On December 16, 2018, the Israeli Defense Ministry and the Israel Science Foundation announced a new NIS 100 million (~USD 27 million) fund over five years to support quantum technology research. The money was provided equally by the Defense Ministry and the Council for Higher Education, according to The Times of Israel.
Some NIS 75 million of the total was earmarked for supporting research groups at Israeli universities, covering both research expenses and equipment. The fund’s scope included quantum communications, quantum simulation, quantum sensors such as atomic clocks, magnetic field meters, and quantum materials.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also held the defense portfolio at the time, stated the fund would “continue to place Israel at the top of global technology and research.” The Defense Ministry described the fund as a first step in creating a national quantum ecosystem. Separately, multiple Israeli government agencies were reported to be formulating a broader national plan for the quantum field.