NSTDA plays a major role in strengthening Thailand’s competitiveness through the technology implementation and innovation. Technology transfer is the main function that enables business and communities to create or strengthen their operations through technology and innovation. The supports are provided through Technology Management Center (TMC-NSTDA) and Agriculture Technology and Innovation Management Institute (AGRITEC) where TMC-NSTDA provides support to businesses and AGRITEC-NSTDA to communities.
Programs and schemes provided by TMC-NSTDA are categorized as following.
- Technology and Innovation Implementation Programs. These consist of programs to provide SMEs with an access to technical experts, testing labs, government and university research projects; to incentivize businesses to perform R&D; as well as to connect enterprises to NSTDA research centers. These programs include Innovation and Technology Assistance Program (ITAP), NSTDA Testing Labs, Technology Licensing Office (TLO), Research Gap Fund Program (RGF) and Company Directed Technology Development Program (CD). In addition, events such as Thailand Tech Show event and NSTDA Investors Day are organized regularly, serving as a platform to promote R&D collaboration, investment, technology transfer and networking.
- Business and Entrepreneurial Acceleration Programs. There are a number of programs dedicated to promote entrepreneurship in technology businesses, as well as to grow businesses and expand their markets through the use of technology. The support ranges from ideation, incubation and acceleration to joint investment under the following programs or schemes: Business Incubation Center, NSTDA Investment Center and Startup Voucher.
- Research and Development Investment Promotion Measures. To encourage business to perform R&D, the Thai Government has introduced measures such as corporate income tax privilege, low interest rate loan and government procurement program.
In addition, there are two programs under NSTDA manpower development mission that address the manpower in the tech industry, namely STEM Workforce and Career for the Future Academy. STEM Workforce provides support to graduate students whose work is a collaborative research between a university and industry; whereas Career for the Future Academy offers training courses in various topics, ranging from advanced technologies to business operation of tech industry, for scientific and administrative staff in industry to support the preparation of the current and future workforce in the industry.