Innovation Ambassador

Principle

National Innovation Agency(NIA) was established, in accordance to a Cabinet resolution, on October 1, 2003 to support national innovation by connecting knowledge and utilizing knowledge management. The aim of NIA is to efficiently develop innovation in the from of new business model to create new products, new technology, new services, and new processes in order to increase economy value to the nation. Innovation is being used as a catalyst for the country in moving toward knowledge-based economy and society in this new millenium.

Over the past year, NIA has tried to build a fully-efficient system to promote national innovation systems by providing both technical and financial supports to open business opportunity for private sector. Whereas technical supports help integrating and acquiring knowledge from research and development domain to confirm technological possibility. Financial supports includes Good innovation…zero interest, Technology Capitalization, Innovation Cluster Grant, and Venture Capital, which are driving forces for investing in innovation.

NIA aims to develop innovation projects by conducting seminars and meeting directly with enterprise personel. With many limitations of the agency along with a limited number of staff, NIA inadequately pioneers national innovation development.
In the year 2005, NIA has started an Innovation Ambassador project. This project aims to create collaborative network of innovation on industrial technology experts. At the early stage of the project, it is focused on honoring research personnel from academic institutions or research institutes to consult and suggest on knowledge management and technology transfer.

Additionally, honored research personnel are expected to evaluate market as part of a process to develop innovation projects which are capable of granting NIA supports. The success of this project will strengthen national innovation system in the near future.

Objectives

  1. To create innovation ambassador network to consult on knowledge management and technology transfer in order to develop innovation projects for private sector
  2. To encourage and support Thai enterprises for innovation investment to create value-added business and leverage competitiveness
  3. To integrate research and development of the country and transfer technology by qualified innovation ambassadors to create value-added knowledge
  4. To collaborate directions of research and development for innovation development

Qualifications of Innovation Ambassador

  1. Has an expertise and outstanding work history with private sector in research and development for industries and consultation experience in technology and innovation
  2. Able to communicate and network with private sector in both technology and business
  3. Eager to learn and ready to acquire new emerging innovation
  4. Has full-time job at a qualified company or institute and able to develop innovation that suites well with the current job
  5. Innovation ambassador who has excellent innovation project development will be promoted to be the senior innovation ambassador

Guideline

  • Innovation ambassador is eligible to use all 4 types of financial supports from the NIA including Good Innovation…Zero Interest, Technology Capitalization, Innovation Cluster Grant, and Venture Capital
  • Project approval and funding of each innovation project initiated by innovation ambassador is determined by rules and regulations of the NIA
  • Once innovation project has developed and gotten financial support from the NIA Board, innovation ambassador will have full consultant on that particular project with neccessary payment as written in project proposal

Conditions

  1. Innovation ambassador determine consultation fees of each innovation project from the industry
  2. Innovation ambassador will seek for new technology from both inside and outside the country and seek for industries which such abilities to develop and fund innovation projects
  3. Innovation ambassador is eligible for 1/3 of consultation fee from the industry, while the NIA and work will each receive 1/3
  4. Innovation ambassador should consult and develop project with private sector and create about 5-10 innovation projects each year

Project plan

Specific Support

  1. ผู้เสนอโครงการนวัตกรรมต้องเป็นนิติบุคคลซึ่งจดทะเบียนในประเทศไทย โดยมีผู้ถือหุ้นเป็นบุคคลสัญชาติไทยไม่น้อยกว่าร้อยละ 51 ของทุนจดทะเบียน
  2. เทคโนโลยีที่ “เมธีส่งเสริมนวัตกรรม” นำมาพัฒนาเป็นโครงการนวัตกรรมร่วมกับผู้ประกอบการ จะเป็นเทคโนโลยีใหม่ที่ได้มาจากผลงานวิจัยและพัฒนา สิ่งประดิษฐ์ สิทธิบัตร การทำวิศวกรรมย้อนรอยหรือการรับการถ่ายทอดเทคโนโลยี

Expected Results

  1. Create at least 10 innovation ambassadors to consult and develop innovative business
  2. Create at least 50 innovation-based investments
  3. Obtain research and development, inventions, and patents which have potential to be developed into innovation projects for at least 20 projects
  4. Create at least 100 innovation project proposals
  5. Create consultation and development in technology project to be a foundation in creating innovation to at least 60 projects
  6. Create at least 30 new products and 10 new brands
  7. Increase employment for up to 20%

Expect Outcomes

  1. Create innovation experts called innovation ambassador or senior innovation embassador at least 10 each year
  2. Increase competitive opportunity for enterprises in Thailand
  3. Help enterprises to increase earning from adopting new technology to enable efficient production
  4. Create greater value to business by utilizing innovation
  5. Increase employment and income of people
  6. Increase national GDP

Further Information
Vichian Sooksoi
National Innovation Agency
Tel 02–644 6000 ext 107
Fax 02-644 8443
Email : vichian@nia.or.th