Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITSP)

Innovation and Technology Support Programme

Objective

Launched in November 1999, ITSP (Platform & Seed) aims to support applied research and development (R&D) projects undertaken by R&D Centres1 or designated local public research institutes2 with a view to transferring the R&D results to local industries. ITSP (Collaborative), formerly the Partnership Research Programme (PRP) launched in January 2019, aims to support applied research and development (R&D) projects undertaken by R&D Centres1 or designated local public research institutes2 in collaboration with companies.

Eligibility

ITSP (Platform & Seed): The lead applicant must be an R&D Centre1 or a designated local public research institute2.

ITSP (Collaborative): The lead applicant must be an R&D Centre1 or a designated local public research institute2, which should partner with an industry co-applicant to apply for ITSP (Collaborative). The industry co-applicant can be either a company already incorporated in Hong Kong under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); or an established industry support organisation, a trade and industry association or professional body which has the legal capacity to enter into contracts.

Key Features

Application

ITSP (Platform & Seed) invites applications for funding once a year. The application period in 2024/25 is 25 November 2024 to 28 February 2025. Applications from R&D Centres1 will be accepted all year round.
ITSP (Collaborative) invites applications for funding all year round. Please read the following documents before submitting an application:

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Assessment

The ITF Secretariat will conduct a preliminary screening upon receipt of an application. Where necessary, individual application may be subject to external review. The ITF Secretariat's assessment, together with the views of external reviewer(s) (if any), will be submitted to the Innovation and Technology Fund Research Projects Assessment Panel for examination in accordance with the assessment frameworks for platform projects and seed projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is there any sponsorship requirement for ITSP (Platform & Seed)?

All platform projects require industry sponsorship of at least 10% of the total project cost from at least one company, while sponsorship requirement is not mandatory for seed projects. Industry sponsorship requirement for platform projects may be waived if they are initiated by Government bureaux/departments and statutory bodies of Hong Kong. Industry sponsorship can be provided by local or non-local companies.

How can a company participate in ITSP (Platform & Seed) projects?

A company (both local and non-local) may contribute cash and/or in-kind sponsorship to ITSP (Platform & Seed) projects to indicate support. Eligible sponsors may apply for Research and Development Cash Rebate Scheme but will not be eligible to own the intellectual property rights generated from the projects (if any).

What kind of projects will be funded by ITSP (Platform & Seed)?

ITSP (Platform & Seed) focuses on supporting two types of R&D projects, namely platform and seed projects. Platform projects refer to applied R&D projects which aim to benefit the industry collectively or certain sectors of it and have potential for commercialisation. Seed projects are exploratory and forward-looking in nature which provide the foundation for future applied R&D projects.

Can the R&D work of the project be conducted outside Hong Kong?

The majority of the R&D work of a project should be conducted within Hong Kong. However, given the close ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland, up to 50% of the R&D work of the project can be conducted (and relevant expenditure incurred) in the Mainland. Where certain R&D tasks need to be conducted outside Hong Kong (other than the Mainland), the applicant should provide justifications and seek prior approval from ITC.

Who will own the IP rights of the ITSP (Platform and Seed) project results? Does the industry sponsor get any benefit from the project?

As a general rule, the IP rights generated from a ITSP (Platform & Seed) project will be vested with the lead applicant (i.e. an R&D Centre1 or a designated local public research institute2). A company as an industry sponsor may enjoy favourable terms in using project results commensurate with the level of its contribution, such as early access to the R&D results, discount in future licensing fees, etc.

How can my company apply for funding under ITSP (Collaborative)?

If your company is interested in ITSP (Collaborative), you should first identify an R&D Centre1 or a designated local public research institute2 as the lead applicant of the project and agree on the project details, the expected deliverables, and if necessary, the licensing/royalty arrangement, etc. After that, the partnering institute may submit an ITSP (Collaborative) application, which would require registrations of your organisation and relevant personnel with the Innovation and Technology Commission Funding Administrative System.

Can my company own the IP rights of the ITSP (Collaborative) project results?

All IP rights arising from the project will be solely owned by the participating company as the industry co-applicant if it contributes at least 50% of the total project cost. For projects where the industry co-applicant"s contribution is less than 50% of the total project cost, the IP rights generated will be vested with the lead applicant.

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