Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership (MIIP)

The application portal for MIIP has now closed.

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and MATIMOP - The Israeli Industry Center for R&D, on behalf of the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the Israel Ministry of Trade and Labor, have announced that applications are now being accepted under the second round of the Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership (MIIP), a formal collaboration between the State of Israel and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to encourage and support innovation and entrepreneurship between Massachusetts’ and Israel’s life sciences sectors. The partnership was first announced at the BIO International Convention in June 2011 in Washington DC. The first round of MIIP resulted in 2 approved collaborations in the life sciences which were announced at BIO International Convention in June 2012.
The joint solicitation seeks applications for funding for industrial Research & Development (R&D) collaborations between Massachusetts and Israeli companies. The MLSC will be providing funding in the form of a grant of up to $500,000 to support companies working in the life sciences field. Massachusetts is the first U.S. state to establish such a program with the State of Israel.

The Partnership is designed to help Massachusetts and Israeli companies accelerate development cycles, promote mutually beneficial business-to-business cooperation, enhance opportunities for marketplace success and expand their global reach. It proposes a flexible framework of parallel funding for each participating company, having its R&D expenses supported by its own state according to its respective laws, regulations, rules and procedures.

If you are interested in forming a partnership for this program, please take a look at the Center's brand new International Partnership Assistance Portal, where companies from Massachusetts and abroad can create streamlined profiles that are searchable by others looking for partners. The tool is not limited for use by those participating in MIIP or other Center programs.

Which life sciences companies are eligible to apply?

The Massachusetts applicant must be a life sciences company as defined by the MLSC’s governing statute (e.g., biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical diagnostics or bioinformatics)
The Massachusetts applicant company must be registered to do business in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts company must have established a partnership with an Israeli company to pursue a late stage R&D or development stage project.
The Massachusetts and Israeli companies can have had no prior or existing R&D agreements with regards to the project for which they are submitting an application
Partners must be prepared to provide a minimum funding level of $100,000
Partners must jointly submit one Phase I Application and must each fulfill supplemental requirements of their respective funding agencies

If your company meets any of the following criteria, you are not eligible to apply:

Your company has had a prior or existing R&D partnership with your proposed Israeli partner company
Your company is “related” to your Israeli partner company (i.e., common legal, parent or subsidiary, controlled or owned by same person, entity, or group of persons or entities)
Your company has been awarded $500,000 or more through the MLSC’s Accelerator Loan Program or the Small Business Matching Grant program.
Your company does not have minimum funds of $100,000 to provide for the project

The deadline to submit a Phase 1: Bilateral Cooperation Form has passed. Phase II is open upon invite only for those applicants that have received an approval for their Phase I submission. Phase II includes the submission of a full Grant Application (MA companies) and OCS National Funding Application (Israeli companies). The Phase II submission deadline is February 15, 2013. Phase II application materials will be available for preview after November 15, 2012. Links to applicable documents can be found below.

The application portal has now closed.

Any questions about this program can be sent to: miip@masslifesciences.com