What is ITSP?

ITSP supports midstream/downstream research and development (R&D) projects undertaken mainly by universities, industry support organisations, professional bodies and trade and industry associations.

Is my organisation eligible to apply?

Universities, industry support organisations, trade and industry associations, professional bodies, research institutes and local companies (either locally incorporated or established under the statute of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) are eligible to apply. The principal applicant organisation should be a company incorporated in Hong Kong under Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) and have substantial connection to Hong Kong OR a body corporate incorporated in Hong Kong under other ordinances of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

What kind of projects will likely be supported under ITSP?

Starting from November 2000, the Commission has from time to time solicited applications on specific themes that are important to the further development of Hong Kong industries. The Government has adopted in a new three-tier structure in funding proposals under the ITSP of the ITF since 2005. Tier 1 involves the establishment of R&D centres to undertake projects in their respective technology areas: automotive parts and accessory systems; logistics and supply chain management enabling technologies; textile and clothing; nanotechnology and advanced materials; and information and communications technologies (covering communications technologies, consumer electronics, integrated circuit design and opto-electronics). Tier 2 involves the funding of project proposals submitted under the Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme (TCFS). Tier 3 involves the funding of more forward-looking and innovative applied R&D projects.

All project proposals for the ITSP will go through a vetting mechanism supported by a panel of assessors. Funding priority will be given to those projects that have considerable innovation and technology contents and can contribute substantially to innovation and technology upgrading in industry and those that have demonstrated strong support from the relevant industry (e.g. applications that have sponsorship from potential users of the project deliverables). All projects would require cash sponsorship from more than one private firm not related to the applicant organisation in terms of ownership or management. Such sponsorship should cover at least 10% of the total project cost, except with the specific approval of the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (CIT). Besides, in-kind sponsorship could be included in the project proposal as supplementary information, but should not be included as sponsorship in the project account.

The special requirements and features applicable to the latest round of applications for Tier 3 of ITSP are as follows:

1. since the Tier 3 project proposals would be more exploratory in nature, the funding requested for each project proposal should not exceed HK$1 million and the project duration should not exceed 18 months;
   
   
2. in general, provided that they are exploratory, forward-looking and innovative in nature, project proposals relevant to the technology areas of the R&D Centres may be submitted;
   
   
3. project proposals which fall under the scope of other government funding schemes (e.g. the Health and Health Services Research Fund, the Infectious Disease Research Fund) should not be submitted;
   
   
4. since the project proposals are expected to be more innovation and technology driven, industrial sponsorship is not mandatory for the project proposals. Nevertheless, industrial sponsorship is still encouraged and funding priority will be given to applications that have secured cash sponsorship;
   
   
5. project proposals for follow-on R&D work of projects approved in previous rounds of Tier 3 invitations may be submitted under this round of invitation. Project proposals which are the follow-up projects to, or which leverage on the results of, completed basic research projects (undertaken either by the applicant organisation or other local or overseas research institutes) may also be submitted; and
   
   
6. applications will be assessed on a competitive basis and only projects with exceptional merits (e.g. those with major technology breakthrough) will be funded.

Can my organisation own the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the project results?

The recipient organisation will solely own all intellectual property rights arising from the project and is required to make available to local companies the project results through workshops, seminars, licensing or consultancy arrangements. The general principle is that all interested local companies should have equal access to the project results on equal terms. The sponsors can have priority use of the project results.

What is the form of funding support?

Funding support is normally given as a grant. All ITF grants will be disbursed by instalments to the approved projects. ITF grants may be used for meeting the manpower costs, the costs for the procurement of equipment and other direct costs specifically required for the conduct of the project. For projects involving recurrent expenditures, the applicant organisation has to demonstrate that such expenses will be of a specified finite duration or that the project will become self-financing after the completion of the project.

How can my organisation apply for funding?

Your organisation can complete and submit the web-based application form for the ITSP through the Innovation and Technology Commission Funding Administrative System (ITCFAS). Under this arrangement, you will be required to register your organisation and then its relevant personnel for access to the relevant application form. The registered personnel will be responsible for submitting the application proposal through this system.

Is there any application deadline?

Applications for Tier 3 of the ITSP has been closed on 30 April 2008.

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2002 Important Notices	Last revision date: 1 April 2008