NIS 195 Million Program to Establish Advanced R&D Infrastructure in the Tkuma Region

The Israel Innovation Authority, funded by the Tkuma Directorate and in partnership with the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, launches a new call for proposals to establish up to three advanced research and development infrastructures in the Tkuma region, serving as long-term engines of growth.

The program will support the establishment or expansion of up to three advanced R&D infrastructures that will serve industrial and technology companies, as well as research institutions from across Israel. The initiative aims to broaden access to research infrastructure, accelerate innovation, and strengthen the technological ecosystem in the Tkuma region.

Under the program, the Israel Innovation Authority will provide grants, funded by the Tkuma Directorate, totalling up to NIS 130 million. Approved projects will receive grants covering 55% or 65% of their approved budget.

Minister Ze’ev Elkin, Minister Responsible for the Rehabilitation of Southern and Northern Israel, said: “Our goal is to double the population of the Tkuma region to 120,000 residents. Achieving this objective requires the creation of high-quality growth engines that will bring advanced employment opportunities, innovation, and new prospects to the region. A significant investment in R&D infrastructure in the Tkuma region will strengthen its scientific and technological innovation capabilities while reinforcing its economy through the advancement of technology and high-tech industries. We are leading the transition from recovery to sustainable economic growth, creating new opportunities for the Tkuma region and its residents.”

Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel said: “Innovation relies on high-quality infrastructure and broad collaboration. Through this program, we are connecting regional development with the strengthening of Israel’s national research and development infrastructure, making advanced capabilities accessible to companies and research institutions across the country. This initiative will accelerate innovation, strengthen Israeli industry, and reinforce Israel’s technological advantage for years to come.”

Aviad Friedman, Head of the Tkuma Directorate, said: “The rehabilitation and long-term prosperity of the Tkuma region require strategic solutions that will create lasting impact for decades to come. The Tkuma Directorate’s major investment in establishing research and development infrastructure in the region represents a cornerstone of its economic and scientific future. Alongside rebuilding homes and strengthening education and communities, we are creating globally significant technological hubs. These infrastructures will attract leading companies, scientists, and entrepreneurs, connect academia with advanced industry, and position the Tkuma region as a leading national center of innovation and excellence.”

Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, said: “One of the defining characteristics of leading innovation economies is their ability to provide industry and researchers with advanced R&D infrastructure that no single organization could establish on its own. Investment in such infrastructure generates value far beyond the projects themselves. It enables more companies to develop advanced technologies, accelerates the transition from research to commercial application, strengthens collaboration between academia and the high-tech industry, and enhances the competitiveness of the Israeli economy as a whole. This program brings together that national vision with the development of the Tkuma region as a new center of innovation and growth.”

The selected infrastructures, to be established in the Tkuma region, will provide industrial corporations and research institutions across Israel with advanced research and development facilities, R&D services, consulting, and workforce training. They will also promote applied research and foster collaboration between industry and academia. By expanding access to advanced R&D capabilities, the initiative is expected to accelerate research and innovation throughout Israel while positioning the Tkuma region as a national innovation hub.

The program is designed to foster a thriving technological innovation ecosystem in the Tkuma region, strengthen collaboration between industry, academia, and regional stakeholders, and encourage applied research that will contribute to the region’s economic growth. Beyond establishing the region as a technological anchor, the initiative will promote technology commercialization, attract investment, and accelerate research and development in the selected technology fields. Through this strategic investment, the Tkuma Directorate will provide Israeli industry with a significant competitive advantage in international markets, built upon a strong technological foundation in the Tkuma region.

The call for proposals is intended for industrial corporations and user consortia that will establish and operate the infrastructures. A mandatory eligibility requirement is the establishment of a physical research and development infrastructure within the Tkuma region.

Under the program’s terms, the infrastructures must be completed within three years from the date of program approval, while services to industry must commence no later than within the first two years of operation.

Applications will be evaluated jointly by the participating organizations based on several criteria, including: The technological need for the proposed infrastructure within Israeli industry, the existence of market failures, technological gaps, or barriers to access advanced R&D infrastructure, and the infrastructure’s potential contribution to overcoming these barriers. Additional considerations will be given to the applicant’s ability to establish and operate the infrastructure in the Tkuma region, the technological and employment-related contribution of the project to both the regional and national economy, its technological and commercial growth potential, the accessibility and operating model of the infrastructure for industry, availability of services, level of technological innovation and the long-term sustainability of the proposed operating model.

Applicants will be required to submit a comprehensive proposal detailing the technological field in which the infrastructure will operate, the need for its establishment, and its expected contribution to research and development in Israel. The proposal must also include a business and marketing plan, a sustainable financial model, planned collaborations with industry and academia in Israel and abroad, a long-term operational plan for the infrastructure within the Tkuma region, implementation and operational timelines, and a professional team with proven expertise in the relevant technological field that will be based and employed in the region to strengthen local employment.