BIRD Foundation to Publish Call for Proposals to Foster Advanced Technologies for First Responders

TEL AVIV, Israel, November 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The Israel -U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation announced a new Call for Proposals for the "NextGen First Responder Technologies" to promote and fund U.S.-Israel joint development in advanced technologies for First Responders. Projects can receive a conditional grant of up to 50% of their joint R&D budget, maximum $1M per project.

The program, now in its second year, was established by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Israeli Ministry of Public Security (MOPS). Projects selected should focus on technologies relating toFirst Responders (Law Enforcement, Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services) and demonstrate significant commercial potential. Projects are defined as two companies or a company and a university/research institution (one from the U.S. and one from Israel) that are engaged in R&D cooperation and commercialization. Projects should demonstrate innovation in areas such as: Command, Control and Coordination, Communications, Data Analysis, Explosive & Hazards Detection, Protective Clothing, Sensors, Simulation & Training, Situational Awareness, Wearable Technologies and others.

The total expected investment is $12M to be distributed over 3 years and includes private sector funding. Half of the investment will be funded by the two governments equally. Awarded projects will receive a conditional grant up to 50% of the combined budget, limited to $1 million per project and is repaid only if the project achieves revenue.

"The BIRD Foundation is happy to accelerate cooperation between the U.S. and Israel in the area of advanced technologies for First Responders. This binational cooperation creates synergetic capabilities to handle emergency situations while using innovative technologies to save lives. The program extends and enhances the successful collaboration that already exists between the U.S. and Israel in science and technology in the Homeland Security sector," said Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, BIRD's Executive Director. 

The deadline for submission of Executive Summaries for the NextGen First Responder Technologies program is February 15, 2016. Approval of projects will take place in June, 2017.

Further information on the program can be found at http://www.birdf.com

About the BIRD Foundation 

The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation works to encourage cooperation between Israeli and American companies in a wide range of technology sectors by providing funding and assistance in facilitating strategic partnerships for developing joint products or technologies.

The BIRD Foundation supports projects without receiving any equity or intellectual property rights in the participating companies, or in the project themselves. BIRD funding is repaid as royalties from sales of technology products that were commercialized as a result of BIRD support. The Foundation provides support of up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage

Contact:
Andrea Yonah,
U.S. East Coast/Midwest Representative
+1-609-356-0305
[email protected]

SOURCE The BIRD Foundation