Israel Innovation Authority Launches National Effort to Turn Academic Breakthroughs into High-Tech Growth Engines

Three new Knowledge Commercialization Agencies will each receive NIS 5 million to connect Israeli and global research with industry needs, accelerating startup creation and tech licensing

The Israel Innovation Authority today announced the launch of a new national program to establish three specialized Knowledge Commercialization Agencies – entities dedicated to identifying groundbreaking academic research and connecting it directly with industry to drive commercialization. With a budget of up to NIS 5 million for each agency, the initiative aims to transform scientific discoveries into real-world technologies, startups, and licensing agreements that will power Israel’s next wave of high-tech growth.

As part of the program, the three selected agencies will be eligible for grants of up to NIS 5 million each, under a three-year franchise model. Funding will include support for setup and operations, as well as performance-based grants tied to key milestones—such as scouting and business development agreements, and commercialization or licensing deals

Dr. Alon Stopel, Chairperson of the Israel Innovation Authority, said: “Israel is considered a global powerhouse in scientific knowledge production, yet a significant portion of this knowledge does not make its way into the industry to create technological and economic value. We aim to make this knowledge an integral part of the high-tech sector. This move is an opportunity to build a national infrastructure of knowledge agents, systematically integrating researchers and industry professionals to turn ideas into market-ready solutions. This is a call for individuals and entities who want to be at the forefront of Israeli innovation, influence the future, and help build tomorrow’s economy.”ership is built, not just in what we teach, but in how we teach.”

Currently, the Applied Research Fund supports academic research with approximately NIS 100 million annually. Yet fewer than 20% of these projects are commercialized or lead to startup creation.

Under this initiative, up to three companies will be selected to operate as national innovation agents, identifying breakthrough technologies in Israeli and international academia and linking them directly to the needs of Israeli companies—whether through licensing, investment, or the formation of new ventures.

The program aims to dramatically increase the number of partnerships between academia and industry, establish permanent infrastructure for knowledge transfer, and support the creation of new companies based on high-quality scientific research. Each agency will be able to focus on broad or niche fields according to its strategy and strengths and will receive support for scouting, business development, and commercial dealmaking.

Franchisees will be expected to collaborate with a broad network of high-tech companies, incubators, investment funds, tech transfer offices, hospitals, and research institutes. They may also invest directly in ventures they help create, to align incentives and maximize success.

The Israel Innovation Authority invites companies, organizations, institutions, and professionals with expertise in knowledge transfer and technological innovation to apply and take part in this national effort to strengthen Israel’s economy through science, technology, and entrepreneurship.