Israel Innovation Authority

Israel Innovation Authority
רשות החדשנות
Rashut HaHadshanut
Israel Innovation Authority

Israel Innovation Authority offices in the Jerusalem Technology Park
Organization overview
Formed1965 (1965) (as the Office of the Chief Scientist)
2016 (2016) (as the Israel Innovation Authority)
Preceding Organization
  • Office of the Chief Scientist
TypeGovernment Agency
HeadquartersJerusalem Technology Park, Derech Agudat Sport Ha'poel 2, Jerusalem 9695102
Employees140
Organization executives
Parent OrganizationMinistry of Science, Technology and Space
Websitehttps://innovationisrael.org.il/english

The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) is the support and investment arm of the Israeli government, in charge of planning and executing the country’s innovation policy, promoting technological innovation and Research and Development (R&D) in the State of Israel.

The IIA offers a variety of investment programs that provide non-dilutive resources for entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes and stages within Israel. Most programs require matching funds from the private sector.

Funds and support programs include: Ideation Program (Tnufa),[1] The Startup Fund,[2] the Technological Venture Incubator Program, operating approximately 15 venture incubators across Israel,[3] Technology Transfer Program,[4] Applied Research in Academia Programs,[5] Human Capital for High-Tech Fund,[6] and more.

The IIA is also responsible for Iserd[7][8] management within the European Union Framework, as well as international R&D agreements and partnerships with countries such as USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and more.[9]

The IIA promotes diversification of Israeli high-tech in three different verticals – thematic (disciplinary), demographic, and geographic- launching a variety of programs for high-tech employment and entrepreneurship in Israel's periphery and among underrepresented social groups in the tech sector, such as women, Israeli Arabs[10] and Ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim), as well as training programs in advanced and emerging technological fields that require talented human capital.

Until 2016, the IIA was known as the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) (Hebrew: המדען הראשי, romanized: Ha-madʿan ha-rashi) of Israel's Ministry of Economy. The IIA offices are located in the Jerusalem Technology Park, in the Malha neighborhood in Jerusalem.

  1. ^ "Ideation (Tnufa) Incentive Program". Israel Innovation. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  2. ^ "R&D Fund". Israel Innovation. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  3. ^ "Breadcrumb Technological Innovation Incubators Program". Israel Innovation Authority.
  4. ^ "Technology Transfer". Israel Innovation. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  5. ^ "Promoting Applied Research in Academia - Nofar, Kamin". Israel Innovation. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  6. ^ "Human Capital for High-Tech Fund". Israel Innovation. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  7. ^ "ISERD – The Israel-Europe R&D Directorate for EU FP". EraWatch. Archived from the original on 2015-02-11.
  8. ^ "ISERD - Official Website".
  9. ^ "Breadcrumb International Collaborations". Israel Innovation Authority.
  10. ^ Hennessy, Zachy. "20 million shekels in funding goes toward Arab, hi-tech integration". Jerusalem Post.