Government of Israel wages war on Coronavirus

17/03/2020

Israel Innovation Authority, Ministry of Health and the Headquarter for the National Digital Israel Initiative will grant Israeli companies an initial amount of NIS 50 million (~$13 million) for the R&D and demos of systems, products or technological solutions designed to cope with the challenges of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus)

Additionally, the Israel Innovation Authority, Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel are calling manufacturing plants to submit R&D plans for the accelerations and application of industrial products that promote competitiveness and leadership in combating the virus

These programs will provide financial support of 50% or 75% of the expenditures for a program with the potential for an outstanding affect and advancement of public health and the health system in Israel and worldwide or that will create a technological breakthrough in its domain.

All activities are carried out in collaboration and in coordination with MAF’AT (Administration for the Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure) at the Ministry of Defense and have their full support.

Eli Cohen, Minister of Economy and Industry: “The government of Israel allocated NIS 50 million for the immediate development and implementation of technologies to help fight against the coronavirus. The calls for proposals issued by the government today are immediately available for the high-tech industry: every company with a solution, whether it is in the proof of concept stage or a complete product that can be immediately installed at our health services – are invited to contact the Israel Innovation Authority as soon as today. At the same time we are calling manufacturing entities that can help develop or expedite production of technologies that may help the health and relevant general protection infrastructure to use our help.”

Gila Gamliel, Minister of Social Equality and In Charge of the Headquarters for the National Digital Israel Initiative: “The Ministry of Social Equality vie the Headquarters for Digital Israel is calling the industry and startup companies to collaborate in finding solutions to the coronavirus. Israel is the Startup Nation, and we must enlist the creativity of our local entrepreneurs in order to win the fight for our collective health.”

The Israel Innovation Authority, Ministry of Health and the Headquarters of the Digital Israel Initiative at the Ministry of Social Equality issue today a joint call for proposals for Israeli high-tech companies to submit plans to develop, test and implement systems, products or technological solutions to combat the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic (Coronavirus), including technological ideas or implementations at their ideation stage.

Simultaneously, the Israel Innovation Authority together with the Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Manufacturers’ Association in Israel are issuing a joint call for proposal inviting factories manufacturing industrial products, designed to prevent, treat and contend with the Covid-19 virus – to submit request for assistance for their technologically innovative R&D plans.

Manufacturing facilities will gain support for programs that include development of products, raw materials, innovative technologies and production processes, practical  demonstration, prototype development or the development of a process to transition from experimental production to mass production. These programs should be innovative in relation to the company’s abilities to create added value in contending with the virus.

Requests will be submitted via a dedicated short form and will be evaluated in a fast-track process. Companies can submit their requests immediately and continuously in order to gain timely response and expedite development and implementation of the solutions.

Full details on submission and the 3 calls for proposals are attached hereunder.

The Authority will support short term and long-term projects, in all stages: starting from ideation and all the way to development stages, piloting and testing, demos and integration (including integrating the product on a large scale at the Israeli health organizations)

Evaluation of the projects and ideas will be carried out by the Technologies and Market Sectors Division at the Israel Innovation Authority with the help of experts from the Ministry of Health and other governmental partners, including the Israeli Defense System.

Projects that will pass the qualification stage will be able to receive financing from the Israel Innovation Authority and support in the development and manufacturing process from the defense system.

Companies that will gain a positive evaluation by the research committee of the Innovation Authority for the purpose of follow-on investment will be able to reach out to several leading investment banks for additional acceleration of development and implementation.

The aforementioned calls for proposals are not limited to specific fields and may cover any relevant or overlapping disciplines.

Support includes:

  • Financial support of up to 50% of the project’s expenditures
  • Financial support of 60% or 75% of the expenditures for projects with potential to have a unique affect over the advancement of the health system and public health in Israel and worldwide or that constitute a technological breakthrough in its domain.

