Eighth-Round Winners of Innovation Partner Funding

Space Florida, Israel Innovation Authority Announce Eighth-Round Winners of Innovation Partner Funding in a $2 million recurring joint fund to support research, development, and commercialization of aerospace and technology

Space Florida, the aerospace and spaceport development authority for the State of Florida, and the Israel Innovation Authority, an independent and impartial statutory public entity that operates for the benefit of the Israeli innovation ecosystem and Israeli economy as a whole, are pleased to announce the eighth-round winners of industrial research and development funding tied to the Space Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership Program.

In October 2013, Florida and Israel established a $2 million recurring joint fund to support research, development, and commercialization of aerospace and technology projects that benefit both Israel and Florida. For this Call for Projects, 20 joint proposals were submitted by teams of for-profit companies in Florida and Israel. Four teams have been selected for this eighth round of awards. 

“Congratulations to the winning partnerships in this latest Call for Projects in the Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership,” said Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Florida’s space industry is rich in innovation, research and development, and collaborations like the program with Israel help to ensure a bright future in space. I look forward to seeing the results from this year’s winning companies.”

“The partnership between Florida and Israel continues to yield innovative results and contribute to our state’s thriving aerospace industry,” said Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello. “Space Florida congratulates the winners of this Eighth Call for Projects and looks forward to the successes of each company as well as continuing the strong relationship we have with the Israel Innovation Authority in growing research and development within the aerospace sector.” 

“Since its inception in 2013, the Israel-Florida collaboration on space related technologies has managed to produce great projects that could truly make a difference in the aerospace sector,” said Ami Appelbaum, Chairman, Israel Innovation Authority . “This year we were excited to note an increase in the number of applications submitted compared to last year, as well as the noteworthy high quality of those projects. We strongly believe that the partnership between Florida and Israel, and the success of this collaboration between companies from both countries will further strengthen the ties between the two countries and economies. We wish much success to the winning teams and companies and look forward to the amazing changes they will make on our world and beyond.”

The winners are as follows:

• Craig Technologies (Merritt Island, Florida) & MTI Wireless Edge (Israel) for the development of an innovative antenna that can be used for space-ground and space-space applications. The existing antenna will be electrically adapted for the required satellite communication frequency band and mechanically redesigned to meet the space environmental requirements. The re-engineering of the existing antenna will provide small satellite manufacturers with additional options for competitive suppliers. 
• Everix Optical Filters (Orlando, Florida) & SolCold (Israel) for innovative nano-particle materials using a dichroic filter to cool down objects using sunlight. With this award, Everix will focus on optimizing the Everix production processes to create the filter-size needed, and Solcold will scale up its cooling particles for the commercialization of SolCold’s cooling-by-sunlight products
• Redwire Space (formerly Made In Space), Jacksonville, Florida) & StemRad (Israel) for the project focusing on conducting on-orbit additive manufacturing of personal radiation shielding vest components from recycled polyethylene. Redwire Space and StemRad will recycle polyethylene from packaging waste into filament for on-orbit additive manufacturing of polyethylene shielding inserts for StemRad’s personal radiation protection vests.
• LightPath Technologies (Orlando, Florida) & RP Optical Lab (Israel) will develop and design an Opto-Electronics Thermal Imaging (OETI) module installed on Nano / Micro satellites. 
  The OETI module will be based on a new developed space-qualified broadband, compact, lightweight, modular, cryogenically cooled infrared motorized camera, utilizing IR optical lens substrates, space-compatible broadband telescope lens and video electronics.  

The joint team’s goal will be the successful space environmental qualification of these cameras and their building blocks. 

Each company will receive their respective funding awards from Space Florida and the Israel Innovation Authority.

Additionally, Space Florida and the Israel Innovation Authority would like to thank Enterprise Florida’s Israel Office for its collaboration and partnership in this Call for Projects. 

The next joint call for applications is expected to be released in September 2021. Florida-based companies interested in more information can visit www.spaceflorida.gov, while Israel-based companies can visit innovationisrael.org.il.

About Space Florida: Space Florida was created to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. As Florida’s aerospace and spaceport development authority, we are committed to attracting and expanding the next generation of space industry businesses. With its highly trained workforce, proven infrastructure and unparalleled record of achievement, Florida is the ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive – and Space Florida is the perfect partner to help them succeed. www.spaceflorida.gov

About the Israel Innovation Authority: The Israel Innovation Authority, an independent publicly funded agency, was thus created to provide a variety of practical tools and funding platforms aimed at effectively addressing the dynamic and changing needs of the local and international innovation ecosystems. This includes early-stage entrepreneurs, mature companies developing new products or manufacturing processes, academic groups seeking to transfer their ideas to the market, global corporations interested in collaborating with Israeli technology, Israeli companies seeking new markets abroad and traditional factories and plants seeking to incorporate innovative and advanced manufacturing into their businesses.