KORIL-RDF Lighthouse Project
Funds flagship Korean-Israeli industrial projects designed for high-impact commercialization and strategic partnerships.
Eligibility · Israel, South Korea
The Korea-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (KORIL-RDF) Lighthouse Project is the highest-value track in KORIL's four-tier bilateral program, established in 2001 under the joint governance of Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) and Israel's Ministry of Economy & Industry. It funds strategically significant, large-scale joint Korean-Israeli R&D aimed at producing commercially impactful outcomes over an extended development period. KORIL draws from an annual joint fund with approximately USD 2 million contributed by each government, and reserves the Lighthouse designation for flagship cross-border technology collaborations.
Maximum funding is USD 5 million per project over up to 36 months — confirmed by both GranTeam and IVC-Online source data — with KORIL covering up to 66% of direct R&D costs, making Lighthouse the most generous funding rate in the KORIL portfolio. The partnership must cover at least 34% of costs. As with all KORIL tracks, one private company registered in Korea and one registered in Israel must apply simultaneously through their respective national portals (IIA for Israel, KIAT for Korea). Submissions open in twice-yearly windows. Awards are structured as recoverable advances repayable through royalties on commercial revenues. Only civilian technology projects qualify.
Lighthouse carries a higher competitive bar than the R&D or Pilot tracks — applicants should expect scrutiny of strategic commercial impact, bilateral R&D depth, and the scale of the addressable market. The most successful Lighthouse proposals typically involve companies with prior collaboration experience, established IP frameworks between the partners, and a clear path to a jointly commercializable product that neither company could achieve independently. The 36-month horizon and up to USD 5M ceiling accommodate complex multi-phase R&D programs, but the royalty repayment obligation must be modeled into business projections.
Funds large-scale, strategically significant joint R&D between Korean and Israeli private companies in any civilian technology sector, targeting high-impact commercializable outcomes over up to three years.
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