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Venture Financing Program (VFP)

Opportunity Status:

OPEN

Funders:

Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI)

Funding type:

Refund

Closing date:

31 March 2024 | 5 PM

Submit through:

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Link to Documents:

Program guidelines, abstract templates, attachments and other sample documents can be downloaded here.

Description:

The Venture Financing Program (VFP) is a program of the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) that accelerates the commercialization of innovative technologies or inventions by providing the necessary funding support to technology-based Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Through VFP, we provide technopreneurs with an accessible financing mechanism to grow their business.

1. Smart Electronics

Scope: Devices and components, including IoT devices, wearables, and home automation systems.

2. IoT and Automation in Industrial Settings

Scope: Industrial equipment with software integration.

3. Software/platform-as-a-service

Scope:Support software development for product marketing, and customer acquisition

4. Robotics/Mechatronics

Scope: Robotic systems, mechatronic devices, and intelligent machines, including prototype refinement

5. Transport System Technologies

Scope: Vehicle electrification, autonomous vehicles, smart traffic management solutions, and sustainable transportation infrastructure

6. Machining and Fabrication Innovation

Scope: Advanced machining and fabrication technologies, including prototype development, materials substitution, process optimization, and market

7. Water Resource Management Technologies

Scope: Water treatment systems, desalination technologies, wastewater recycling solutions, and smart irrigation systems

8. Renewable / Sustainable Energy Technologies

Scope: Renewable energy technologies, energy storage systems, energy efficiency solutions, and grid integration technologies

9. Nutraceuticals

Scope: Innovative processing/packaging solutions, and safety systems derived from food sources with health benefits and nutritional value

10. New Farming Technologies

Scope: Precision agriculture mechanization, emerging farming systems (hydroponic/aeroponic solutions), and remote sensing technologies

11. Farm Mechanization and Digital Integration

Scope: Mechanization technologies, digital farming solutions, and integrated agricultural management systems

12. Disaster Risk Reduction Technologies

Scope: Early warning systems, resilient infrastructure solutions, disaster response technologies, and community resilience

Eligible proponents for this Program are Filipino-owned MSMEs existing for at least three (3) years. They should be duly registered Sole Proprietors or Corporations or Partnerships or Cooperatives at least sixty percent (60%) ownership of which belongs to Filipino Citizens.

They should be a technology-based company and must be one of the following:

    1. Have an active intellectual property (IP) filing
    2. An adopter of DOST-generated/funded technology
    3. A previous or current DOST beneficiary
    4. A technology licensee

Eligible proponents applying for the Program should currently be in the commercialization phase, not in the discovery or pre-commercialization phase. 

The Program finances the following expenses:

    1. Raw materials and packaging materials required in the submitted client purchase orders (POs). Maximum of two (2) assistance, provided that the first assistance is fully refunded and liquidated.
    2. Slotting or rental fees. Maximum of three (3) retailers.
    3. Web hosting and maintenance fees. Maximum of one (1) year.
    4. Upfront and/or licensing fees for the adoption of the DOST technologies
    5. Certification fees for local and international standards

The Program will cover seventy percent (70%) of the project cost which shall be refunded by the proponent without interest. DOST-TAPI shall cover a maximum of Two Million Pesos (2,000,000.00). At least thirty percent (30%) of the project cost shall be covered by the proponent as a counterpart fund*

The period of refund shall not exceed one (1) year after the release of funds in addition to a maximum of six (6) months grace period.

*Counterpart funds refer to the funds provided by the proponent and may include costs to be spent for production, labor, services, remaining cost of the raw materials, if any, and other operating expenses, but excluding costs already spent for infrastructures, production equipment, and raw materials, at the time of the application.

APPLICATION STEPS

1. The project proponent will fill out an abstract form and submit it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. DOST-TAPI will evaluate the eligibility of the proponent and his/her project with the abstract as main reference.

    • The proponent may attend a writeshop session depending on where DOST-TAPI’s writeshops will be held for this year.

2. The project proponent will prepare the full-blown proposal including all the documentary requirements. The proponent must send a request to the DOST Regional Office for a positive endorsement based on the initial evaluation of the project TRL.

