Facilitating Technology Transfer - TECHNE
Facilitating the transfer of innovative technologies to industry and business is one of the statutory aims of the Foundation for Polish Science, pursued by means of its TECHNE programme. This programme covers all disciplines of science, meaning that application for research grants from all disciplines can be submitted. The programme does not give any priority to the area of mobility, and no mobility-related project has been sponsored so far.
Research teams are provided with funds as contribution to the cost of the implementation of new projects and technologies prior to their application in business. Grants are also provided for various purposes including completion of technological processes and procedures, tests, launching of new and/or prototype appliances as well as obtaining the mandatory certificates and/or licences. Potential beneficiaries of the programme can apply also for the partial covering of patent application costs, or costs related to registering a patent abroad.
The more developed a project is, the more likely it is to receive funding. Preference is also given to projects of which deliverables are already pre-registered in the patent office and to experienced teams that have already achieved significant results in their R&D activities. The criteria for proposal evaluation are therefore: project advancement degree and successfulness of the applying research team.
The eligible applicants for the programme are: individual scientists, research teams from Polish Universities and other R&D institutions whose statutory aim is conducting research. However, only public R&D institutions have been sponsored so far.
Application selection is made pursuant to the call for proposals open till 15 February each year. The application form is simple and consistent. The proposals are evaluated by independent experts chosen by FNP - their names and results are confidential. Final results of the call are announced within 12 weeks after the deadline for submission (around 15 May).
The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) is an independent, self-financing, non-profit organisation established in 1991 pursuant to the system transformation in Poland. The Foundation's mission is to provide assistance and support to the scientific community in Poland.
As an initial investment, FNP received around 21 million from the State Treasury, a portion of the Central Fund for the Development of Science and Technology liquidated in 1990. These assets, re-invested in the financial market, are the source of revenue allocated for the statutory activities of the foundation.
All grants, prizes and awards are allotted on a competitive basis in a peer-review system, in keeping with the foundation's mission statement: 'Supporting only the best so they can become even better'. Particular importance is attached to promoting young promising researchers in Poland. Recently, the foundation has intensified its efforts aimed at supporting international co-operation, and increased its involvement in initiatives seeking to facilitate the exchange of ideas and achievements within the scientific community.
Duration
This programme was launched in 2001 and is prolonged every year. However, due to scarcity of good proposals, it will be probably be closed next year.
Annual budget
The average annual budget of the programme amounts to 165 000 euro.
Contact
Fundacja na Rzecz Nauki Polskiej
Subsidies and Publications Department, Mr. Tadeusz Pacholik
ul. Grażyny 11, 02-548 Warszawa, Poland
tel. (+48 22) 845 95 00
fax. (+48 22) 845 95 05
e-mail: tadeusz.pacholik@fnp.org.pl
