Israel Innovation Authority and Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure Launch Challenge Centered on Critical Minerals

NIS 1 million prize and additional 4 winners will receive NIS 200,000 awards to support breakthrough technologies in extraction, processing, and substitution

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, March 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Israel Innovation Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, announced today the launch of a national challenge under the Tnufa program, aimed at advancing breakthrough technological ventures in the field of critical minerals. The competition will award a NIS 1 million grand prize to a leading startup, alongside four additional prizes of NIS 200,000 each, to support early-stage ventures through the Israel Innovation Authority’s Tnufa program.

The initiative is designed to accelerate the development of innovative technologies for the extraction, processing, recycling, and substitution of critical minerals, essential raw materials for energy security, the transition to clean energy, and advanced technology and defense industries. By encouraging entrepreneurs and researchers to explore new technological directions with reduced risk, the program aims to lay the foundation for the growth of a new, globally significant sector.

Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, said: “The global race for critical minerals is no longer determined solely by the volume of resources, but by the ability to develop and implement technologies that enable their extraction, processing, and substitution. In a world where supply chains are becoming a geopolitical friction point, the advantage shifts to those who hold knowledge and innovation. Israel is not a resource powerhouse, but it is a Deep Tech powerhouse, with strong R&D assets in these fields. An ecosystem of leading companies and researchers in this domain already exists in Israel. The Ideation (Tnufa) challenge is designed to advance a new generation of companies that will develop breakthrough solutions in extraction, processing, recycling, and substitution, strengthening Israel’s position in the global technological and energy landscape.”

Yossi Dayan, Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, added: “The field of critical minerals is a fundamental component of Israel’s energy security and our ability to meet clean energy transition targets. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure sees itself as responsible for ensuring the resilience of energy supply chains, as well as leading the development of advanced technologies to secure them. Through the Ministry’s support mechanisms, and through this challenge competition, we are actively working to build an innovation infrastructure that will enable Israel to reduce dependency, optimize usage, and establish a strategic advantage in the global value chain of critical minerals.

Israel does not compete on resource volume, but on its ability to lead through innovation, knowledge, and advanced technology development. Through this competition, we aim to advance solutions that will strengthen supply security, promote clean energy, and position Israel as a key player in the global value chain. This is a strategic move that combines national needs with broad economic and technological opportunity.”

The Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure are launching the “Tnufa Challenge”, a national competition aimed at encouraging the establishment of groundbreaking technological ventures in the fields of exploration, extraction, processing, and production of critical minerals, which are essential raw materials for energy security, the transition to clean energy, and the technology and defense industries.

Over the past decade, critical minerals have evolved from an industrial challenge into a strategic issue at the heart of the global economy. The growing demand for green energy, artificial intelligence, and advanced industries, alongside increasing dependence on concentrated supply chains, has placed them at the center of competition between nations.

Despite the immense demand, critical mineral supply chains are characterized by fragility, concentration, and geopolitical dependency. The gap between the natural distribution of resources and the concentration of knowledge required to process them creates a significant challenge, particularly in the stages of extraction, refining, and conversion, where the main risk points lie.

Against this backdrop, the initiative aims to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for exploration, extraction, processing, refining, recycling, and substitution, while enabling entrepreneurs and researchers to explore new technological directions with reduced risk and laying the foundation for the growth of a new, globally significant field.

The 2025 critical minerals list includes 60 minerals, among them magnesium, phosphate, potash, copper, lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, gallium, and germanium, as well as many rare earth elements. Rare earth elements include 17 elements with unique magnetic, optical, and electronic properties, and are key components in advanced technologies such as strong magnets, electronic and electro-optical components, and laser applications. These elements typically appear in low concentrations, and their extraction involves complex separation and refining processes.

Within this reality, Israel holds a unique position, not as a resource-rich nation, but as a technology powerhouse, capable of leveraging knowledge and innovation to create significant value within the global supply chain and contribute to solving one of the central challenges of the global economy.

The challenge will focus on three key domains: Deep Tech solutions in mining to shorten exploration cycles and reduce environmental impact; advanced processing and recovery technologies, including separation, refining, and recycling; and the development of substitutes and efficiency-enhancing technologies to reduce dependency on scarce materials.

In a world where control over raw materials determines the pace of innovation, the ability to develop technologies for critical minerals is becoming a decisive factor and Israel aims to be at the forefront of this race.



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Raoul Wootliff
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