The Industry Academy Programs of the Chief Scientist (OCS) of the Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade:

MAGNET – The Development of Technological Infrastructure for the Industry

The MAGNET program is intended to provide a competitive position for Israel’s industry with regard to state of the art technologies of worldwide interest. The new technologies are to be developed in a cooperative venture between the industry and leading academic scientific research in the area and they will provide the basis for new high-tech products and processes.

The OCS provides for a number of cooperative paths: 

1. MAGNET – The Central Program 

This program involves pre-competitive R&D within a consortium that includes a number of commercial companies together with research personnel from at least one academic or research institution.

The R&D focuses on new generic technologies that will lead to new generation advanced products.

The industrial partners enjoy a grant amounting to 66% of approved R&D costs, whereas the academic partner will receive 80% of said costs. A foreign company may be included in the consortium if it can bring a unique contribution to the relationship.

2.  Mini-MAGNET (Magneton)

This program is to further support an already existing relationship between industry and an academic institution. The grant in this case amount to 66% of the approved R&D costs.

3. NOFAR

This program supports applied academic research that has aroused business interest but not yet directed to a specific product. The objective is to advance the research to a point where it is ready for a cooperative venture with a commercial partner. A minimal requirement of this program is for a company or incubator to invest 10% of the development costs, at this stage, complementing the 90% grant given by the government.

4. Katamon

New Magneton for water researchs. This project will allocate total  of $3.3 million a year for the promotion of academic research that has potential for industrial applications. The program will be operated by MATIMOP, Israel Industry Center for Research &Development through MAGNET, the government program to bring industry and academia together. Ultimate policy will be determined by a committee headed by the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.

Magnet website:  http://magnet.consortia.org.il/