Fast-Track Procedure:

  • Abbreviated submission form
  • Short response time of the Authority’s evaluation system: the company must be available to meet the evaluator within two to three days of submitting their request.
  • Continuous submission, companies are encouraged to submit their proposals as soon as possible.
  • Responses: are expected within ten days of the last submission deadline.

Today 3 calls for proposals are published, designed for the various stages:

  1. Call for proposals for technological ideas or drafted implementation in the ideation stage which can help deal with the challenges posed by the coronavirus.
  2. Call for proposals for projects in the development, piloting or demonstration stages (including semi-commercial implementation) that can help deal with the challenges posed by the coronavirus.
  3. Call for proposals for R&D plans for industrial products designed to prevent, treat and deal with the COVID-19 virus.

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Call for Proposals (CFP) for R&D plans of projects in the Early (Ideation) Stages Able to Assist in Dealing with the Challenges Posed by the Coronavirus

Submission deadline: March 26th, 2020

CFP summary

The Israel Innovation Authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Headquarters for the National Digital Israel Initiative at the Ministry of Social Equality are issuing a Call for Proposals to Israeli technology companies (that are not one of Israel’s health organizations) to submit R&D plans for technological ideas and/or drafted implementations in the early (ideation) stages for dealing with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Submission will be through Track 2 (see Appendix A).

CFP description

This CFP refers to technological ideas and/or drafted implementations in the early (ideation) stages.

The plan must engage in research and development of technological ideas that may assist in dealing with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

There is no restriction on the project field for this CFP and it may include, among others, one of the following:

  • Streamlining and improvement of the diagnostic process, including: diagnostics, streamlining and improvement of testing and diagnostic process and solutions that will enable efficient and massed testing for the coronavirus to be carried out in Israel in the near future.
  • Tools for contagion reduction and prevention.
  • Expansion of remote healthcare services, including a significant expansion of the quantity and types of services that are provided digitally, or which can be provided without a need to physically visit the health organization. All this including, but not limited to, treatment, prevention, diagnostics, monitoring, process streamlining, interfaces and systems, for the individual and/or the general public.
  • Development and re-purposing of antiviral products for treatment of the disease, or other products that may serve as a supporting therapy, or for diagnostics and prevention.
  • Solutions for patients in home confinement or hospital quarantine.
  • Digital solutions for controlling, monitoring, and forecasting the spread of the virus.
  • Solutions for smart management of public assistance centers, and for the effective communication with the public in times of pandemic outbreak
  • Solutions to expand the capacity of respiratory intensive care units and that assist in the monitoring and simultaneous treatment of multiple people hospitalized with acute respiratory disease.
  • Solutions that assist with the physical activity and the well-being of senior citizens staying at home.
  • Solutions that help support special needs population, due to their home stay outside their routine special-ed system.

All this in order to encourage:

  • Development and implementation of innovative technologies in treating and coping with the coronavirus.
  • Advancing the healthcare system and public health in Israel and abroad.
  • The creation and growth of complete and sustainable companies by promoting innovative technological solutions.

What you get?

  • Financial support of 20% – 50% of approved R&D expenses.
  • Exceptional financial support of 60% – 75% of approved R&D for a project with an outstanding potential to contribute to the advancement the healthcare system and the public health in Israel and abroad.

*The scope of the total support will depend on the scope of total financial sources for this CFP.

Submission Deadline

  • Applications may be submitted up to March 26th, 2020 at 14:00 (technical support will also be provided up to 14:00).
  • Responses are expected within ten days of the deadline.
  • An additional CFP will opened on March 26th 2020, with its submission deadline being April 7th, 2020 up to 14:00 on that day.

How to submit an application for the CFP?

The submission process and application forms are described in detail in the Innovation Support Track for Selected Fields – Digital Health. The forms should be submitted through the personal area on the Innovation Authority’s Hebrew website.

* Note: In addition to the general forms, select and complete the “form for the support of R&D in an Ideation stage for the outbreak of the coronavirus” (instead of the form used for Track 2 routine submissions).

