BIRD Foundation invests $8 million in 9 new projects
BIRD Foundation invests $8 million in 9 new projects
The approved projects, with an overall budget of $23 million, touch on agritech, biotech, electronics, foodtech, medical devices, and quantum technology
The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has announced that it has approved $8 million in funding for nine new projects between U.S. and Israeli companies. Alongside grants from BIRD, the projects will access private-sector funding and boost the total investment in all projects to $23 million.
As well as conditional grants of up to $1.5 million, the BIRD Foundation assists by working with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions.
The submitted projects are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Israel Innovation Authority. They are as follows:
- Agado Live (from Tel Aviv) and Adventist HealthCare (from Rockville - which will develop an end-to-end remote rehabilitation platform for neurologic diseases.
- Agromentum (dba as Fieldin) (from Yokneam Illit) and Manulife Investment Management Agriculture Services Inc. (from Turlock, CA) - which will develop a hardware and software platform that turns tractors autonomous for operating in orchards.
- AlvaLinks (from Tel Aviv) and Cobalt Digital (from Champaign, IL) - which will develop a video network intelligence and observability platform for broadcasting and media companies.
- ContainerEyes (from Tel Aviv) and NTELX (from Tysons, VA) - which will develop a real-time tracking and risk analysis service to improve food safety and reduce food loss when shipped.
- GeneYX (from Herzliya) and Ocean Genomics (from Pittsburgh, PA) - which will develop a multi-omic software method, combining DNA and RNA, improving the detection of genomic variants to improve the diagnosis of diseases and the identification of drug targets.
- NeuroTrigger (from Tel Aviv) and Rand Eye Institute (from Deerfield Beach, FL) - which will develop a clinically validated eyelid pacemaker that restores blinking to those with facial paralysis.
- Oshi (from Rehovot) and The Better Meat Co. (from West Sacramento, CA) - which will develop allergen-free mycelium-based whole-cut salmon analogs.
- Quantum Machines (from Tel Aviv) and QuEra Computing Inc. (from Boston, MA) - which will develop a Photonic Control Unit and Photonic Integrated Circuit that will be incorporated into quantum computing devices.
- Treetoscope (from Mikve) and The Toro Company (from Minneapolis, MN) - which will develop next-generation cost-effective and scalable precision irrigation management based on direct plant sensing technology.
“As the new Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, it was important for me to keep the fund's investments at the forefront of technological development,” said Jaron Lotan. “This cycle, we received a record number of outstanding submissions, and our BIRD team provided exceptional assistance to the companies. I am proud of the diverse and high-quality companies collaborating to develop creative solutions for future technologies, and I wish them much success in their efforts to bring new and innovative products to market.”
The BIRD Foundation promotes collaborations between U.S. and Israeli companies in various technological sectors for joint product development. provides funding of up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage.
