Public research funding
Public research funding
The Good Food Institute Israel’s policy team works to boost public research and development funding to help advance innovation and make alternative proteins delicious and affordable for everyone.
Why should governments fund
alternative protein research?
Just as governments fund research and development into renewable energy, governments interested in addressing climate change, as well as enhancing public health and food security, should fund open-access research into plant-based, fermented, and cultivated meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy.
The private sector is already developing these foods, but given how CAPEX-intensive this industry is, government investments are paramount to accelerate progress, bring prices down, and make alternative protein options available everywhere.
Public sector investment in open-access research can address foundational issues and support the growth of a whole sector rather than just one company. Governments can transform meat production systemically, maximizing alternative proteins’ economic and societal benefits.
How does the Israeli government support alternative protein research?
GFI Israel has been working with the Israeli government to fund alternative protein research in Israeli academia, strategically focusing on filling gaps, resolving bottlenecks in the sector, and attracting new expertise to the field.
In July 2022, GFI Israel, in collaboration with the In July 2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments, GFI Israel launched a collaborative call for research proposals that would improve a final product or enhance a production process. With a total budget of US$4 million, we funded 15 projects over a two-year period.
In September 2022, food tech and alternative proteins were announced as one of Israel’s top five national R&D priority areas. These include cultivated, fermentation-derived, and plant-based substitutes for meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy.
In September 2023, for the second time, GFI Israel launched a collaborative call for research proposals with the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology. This initiative solicited proposals that involved interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and biology.
How does GFI Israel secure public funding for alternative protein research?
GFI Israel works with scientists, policymakers, and other organizations to secure government funding for plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat research and helps scientists learn about research funding opportunities.
What we do
- We share information, research, and data with policymakers and a broader array of stakeholders, highlighting how plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat can help address significant global challenges such as climate change, food security, and the spread of zoonotic diseases.
- We work with public institutions and ministries to ensure public funding is available for research to improve the nutritional value, taste, and price of plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat. We then share our expertise to help direct that investment toward the highest-impact areas.
- We collaborate with various governmental agencies, innovation authorities, multilateral organizations, and international research funds interested in food systems to secure public funding for international collaboration in R&D for alternative proteins.
How you can help
Our work advancing research and advocacy is only possible thanks to our generous global family of donors. GFI Israel is 100% powered by philanthropy. You can fuel this transformative work by supporting us today.
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