The Bi-National Industrial Research and Development Foundation, henceforth "BIRD", was establish by the U.S. and Israeli governments in 1977 to generate mutually beneficial cooperation between the private sectors of the U.S. and Israeli high tech industries, including start-ups and established organizations. BIRD provides both matchmaking services between U.S. and Israeli companies, as well as funding covering up to 50 percent of project development and product commercialization costs.

The organization mission is to stimulate, promote and support industrial research and development cooperation between the U.S. and Israel.

Since its  inception 32 years ago, BIRD has approved approximately 800 projects with leading medium and large companies in the U.S., as American Red Cross, Bayer Pharmaceutical, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, IBM, Motorola, Procter & Gamble, SanDisk and Texas Instruments.   The cumulative sales of products developed through BIRD projects have exceed $8 billion.

Annually BIRD supports approximately 20 projects.  The scope of industries includes: 

·         Communications

·         Life Sciences

·         Electronics

·         Electro-optics

·         Software

·         Homeland Security

·         Renewable and Alternative Energy; and

·         Other sectors of the hi-tech industry

All BIRD-funded projects must be jointly proposed and implemented by a partnership between an Israeli company and a U.S. company. Although BIRD is happy to assist companies from either country to find a suitable corporate partner, the main responsibility for forming the partnership belongs to the companies.

Basic criteria:

1. The two partners are an American company and an unrelated Israeli company.

2. The companies agree to share risk, involvement in the project and rewards.

3. The proposed project offers significant innovation, with a high commercial potential.

4. The economic and social contribution of the project are also a consideration.

5. At least one of the companies is able to demonstrate meaningful marketing leadership in a relevant area. (Measured in annual sales of at least tens of millions of U.S. dollars).

6. The companies' joint project proposal is approved by BIRD’s Board of Governors, following experts’ review.

To learn more

Visit the BIRD website http://www.birdf.com/

Procedures Handbook

http://www.birdf.com/_Uploads/333BIRDHandbook_Feb10.pdf

Application Process and Timetable

http://www.birdf.com/_Uploads/330BIRDApplicationProcess0210.pdf

BIRD Proposal Deadlines for December 2010 submissions

September 15, 2010 Executive Summary of the Proposal 
October 15, 2010      Final Proposal

For more information contact: 

Roee Madai
Consul for Economic Affairs, US Southern Regional
Consulate of Israel
713.599.0290 

Thanks to Lissa Tucker and Roee Madai

We invite all of you to get a discussion going.  Please submit your comments at the end of this article, Thanks.