A new government-funded center that will tailor state research to the business community for free was opened by State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman on Thursday.
The Business Innovation Centre (BIC) will link researchers with the business community, Kusmayanto said.
"The BIC will promote research to the business community," he said.
"Retrieving the research is free because it is funded by the government, and it is only deemed useful if the results have commercial potential," he said, adding his ministry was also open to businesspeople interested in accessing the research.
Kusmayanto also expects the BIC to foster cooperation between academics, entrepreneurs and the government.
A main aim of the BIC will be to provide a supply and demand map for state research centers, in order to help researchers meet the needs of the business community.
Analysts said research projects conducted by government agencies often ended up in their internal libraries instead of in the hands of entrepreneurs.
The lack of promotion of research papers and bureacratic difficulties in retrieving them are to blame, they said.
The deputy state minister for the utilization and dissemination of science and technology, Idwan Suhardi, said the government had been prioritizing research and innovation in energy, transportation, defense, health and information technology.
Indian innovation expert TVG Krishnamurthy suggested local innovators think globally and widen their view.
"Act locally, but do not limit your view. We should figure out what the company can do globally. Today, capital chases innovation. Customers are the key. Products should be modified to meet their demands," he said. (uwi)
Find Article by Date