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Accelerating Food Security Innovation Through Binational Collaboration (US and Israel)

Deadline: 31-Mar-2026

The BARD Food Security Technology Accelerator provides conditional grants of up to $1 million to support collaborative R&D projects between Israeli and U.S. partners, aiming to accelerate innovations in food security. The program funds projects at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3–6 that combine research and industry expertise, with a focus on climate-resilient agriculture, crop and animal health, and digital farming technologies.

Overview

The BARD Food Security Technology Accelerator is a joint initiative by the Israel-U.S. Binational Agriculture Research and Development Foundation (BARD).

The program is designed to:

  • Bridge academic research and industry applications

  • Accelerate innovation in food security

  • Support collaborative R&D between Israeli and American partners

  • Translate research discoveries into practical, commercial, and socially impactful solutions

It emphasizes technological innovation with measurable outcomes in agriculture and food systems.

Program Goals

The key goals of the Accelerator include:

  • Accelerating the path from discovery to application

  • Supporting projects at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3–6

  • Promoting high-impact technological innovation with commercial and social benefits

  • Funding activities across R&D, dissemination, and commercialization

  • Sharing risk and reward between academic and industry partners

Projects are expected to generate tangible solutions that strengthen global food security.

Focus Areas

Current agricultural research priorities include:

  • Climate resilience: Development of hardy crop varieties, vertical farming, and greenhouse technologies to withstand extreme conditions

  • Crop and animal health: Advanced tools for early detection and prevention of plant and animal diseases

  • Digital farming: AI-driven precision agriculture to optimize inputs, monitor crops, and improve yields sustainably

Other relevant areas include sustainable water management, soil health, and technology solutions that improve supply chain efficiency.

Funding Structure

  • Maximum grant: $1 million over two years

  • Total project budget: Up to $1.6 million

  • Academic partners: Fully funded; must receive ≥50% of total grant

  • Industry partners: Partially funded; must contribute 10–30% of project budget depending on TRL

  • Grants are conditional, based on consortium eligibility, milestones, and project scope

The structure ensures alignment between research output, industry application, and social impact.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible consortia must include:

  • At least two research institutions: one Israeli and one U.S.

  • At least two industry partners: one Israeli and one U.S. (subsidiaries of the same parent company in each country may qualify as separate partners)

  • Projects must focus on TRL 3–6 innovations

  • Research must address one of the program’s priority areas

Consortia are expected to demonstrate strong collaboration, shared risk and reward, and clear commercialization or societal impact pathways.

Project Expectations

Projects supported under this program must:

  • Demonstrate technological innovation

  • Show potential for commercialization and social impact

  • Include plans for R&D, dissemination, and implementation

  • Foster academic-industry collaboration

  • Translate research outcomes into practical applications for food security

Proposals must have clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a feasible implementation plan.

Why This Program Matters

The BARD Food Security Technology Accelerator is critical for:

  • Advancing climate-resilient agriculture and food systems

  • Encouraging cross-border innovation and knowledge transfer

  • Bridging academic research with industry application

  • Delivering technologies that improve food security globally

  • Strengthening collaborative ecosystems in the U.S. and Israel

It helps turn research ideas into solutions that are commercially viable and socially impactful.

Application Highlights

  • Projects should be structured to deliver real-world outcomes

  • Must align with BARD’s TRL 3–6 focus

  • Academic and industry contributions must be clearly defined and funded accordingly

  • Collaboration agreements should share risk and rewards effectively

  • Emphasis on projects that combine innovation, applicability, and societal benefit

Conclusion

The BARD Food Security Technology Accelerator offers a unique funding opportunity for Israeli and U.S. teams to develop cutting-edge agricultural technologies. By supporting TRL 3–6 projects, fostering industry-academia collaboration, and emphasizing both commercial and social impact, the program drives innovation that strengthens global food security and agricultural resilience.

For more information, visit BARD.