The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the long-term national research program which goal is to develop academic research and applied science competencies for the development of innovative and commercializable products and technologies in close cooperation with the Latvian biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceutical, photonics, smart materials, electronics, electrical engineering, technology and engineering systems sectors. It is expected that during the implementation of the long-term program until 2032, at least 45 technologies will be developed, as well as at least five new technologies transferred to commercialization. The total funding of the program is 22 million euros during the period from 2024 to 2026.
Despite the fact that the total research and development expenses in Latvia are slightly increasing, additional incentives are needed not only for the promotion of research and development investments by companies, but also for resolute action of the state investments, moreover, planning these investments with a long-term approach. One of the ways to increase state investment in research and development is state research programs created by sectoral ministries, which are a state order to carry out research work in order to create new knowledge, skills and innovations, develop new products, processes and services, including developing human resources for sectoral problems for solving.
Decides to change the model of the national research program
The Ministry of Economy started to implement the state research program "Innovation Fund - Industry Research Program" in the smart specialization areas "Biomedicine, medical technologies, pharmacy" and "Photonics and smart materials, technologies and engineering systems" At the end of 2022. Currently two projects are being implemented, each worth 5.7 million euros.
The Minister of Economy Viktors Valainis states that the Ministry of Economy saw the need to change the model of the national research program, ensuring that commercially oriented national research programs are implemented with a long-term approach, putting the platform model at the center - associations of research organizations and platform cooperation partners, which implement the state order and monitors the implementation progress of projects submitted and supported on these platforms.
"Furthermore, it is planned to involve the Latvian industry in the work of the platforms, which would have the opportunity to define scientific problems, the solution of which requires early-stage research, which ensures that the work of the platforms can also contribute to the Latvian industry, if it shows interest in the research results and is ready to purchase these results and commercialize after the implementation of the projects," emphasizes the minister.
It promises flexibility in project supervision
Taking into account that the Cabinet of Ministers has previously approved the proposal of the Ministry of Economy to introduce a model of a long-term national research program based on the approach of platforms and platform projects, it is planned to establish the implementation of the long-term national research program "Innovation Fund - long-term research program".
It is intended to introduce cooperation platforms created by research organizations, select projects and apply flexibility in project monitoring. This will provide an opportunity to plan the work in the long term, as well as to set more specific goals, which would be important both for the achievement of national goals and for the development of the Latvian Smart Specialization Strategy area "Biomedicine, medical technologies, pharmacy" and "Photonics and smart materials, technologies and engineering systems". These areas of the smart specialization strategy have both a high scientific and commercialization potential, as well as extensive applications in the development of technologies, the further development of which requires a long-term funding approach.
Each program has its own tasks
The main long-term tasks of the program in the field of biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceuticals are to improve the availability of therapy for the increase of survival and working capacity by developing the production technologies of drugs, their transport forms and vaccines, implementing the re-profiling of medicinal substances, the discovery and development of new drugs, as well as the identification of new biomarkers and the development of precision medicine solutions.
On the other hand, in the field of photonics and smart materials, technologies and engineering systems, the main tasks are the development of solutions for optics, photonics, microelectronics, microfluidic devices, smart materials, data transmission and communication technologies, sensors and engineering systems, robotics and future internet of things.
Photo: Unsplash