The BIRD Foundation recently awarded $6.55 million in funding to six cutting-edge joint projects between American and Israeli companies, among which is sustainable agriculture solutions provider Indigo Ag. This announcement came during the organization’s annual meeting.
With an additional private-sector investment, the total funding for these projects reaches $16 million.
Jaron Lotan, BIRD Foundation‘s Executive Director, highlighted the significance of these collaborations, particularly in a challenging global climate.
He emphasized BIRD’s dedication to fostering groundbreaking partnerships between US and Israeli companies to tackle crucial problems and advance technology.
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Here’s a closer look at the six approved projects:
- Smart Manufacturing: Amarel Embedded Solutions (Israel) and Gleason Corporation (US) are developing a “Smart Machine” platform that provides real-time feedback during the machining process.
- Cybersecurity: CyberRidge (Israel) and Molex (US) are collaborating on next-generation optical key technology for enhanced photonic layer encryption, offering post-quantum security.
- Telehealth: Datos Health (Israel) and Permanente Health Care Ventures (US) are teaming up to create a digital-first home-based pulmonary rehabilitation service.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Groundwork BioAg (Israel) and Indigo Agriculture Inc. (US) are developing a system combining microbes for improved agricultural practices. This system combines mycorrhizal fungi to promote carbon capture and bacterial inoculants for efficient nitrogen acquisition, ultimately reducing emissions.
- Healthcare Efficiency: Quai.MD (Israel) and MUSC Health (US) are creating and implementing a Clinical Process Automation Platform to assist healthcare providers in emergency departments.
- Quantum Computing: Quantum Art (Israel) and BlueQubit Inc. (US) are working together to optimize a quantum machine learning algorithm alongside a quantum processor configuration and its methods.
BIRD staff and evaluators from the US Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Israel Innovation Authority rigorously reviewed all submitted projects.
NIST Associate Director Mojdeh Bahar commended the BIRD Foundation for its efforts in connecting these companies: “I am proud of the hard work the BIRD Foundation team has put into bringing these companies together.”
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“The projects approved during this award cycle center on advanced technologies with great commercial relevance. I join my fellow BIRD Foundation colleagues in congratulating this cycle’s grant recipients,” Bahar said.
The BIRD Foundation plays a vital role in fostering US-Israeli collaborations across various tech sectors, specifically for joint product development projects.
They offer grants of up to $1.5 million and actively help companies find suitable partners. With this latest round of funding, BIRD has now supported over 1,100 projects in its 47-year history, contributing more than $396 million and helping generate over $10 billion in sales.