Contact us at: [email protected]

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Call for Proposals (CFP) for Projects in the Development, Piloting and Demonstration stages (Including Semi-Commercial Installation) Able to Assist in Dealing with the Challenges Posed by the Coronavirus

Submission deadline: March 26th, 2020

CFP summary

The Israel Innovation Authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Headquarters for the National Digital Israel Initiative are issuing a Call for Proposals to Israeli technology companies (that are not one of Israel’s health organizations) to submit R&D plans for systems, products, or technological solutions, including projects in the development, piloting and demonstration stages (as well as semi-commercial installation and implementation. and large-scale deployment in heath organizations) designed to deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Submission will be through Benefit Track 2 (see Appendix A).

CFP description

This CFP refers to projects in the development, piloting and demonstration stages (including semi-commercial installation, as well as large-stale deployment in health organizations) for research and development of technological ideas that may assist in dealing with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

There is no restriction on the project’s field for this CFP and it may include, among others, one of the following:

  • Streamlining and improvement of the diagnostic process, including: diagnostics, streamlining and improvement of testing and diagnostic process and solutions that will enable efficient and massed testing for the coronavirus to be carried out in Israel in the near future.
  • Tools for contagion reduction and prevention.
  • Expansion of remote healthcare services, including a significant expansion of the quantity and types of services that are provided digitally, or which can be provided without a need to physically visit the health organization. All this including, but not limited to, treatment, prevention, diagnostics, monitoring, process streamlining, interfaces and systems, for the individual and/or the general public.
  • Development and re-purposing of antiviral products for treatment of the disease, or other products that may serve as a supporting therapy, or for diagnostics and prevention.
  • Solutions for patients in home confinement or hospital quarantine.
  • Digital solutions for controlling, monitoring, and forecasting the spread of the virus.
  • Solutions for smart management of public assistance centers, and for the effective communication with the public in times of pandemic outbreak
  • Solutions to expand the capacity of respiratory intensive care units and that assist in the monitoring and simultaneous treatment of multiple people hospitalized with acute respiratory disease.
  • Solutions that assist with the physical activity and the well-being of senior citizens staying at home.
  • Solutions that help support special needs population, due to their home stay outside their routine special-ed system.

All this in order to encourage:

  • Development and implementation of innovative technologies in treating and coping with the coronavirus.
  • Advancing the healthcare system and public health in Israel and abroad.
  • The creation and growth of complete and sustainable companies by promoting innovative technological solutions.

What you get?

  • Financial support of 20% – 50% of approved R&D expenses.
  • Exceptional financial support of 60% – 75% of approved R&D for a project with an outstanding potential to contribute to the advancement the healthcare system and the public health in Israel and abroad

*The scope of the total support will depend on the scope of total financial sources for this CFP.

Submission Deadline

  • Applications may be submitted up to March 26th, 2020 at 14:00 (technical support will also be provided up to 14:00).
  • Responses are expected within ten days of the deadline.
  • An additional CFP will opened on March 26th, 2020, with its submission deadline being April 7th, 2020 up to 14:00 on that day.

How to submit an application for the CFP?

The submission process and application forms are described in detail in the Innovation Support Track for Selected Fields – Digital Health. The forms should be submitted through the personal area on the Innovation Authority’s Hebrew website.

* Note: In addition to the general forms, choose and complete the appropriate application form for the development stage (early / pilot) for responses to the coronavirus instead of the form used for routine submission of applications in Track 2.

**Due to short response terms the company should be available to meet with the evaluators two to three days following their request submission.

***Semi-commercial installation – installation and implementation of a product, including large-scale implementation at the Israeli health organizations (Support for required expanses of installation and implementation at the health organization is available, for example: integration with the health organization’s information systems, training the health organization on the use of the product and additional costs required in order to implement the product).

****Home stay solutions that deal with evaluation and monitoring, require regulatory approval for use in Israel (AMR) and  FDA/CE approval. A plan to relay gathered information to the medical team for its integration into the health organization’s information systems.

