P20-M fund set for startup research grants

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology has allocated P20 million to fund research grants to help Filipino startups develop market-ready products. 

 

Russell Pili, chief technology transfer officer of the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), said the startup research grant program aims to provide support to the growing technology startup sector in the country.

 

“We started offering research grant programs for startups because we believe that down the line, these startups will contribute to the national development goals,” Pili told reporters during the Geeks on a Beach conference last week.

 

“That’s our metrics in government. We want jobs created, we want investments coming in. We want stronger intellectual properties,” she added.

 

The DOST-PCIEERD started accepting this month proposals for the two types of grants under the program.

 

Under the i2Tech or Idea to Tech grant, startups with early stage prototypes can receive funding to be used for product improvement, market testing, data gathering and business modeling.

 

Meanwhile, the iscale or Innovation and Scale grant will provide support to startups in need of matching assistance in scaling up operations, testing of products for certification and rolling out of services.

 

The agency said priority will be given to startups in existing DOST-supported Technology Business Incubators. Deadline for application is set on August 31.

 

Pili said they will announce later this year the selected startups, which will have one year to complete their proposed activities.

 

She said the DOST program complements programs of other agencies for startups, particularity the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry.