The Science and Technology Development Fund (hereinafter referred to as the FDCT) has launched the "Funding Scheme for Industry-University-Research Partnership for  Enterprises " (hereinafter referred to as the Funding Scheme), and provided "Online + Offline" industry-university-research matching services to help enterprises to resolve issues including insufficient funds and lack of technical solutions arising from the process of overcoming technical problems. Through the modal of funding plus matching services, FDCT also hopes to support the upgrading and transformation of enterprises in Macao and promote the implementation of achievements and solutions.
 
The "Online Industry-University-Research Matching Platform" (hereinafter referred to as the Matching Platform), as the core of the industry-university-research matching services, is a platform for enterprises to post their technical requirements, research teams to publish the research and development achievements, and experts in the field of science and technology to register as technology ambassadors. The Matching Platform will automatically match R&D results and technical ambassadors with enterprises for the professional field of their technical requirements. FDCT’s staff will also analyze the matching results on the platform before putting enterprises on the shortlist, and then assist those who require technical assistance to establish offline connection with those who provide technical assistance. Through the matching services, it is expected that barriers between the industry, and university and research institutes could be broken, while mutual understandings and connections established between the three parties could also be strengthened to foster mutual development. In addition, in order to further increase the efficiency of the Funding Scheme, FDCT will also collaborate with similar platforms in other regions, so that enterprises may choose to repost their technical requirements to other platforms and seek to connect with academic and research forces in other regions.
 
On the premise that enterprises are successfully matched through the above-mentioned Matching Platform and the technology providers are higher education institutions, enterprises may submit their application for the funding to FDCT through the platform from the 1^st to the 5^th of each month, starting from August this year; the research period for each application project is six months to one year, and the amount of funding shall be no more than MOP 250,000. Enterprises must also invest supporting funds of their projects, with an investment amount of no less than the funding received.
 
In order to enable the Funding Scheme and industry-university-research matching services to be more adaptable to the actual needs of the industry, and better introduce the scientific and technological strengths of the academic and research circles to support enterprise development and promote industry-university-research cooperation, FDCT has visited a number of relevant units and associations earlier and carried out introduction on relevant content and operation methods and listened to opinions of various audience. Optimization and improvement were also made upon completion of discussions and exchanges with the audience.
 
Furthermore, FDCT also held the “Seminar on Industry-University-Research Matching Program” in the Conference Hall at the Macao Science Center  yesterday (July 8^th), while simultaneously broadcasting it on the Internet to promote the Funding Scheme and the industry-university-research matching services to the industry and the academia. Approximately 150 representatives from 65 units were invited to the seminar. Participants enthusiastically asked questions, and put forward practical issues and suggestions on the procedures of matching as well as the funding application and were also given detailed answers and responses by staff from the FDCT, which has filled the seminar with a warm atmosphere.
 
Concise videos and infographics have also been produced and published through various channels in order to more widely promote the modal of the funding plus matching services. For more details, please visit the FDCT’s website (https://www.fdct.gov.mo).