India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund

Deadline: 16-Jun-22

Applications are now open for the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F), a cooperation platform between the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), Government of Israel, to promote facilitate and support joint Industrial R&D projects between companies from India and Israel, which would lead to successful commercialization and benefit for both countries.

The objective of this programme is to respond to the global issues concerning science & technology while developing technologies that can be commercialized and localized within 2 years through Joint cooperation between India and Israel.

I4F is cooperation between the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the National Technological Innovation Authority in Israel (Innovation Authority) to promote, facilitate and support joint Industrial R&D projects, between companies from India and Israel.

DST and Innovation Authority have jointly created a $40 Mn USD I4F fund with equal contribution from both sides over the period of five years. I4F is aimed to promote, facilitate and support joint Industrial R&D between India & Israel which would lead to co-development and commercialization of innovative technologies benefiting both the countries.

The collaboration aims to promote projects that are innovative and reflecting consumer demands, so that they are market-oriented at the same time focussed on creating a new product or process that will eventually lead to commercialization.

Focus Areas

CFP-9 is open to the applied R&D projects in all areas but will prioritize the areas of:

• Agriculture
• Energy
• Healthcare
• Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)
• Water

Important Note: Funding for innovative products or technological solutions addressing the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic are also invited to submit the application under the I4F fund.

Funding Information

• Funding for R&D Project Participants in India
  • GITA on behalf of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, will fund the successful projects, as follows:
    • DST-GITA will support a range of 0.25 Million USD to 1.25 Million USD per project or 50% of the Indian Project Cost whichever is lower.
    • DST through GITA shall provide the funding in the following proportion to the Indian Applicants.
    • These are indicative figures and are subject to change depending on the type of Project and recommendation by the Joint Project Evaluation Committee:
      • Equipment 40%
      • Manpower 30%
      • Consumables 20%
      • Travel/Others 10%
      • Joint Commercialisation cost (USD 30,000 ~ INR 19,03,800) INPL and ISPL shall each be eligible for Joint Commercialization cost up to USD 30,000 per project based on the matching fund from Industry. This cost needs to be reflected in the budget sheet.
  • Indian applicants will be required to open a separate No-Lien bank account for managing the project funding.
• Funding for R&D Project Participants in Israel
  • Innovation Authority will support a range of 0.25 Million USD to 1.25 Million USD per project or 50% of the Israeli Project Cost whichever is lower.

Types of Projects Supported

• Joint Technology Development leading to pre-commercialisation prototype development, wherever applicable.
• Projects should be innovative, user-need based and market–driven, leading to new product or process and eventual commercialization.
• Duration of the project is up to 24 months.
• Projects must articulate clear commercial goals and associated commercialisation strategies; Building on the principles of a true bilateral partnership, all projects should demonstrate equivalence in effort from the Indian and Israel partners.
• Applicant already possesses basic infrastructures/testbeds, prototype and developed basic Proof of Concept (POC).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Indian applicants must be researchers or managers of companies that operate and are headquartered in India. Academic institutions, research hospitals, other R&D institutes (including not-for-profit research institutes recognized by DST/GITA) that are headquartered and operate in India are strongly encouraged to participate in the projects as co-investigators.
• Specific criteria for eligible applicants are as follows:
  • The Indian Project Lead (INPL) (i.e. lead company) must be a commercial company under the Indian Company Act 1956, which operates in and is headquartered in India.
  • At least 51% stake of the INPL Company must be owned by Indian citizens.
  • The INPL should have the required expertise and team capacity to manage the proposed project.
  • Sole proprietors and partnership firms are not eligible for support under this programme.
  • Companies headquartered and owned outside India and their subsidiaries in India, or vice versa, are not eligible to receive funding from DST/GITA under this programme.
  • INPL should lead the project from Indian side and if required bring in other Industry Partners or Academic/R&D Institutions as Sub-contractors.
• Preferences will be given to:
  • Indian companies having partnership with government-funded Indian academic and R&D institutions.
  • Indian companies having in-house R&D Centre which is recognised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India.
  • Companies that fall under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) category.
• Israeli Applicants
  • An Israeli for profit R&D performing company, which is registered, operate in Israel as Project Lead (ISPL), responsible for the Israel application submission, leading the Israeli side of the project and communicating with the Indian Project Lead.
    • The Israeli Project Lead (ISPL) (i.e. lead company) and any other Israeli company that is signed on the Cooperation and Project and Funding Agreement are subjected to the Israeli Research and Development Law (1984) and to the Israel Innovation Authority Board Guideline number 1.
• Important Notes
  • Collaborations must be business-led from both sides.
  • Sub-contractors (i.e. universities,research institutions) are eligible to participate as Sub-contractors or as part of bi-lateral Indo-Israeli consortium as long as they have background IP that will be used in the joint project or if they get ownership on the new developed Product.

For more information, visit https://www.gita.org.in/OnlineRfp/ProgramInfo.aspx?GITA=kZdo4yRVS4gRExygXA1Gyq9SZnneO25N65fp3J3SeI8=