Premier Jiang Yi-huah today commended the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) for the long-running Technology Development Program (TDP) and its many achievements, including the numerous patents obtained and utilized, the patent and technology royalties collected, and the spinoffs companies created.
In its report to the premier, the MOEA said that in 2013, organization TDPs—the largest of the program's three components—yielded 1,052 cases of technology transfer services and 869 cases of patent utilization, generating NT$1.3 billion (US$42.9 million) in revenue from technology and patent transfers. The program also spurred investments of NT$42 billion in 2,572 projects by 2,458 companies. On average, every NT$1 of funding put into the TDP stimulated NT$3.07 in investment.
Jiang said innovative research results from the TDP should be applied quickly to Taiwan's industries in order to upgrade, transform and enhance their competitiveness. The program's technological innovations should also satisfy the needs of the market, promote integration across different fields, and inject limited resources into development of core technologies. He asked the Executive Yuan's minister without portfolio in charge of scientific and technological affairs to coordinate efforts among related agencies so as to maximize the program's benefits.
According to the MOEA, the TDP invest mainly in smart technologies, streamlined manufacturing technologies, well-being innovation, green energy technologies and service innovation. These efforts enable domestic industries to build up their innovative capabilities and grow in a robust fashion.