HKSTP
TecONE Briefing Session named “Postdoctoral Hub Programme and various Funding
Programmes by ITC” was organized by Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks
Corporation (HKSTP) under TecONE platfrom on 5th Sep 2018. On 22nd Aug 2018, the Innovation
and Technology Commission (ITC) announced that the “Postdoctoral Hub” Programme
(PH-SPC) under the Technology Talent Scheme was open for application. Incubatees and Innovation & Technology
(I&T) tenants of HKSTP are eligible for application.
The
first speaker was Ms. Linda Ng (ITC) and her topic named “Postdoctoral Hub
Programme (PH-SPC) for Incubatees & I&T Tenants of HKSTP and Cyberport”. Firstly, she briefed the objective of PH-SPC
was to nurture and bring together more technology talent and encourage them to
pursue a career in innovation and scientific research. The programme provides companies in HKSTP
& Cyberport with funding support for the recruitment of postdoctoral talent
to conduct research and development (R&D) work.
Companies
(incubate & I&T tenants of the HKSTP and Cyberport) proposed engagement
period is within the incubation or tenancy period with core business activities
to be technology intensive and innovation-based. Companies need to assign to the postdoctoral
talent technology R&D duties with appropriate guidance. The Postdoctoral Talent should possess a
doctoral degree in STEM related discipline which granted by local university or
within ranking 100 of QS, Shanghai JT University or THE.
Postdoctoral
talent should not be employed by the application company within the past three
months preceding the date of application and the postdoctoral talent selection
process is fair and without prejudice to any candidates. Moreover, they are not a proprietor, partner
or shareholder of the application company.
The details of funding support was showed as following diagram. The max. monthly allowance was HK$3,2000 per
postdoctoral talent.
PH-SPC is open all year round and application should be using the
Innovation and Technology Commission Funding Administrative System (ITCFAS) at
the ITF website (http://itcfas.itf.gov.hk). Applicants are also required to provide:
i)
Incubation / tenancy contract;
ii)
Business Registration Certificate;
iii)
Qualification document of the postdoctoral talent;
iv)
Recruitment advertisement for the postdoctoral
talent; and
v)
Declaration that the postdoctoral talent will be
allocated with a dedicated workstation or a fixed seat inside an office room
(for tenants of HDIH/BSC/ICT Co-working Center/Smart-Space)
The
procedure flow chart was demonstrated as following diagram.
Then Ms. Linda Ng (ITC) presented her another topic named “Internship Programme (IP-SPC) for Incubatees & I&T Tenants of HKSTP and Cyberport”. It is very similar to PH-SPC except the qualification requirement of talent. Funding Support was different and the max. monthly allowance is HK$16,000 for Bachelor degree and HK$19,000 for Master or higher degree. The monthly allowance (plus employer’s contribution to the MPF) will be provided to the applicant company on a reimbursement basis after acceptance of the progress report by ITC (i.e. on a half-yearly basis in general).
It is very similar to PH-SPC except the qualification requirement
of talent. Funding Support was different
and the max. monthly allowance is HK$16,000 for Bachelor degree and HK$19,000
for Master or higher degree. The monthly
allowance (plus employer’s contribution to the MPF) will be provided to the
applicant company on a reimbursement basis after acceptance of the progress
report by ITC (i.e. on a half-yearly basis in general).
The second speaker was Ms. Susan Tsang (ITC) and her
topic entitled “Public Sector Trial Scheme (PSTS-SPC)”. PSTS provides funding support for production
of prototypes/samples and conducting of trial schemes in the public sector to
facilitate and promote the realization and commercialization of R&D results
under ITF projects.
In
order to strengthen the local startup ecosystem, the funding scope has been
extended to cover production of prototypes/samples and/or conducting of trials
in the public sector by incubates and graduate tenants of HKSTP and Cyberport
since Dec 2016. The Funding Support was
upto max. $1,000,000 for each application.
The
application is open all year round and some requirements should be fulfilled. The most important one is seeking cooperation
with the public sector organizations.
Within
two months after completion of the trial project, the applicant should submit
the following electronically to ITC for fund disbursement including:
i)
Application for reimbursement for actual
expenditure
ii)
Evaluation report
iii)
An audited account for the project from an
independent auditor
The
procedure flow chart is showed as following diagram.
The
criteria to be considered was showed below.
Ms.
Susan Tsang (ITC) then presented another topic was “Technology Voucher
Programme”. TVP launched in Nov 2016. The eligibility has been relaxed to cover all
local non-listed enterprises, irrespective of size and duration of operation
with effective from 28th Feb 2018.
The
funding could cover:
i)
Technology Consultancy (optional)
ii)
Customized equipment/hardware, software and
technological services or solutions
iii)
Off-the-shelf/readily available equipment/hardware,
software and technology services or solutions (essential part of project
<=50%)
iv)
Auditing fee (if approved funding >$50,000; max
fee is $3,000)
The
funding scope and amount was showed in the following diagram.
The
following diagrams showed typical technology services / solution that TVP
covered.
The
procurement procedures were discussed and it had been relaxed.
Q&A Session:
Some
incubatees asked if internship talent had doctorate degree, could they transfer
to PH-SCP. Speaker said they were
discussing internally but no policy at this moment. Therefore, they needed to follow 3 month
separated period before re-submitted application. Moreover, it must related to R&D
job. However, there were no definition
in the scheme and it should be vetting case by case. 
Then
our colleague Mr. Wesley Wong (Senior Manager, Partnership Programmes)
introduced his team members and they all supported incubatees and tenants in
HKSTP for applying different funding scheme of ITF.
Lastly,
our incubation program team Chris also introduced her teammates and support our
incubatees.
Reference:
HKSTP
- http://www.hkstp.org
TecONE
- http://tecone.hkstp.org/t1_web/
Technology
Talent Scheme – Postdoctoral Hub Programme - https://www.itf.gov.hk/l-eng/TTS-PH.asp
20171003:
HKSTP TecONE Briefing Session on Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF)
- https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2017/10/hkstp-tecone-briefing-session-on.html
20161115:
HKSTP TecONE Seminar on Latest Gov Support & Planning towards Tech SME - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2016/11/hkstp-tecone-seminar-on-latest-gov.html
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