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PM: Belarus needs to maximize return on investments in R&D
MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) – Belarus needs to maximize the return on investments in R&D, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko told the media following a visit to the Minsk City Technopark, BelTA has learned.
"The government’s policy in science and technology is based solely on the principles of demand for projected results. At my insistence, we have been using this approach for several years: any development, especially the one financed from the budget, must have a customer. So that we don't end up in a situation where the development is here but no one wants to commercialize it or it is too expensive and there is no customer for it. The situation when developers have received money but R&D does not get commercialized should not happen. I can't say that this system works 100% but the progress is there," Roman Golovchenko stated.
He noted that the money invested in science and technology has its effect. "One ruble of invested funds should return about 15 rubles in innovative products. The return is very serious. In addition, about a fifth of the cost of products sold is returned directly to the budget in the form of VAT. The overall export figures matter too. So, direct budget investments in development are returned in a cumulative way. The main task is to further increase the efficiency of the return on investment," the prime minister stressed.
According to him, it is important that science works exclusively for specific tasks and needs of the domestic economy. "Even if the development for some reason lacks demand in the domestic sector, it should be marketed abroad. We must sell technologies, no matter whether in the domestic or foreign market. So there's still work to be done. We need to work on the efficiency of scientific and technical activities. Now we assess it as satisfactory," the Belarusian head of government said.
He also touched upon the topic of the equipment technology parks. "There are centers for collective use, with expensive equipment, which, for example, a small company cannot afford. These are complex machines and measuring equipment. For example, there is such a center in the Minsk City Technopark," Roman Golovchenko said. In addition, within the framework of the state program of innovative development, funds are allocated to purchase equipment needed by residents of technoparks to launch innovative manufactures. For these purposes, a total of Br167.8 million budget funds has been designated.
The technopark has a total of 54 resident companies located on three sites. The largest number ( 43) are located in Soltysa Street. Another ten residents are in Partizansky Avenue. There is one resident in Tsentralnaya Street. Roman Golovchenko is paying a visit to the site in Soltysa Street, where the technopark was initially set up.
In particular, the prime minister was shown the exclusive developments by the technopark resident Medbiotech. The company manufactures medical products (implants and instruments) used in traumatology and orthopedics, spinal and neurosurgery.
The prime minister also got acquainted with the activities of other residents, who work in a variety of industries: components for aerospace systems, electric transport and electric vehicles, production of software and hardware and complexes for electronic queue management, feed additives, medical products for ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, exoprosthetics, commercial and warehouse equipment.
The technopark is set to expand and increase the number of residents.
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