BARD’s Board has approved the launch of a pilot for a technology accelerator, aiming to bridge the long gap, often 10 years or more, between laboratory breakthroughs and practical application in the field. This initiative responds to recommendations for shortening innovation timelines and bringing industry partners on board early.
The newly approved pilot will create a collaborative framework involving research institutions and industry representatives from both partner countries. By leveraging BARD’s existing infrastructure, the pilot aims to provide targeted support for lab-proven ideas, helping them reach the market more efficiently. Preparations for the pilot are already underway, with the official launch and call for proposals scheduled by the end of 2025, beginning of 2026. This pilot will serve as a learning platform for integrating academia and industry, ultimately accelerating impactful agricultural innovation.
Eligible applicants will include research teams from academia and private companies in both Israel and the United States. The focus areas will address priority challenges in food security, with each consortium receiving a two-year support package to test proof of concept, business potential, and market readiness. The accelerator framework is designed to identify projects with a realistic pathway to market introduction within four to six years.
The pilot will serve as a test platform for a full-scale accelerator, assessing operational processes and generating measurable results such as advancing projects to later development stages, attracting investment, or entering the market. “Food security is a pressing global challenge, requiring cross-border cooperation,” said BARD’s Executive Director Prof. Yoram Kapulnik. “I believe this pilot will prove effective; it will inform the structure and approach of a long-term accelerator linking talent and expertise from both countries.”
