Venture Financing Program (VFP)
Opportunity Status: |
CLOSED |
Funders: |
Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) |
Funding type: |
Refund |
Closing date: |
31 May 2023 | 5:00 PM |
Submit through: |
email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
Link to Documents: |
Program Guidelines, project proposal templates, and other relevant documents can be found at this link. |
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. |
- Food Processing
- Furniture
- Gifts, Decors, and Handicrafts
- Agriculture or Marine or Aquaculture
- Metals and Engineering
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Pharmaceuticals, Health, and Wellness products
- Manufacturing and Industrial processing
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:
- Have an active intellectual property (IP) filing
- An adopter of DOST-generated/funded technology
- A previous or current DOST beneficiary
- 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:
- 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.
- Slotting or rental fees. Maximum of three (3) retailers.
- Web hosting and maintenance fees. Maximum of one (1) year.
- Upfront and/or licensing fees for the adoption of the DOST technologies
- 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.
- The project proponent shall prepare a full-blown proposal along with the complete requirements.
- The project proponent may also attend any of the scheduled TechnoBYAHE sessions, which are announced on DOST-TAPI's Facebook Page. A TechnoBYAHE session is DOST-TAPI's event to orient on its Technopreneurship Programs, including the VFP.
- The project proponent may send a copy of the full-blown project proposal and the complete requirements via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive feedback on their proposal. The Applied Communications Unit for Non-inventors (ACU-n) shall provide feedback regarding the proposal's and requirements' completeness.
- The project proponent may send a draft to the indicated email to schedule a one-on-one consultation or writeshop session.
- The project proponent revises the proposal based on the ACU-n's feedback and completes the requirements if they are lacking.
- Once the project proposal and requirements are complete, ACU-n forwards the submission to DOST-TAPI's Records Section at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The project proponent may directly submit to DOST-TAPI's Records Section without seeking ACU-n's feedback.
- The application processing officially begins once the proposal submission is forwarded to or received by DOST-TAPI's Records Section. DOST-TAPI's Records Section shall provide an acknowledgment receipt to the proponent once the submission is successfully forwarded to DOST-TAPI's Records Section.
- The DOST-TAPI shall inform the project proponent, through the contact information provided, regarding the status of his/her proposal.
- The project proponent shall prepare a full-blown proposal along with the complete requirements.
Note: Template documents and forms can be found at this link.
- Proponent's application letter and commitment to avail the financial assistance addressed to the DOST-TAPI Director
- Endorsement of the concerned DOST Agencies
- Duly-Accomplished Data Privacy Consent Form
- Full-blown project proposal/feasibility study, which includes:
- Company's Background
- Marketing Aspect
- Technological Aspect
- Waste Management/Disposal/ Social Aspect; and
- Financial Aspect
- Mayor's/business permits
- Deed of Assignment, if applicable
- Latest Financial Statement for at least one (1) year
- Financial Statement only if the gross annual sales, earnings, receipts, or output does not exceed ₱3,000,000.00
- 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
- Certificate of registration of business name
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for corporations and partnerships
- Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) for cooperatives
- Notarized Board Resolution or Secretary's Certificate authorizing the borrowing and designating authorized signatories for the financial assistance (for Cooperative/Corporation), if applicable
- General Information Sheet (GIS), if applicable
- Certificate of registration of business name
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.
Do you have a VFP project idea but need help preparing a proposal or completing the requirements? Schedule a TechnoBYAHE Consultation or Writeshop!
Just follow these steps:
- Prepare a draft proposal. Download the proposal form at this link.
- Register and schedule a date and time:
REGISTER TechnoBYAHE Consultation or Writeshop
Make sure to sign in to your Google/Gmail account. You will also need to upload your draft proposal in the registration form.
- Wait for an associate to contact you to confirm your schedule and provide the meeting details.
To schedule a TechnoBYAHE Consultation or Writeshop session for a group, please send a request letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The request letter should include the following details:
- Number of participants
- Name and affiliation of the participants
- Technopreneurship Program being availed
- Draft proposals (as attachment)
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
For technical consultations that would require preparing a draft proposal first (see How to Apply), you may contact the following:
Applied Communications Unit for Non-inventors (ACU-n)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel. No.: 8837-2072 to 82 local 2157 / 2167