2016 ANNUAL REVIEW Ministry of Science and Technology

Acting in accordance with the recommendations of the 25 th Executive Yuan Science and Technology Advisory Group conference, since 2007, MOST has sought to uncover research organizations' g r oundb r eak i ng academi c r esea r ch r esu l t s possessing industrial value via the planning of projects and drafting of appropriate mechanisms. Following collection of assessment recommendations during the first stage, which lasted from 2007 to 2010, the Germination Program got underway in 2011. This program seeks to systematically promote the commercialization of promising scientific discoveries, and has the following objectives: 1. To strengthen academic research organizations' capacity and mechanisms for investigating early R&D results with potential commercial applications, and simultaneously encouraging promising projects to train manpower and embark on startups. 2. To connect upstream scientific research with downstream industry, encourage the use of In order to strengthen linkage between academia, industry, and society, MOST has actively promoted "Using Legal Entities to Link Industry-Academia Collaboration Project," which rely on the research capabilities and industrial experience of research institutions to uncover promising academic R&D results, assist with value-adding and extension, and accelerate the industrialization of university R&D results. This program is expected to strengthen industry-academic linkage, create a self-reinforcing ecosystem involving university R&D results and industrial application, shrink the gap between universities and industry, ensure that industry makes effective use of academic research capabilities, and thereby give a significant boost to Taiwan's industrial competitiveness and capacity for S&T innovation. This program was initiated on a trial basis during 2015, and its applicable industrial areas were academic research results as a basis for startups, and foster linkage between scientific advances and commercial applications. This program has provided funding for the establishment of nine germination centers, which are located at National Taiwan University, National Yang Ming University, National Tsinghua University, National Cheng Kung University, National Chung Hsing University, National Sun Yat-sen University, National Central University, Chung Yuan Christian University, and Taipei Medical University. Targeting original technologies developed at universities and research organizations, these germination centers seek to uncover the commercial applications of these technologies when their potential is still unclear, and assist teams with innovative, technical, and early ideas to establish startups. As of the end of 2016, this program had brought about the establishment of nine germination centers and 20 startups, with the latter having total paid-in capital of NT$202.84 million. expanded to include biotech medicine, sustainable energy, machine materials, and civil engineering in addition to the original electronics/information/ communications in 2016. At the same time, the program has also sought to promote the Executive Yuan's "5+2" areas of industrial innovation — biotech medicine, green energy technology, smart machinery, Asian Silicon Valley, defense & aerospace, new agriculture, and circular economy. The chief features of this program are as follows: 1. Reliance on the capabilities of research institutions to accelerate the industrialization of academic R&D results: The program seeks to uncover promising academic R&D findings and accelerate the industrialization of those results via the capacity and experience of research institutions, which will nurture a new model of collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions. Germination Program Using Legal Entities to Link Industry-Academia Collaboration Project Ⅶ Ⅷ Ministry of Science and Technology 90 MOST Ministry of Science and Technology 2016 ANNUAL REVIEW