    • Please allow the DOST Regional Office two (2) weeks to issue an endorsement. The proponent should ideally request the endorsement well ahead of the Call for Proposals deadline.
    • The full-blown proposal and the line-item budget to be submitted via DPMIS will need to be filled out manually on the platform. Accomplished Word document for the full-blown proposal and Excel document for the line-item budget may be uploaded as attachments on the DPMIS.
    • The proponent’s project location will follow the respective DOST Regional Office. (e.g., if the proponent is located in Metro Manila; DOST-NCR is the appropriate DOST Regional Office). 

3. Once the proponent has finalized the proposal and completed all the requirements, including the DOST Regional Office endorsement, the proponent submits these via the DOST Project Management Information System (DPMIS)

    • The DPMIS shall close after the indicated Call for Proposals deadline. The evaluation period shall begin after the Call for Proposals deadline. Only proposals submitted successfully via the DPMIS will undergo official evaluation

4. The DPMIS shall forward the submitted proposals to DOST-TAPI's Records Section at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The application processing officially begins once the proposal submission is forwarded to or received by DOST-TAPI's Records Section.

5. DOST-TAPI shall inform the project proponent, through the contact information provided, regarding the status of his/her proposal. The proponent is expected to closely coordinate with the TECHNiCOM Program Unit for possible revisions and the next evaluation steps.

Note: Template documents and forms can be found at this link.

    1. Proponent's application letter and commitment to avail the financial assistance addressed to the DOST-TAPI Director
    2. Endorsement of the concerned DOST Agencies
    3. Duly-Accomplished Data Privacy Consent Form
    4. Full-blown project proposal/feasibility study, which includes:
        1. Company's Background
        2. Marketing Aspect
        3. Technological Aspect
        4. Waste Management/Disposal/ Social Aspect; and
        5. Financial Aspect
    5. Mayor's/business permits
    6. Deed of Assignment, if applicable
    7. Latest Financial Statement for at least one (1) year
        1. Financial Statement only if the gross annual sales, earnings, receipts, or output does not exceed ₱3,000,000.00
        2. Audited Financial Statement (audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant or CPA) if the gross annual sales, earnings, receipts, or output exceeds ₱3,000,000.00

For Cooperatives, Corporations, or Partnerships

    1. Certificate of registration of business name
        1. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for corporations and partnerships
        2. Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) for cooperatives
    2. Notarized Board Resolution or Secretary's Certificate authorizing the borrowing and designating authorized signatories for the financial assistance (for Cooperative/Corporation), if applicable
    3. General Information Sheet (GIS), if applicable

Documents relating to financing needs

No.

Required Supporting Document

Covered Expense

11. 

Unserved/confirmed purchase orders or sales contracts valid for at least two (2) months at the time of evaluation and signed by the proponent's client

Raw and packaging materials needed in the submitted client purchase orders (POs)

12.

Letter of acceptance from the merchant and proof of billing

Slotting or rental fees

13.

Contract or Job Order with supplier

Web hosting and maintenance fees

14.

Technology Licensing Agreement / MOA between technology generator and technology adaptors

Upfront and/or licensing fees for the adoption of the DOST technologies

15.

Quotation from certifying body

Certification fees for local and international standards

Note: the forms and samples can be found at this link.

The proposal shall be evaluated according to the following criteria. The weight of each criterion towards the final score is given as follows:

Compliance and Responsiveness – 10%
Technical Aspect – 35%
Marketing Aspect – 30%
Financial Aspect – 25%

Each criterion is rated from 1 to 5. The project should have an overall weighted average rate of at least three (3) to be considered for the final evaluation or endorsement for DOST-TAPI EXECOM* presentation.

*The DOST-TAPI EXECOM is composed of the DOST-TAPI Director, who facilitates the recommendation and approval of a project proposal, Division Chiefs, and Head of Legal Unit.

For general inquiries about VFP, please contact:

DOST-TAPI Public Assistance Office
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel. No.: 8837-2072 to 82 local 2153