BIRD Foundation — Industrial R&D

BIRD Foundation — Industrial R&D is the foundation’s core joint development program for U.S.-Israeli industrial research. The foundation was established by the U.S. and Israeli governments in 1977 to stimulate and support mutual industrial R&D, and the record says it has approved close to 1,200 projects that have produced more than $10 billion in direct and indirect revenues. This program is the main route for that mission, with project support capped at $1.5 million and limited to 50 percent of project development costs. The instrument is a conditional grant, not equity, and repayment is due only if the project succeeds commercially. The structured record points to a pair of companies, one Israeli and one U.S.-based, and the raw program description says the program can also include start-ups or established organizations. The board approves projects twice a year, while expert review comes from the Israel Innovation Authority and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. The available sectors span advanced manufacturing, agrotechnology, cleantech, energy and environment, cyber security, healthcare IT, homeland security, life sciences, semiconductors, software, and water. The fit is strongest where two companies can define, build, manufacture, sell, and support a commercial product together. BIRD is not a broad research subsidy; it is a risk-sharing instrument for paired industrial development with a clear path to market. Applicants succeed when each side brings real capability, the joint plan is specific, and the technical work is anchored in a product that can survive beyond the grant period.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.