Call for proposal to establish infrastructure for microorganism fermentation by a service provider focusing mainly on novel food

Summary

Israel Innovation Authority published a calls for proposals to establish a research and development infrastructure in the fields of microorganism fermentation meeting production volumes of 10 to 20,000 litres. The establishment of infrastructure will include setting up relevant, designated equipment and its operation by skilled personnel. The infrastructure will be used by Israeli industry and all academic research institutions researching and developing food applications.

Relevant Technologies

Alternative Proteins, food, food additives, Novel food, Fermentation, Microorganism, Precision Fermentation

Program Description

The established infrastructure would supply for the industry’s needs, while serving a variety of publics – industrial and academic. It must contain the necessary personnel and equipment in order to allow for innovative and advanced microorganism fermentation research and development of mainly Novel food industry on a international scale. 
The infrastructure must include services for processes beginning at the Pilot Scale and up until Demo Scale for production of small, supervised series which would meet food production standards. The aim is that the R&D infrastructure would act as a development engine for expertise and global Israeli leadership in the field. 

Focus for the Required Infrastructure:
Infrastructure proposals may be submitted for the two schemes described below – and could focus on one or be inclusive of both schemes. 

• Pilot Scheme – pilot for fermentation volumes of between 10 and 1000 litres.
• Demo Scheme – small, semi-industrial, serial production for fermentation volumes of 1000 to 20,000 litres.

Criteria

Technological & Scientific Aspects:

• Minimum product of the infrastructure will be at least producing dry powder products. 
• The infrastructure should include all peripheral infrastructures necessary for supporting fermentation processes (upstream) and the downstream process (DSP) on a scale that will be detailed by the applicant. Proposals responding to the demo scale would need to refer to steam infrastructure, cooling systems/heat exchanges, water-purifying system, waste management, etc.
• The infrastructure must meet standards that allow for food manufacturer’s permits from Israel’s Ministry of Health as well as ISO quality standards and relevant food safety standards.  

Preconditions:

• Support will be given to Israeli corporations serving as independent profit centers that provide or intend to provide R&D services to industry.
• International corporations may partner with an Israeli corporation or alternatively open an Israeli branch. 

Criteria:

• Registering and reporting R&D expenses (for which support is requested) of the profit center to the Israel Innovation Authority is obligatory. 
• Ability to put up complementary funding for 100% of the approved budget.
• The profit center must operate in accordance with reporting obligations, registering obligations, royalty obligations, obligation to preserve intellectual property as detailed in the Innovation R&D Law, Incentive Program No. 5, program’s procedures and Authority’s procedures
   

Budget

• Total budget for all approved proposals will be up to NIS 50 million.
• Grants of 55% – 66% of the proposal will be provided for up to 3 years operations, according to the comittee’s decision.

Application Process

• The application will be submitted through the personal area on the Innovation Authority’s Hebrew website.
• Information regarding the manner to submit the application and the forms to be attached appear in detail in Infrastructure Program and R&D Equipment Page.
• Applications can be submitted up until March 6th at 14:00 Israel Time.
• Answers will be provided in June 2023.