9 January 2017

20 years of Israeli participation in Horizon 2020 – EU Framework program

(Communicated by Foreign Media Adviser to Israel Innovation Authority)

Horizon 2020, the largest research and innovation program in the world for scientific-research cooperation with the European Union, is marking 20 years. Data from the State of Israel, a partner in the program since its beginning, clearly illustrates Israel’s position as a “Startup Nation” – the overall Israeli investment in the program was around €1.375 billion, and the return to Israeli entities stands at approximately €1.7 billion, a 21% success rate. At a conference set for January 10 at the Jerusalem Theater, Israel will award 398 companies and Israeli researchers who received a grant from Horizon 2020 during 2016. 

Israel is marking 20 years of participation in the Horizon 2020 program, the research and innovation framework of the European Union. It is the premier innovation and research program in the world, combining many fields of research and diverse funding tools, open to participants from academia, industry and public sector entities. Beyond the possibility of winning prestigious research and development grants, the program enables Israel to integrate with the European academic research community, to cooperate with key players in Europe, to have an influence on European regulation, to have access to research infrastructure and to be exposed to European research projects on a tremendous scale. 

During the 20 years of partnership in the program, overall Israeli investment reached €1.375 billion, and the return to Israeli entities reached €1.7 billion, presenting a 21% success rate in the program. Over the years, 21,300 Israeli entities submitted proposals, of which 3,080 projects were approved, with 4,435 participants. Of these, 2,450 were academic researchers, 1,270 were industrial researchers, and 715 were researchers from other sectors.

Since the beginning of the program, some 76,400 requests for funding were made in the first two years alone, of which 9,200 projects were approved, at a total cost of €15.9 billion. Of the projects approved, 600 projects included Israeli participants. The total funding for projects involving Israelis amounted to €370 million.

This success will be celebrated in a special ceremony organized by ISERD, the Israeli Directorate for European R&D, and the Embassy of the European Union in Israel, with special emphasis on the researchers eligible for funding in 2016. During the ceremony, 398 grant winners will receive awards.

Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, Mr. Avi Hasson, said, “We intend to mark our appreciation for the winners in a special event and to continue Israel’s cooperation in research and innovation with European countries in a range of programs, as it significantly contributes to bolstering Israel’s international reputation in industrial and academic research, development and innovation.” 

Israel’s excellence in the Horizon 2020 program is especially notable in the ERC grants for outstanding researchers and groundbreaking research, grants in the ICT and health sectors, and also participation in the SME Instrument, a funding tool intended to support small and medium-sized businesses with quick growth and global ambitions. In addition, Israel cooperated in the fields of transportation, future technologies (FET), funding for high-risk interdisciplinary projects and in the field of material science and advanced production techniques. 

Among the projects selected to receive funding this year: the HIPERLAM project, run by Israel’s Orbotech Israel, developing a platform enabling use of 3D data using laser-based systems to print production components; the GLAUrious project, developing an automatic laser-based device accessible to a large population for treating glaucoma; and the BrainPEER project of the ACE company, focusing on developing a cognitive training system for football players, based on technology developed by the company. 

Head of the European Union’s delegation in Israel, Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen, praised Israel’s participation in the program over the past 20 years and the large number of grants received over the past year. “Our partnership in science and technology is a highly successful aspect of the cooperation between the European Union and the State of Israel. It constitutes a model for our close relations which we hope will continue and expand to other fields in the future,” said Faaborg-Andersen. 

Israel's participation in the Framework programs is directed by ISERD – the Israel-Europe Research and Innovation Directorate which is an inter-ministerial directorate, established by the Israeli Ministry of Economy, the planning and budgeting committee of the Council for higher education, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. 

Director of ISERD, Nili Shalev, noted, “The program enables many entities to take part in this special cooperation, whether submitting independently or jointly with European partners. There is a vast range of opportunities and benefits in the program, and the ISERD directorate is acting vigorously to make them accessible to target audiences.” ​