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Request for proposals for Pilot Programs in the Transportation Sector Sector-Level Pilots Pilots Fund. Open Date: 18/05/2026 Deadline for Submission: 16/07/2026 Summary: The 2026 Call for Applications for a Sector-Level Pilot, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, invites applications for support of R&D programs that include experiments and/or product demonstrations at pilot facilities intended for industrial corporations conducting R&D for commercial purposes. This call for proposals is under the Sector-Level Pilot Program of the Pilots Fund. Program Description The Innovation Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, is publishing a call for applications for pilot programs in the transportation sector, for an execution period not exceeding 24 months. By the end of the approved program period, the industrial corporations must achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, demonstration of the technology in a real-world environment, in order to validate the technological capabilities of the product and support its readiness for commercialization in target markets. Pilot programs must create a demonstrated impact and transportational benefits that improve the transportation situation in Israel, including: Reducing road congestion, including technological solutions for last-mile delivery and demand management. Technological solutions that encourage the use of public transportation, or technologies that shift transportation congestions. Technologies for improving road safety or reducing traffic accidents. Technologies for climate change preparedness, including infrastructure improvement technologies, new materials that optimize transport infrastructure maintenance, or technologies adapted to climate change impacts particularly extreme heat , flooding, fires, or other extreme weather events. Technological solutions for the resilience and adaptation of transportation systems, including the use of energy alternatives to reduce carbon emissions from transport. A pilot program is an experimental model for testing the feasibility/proof of value of an existing technology in an environment that simulates the target market. Finance The project will receive an investment of 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% of the approved budget. An additional 10% will be added if the approved recipients that carry out the majority of the approved program in Development Area A (as defined in the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investment). The Innovation Authority investment rate will be 66% of the approved budget for industrial corporations and 80% of the approved budget for commercialization companies (academia). The total investment budget allocated by the Innovation Authority for all Israeli participants approved under the PRIMA partnership for 2026 is 0.5 million. This does not constitute a commitment to pay this amount, in whole or in part. Criteria Eligibility Criteria The applicant is an industrial corporation that has submitted an application for R&D support in the field of transportation as detailed above. The execution period of the project must not exceed 24 months. The application includes R&D at TRL 5 and must conclude at a minimum of TRL 6. All R&D under the program must be carried out in Israel by Israeli residents, unless the Research Committee is convinced (with documented reasons) that part of the program must be performed outside Israel or by non-residents. R&D within an approved program must be carried out by the applicant or by a party designated by the applicant, or by an executor approved by the Research Committee. At least 2/3 of the requested budget must be allocated to real-environment demonstration (TRL 6). To avoid any possible doubt, up to one-third (1/3) of the requested budget may be allocated to lower TRL levels, for the purpose of bringing the product up to TRL 6. The applicant must commit to owning all knowledge and intellectual property rights arising from the R&D under the approved program from the moment of their creation. In applications involving joint ownership of knowledge, all owners must make this commitment. The program must not be performed on behalf of a third party in exchange for full or partial payment granting ownership rights (partial or full) to the knowledge or product. The applicant must not have a pending application for funding for the same program (in whole or in part) under any Innovation Authority benefit track or sub-track. No financial assistance from a government entity or the Innovation Authority (direct or indirect) has been received for the project, other than under this program. No additional investment programs will be granted for a project that has previously received an investment under this program. The applicant must not have restricted bank accounts and must not be undergoing receivership proceedings, stay of legal proceedings , liquidation, or similar proceedings. The applicant and its controlling shareholders must comply with the Regulations for the Encouragement of Industrial R&D (Conditioning of Approvals Minimum Wage), 2011. The applicant or application meet the designated process requirements as specified in this call for applications. Evaluation Criteria Technological aspect: Level of technological and functional innovation of the product, including its complexity and depth, technological challenges, and technological feasibility. Additionally: The degree to which the product is mature enough for experimentation and/or demonstration at a pilot facility (the more mature the product, the higher the score on this criterion). The degree to which the experiment/pilot site resembles a real-world environment. Business aspect: Business and economic growth potential of the applicant as a result of the programs success, including market potential, market size/growth rate, competitive advantage (including IP strength), market validation performed, and the adequacy of the success metrics defined in the application for product commercialization. Additionally: Quality of the experiment/pilot site. Economic aspect: Incremental return to the Israeli economy, including high market entry barriers and the potential to grow a complete company in Israel. Applicant capabilities: Ability to successfully complete the program, including managerial, technological/engineering, and business/marketing capabilities, achievements to date, and the applicants ability to execute the program without the Authoritys grant. Additionally: The applicants ability to penetrate target markets. Application Process Applications are submitted online via the personal area until July 16, 2026 at 12:00 noon. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted. Follow this call for applications page, where any updates to the process will be published. Nothing in this notice constitutes a commitment to approve any application submitted under this call. For additional information, please contact: Name: Ministry of Transport Position: Head of Innovation and Smart Transportation Division Email: younish@mot.gov.il Name: Growth Division Organization: Israel Innovation Authority Email: growth@innovationisrael.org.il Tender Link : https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/calls_for_proposal/#gsc.tab=0
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