IIA Ideation (Tnufa)

IIA Ideation, known as Tnufa, sits under the Israel Innovation Authority as an early-stage incentive for entrepreneurs and very young Israeli startups testing innovative technological ideas. The program offers up to NIS 200,000 over 12 months and covers 80 percent of the approved budget. It is designed as a first validation step before a company moves into heavier R&D support. The record says the route is open year-round and can be used by individuals, though it also works for for-profit startups registered and operating in Israel. The allowed company age reaches up to three years, the technology window runs from TRL 1 to TRL 3, and the funded uses include prototype building, IP protection, business plans, materials, subcontractors, consultants, patent attorneys, and exhibition costs. Salaries and overhead are excluded, and applicants do not have to leave their current employment or assign IP rights to the authority. The program is best for concept validation, not scale-up. Repayment only applies if the project commercializes, so Tnufa is useful for founders who need room to test an idea, preserve their position, and decide whether the next step should be the R&D Fund or another Israel Innovation Authority route.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.