EUREKA’s decision-makers meet in Tel-Aviv

Vardina Hilloo

Assembled in Tel Aviv for the first event held in Israel under
the EUREKA Chairmanship year, EUREKA's High Level Group
Representatives and National Project Coordinators approved
a series of promising cooperative R&D projects in a variety
of areas, including renewable energy and advanced environmental
technologies, in accordance with EUREKA’s strategic targets
defined for the 2010-2011 Championship year.

Israel officially became Chair of the rotating presidency
of the EUREKA Network. The handover from Germany took
place in Berlin at the annual Ministers Conference in June 2010.

During the meeting led by its new Israeli chairman
EUREKA’s decision-makers approved €51 million
(about $71 million) in investments in 56 projects submitted
by EUREKA member countries, which will collaborate to
turn these R&D investments into viable technologies and products.
Investments in the following fields were covered: Electronics,
IT and telecom; industrial technologies; renewable energy;
biological sciences and technologies; chemistry, physical
and exact sciences, and technologies for protecting man
and the environment.

17 of the projects approved have Israeli partners –
representing more than 30% of the total. Remarkably,
Israel is only one of 40 member countries in EUREKA
but represents almost one-third of the project proposals
being reviewed during this meeting.
 
On a yearly basis, EUREKA supports more than
300 collaborative projects in a variety of industries,
totaling over €1.5 billion. These industrial projects
match up partners from two or more member countries
 – including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
large industry, and research institutes. Projects can be
launched in virtually all industry fields and technological areas.

EUREKA initiatives look to meet challenges such as
climate change, energy security, and limited water resources.

November 1. 2010