Israeli bodies, participating in innovative R&D projects in the field of nanotechnology, have already won research grants from the European R&D framework program, whose projects were presented at the "Nano-Israel 2016" conference.
The HORIZON 2020 program - the research and innovation program of the European Union, presented at the Nano Israel 2016 conference held this week at Tel Aviv University a number of Israeli bodies participating in innovative R&D projects in the field of nanotechnology that won research grants in the program.
Among the Israeli bodies that won grants:
- The NICAST company won a grant of 2.26 million euros to develop dressing materials based on nanometer fibers, customized for superficial wounds;
- The MELODEA company and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem received a grant of approximately 4.7 million euros, for the purpose of developing crystalline nano-cellulose with a self-assembling feature for lightweight structures from paper mill waste;
- The WINZSOFT company was awarded a grant of approximately 12.8 million euros for the development of nanomaterials used as contrast agents for medical imaging and targeted treatment of atherosclerosis;
- The company "Ahava" won a grant of about 4.4 million euros, for the purpose of discovering, identifying and measuring engineered nano-slippers
- The company STRATASYS together with MMG (Nahal Sorek Nuclear Research Institute), and the company PV NANOCELL won a grant of about 5 million euros for the development of innovative digital materials based on nanotechnology for XNUMXD printing for the robotics and electronics industry.
The HORIZON 2020 program - the research and innovation program of the European Union, is the largest program in the world for academic-industrial scientific cooperation. The budget of HORIZON 2020 is about 77 billion euros for seven years (2014-2020). The State of Israel's participation in the program is managed by ISERD, the Israeli administration for European R&D. ISERD was established by the Israeli government, and operates from the Office of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Economy and Industry, and the Chief Scientist serves as the chairman of its steering committee.
One of the main work programs of HORIZON 2020 is the NMBP program -
- Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, and Biotechnology benefits from a budget for research funding grants of approximately 6 billion euros (in addition to approximately 3.5 billion euros invested in the field in the Seventh Framework Program in 2007-2013).
"Nanotechnology is an important cornerstone for the advancement and competitiveness of the entire European industry. In the coming years, nanotechnology will become a technological infrastructure that will touch every area of people's lives - from modern medicines, to alternative energy, to miniaturized electronic devices in the smart home. Heavy and traditional industries will also be affected and undergo a fundamental change with the help of nanotechnology-based processes, which will be greener and consume less of the expensive and rare raw materials used by the industries today.' Says Avi Hasson, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy and Industry and Chairman of the Steering Committee of ISERD - the Israeli administration for European R&D.
At the NanoIsrael 2016 conference, this was the first time in the history of the conference that a special session was held which defended the European policy to promote research and innovation in the field of nanotechnology for the benefit of the future of European industry. In European eyes, Europe's next challenge is the commercialization of the many researches and patents registered in the field of nanotechnology in Europe in recent years.
The chairman of the session is Dr. Neely Mandelblit - Director of Nanotechnology, Materials and Production Processes, Transportation Space at Isard. Among the presenters at the session - Deputy Head of the Nanotechnology and Materials Unit - Technologies for Industry - at the Ministry of Innovation and Research of the European Commission (the executive arm of the European Union) Jyrki Suominen, and the directors of the most important research institutions in Europe including: Fraunhofer, Germany, CEA France, CNR Italy and TNO Holland, which will present the most innovative projects underway in Europe today, many of them in collaboration with research and development organizations in Israel.
In addition, contacts from various European countries will come to the conference and will hold meetings to promote cooperation in research and development under the 2020 HORIZON program. A special area at the conference organized by Isard and EEN (European Network for Small Businesses) will be dedicated to B2B meetings aimed at enabling companies and researchers to meet and get to know each other for potential collaborations funded by European R&D programs.
"Israel can certainly be an important player in the development of nanotechnology integrated products, with high added value, which will be integrated into leading global industries," says Dr. Neely Mandelblit - Director of Nanotechnology, Materials and Production Processes, Space and Transportation at Isard and the chairman of the special session. "The Israeli nano companies operate in diverse fields, to improve existing products and to enter new fields, and the partnership of Israeli companies in Horizon 2020 projects contributes to the promotion of Israeli excellence in the field in Europe as well."
The "Nano-Israel 2016" conference is an international event dealing with innovations and business opportunities in the fields of materials, medicine, mobile, aviation, semiconductors and other innovative industrial fields. Among the participants from Israel and the world, it will be possible to find venture capitalists, private funds, institutional and corporate investors, regulatory, technology and development personnel, government decision makers, as well as academics, scientists and researchers.
"Nano-Israel 2016" was organized by the "Conference of Exhibitions" company in collaboration with INNI - the Israeli National Nanotechnology Initiative, the nanotechnology centers at the various universities, the Ministry of Economy, the Chief Scientist, the Israeli Directorate for European R&D and IATI.
Nano Israel conference website
