BIRD Fund Approves $7.4 Million for Israeli-American Tech Projects
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
The BIRD Fund has approved $7.4 million for seven joint Israeli-American technology projects, expected to leverage an additional $12.6 million from the private sector. These collaborations aim to develop innovative products in fields like AI-driven oncology, satellite communications, and quantum computing. Since 1977, the fund has supported over 1,200 projects, investing $470 million and generating over $10 billion in revenue. The next application deadline is November 23, 2026.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- BIRD Fund approved $7.4 million for seven joint Israeli-American technology projects.
- The total investment in these projects is expected to reach approximately $20 million.
- Selected projects focus on AI in oncology, satellite communication, and quantum computing.
- The BIRD Fund has supported over 1,200 collaborations since 1977.
- The fund has invested $470 million, generating over $10 billion in revenue.
- The next application deadline is November 23, 2026, with approvals in March 2027.
The BIRD Fund, a U.S.-Israel industrial research and development foundation, has approved $7.4 million in funding for seven joint projects between American and Israeli companies. These investments, combined with private sector contributions, are expected to total approximately $20 million. The fund supports strategic partnerships aimed at developing innovative products and technologies for global markets, offering conditional grants of up to $1.5 million per project.
Projects are evaluated by the fund's team and professional assessors appointed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Israel Innovation Authority. The seven newly approved projects bring the total number of collaborations supported by the BIRD Fund to over 1,200 since its establishment in 1977. To date, the fund has invested about $470 million, generating over $10 billion in direct and indirect revenues.
Among the selected projects are a collaboration between Israel's Ibex Medical Analytics and the U.S.'s Proscia to develop an AI-based platform for precision oncology, and a joint effort by Israel's NovaLink Space and U.S.'s Ciena Corporation to create a compact satellite laser communication terminal capable of terabit-per-second data transfer. Additionally, Israel's Qarakal Quantum and U.S.'s Quantum Elements will develop a quantum computing product to demonstrate feasibility in mapping complex surface catalysis reactions.
Dr. Alon Stupel, Co-Chairman of the BIRD Fund Board, highlighted the enduring strength of the U.S.-Israel technological partnership as a driver of innovation, noting that the selected projects are at the forefront of technologies shaping the future, from quantum computing and space technology to AI in medicine.
Mike Molnar, also Co-Chairman of the Board, stated that the board faced a challenging selection process due to the high quality of proposals, emphasizing the projects' potential to advance quantum algorithms, semiconductor design, and satellite communications. Yaron Lotan, CEO of the BIRD Fund, described bilateral partnerships as crucial for innovation and growth, underscoring the U.S.-Israel relationship as one of the world's deepest and most proven.
The deadline for submitting executive summaries for the next approval round is November 23, 2026, with project approvals expected in March 2027. The BIRD Fund, established by the Israeli and U.S. governments, provides funding for R&D collaborations, covering up to 50% of project budgets from R&D through early sales and marketing stages.
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