Founded in 1991, the Conicyt Fondef Programme has strengthened the scientific and technological capacities of the Universities and technological institutions to increase the competitiveness of the national economy, and to contribute to improving the quality of life of all Chilean people.
The mission is:
"To contribute to the increase of the competitiveness of the national economy and to the improvement of the quality of life of the Chileans, throught the association of research institutions and private companies to accomplish applied research, precompetitive development and technology transfer" Its financing methods are directed at Universities and non-profit Research and Development Institutions, as main beneficiaries, that co-invest along with the private sector. The process to call for Research and Development grants is carried out through annual public bidding based on project proposals. In order to finance the Technology Transfer projects, Fondef is open all the year.
All the projects which are selected by Fondef should have R & D components, a high socio-economical impact, co-financed with productive companies or other counterparts, and oriented towards the creation of relevant technological businesses.
FONDEF promotes the development of projects in ten areas generated from four essential criteria: - Those which are the traditional basis of the Chilean economy, such as those referred to as natural resources: Agricultural, Fisheries, Forestry, and Aquaculture; Mining; Water and Energy.
- Those with a high dynamism in building value, such as Infrastructure, Information and Communication Technologies, and Manufacturing (Industry).
- Those with a high social impact, such as Health and Education.
- Other relevant areas, included since 2004 due to their development potencial.
Over this time Fondef contributed to an increase in the capacity of Technology Transfer and the creation of value within the market, and to the development of scientific and technological management capacity, in both the Government and universities and private companies. Knowing, also, the importance of protecting the results obtained by the projects, Fondef promotes the creation of a culture that protects intellectual property
The projects awarded by Fondef are through: - Anual R & D Grants Proposal (annual public tenders in R & D, with blind peer review)
- Technology Transfer Programme (open window modality, with blind peer review)
The results are relevant R & D and the creation and improvement of products, processes and services. Such results have caused an increase in exports with added value, as well as the development of new markets.
FONDEF has been encouraging the internationalization of its projects through the introduction of its products and research teams into all these areas. Today, 30% of the initiatives financed have international participation.
Generation of new initiatives
From 2001, Fondef has generated new initiatives, which benefit from the experience gained in the regular tenders, and the development of the research and development activity among universities, private companies and technological institutions. These new Programmes have offered competitive grants in which the topics have been directly or explicitly established, unlike the regular biddings in which the topics are proposed by the applicants.
Among the most relevant initiates we can mention the following:
- Renewable Natural Resources Genome Programme, in association with CORFO and FIA
- Bio-mining Programme, in association with CORFO
- Programme on Information Technologies applied to Education
- Towards a Worldwide Aquaculture Programme
- Red Tide Programme, in association with CORFO
- Initial contribution to the creation of the Fund of Science and Technology in Health, FONIS, in association with the Ministry of Health
- Centre for Information Technologies Programme in Valparaiso, in association with the Regional Government of Valparaiso and JICA
All these developments provide a deeper insight to the research and development activity in Chile, and thus, instances to exercise an international leadership are created.
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