Contact us at: [email protected]

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Call for Proposals (CFP) for R&D Plans of Industrial Products for the Prevention and Treatment of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

 

 

CFP summary:

The Israel Innovation Authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel are hereby inviting manufacturing plants making industrial products intended for the prevention and treatment of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), to submit applications for assistance with R&D and technological innovation plans as part of Track 36 – Encouraging Technological Innovation in the Manufacturing Industry.

 

R&D plans submission may include the development of products, raw materials, innovative technologies and manufacturing processes, practical demonstrations, development of prototypes in the final stages of R&D or developing a scaling process for the transition from experimental production to mass-production.

The proposed plans will accelerate solutions for prevention and treatment of the COVID-19 virus, and must be technologically innovative relatively to the company’s capabilities as well as generate value in dealing with the virus.

 

CFP details:

 

Target audience

Companies in the manufacturing industry in a variety of fields: manufacturers of medical equipment and treatment equipment, prophylactic equipment, remote medicine, measurement and control equipment, textile, chemical manufacture, polymers and plastics industries, etc.

 

Development for which grant request is applicable may include, among others:

 

  • Development of innovative products, e.g.:
    • Prtective equipment (face and head masks and body suits).
    • Prducts for sanitizing persons and surfaces to prevent contagion.
    • Medical equipment fr hospital treatment or home treatment.
    • Equipment t monitor and control contagious individuals for local use (home or workplace) use.
    • Advanced therapeutic preparatins for relief or treatment of disease symptoms.
    • Sheeting r temporary structures for quarantine and separation of factory departments to ensure work continuity.

 

  • Use of innovative materials or production processes, e.g.
    • Innvation in raw materials and development of new industrial raw materials, e.g. chemicals for use in sanitizer products.
    • Develping innovative production processes or methods to improve quality or availability of existing products.
    • Adapting existing prducts to prevent, treat, or cope with COVID 19 outbreaks.

 

  • Developing new technological capabilities of the production plant, e.g.
    • Technlogical developments for production line automation or for improvement of the production line’s productivity and output that may increase inventory availability for products needed to deal with outbreaks of the virus.

What is the award?

Innovative projects approved as part of the MOFET (R&D in Manufacturing Industry) program may be eligible for support of 30% to 70% of the approved R&D expenses.

It is hereby emphasized that the grant level, the level of R&D costs and eligibility for exemption from royalties are subject to the terms of the Innovation Authority’s Track 36 – Encouraging Technological Innovation In the Manufacturing Industryand approval of the plan by the research committee of the Advanced Manufacturing Division at the Israel Innovation Authority.

Submission deadlines

In light of the urgency of this issue, and until further notice, several submission deadlines will be set and published on the webpage for the abovementioned track. This will be subject to decisions by the Innovation Authority and given designated budget for this task.

Submission deadlines for this CFP:

CFP 1: March 30th, 2020 at 14:00

CFP 2: April 20th, 2020 at 14:00

CFP 3: May 4th, 2020 at 14:00

CFP 4: May 18th, 2020 at 14:00

The submission process

  • Plans will be submitted in response to this CFP and supported pursuant to Track 36 – Encouraging Technological Innovation In the Manufacturing Industry. In any case of contradiction between this CFP and the track’s guidelines, the track guidelines shall take precedence.
  • Submitted plans may take between 3 to 12 months.
  • Plans submitted in response for this CFP will be submitted on a special form adapted for the situation, located on the program webpage for Support Track for R&D Plans for Industrial Products Aimed at Assisting  In Dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and will be evaluated in an expedited proceeding.

Questions and clarifications:

  • Questions related to submission of the application, please contact the service department via email: [email protected] or via phone at: 03-7157900.
  • Tal Hibner Peretz, Director of the Manufacturing R&D program, Advanced Manufacturing Division, email: [email protected] or phone: 03-7157938.
  • Ronit Eshel, Strategy and Business Development manager, Advanced Manufacturing Division, email: [email protected] or phone: 03-7157936.