Finland-Israel Technology Program (FIT)
The program supports joint R&D projects between Israeli companies and Finnish entities in all technological fields.
BASIS FOR COLLABORATION
An Agreement on bilateral industrial research and development cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor (MOITAL) and TEKES, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation.
Preferred Technologies & Sectors
The program supports joint commercially-focused joint industrial R&D projects between Israeli and Finnish companies in all technological fields.
Eligibility:
Expected project results will have to contribute to the development of commercial products, applications and or services. The proposals should comply with the following guidelines:
- The partners should include at least one Israeli and one Finnish commercial company (though participation of research institutes/universities is welcome as additional participants or subcontractors according to each country’s funding regulations).
- Companies from other countries may also participate, but they will not be funded either by OCS or by TEKES.
- The project should have an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the cooperation between the participants from the two countries (e.g. increased knowledge base, commercial leads, access to R&D infrastructure etc.)
- The project should demonstrate the contribution of the participants from both countries
Program Administration
- The program maintains offices in both Finland and Israel; Finnish and Israeli entities should contact their respective offices at any time.
- A new c all for proposals is published every year. It is open for 3 to 4 months for submission of application forms. link to the most recent call
Application Procedures
The submission and the approval procedures will be of two phases:
1. A short project outline should be submitted to MATIMOP and TEKES. The outline will be screened and evaluated by the joint appraisal committee. Companies will be notified of the results. The forms will be soon published on the web sites of MATIMOP and TEKES.
2. Partners with approved outlines will be invited to submit their funding applications. Since the Eurostars framework is specifically targeted to support R&D performing SMEs ( www.eurostars-eureka.eu ) approved project outlines that qualify to the Eurostars program will be recommended to submit funding applications using the Eurostars procedures towards the next Eurostars application submission deadline. MATIMOP and TEKES will provide the submission guidelines and timetable to the project partners.
Partner Search Form
MATIMOP, together with the office in Finland, will assist companies to find an appropriate partner. Forms are available for companies seeking assistance in locating potential partners.
CALLS FOR PROPOSALS:
There is currently an open call for proposals with Finland, which will close on May 3, 2012. Details below.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Israel Office
Uzi Bar-Sadeh
Program Manager
Matimop - Israeli Industry Center for R&D
Tel: (+972 3) 5118185
Fax: (+972 3) 5177655
Email: uzi@matimop.org.il
Finnish Office
Ms. Kirsi Vähä-Pietilä
Tel: +358 1060 55730
E-mail: Kirsi.Vaha-Pietila@tekes.fi