Program Description

The collaboration between the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Education aims to accelerate data-driven educational innovation incorporating artificial intelligence, adaptive learning, and experiential solutions. 

In this call for proposals, we invite Israeli companies and organizations to apply for funding groundbreaking projects in artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems that offer comprehensive digital solutions to advance personalized learning, enabling smart management of all teaching, learning, and assessment resources within schools. 

This call seeks to promote projects that address systemic considerations (such as educational methodology, technology, integration, user experience, data, and information security) and support initial implementation in Israeli schools as part of a pilot during the 2026-2027 academic year (starting September 2026). Selected projects will receive funding and additional benefits as detailed below. 

Criteria

Eligibility Criteria:

• The applicant is an industrial corporation applying for support in research and development at the pilot stage addressing the defined challenge, with a project duration not exceeding 24 months.
• The research and development for the submitted program, including all components, must be carried out in Israel by Israeli residents unless the Research Committee explicitly approves otherwise for justified reasons. 
• Research and development under an approved program will be conducted by the applicant or entities specified by the applicant, subject to approval. 
• The applicant commits to owning the knowledge and any related intellectual property generated by the approved program from its inception. 
• The program submitted must not be commissioned by any third party for payment or ownership rights in the knowledge or product. 
• The applicant has no identical funding requests currently under review by other Israel Innovation Authority incentive tracks. 
• No previous direct or indirect governmental or Israel Innovation Authority funding has been received for the same project. 
• The applicant does not have restricted bank accounts and is not under receivership, liquidation, or similar proceedings. 
• The applicant and its controlling parties comply with the Minimum Wage Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development Regulations, 2011. 

For additional details, refer to R&D Fund Benefit Program Note: Given the requirement for program implementation in Israel (unless decided otherwise by the Research Committee) and due to potential regulatory barriers for techno-educational innovation, applicants must map relevant regulatory barriers and propose controlled mitigation measures to manage risks associated with the proposed product, to be applied through a designated Regulatory Sandbox,  subject to approval by the Ministry of Education, and under terms as will be decided. Please refer to the regulatory document available on the Ministry of Education website for further details. 

Criteria for Evaluating Proposals: 

• Technological Aspect: The level of functional and technological innovation of the product, including its complexity and depth, technological challenges of the program, and technological feasibility. 
• Business Aspect: The business and economic growth potential for the applicant following the success of the program, including business potential, market size and/or growth rate, competitive advantage (including intellectual property strength), and market validation conducted. 
• Economic Aspect: The excess return for the Israeli economy, including high market entry challenges and the potential for developing a substantial company in Israel. 
• Applicant Capabilities Aspect: The applicant’s ability to successfully complete the program, including managerial capability, technological/engineering capability, business/marketing capability, and track record to date. 

Application Process

• Clarification questions must be submitted by July 15, 2025, at 12:00 PM. 
• The final deadline for submitting proposals is August 25, 2025, at 12:00 PM.