The Canada-Israel Industrial Research Development Foundation (CIIRDF), the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Embassy of Israel in Canada have announced a new program that will facilitate industry-led Research and Development (R&D) collaboration between Saskatchewan and Israel, and strengthen the innovation and economic ties between the two jurisdictions. The Saskatchewan-Israel R&D Collaboration Program will enable the joint development and commercialization of new technologies in areas of shared expertise including agriculture, clean technology, minerals, nuclear research and energy. The emerging bilateral partnerships promise to yield new products that help collaborating companies break new ground in global markets, and generate export revenues that grow the economies of both Saskatchewan and Israel.
Building on the outcomes of the Saskatchewan Science and Innovation Mission to Israel led by Innovation Saskatchewan in March 2014, the pilot program will capitalize on the complementary R&D strengths and resources of both jurisdictions. Managed by CIIRDF, the program will leverage investment from the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Office of the Chief Scientist, Ministry of Economy in Israel. It will stimulate and support industry-led R&D projects that increase the competitiveness of firms in high growth sectors.
Within Saskatchewan, CIIRDF will work closely with the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII), the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation (SFCNI), and the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC). Together with these organizations and the Office of the Chief Scientist of Israel, CIIRDF will broker new relationships among prospective technology partners; host bilateral R&D workshops and technology road mapping activities; conduct bilateral calls for proposals; and co-fund selected R&D projects.
It will also help Saskatchewan and Israeli firms to identify and pursue additional project partners and investment within each jurisdiction, and in other nations such as India, China and Brazil.
