Invest in the

2. The Incubators Program2.1 Incubator for Technology Ventures in Israel -The incubators are support frameworks which enable start-upentrepreneurs with innovative technological ideas to developtheir ideas for a commercial product and to establish a newbusiness for the purpose of its commercialization.The object is to handle the initial stage of technologicalventures - the provision of aid to the start-up entrepreneur tohelp realize the idea and to turn it into a commercial product.The incubators provide the entrepreneur, with the location,the financial resources, tools, professional guidance andadministrative assistance so that an abstract idea can beturned into a product that proves its feasibility, its advantagesand the need for it.Criterion for Approval: A technological concept that isinnovative in nature and whose purpose is to develop aproduct with marketing potential intended for a market ofsubstantial size.Promoter: Must be a start-up entrepreneur taking his initialsteps.Team: Approximately 3-6 development personnel.Period of Operation: The project stays in the incubatorfor a period of two years, when at the end of the two yearsthe promoter must bring his idea to the stage of a definedproduct which is both feasible and in demand.Activity Sector: In general terms - all spheres of researchand development although some of the incubators preferprojects that can derive benefit from the technologicalinfrastructure at their disposal.The Grant: up to 66% of the approved budget.Currently, there are 24 technology incubators operating allover the country, from Tel Hai in the North to Sde Boker in theSouth, with approximately 8 projects on average proceedingin each incubator. A project that is accepted into an incubatorreceives a loan from the State amounting to 85% of therecognized expenditure up to a level of NIS 2.1 Million for aperiod of two years with projects in the field of bio-technologyand pharmaceuticals being also entitled to support for a thirdyear in the incubator. Currently most of the incubator ownersare participating and are also taking the lead in the continuingrecruitment of companies in their portfolios.Of the 24 technology incubators, 15 incubators are operatingin the Negev and Galilee.2.2 Technology Based Industrial IncubatorStarting from 2008 there have been 2 industrial incubatorsoperating in Haifa and Arad. The industrial incubator isdesignated for the industrial foundation of technology/engineering-based companies or a company whose mainproducts have an industrial design slant, and that have passedthe stage of proof of technological feasibility, and which are33 < Invest in the Negev and GalileeMinistry of Indusry, Trade and Labor > Negev and Galilee Development Center