Nghe An businesses access 1 trillion VND from NATIF Fund.

(Baonghean.vn) - The NATIF Fund has a charter capital of VND 1,000 billion, allocated from the state budget for the development of science and technology, and is supplemented annually to reach the total charter capital.

On the morning of December 15th, the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF), in collaboration with the Nghe An Technology and Equipment Exchange, organized a scientific workshop titled "NATIF's Support and Funding Activities Towards the Technology Innovation Tasks of Enterprises".

Attending the workshop were Comrade Tran Quoc Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong - Deputy Director of the National Technology Innovation Fund, and representatives from departments, agencies, and businesses in the province.

Representatives from businesses in the province attended the workshop.

The National Technology Innovation Fund was established by Decision No. 1342/QD-TTg dated August 5, 2011, of the Prime Minister. The Fund's functions include providing preferential loans, interest rate subsidies, loan guarantees, and capital support to organizations, individuals, and businesses for research, technology transfer, innovation, and technological improvement.

Comrade Tran Quoc Thanh - Director of the Department of Science and Technology - emphasized the importance of technological innovation in the era of integration.

The areas supported by the fund include: research projects; expert consulting; staff training; intellectual property registration; registration of standards and quality; technology transfer; pilot production; purchase of software, know-how, information, rights to use and exploit inventions; specialized equipment, equipment for measuring and testing products or in production processes.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, Deputy Director of the National Technology Innovation Fund, introduced the Fund's support and funding activities and selection criteria.

The NATIF Fund has a registered capital of VND 1,000 billion, funded from the state budget for the development of science and technology, and supplemented annually to reach the total registered capital. The Fund is managed by a Management Board (9 members), an Executive Body (Board of Directors and 6 functional departments), and a Supervisory Board (3 members).

Many businesses have raised questions regarding the operation of the NATIF Fund.

At the workshop, businesses raised many questions regarding the tasks and target groups of the support fund, the approval process, the framework of criteria, loan terms, etc.

Representatives from the National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF) specifically answered the businesses' questions and expressed hope that more businesses in Nghe An province would register to participate in order to receive incentives from the State.

Phuong Thao