Summary:

Program Description

The Innovation Authority invites relevant corporations to submit applications for support for new programs for the development of human capital in the high-tech industry in Israel, within the framework of “The High-Tech Human Capital Fund”, which aims to encourage programs that seek to address the challenges in developing and diversifying skilled human capital for the knowledge-intensive industry in Israel through:  

• Programs to expand the entry channels to the knowledge-intensive industry of human capital from the Arab society, while integrating and accompanying them to their first position in high-tech during or after their academic degree. 
• Programs to promote employees in R&D positions in the high-tech industry from the Arab society to management positions in high-tech companies, while expanding knowledge, improving professionalism, and management skills.  
• Programs to expand the theoretical and practical knowledge of employees in the high-tech industry from the Arab society in the use of advanced artificial intelligence tools in technological projects in the companies in which they are employed and promoting them to leadership positions in the organization.  
• The programs must include the execution of a practical project with the potential for significant change in the company in which the employees are employed. 
• Training programs for the position of CEO in startup companies with technological depth – for participants with management or technological experience in high-tech who have not yet served as CEO, while assisting in finding the position and accompanying those qualified to integrate as CEOs in startup companies.
• Training programs for entrepreneurship and the establishment of startup companies in academia, industry, and medical institutions (in which at least 50% of the program participants are Arabs), for medical and research staff, employees with industry experience with entrepreneurial-technological potential, and/or students and graduates of advanced degrees in engineering, medicine, and exact sciences. 
• Preference will be given to programs in which women constitute at least 50% of the program participants.  

Designated Audience 

• Non-profit organizations, public bodies, and NGOs
  With experience in theoretical and practical training or employment support in technological fields, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.

• Companies, training institutions, or academic bodies
  With relevant experience and an interest in training suitable candidates.

Finance 

A program with a requested budget of up to a total of 1,000,000 NIS will be granted a grant of 70% of the approved budget, according to the decision of the Research Committee.  

A program whose requested budget exceeds a total of 1,000,000 NIS and up to 5,000,000 NIS will be granted a grant of 50% of the approved budget, according to the decision of the Research Committee.  

*Applications will be submitted for 12/24/36 months.  

Criteria

Eligibility

The application and the applicant must meet all the following eligibility requirements: All eligibility requirements must be met at the time of applying and throughout the entire execution period of the approved program. Failure to meet one of the following eligibility requirements will result in the rejection of the entire application or the cancellation of the approved program:

• The applicant is a corporation that is duly incorporated and registered in Israel and operates under the laws of the State of Israel.  
• If the applicant is a non-profit organization or a public benefit company (Public Benefit Company), it has a valid certificate from the Registrar of Associations on proper management, or if less than two years have passed since the date of its commencement of activity, a certificate of submission of documents. Notwithstanding the above, an applicant that is a non-profit organization or a Public Benefit Company, which does not have a certificate of proper management or a certificate of submission of documents as aforesaid, as the case may be, at the time of applying, may present such a certificate until the date of signing the budget sheet and undertaking per the incentive track.
• The application is intended to address one or more of the challenges in developing skilled human capital for the knowledge-intensive industry in Israel, as defined in section 2.3 of the incentive track.  
• No financial assistance has been received to carry out the project, subject to the application, from a governmental entity or the Innovation Authority, directly or indirectly, other than per the provisions of the incentive track.
• The applicant does not have restricted accounts and is not in the process of receivership, stay of proceedings, liquidation, etc.
• The applicant and its controlling shareholders meet the requirements of the Regulations for the Encouragement of Research and Development in Industry (Conditioning of Approvals – Minimum Wage), 2011. The criteria as detailed in the incentive track.

Application Process

For full details, procedural information, and access to the proposal submission forms, please refer to the Hebrew website.