Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation

Connects Israeli and United States companies through binational industrial innovation funding and collaboration support.

BIRD Foundation is the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, a bilateral U.S.-Israeli fund established in 1977. It backs joint industrial R&D between unrelated U.S. and Israeli companies across high-tech sectors, with approvals handled by a bilateral Board of Governors.

The flagship General Program and its verticals - BIRD Energy, BIRD Cyber, BIRD HLS, and the U.S.-Israel Energy Center of Excellence - cover work in energy, cybersecurity, homeland security, and adjacent industrial technology areas. Awards cover up to 50% of project costs, up to $1.5M per project in most tracks and $1M in BIRD HLS, and repayment comes only from commercial success through royalties.

BIRD runs a single annual call cycle for the General Program, with review by NIST on the U.S. side and the Israel Innovation Authority on the Israeli side before board approval. It is a fit for companies that can show a genuine U.S.-Israel partnership, clear technical innovation, and a product path with commercial upside.