MINSK, 7 September (BelTA) – The State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus and SZAO Industrial Park Development Company have discussed prospects of scientific and technical cooperation and innovative cooperation, including in the sphere of information technologies, new materials and venture funding, BelTA has learned. The use of the Chinese program Spark for supporting R&D projects early on and in the middle phase of the lifecycle was mentioned as the committee's Chairman Aleksandr Shumilin met with the company's Director General Yan Gang on 7 September.
The meeting also touched upon the development of the industrial park's Chinese-Belarusian innovation center for commercializing R&D results. Ways to fill the center with promising startups and joint ventures were mentioned. Aleksandr Shumilin said: “We believe that prospects of future development of the industrial park are connected to the establishment of manufacturing enterprises that leverage new and high technologies, including enterprises resulting from joint R&D projects. We expect that joint efforts will secure the dynamic development of this platform and will produce significant results for the innovative development of the two countries.”
It was noted during the meeting that China is a strategic partner for Belarus, including in the area of science and technology. It is confirmed by the intensive interaction at the state level. In particular, a commission for R&D cooperation of the Belarus-China Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee operates under the aegis of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. The program on Belarusian-Chinese R&D cooperation in 2021-2022 produces good results. As many as 35 joint R&D projects in the areas the two countries prioritize are being financed in line with the program. Preparations are in progress for launching another contest for supporting various projects in 2022-2023. New joint subjects of innovative infrastructure are being created. The Belarusian-Chinese technology park in the city of Changchun welcomed the first residents in 2020. A Chinese-Belarusian innovation center for industrial technologies was registered as a resident of the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone in 2020. The center intends to create a business incubator in the park. The project is supposed to be implemented in 2020-2023. At least $500,000 will be invested in it. The Chinese-Belarusian innovation center for commercializing R&D results was opened in 2020 as well.
The Chinese-Belarusian innovation center for commercializing R&D results is an integrated platform for nurturing startup projects in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. The center is intent on increasing the intensity of implementation of R&D projects in the industrial park. The innovation center will combine the development of five platforms: an incubation platform for developing startup projects, a platform for integrating venture funds and industrial funds, a demonstration and trade platform, a platform for Chinese-Belarusian R&D cooperation, and an industrial platform for successfully developing R&D projects.
