BIRD Foundation

The BIRD Foundation (Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation) is not a traditional venture capital firm but a bi-national (Israel-U.S.) fund that supports industrial R&D cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies. Their primary objective is to foster collaborations between U.S. and Israeli entities to develop and commercialize innovative technologies. They provide funding, often in the form of conditional grants, to projects that demonstrate significant potential for commercialization and economic impact. This is underscored by their repeated assertion of being the 'Israel - U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation.' BIRD offers various programs, including the BIRD General Program and BIRD Energy, each with specific calls for proposals. These programs target different sectors and R&D areas, providing a structured framework for companies to apply for funding. The emphasis is on projects that showcase strong technological innovation and a clear path to commercial success. The foundation operates with submission deadlines for executive summaries and proposals, indicating a competitive selection process. They also publicize events such as webinars to facilitate collaboration and provide information on funding opportunities. BIRD's approach aims to reduce the financial risk associated with R&D and accelerate the development and adoption of new technologies through U.S.-Israeli partnerships. The search results show a clear preference for energy projects and AI projects, demonstrating the importance of those fields for them. The foundation publishes several reviews of successfully funded projects, which demonstrates a focus on outcomes and a desire to improve the quality of project proposals for future funding rounds.