Brazil and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2007, creating the Bilateral Cooperation in Research and Industrial Development in the private sector. The program is jointly run by the Secretariat of Innovation and New Businesses in the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services of Brazil and the Israel Innovation Authority, an entity linked to the Ministry of Economy and Industry of Israel. On May 2010 both countries launched the first Call for Proposals.

The Fourth Call, published in June 2017, invites Brazilian and Israeli companies to develop proposals for cooperation in R&D that result in the development of new products, processes or services of industrial application directed to commercialization in the domestic and / or global market. The project should demonstrate adequate balance in the participation of the industrial partners of the two countries, with complementarity between companies and contributions from both sides to the research.

The initiative provides for joint funding of approved projects. Israeli partners may receive support from the Israel Innovation Authority. As in previous calls, Brazilian partners are eligible to support lines of credit for innovation from the National Development Bank (BNDES).

In addition, for the 4th Call, it is possible to receive support through the Brazilian Company for Industrial Research and Development (EMBRAPII) System. EMBRAPII has a model in which it is possible to get grants of up to 2/3 of the costs of a company's innovation project, provided that this project is developed in conjunction with an EMBRAPII Unit.

In addition to involving EMBRAPII, the 4th call with Israel will also for the first time operationalize the partnership between the MDIC and the Federal Council of Research Support Foundations (CONFAP). This Council brings together all the State Research Support Foundations, which have several instruments to support business innovation projects, from scholarships to researchers to direct grants to companies. It is possible to request support, within the scope of the 4th Call, from FAPs that adhere to CONFAP-MDIC Call 1/2017. The Foundations of Amazonas, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Pernambuco, Paraná and Santa Catarina have joined the call with Israel and there is still the possibility of more accessions in the near future.

Learn more about the Israel Innovation Authority: