Israeli entities awarded €26m from EU R&D program
Chief Scientist Dr. Eli Opper: The return for Israeli industry and the economy is five to tens times its investment in the program.
Hadas Manor 15 Dec 05 18:04
Israeli companies and research institutes participating in the EU Sixth Framework Programme for R&D have been awarded €26 million. The breakdown of grants is as follows: €14 million for information technology (IT) projects; €8 million for nanotechnology projects; and €4 million for aeronautical projects.
The EU Commission in Brussels said winning IT companies and research institutes included IBM Israel, Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (IAI), Comverse Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: CMVT), Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILTF; TASE:GILTF), RAD Data Communications subsidiary Wisair, Mishmar Ha’Emek based IDEA, Holon Academic Institute of Technology HAIT, and the Technion - Israeli Institute of Technology.
The IT projects are in software, embedded computer systems, communications components, enterprise applications, and cultural heritage preservation.
The following nanotechnology, materials, and manufacturing processes companies and research institutes won support: Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), PML Ltd., Cima Nanotech Israel, Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd., Nano-Size Ltd., BG Polymers Ltd., Yodfat Engineers (1994) Ltd., Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bar Ilan University, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, and the Technion.
Aeronautics companies winning grants include IAI (six projects), RSL Electronics Ltd. (TASE:RSEL), FES2000, SHL - Alubin Ltd, and Siemens Israel.
The five-year EU Sixth Framework Programme for R&D win run through 2006. Investment in Israel will total €190 million altogether. Israel Directorate for EU Framework Program (ISERD) general manager Marcel Shaton said, however, that EU commitments to Israeli companies and research institutes have totaled €165 million, and estimated that another €25 million would be disbursed during 2006. This means that Israel’s participation fee in the program will be repaid in full.
Chief Scientist Dr. Eli Opper, who serves as ISERD steering committee chairman, said the actual return for Israeli industry and the economy from its participation in the EU Framework Programmes was five to tens times its investment, thanks to Israel’s participation in innovative know-how, and exposure to the technologies of leading European companies and research institutes.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on December 15, 2005
Dubi
