Policy Information

Application period: April 1st to April 30th, 2025

Important notice: The applying entity must submit the signed project plan paper document and related attachments to the fund before the deadline (during office hours).

1、 Purpose

In accordance with the national positioning of Macao and the policy objectives of the SAR government, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of the current "Macao Special Administrative Region Public Finance Assistance System", "Regulations of the Science and Technology Development Fund", and "Regulations on the Support of the Science and Technology Development Fund", the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "Science and Technology Fund") has launched the "Foreign Science and Technology Cooperation Funding Program" (hereinafter referred to as the "Program") to promote the exchange and cooperation of Macao's scientific and technological workers with foreign countries, promote Macao to become an international high-end talent gathering highland, enhance the cooperation level between Macao and other regions in scientific research, industry university research, and talent cultivation, and play a greater role in the country's foreign scientific and technological cooperation.

2、 Maximum amount of funding application

Provide funding for collaborative research projects with eligible foreign institutions. The application for funding in this category shall not exceed MOP 5 million.

3、 Funding target

1. Public higher education institutions or public medical institutions in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

2. Private higher education institutions established in accordance with the law in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

3. Non profit private entities established in accordance with the law in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

4. Business owners or enterprises registered in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

4、 Apply for Qualification

1. Entities with legal personality as referred to in the preceding article may apply.

2.If the entity referred to in the preceding article does not have legal personality, an application must be submitted through the legal personality entity to which it belongs.

3. If the funding target is a commercial enterprise owner or enterprise referred to in paragraph 4 of the above article, and the application amount does not exceed MOP 1 million, the following requirements must also be met:

a. Registered in the Macao Special Administrative Region for one year or more. If it is currently an incubation enterprise of a national level innovation space in Macau, the registration period can be less than one year.

b. There shall be no less than three full-time employees. If there are less than three full-time employees, they must be recommended by a national level makerspace established in Macau.

4.If the applicant is a business owner or enterprise referred to in paragraph 4 of the above article, and the application amount exceeds MOP 1 million, they must also meet one of the following qualifications:

a. Enterprises certified under the Technology Enterprise Certification Program of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau.

b. According to Article 6 of Law No. 1/2021 on the Tax Preferential System for Enterprises Engaged in Science and Technology Innovation Business, the "Science and Technology Innovation Business Enterprise Evaluation Committee" is legally recognized as an "enterprise engaged in science and technology innovation business".

5. The cooperating foreign institutions must meet any of the following conditions:

a. Top 200 foreign higher education institutions in the latest comprehensive rankings by Times, QS, US News, or ARWU.

b. Top 100 foreign higher education institutions ranked in any of the latest Times, QS, US News, or ARWU disciplines.

c. Foreign companies included in the latest Fortune Global 500 list.

d. Higher education institutions, research institutions, or commercial enterprises legally established by Portuguese speaking countries participating in the China Portuguese Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum (Macau).

5、 Application requirements

Each research project must have a project leader who is responsible for leading and coordinating the project.

6、 Requirements for collaborative research

1. The applicant must sign a cooperation agreement, memorandum or letter of intent with the cooperating party of the applied project.

During the cooperation period, the following basic requirements must be met:

a. The project leader from Macau spends an average of no less than 7 days per year on exchange visits and research with partner institutions.

b. The project leader of the cooperating party spends an average of no less than 7 days per year visiting and conducting research at the cooperating institution in Macau.

c. At least two project work meetings (in any form) shall be held annually, attended by the main responsible personnel of all parties involved in the cooperation.

3. The expenses for cooperation partners shall not exceed 40% of the applied funding amount.

7、 During the application period

From April 1st to April 30th, 2025

8、 Type and scope of funding

1. This plan is a free financial aid.

2. Scope of funding: Projects that comply with the purpose of the Science and Technology Fund and the objectives of this program.

9、 Supporting investment

1. For applicants who are not business owners or commercial enterprises, if they cooperate with Macau business owners or commercial enterprises, such business owners or commercial enterprises must provide supporting inputs, with an amount not less than 10% of the funding amount of the Science and Technology Fund.

2. Applicants who are business owners or commercial enterprises must have corresponding self raised funds for supporting investment, with an investment amount not less than the amount approved by the Science and Technology Fund. The supporting investment must comply with the provisions of the expenses that can be subsidized under this plan.

10、 Expenses eligible for funding

1. Expenses eligible for funding include the following expenses incurred for executing the project:

a. Personnel expenses.

b. Obtain the necessary expenses for new machines and equipment through any means.

c. Expenses for consumable materials, reagents, and maintenance equipment.

d. The direct cost of applying for a patent.

e. Other derivative expenses.

