The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has approved $5.5 million in funding for five new collaborative projects between Israeli and American companies, the foundation announced Sunday. The decision was made during a Board of Governors meeting held September 16.
In addition to the grants, the selected projects will receive private-sector investment, bringing total funding to approximately $14 million. The grants are part of BIRD’s long-running mission to support joint technological innovation between the two countries.
Since its establishment 48 years ago, the BIRD Foundation has supported more than 1,100 collaborations, with over $406 million invested and more than $10 billion generated in direct and indirect revenue. The foundation offers conditional grants of up to $1.5 million per project and assists companies in identifying U.S. or Israeli partners and facilitating cooperation.
The newly approved projects span a range of sectors and technologies: Accubeat (Jerusalem) and FieldLine Industries/Medical (Colorado) will collaborate on compact, low-power atomic clocks and magnetometers using quantum technology; an unnamed Israeli company and Resolution Medical (Minnesota) will develop specialized catheters for treating deep vein thrombosis; Mentaily Innovations (Or Yehuda) and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (Maryland) will work on AI-powered assessments to improve post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis; Newton Tech (Tel Aviv) and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (Massachusetts) will create a high-throughput movement analysis platform for clinical evaluation; and Tuned (Gan Yoshiya) and Novidan Inc. (Minnesota) will develop AI audiologist systems paired with low-cost, high-performance hearing aids.
Dr. Alon Stopel, chief scientist at Israel’s Ministry of Innovation and co-chair of the BIRD Board, called the projects “groundbreaking,” citing their impact across health and technology sectors. “The BIRD Foundation continues to spark groundbreaking collaborations, this year spanning atomic clocks, advanced catheters, AI for PTSD diagnosis, VR-based rehabilitation, and intelligent hearing aids that address global health and technology challenges,” he said.
Jaron Lotan Photo: Yanai YechielMike Molnar, director of the Advanced Manufacturing Office at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and fellow board co-chair, praised the foundation’s role in accelerating innovation. “The BIRD Foundation accelerates innovation through partnerships between U.S. and Israeli companies, and its company matchmaking has had a profound impact on those who have participated,” he said.
Jaron Lotan, executive director of the BIRD Foundation, added that the latest funding round highlights the creativity and resilience of innovators in both countries. “This new round of projects highlights the creativity and determination of U.S. and Israeli innovators who continue to push the boundaries of science and technology,” he said.
The next opportunity for companies to apply for BIRD funding will close on November 20, 2025, with project approvals expected in March 2026.
The BIRD Foundation funds up to 50% of approved project budgets, supporting activities from research and development through initial marketing efforts. Funding is repaid only if the project achieves commercial success. The foundation takes no equity or ownership rights in the projects it supports.