KORIL-RDF Pilot Project

KORIL-RDF Pilot Project

Supports mid-stage Korean-Israeli project pilots to validate technical feasibility before broader commercialization.

Eligibility · Israel, South Korea

The Korea-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (KORIL-RDF) Pilot Project is a mid-scale track in KORIL's four-tier bilateral R&D program, established in 2001 under joint governance of Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) and Israel's Ministry of Economy & Industry. It bridges the 6-month Feasibility track (max USD 100K) and the 24-month R&D Project track (max USD 3M), targeting partnerships that have validated feasibility and need to develop and demonstrate a working pilot before committing to a full development program. KORIL draws from a joint fund with approximately USD 2 million annual contributions from each government.

Maximum funding under the Pilot track is USD 1 million over up to 12 months, with KORIL covering 30–50% of direct R&D costs. One private company from Korea and one from Israel must apply simultaneously through their respective national portals — the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) for Israeli firms and KIAT for Korean firms — as all KORIL tracks require bilateral simultaneous submission. Applications are accepted in twice-yearly submission windows. Awards are structured as recoverable advances repayable through royalties once the joint product reaches commercial revenues. All civilian technology sectors are eligible; defense and dual-use applications are excluded.

The Pilot track is most effective for Korean-Israeli pairs who have completed a Feasibility study — either through KORIL or independently — and can demonstrate that the joint technology concept works at laboratory or prototype scale. The 12-month duration and USD 1M ceiling demand focused scope: proposals should present a specific pilot deliverable, clear go/no-go criteria, and a post-pilot commercialization or scale-up plan. Applicants should coordinate submission timing so both national applications are filed in the same call window.