Not simply helping with money, but boosting the growth

Kazakhstan army of scientists numbering 16 000 has a chance to convert their innovative blueprints into a really marketable produce. The Center for engineering and technologies’ transfer of RK ministry of industry and new technologies is introducing new services – technological business-incubation to promote small and medium IT companies and projects. The government allocates 245mn tenge within the accelerated industrial-innovative development program (AIIDP) for the pilot program; by the year’s end at least 30 projects will be funded.

Frequently innovators are not experienced in commercializing their projects and setting up IT enterprises. They will now be assisted in it by Kazakhstan’s eight IT parks offering the services of technological business-incubation. The program operator is the Centre for engineering and technologies’ transfer.

Its managing director, Bolat Menshik calls on all the scientists at home and in other countries to submit their ideas to IT parks. In case they are proved innovative, i.e. not carried out before, at least in Kazakhstan, commercially and financially attractive, their authors will be given a comprehensive aid in their implementation, namely in drawing up a business plan, in providing spaces, tests, converting IT into a marketable product and what is no less important in attracting investments. And this is an incomplete list of services!

-We don’t simply give money, we boost the growth, - B.Menshik tallied up.

Anuarbek Sultangazin, a deputy chairman of board of JSC “National innovative fund” cited the world statistics, according to which only ten projects of 100 are a success and reminded of the “five finger” rule saying that one effective project pays for the others, hopefully not much will be spoilt before spinning and the state will keep allocating money for innovators’ backing.

During their life IT parks have considered 149 innovative projects, of which only three were sponsored by financial institutes; by the way the heat pump system worked out in Ust-Kamenogorsk and applied thanks to the center is now used in the capital’s Government House. For the moment the IT parks are considering 64 projects – possible clients of technological business-incubation, the process aimed at “raising” new innovative firms, hi-tech companies and implementation of high-risk but promising projects, at helping them “survive” at the early stage of development when fatal errors can be made.

This is the way Malaysia, South Korea and Philippines went to make a breakthrough in the innovative area, they became self-supporting only in 15-20 years. Now Kazakhstan is taking the path.

Asel Mukanova

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