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Chief Scientist Avi Hasson announced the formation of a new program to support the early stage industry

Hasson referred to the phenomenon of exits and stated: "Our job is to provide the tools so that companies that have been acquired will also continue to operate in Israel and there are good examples of this in the Israeli industry."

The chief scientist at TMT, Dr. Avi Hasson
The chief scientist at TMT, Dr. Avi Hasson

Yesterday, Thursday 3/5, the annual national R&D conference was held, with the participation of about 1,000 people from the heads of industry in Israel and high-tech industry executives, senior officials from the White House, the World Bank, and more. Other participants and guests: Prof. Dan Shechtman, Prof. Israel Oman, Prof. Danny Bernzitz, Dr. Orna Berry, Prof. Ehud Gazit, Dr. Shoki Gleitman, Chairman of Capital Point, Mr. Doron Cohen, CEO of the Treasury, d Rabbi Yossi Verdi, Lior Zurf, Dror Gloverman and more.

The Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Avi Hasson, who serves as the government's advisor for knowledge-intensive industries, announced the formation of a new program to support the early stage industry. The program will allow companies to receive a commitment from the chief scientist for support if he finds parallel funding. The Chief Scientist noted that significant amounts should be allocated to this program in order to help the industry grow. Also, the scientist referred to the public debate that is going on around the question of the "exit" culture versus the need to strengthen the local industry, he stated: "In a global and competitive market, we understand that sometimes mergers and acquisitions are a necessary part of the development of companies. Our role is to provide the tools so that even acquired companies will continue to operate in Israel, and there are good examples of this in the Israeli industry."

The conference was opened by the Minister of Science and Technology, MK Shalom Simhon, who said: "Unfortunately, the chief scientist's budgets have eroded significantly in the last decade, and we are in advanced negotiations with the Ministry of Finance, to approve a budget increase as soon as possible." It will be impossible to maintain Israel's competitiveness and leadership in the world if a few Treasury officials convince their minister that the chief scientist's budget can be further reduced. We are in a deficit that has not been the same for many years and I hope that the lights will turn on so that someone will understand that there is one place where they are not cutting back. We must always be on top of the world in R&D."

Ahead of the conference, the Chief Scientist summarized various trends in the industry and in the activities of the Chief Scientist Chamber:

  • Changes in the composition of the companies supported by the scientist: an increase in the scope of grants to small companies
    The share of the large companies in the share of the total R&D budgets was reduced to 17%, compared to a total share of grants of over 50% in the early 90s. The amount of grants to large companies decreased by more than 50% since 2000.
  • As part of monitoring the industry and its needs and in light of the difficulty for small companies to raise funds in light of the global economic situation, the Office of the Chief Scientist is expected to launch in the coming months a program designed to support the seed industry and small companies.
  • A 460% increase in the scope of R&D grants in the periphery - 32% of the R&D fund budget in 2011 compared to 4% in 2000
  • In 2011, R&D grants were approved for programs operating in peripheral areas in the amount of NIS 325 million. The figure reflects an increase of 460% compared to the year 2000 when the grants were approved in the amount of 58 million. The increase is due to the entry of companies from the fields of traditional and mixed-traditional industry, most of which are located in the periphery, as well as the activation of the program for large companies in the periphery.
  • Traditional industry in the R&D fund - a 418% increase in the scope of the requested budget since the year the program was established. While the high-tech industry in Israel is developing rapidly, the traditional industry needs a significant boost to prevent a retreat in the field. In October 2005, a program for the preference of traditional industry was launched as part of the R&D fund. The program encourages industrial enterprises to promote and implement technological innovation processes, and helps them develop a new strategy based on technological differentiation, to create competitive advantages in the local and global market. As part of the trend to examine the programs operated by the Chief Scientist, the Chief Scientist's Office last year conducted an examination of the program and in the coming months changes are expected to apply to it, including the appointment of a specific head of field for this field.
    Since the launch of the program in 2006, the achievements of the program are evident on the ground. Hundreds of companies responded to the initiative of the Office of the Chief Scientist and began research and development programs, some of which have already matured and are leading these companies towards impressive business successes. Since the establishment of the program in the Office of the Chief Scientist, 430 companies have applied for support with 896 applications, with a requested budget of NIS 2.1 billion. 338 companies received support (for 715 projects), with a total investment of 1 billion shekels, of which the state's share in the form of a 572 million shekels grant.
    In 2011, the companies submitted 291 R&D applications with a requested budget of NIS 690 million - a 418% increase in the requested budget compared to the program's first year of operation in 2006. The total amount of approved grants amounted to NIS 150 million - an increase of 230% compared to NIS 45.5m in 2006.
  • Cleantech - a 102% increase in demand and a 90% increase in grants
    In 2011, 76 projects out of 123 applications were approved, with the R&D grants for the aforementioned projects totaling NIS 81.9 million - a 90% increase compared to NIS 43.1 million in 2007.
    The budget requested by the industry amounted to NIS 309.3 million - an increase of 102% compared to the budget requested in 2007.
  • The scientist's support for "green R&D", to reduce energy, waste and environmental pollution in the production processes of new products and technologies. The support is carried out through all the tools operated by the Office of the Chief Scientist, including the R&D fund, magnet programs, the technological incubators program, the swing program and a variety of international cooperation programs. In addition, the Office of the Chief Scientist operates dedicated tools for the cleantech field, and allocates dedicated budgets for this field in accordance with the government's decisions.

Comments

  1. Seriously, I don't understand how you can say such an absurd thing, things that only recently were still considered science fiction and today become reality are considered "not something special" in your eyes? What an insult.

    You can also argue that we will never understand how our vision works, or how the heart works because there is no person whose eyes or heart are exactly the same as another person's, it depends on each person's genetics.

    I think these things definitely advance us because once you know how to extract sounds, images, thoughts from the brain it necessarily means that you know 'something' about how it works, because otherwise you wouldn't be able to do it.

    Your words are outrageous (in my opinion) and are an insult to scientists who work day and night to develop these important abilities.

    PS - What about the possibility mentioned in the article that such technology would allow mute or paralyzed people to speak and express themselves? Is this not significant progress in your eyes?

  2. I don't see anything special in retrieving information from the brain, it doesn't advance us significantly,
    To the impossible, to touch or understand the thinking, due to the fact that it is unique to each person
    and related to genetics and senses. It would be a mistake to compare her with the computer,
    This is not data processing, but something like design, painting, sculpting, seasoning, cooking, assembly, blending and more.

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