Some models have shown that when research is directly linked to production and markets, commercial value can be measured in concrete figures

When Businesses Help Shape Research

One of the notable changes at the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) is the expanded role of businesses throughout the applied research process.

At the workshop “Businesses in Applied Research and Co-Funding of Research and Development (R&D) Activities: Practices, Needs and Directions for Improving Support Mechanisms,” held in Quang Ninh on August 15, 2026, NAFOSTED presented changes to its management, funding and commissioning models, with a shift toward using practical needs and businesses’ technology problems as key inputs for applied research.

Under this approach, businesses are not only recipients of final results but can participate at every stage, from commissioning and proposing research tasks to leading or coordinating implementation, and ultimately receiving, applying and commercializing research results. The key change is not the addition of another stakeholder to the research process, but a shift in the direction of technology development: from primarily “pushing” research results to the market to “pulling” research from market demand.

NAFOSTED said that for businesses that do not yet meet the conditions to directly lead research tasks, the Foundation encourages partnerships between businesses and research institutes and universities. Businesses bring problems arising from production, market needs and technology requirements; institutes and universities provide research capacity, experts and facilities; and the Foundation connects the parties and supports the development of research tasks. The goal is to create a linkage chain from “business problems - research capacity - government support - application and commercialization.”

This approach is particularly important for commercialization because the hardest part is often not developing the initial prototype but turning the prototype into a product that meets standards and has customers.

A research result may have proven feasible in the laboratory, but when it moves to production at scale, a series of new costs can arise. Businesses must spend on testing, technology refinement, standardization, licensing, production lines or demonstration models, while market demand remains uncertain.

If support mechanisms focus only on the research stage and leave this “middle” stage unaddressed, technology can still become stuck before it reaches the market.

Notably, businesses at the NAFOSTED workshop also proposed management based on output results, funding according to implementation milestones, and allowing proactive adjustments during the research process. This signals that businesses are not simply seeking more funding for R&D but need a funding mechanism better suited to the risks and changes involved in technology development.

From Technology to Marketable Products

Looking at the science and technology business sector, some models have shown that when research is directly linked to production and markets, commercial value can be measured in concrete figures.

According to updated data from MST, there are currently 968 science and technology businesses. ThaiBinh Seed Group JSC is a notable case, with the company owning more than 30 copyrighted plant varieties. At the appraisal of its science and technology business application on April 10, 2026, MST recorded that ThaiBinh Seed allocated 2.26% of average net revenue over three consecutive fiscal years to scientific research, technology development and innovation. More notably, science, technology and innovation products accounted for 87.83% of total revenue during the same period.

At the strategic technology level, the national special science, technology and innovation program on strategic technologies aims by 2030 to master at least four strategic technologies, develop and commercialize at least 15 strategic technology products, including at least five products for regional or international markets. At the same time, the program aims to develop at least 20 businesses that master strategic technologies and technology products. Thus, the policy goal has shifted from “having technology” to “having technology and businesses capable of bringing it to market.”

“This approach aligns with the Scale NEXT National Program for Intellectual Property Commercialization. Through this initiative, MST aims to support research groups not only in refining their technology but also in analyzing market demand, developing strategies to leverage intellectual property assets, and building teams capable of successful commercialization.”

The most important aspect of Scale NEXT and the NAFOSTED model being promoted is bringing market needs into the process before research is completed.

When businesses define the problem from the outset, scientists will know which problems the technology needs to solve. When businesses participate in testing, products can be adjusted early to meet practical requirements. When businesses invest together, the State does not have to bear the entire risk alone, while research results have a stakeholder with an immediate incentive to put them into production.

NAFOSTED is working to refine mechanisms for co-funding, commissioning under a three-party linkage model, output-based funding and technology validation support. If operated effectively, these mechanisms will help address the specific gap identified by businesses: moving from research results to products ready to enter the market.

In this context, commercialization should not simply be understood as “selling a research result.” It is the process of turning knowledge into intellectual property, intellectual property into technology, technology into products, and products into revenue, market opportunities and competitiveness.

From the ThaiBinh Seed case to changes in NAFOSTED’s funding mechanisms, the direction is becoming clearer: research must begin with practical problems and ultimately create real value.