The Chief Scientist Convention for Research and Development
In the presence of President Shimon Peres
Tel Aviv, 27 of November 2008
Marking 60 years to the Independence of the State of Israel, 30 years to the establishment of the Chief Scientist for Research and Development Office and over 40,000 R&D projects supported by the Chief Scientist.
The support model of the state of Israel in technological innovation, executed by the Office of the Chief Scientist for R&D (OCS), is an Israeli unique model. The model is examined empirically by international bodies and their findings are found in every aspect of the development of the business sector in the state of Israel. The support model of the state of Israel places the Israeli industry and business sector at the front of the world's technological entrepreneurship.
Through the OCS, the government of Israel supports technological Researches and Developments and R&D entrepreneurship, from the initial phase of the flow of knowledge and basic ideas (Pre-Seed), for initial technologies (Seed), through support of pre-competitive R&D and, at the highest level of recognition and support, competitive R&D.
The OCS promotes, among others, directly or by its major agency, the Israeli Industry Center for R&D (MATIMOP), Multinational and Bi-national projects for R&D. Israel is an associate member in the European Framework Program and a full member in the wide network for industrial R&D, EUREKA! Israel will head the presidency of EUREKA in the year 2010.
Israel has agreements for Bi-National R&D Funds with major countries and It operates, through the OCS and other agencies, Bi-National R&D Support Programs with more than 25 Countries and State Counties. In addition, Israel has managed Cooperative R&D Programs with 10 leading multinational corporations: Alcatel, Coca-Cola, Deutsche Telekom, GE, IBM, Merck, Microsoft, Oracle, Renault-Nissan and Sun.
The OCS, sets as its prime and central goal in the next years to support R&D entrepreneurship in order to upgrade the Traditional Industries, Environmental entrepreneurship and R&D, Water Technologies and Renewed Alternative Energies, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology – All this is done by a variety of existing aid tools and those in development.
The office of the Chief Scientist for R&D will grant during the Convention Day outstanding achievement awards for Industrial R&D Projects that have been supported by the OCS since the establishment of the office.
The winning projects will be selected out of over 40,000 projects according the international chosen criteria. The selected criteria are:
- R&D breakthrough in the field of technology.
- R&D that resulted in economical and welfare improvement.
- R&D whose outcome affects our lives.