseases.
Agromentum and Manulife Investment Management Agriculture Services to develop a hardware and software platform that turns every tractor into an autonomous tractor for operating in orchards.
AlvaLinks and Cobalt Digital to develop a video network intelligence and observability platform for broadcasting and media companies.
ContainerEyes and NTELX to develop a real time tracking and risk analysis service to increase food safety and reduce food loss when it is being shipped.
GeneYX and Ocean Genomics to develop a multi-omic software method, combining DNA and RNA, that improves the detection of genomic variants to improve the diagnosis of diseases and the identification of drug targets.
NeuroTrigger and Rand Eye Institute to develop a clinically validated eyelid pacemaker that restores blinking to individuals with facial paralysis.
Oshi and The Better Meat Co. to develop allergen-free mycelium-based whole-cut salmon analogues.
Quantum Machines and QuEra Computing to develop a Photonic Control Unit and Photonic Integrated Circuit, which will be incorporated into quantum computing devices.
Treetoscope and The Toro Company to develop next-generation cost-effective and scalable precision irrigation management based on direct plant sensing technology.
Ms. Mojdeh Bahar, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services at NIST, and co-chair of BIRD's board of governors said: "The BIRD Foundation received many exciting joint R&D proposals this competition cycle in technology areas such as quantum computing, agtech, food science, medical devices, and health IT. The projects selected for funding by the BIRD Foundation Board of Governors feature strong partnerships that enable the participating companies to further develop their technologies and commercialize the resulting products through collaboration. We are confident that the selected projects will have a great impact! We wish the awardees great success with their projects."
Dr. Amiram Appelbaum, Chief Scientist of Innovation at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, and co-chair of BIRD's board of governors said: "The selected companies and projects represent a diverse range of sectors. From agri-tech to food-tech, life sciences, logistics, video processing and quantum computing, these projects showcase the immense potential for innovation and collaboration across multiple industries. Moreover, they are strategically aligned with technological domains, i.e.: climatech and quantum, that are of strategic importance to both countries in meeting the challenges humanity faces both today and in the future. We are all looking forward to the impact they will make in their respective fields."
Mr. Jaron Lotan, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, said: "As the new Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, it was important for me to keep the fund's investments at the forefront of technological development. This cycle, we received a record number of outstanding submissions, and our BIRD team provided exceptional assistance to the companies. I am proud of the diverse and high-quality companies collaborating to develop creative solutions for future technologies, and I wish them much success in their efforts to bring new and innovative products to market."
