On 21 October 2022, NSTDA organized NSTDA Deep Tech Acceleration Demo Day at Gaysorn Urban Resort. The activity showcased 22 deep tech startups that participated in NSTDA Deep Tech Acceleration Platform. The event was attended by executives of organizers and supporters including NSTDA Vice President Asst. Prof. Dr. Weerachai Arjharn, NSTDA Food Innopolis Director Dr. Akeanong Jangbua, Dr. Kitipong Promwong, President of the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), and Assoc. Prof. Chaleeda Borompichaichartkul, Deputy Director for Research Strategy of the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC).
Financed by PMUC, NSTDA Deep Tech Acceleration Platform is an accelerator platform designed to launch new deep tech ventures focusing on businesses in food technology, health technology and internet of things (IoTs).
In his remarks, Dr. Weerachai Arjharn reaffirmed NSTDA’s commitment in applying technology and innovation to drive the national development. The agency forms partnership with government agencies and industry to strengthen an innovation ecosystem to advance research to market. Supporting systems that NSTDA have established to leverage innovation capacity of Thai enterprises include Thailand Science Park, the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), Food Innopolis and Technology Management Center.
Dr. Akeanong Jangbua added information on NSTDA Deep Tech Acceleration that this is the second year of the implementation. The platform selected 22 startups with TRL4 and above technologies and market potential to participate in the incubation program to raise their technology readiness level (TRL) through the process of technology validation, market validation and standardization. Intensive workshops and bootcamps were organized for startups to develop entrepreneurial skills and obtain mentorship from experts to improve their product and business model, along with grants to support product development, standardization, and certification.
Assoc. Prof. Chaleeda Borompichaichartkul stated that PMUC established Deep Science and Technology Accelerator Platform Program to provide funding to academic and research institutes to develop infrastructure and innovation ecosystem to facilitate the launch of new deep tech ventures. The program has provided grants to nine universities and NSTDA and a total of eleven platforms have been set up. The platform will play a critical role in creating sustainable innovation-based businesses and raising the competitiveness of Thai enterprises, resulting in an overall robust economy.