2. The other derivative expenses referred to in item e of the preceding paragraph do not include the following expenses:

a. The expenses for establishing beneficiary entities.

b. Electricity, water, telephone, and other similar expenses.

c. Hospitality expenses.

d. Audit fee.

e. Obtain vehicles, except for experimental purposes.

f. The expenses of constructing, acquiring, and repaying real estate in installments.

g. Other expenses that are not eligible for funding as stipulated in the General Guidelines for Project Management of the Science and Technology Development Fund, grant decisions, and funding agreements.

11、 Application file

The application file should include the following materials:

1. Identification information and relevant supporting documents of the applicant.

2. Proof issued by the authorized department in the past three months that the applicant has not owed any taxes or social security contributions to the Macao Special Administrative Region.

3. Information on other projects funded by public funds and other pending applications submitted by the same applicant for funding purposes.

4. The identity information and resumes of the project leader and members, as well as information on the time allocated for executing the relevant project.

5. An application plan that includes a detailed description of the project. The application plan must provide a detailed breakdown of the project budget amount.

6. Statement of responsibility regarding the project.

7. A cooperation agreement, memorandum or letter of intent signed with any cooperating party.

8. If there are other documents required to be submitted in the declaration guidelines.

9. Proof that the cooperating foreign institution meets the requirements of Article 4.

12、 Submission of application

1. Applicants must write their application in any official language or English of the Macao Special Administrative Region.

2. Applicants who have applied for electronic signatures must submit their application files through the Science and Technology Foundation Online Application System on or before the deadline (during office hours).

3. Applicants who have not applied for electronic signatures must submit their application files through the Science and Technology Fund's online application system by the deadline (during office hours), and also return the signed and stamped application files to the Science and Technology Fund.

13、 Preliminary analysis

1. The Science and Technology Fund conducts preliminary analysis after the application deadline to verify whether the application meets the required documents of this program and whether the applicant meets the conditions for funding approval.

2. If it is found that the required documents for the application are not complete, the Science and Technology Foundation will require the applicant to submit the materials within 15 days as needed.

3. If any of the following situations occur, the application will not be accepted and will enter the evaluation process. The Science and Technology Fund will reject the relevant application and notify by letter:

a. The applicant does not meet the requirements of Article 3.

b. For international cooperative research applications, the cooperating foreign institutions do not meet the requirements of Article 4.

c. The applicant is on the list of those who are subject to mandatory collection by the Science and Technology Fund and have not been returned within the prescribed time.

d. The applicant is a debtor of the warehouse of the Macao Special Administrative Region.

e. The number of ongoing projects undertaken by the project leader exceeds the upper limit set by the technology fund for ongoing projects.

f. The project leader is in a situation where new funding applications cannot be submitted.

g. Simultaneously submitting multiple funding applications for the same project or having received funding from the Science and Technology Foundation for the same project.

h. If any supporting investment does not comply with the provisions of Article 9.

i. The application file does not comply with the provisions of Article 11.

j. Failure to rectify or submit application related materials after notification.

k. Violating current laws and regulations or failing to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of participants.

14、 Review methods and standards

1. Before accepting the application, the Science and Technology Fund Administrative Committee shall invite five to seven advisors from the list of project advisors to form a project advisory committee.

2. The application files that enter the review process will be submitted to the project advisory committee for review based on the following review elements and standards.

3. Evaluation elements and standards:

a. The value of the project.

b. Qualifications of applicants.

c. Feasibility of the project, work plan, and foundation for cooperation.

4. The Science and Technology Fund Administrative Committee may develop specific evaluation criteria based on the above evaluation elements.

5. The Science and Technology Fund Administrative Committee may invite external experts to review specific or complex funding applications.

6. The technology fund may conduct on-site inspections of the applicant's research conditions, meet with the project team and any collaborators for face-to-face discussions as needed.

15、 Grant of funding

1. For project applications with an amount not exceeding MOP 1 million, the Science and Technology Fund Administrative Committee shall make a decision on the application after considering the analysis and evaluation opinions of the application file.

2. For project applications with an amount exceeding MOP 1 million, the Science and Technology Fund supervisory entity shall make a decision on the application after considering the analysis and evaluation opinions of the application file.

3. The recipient must sign the "Grant Consent Form" attached to the grant letter within the deadline, declaring that they are aware of and will comply with the grant decision stated in the grant notification document.

4. The funding will be disbursed in installments according to the method described in the "Funding Consent Form".

16、 Funding period

The funding period shall not exceed three years.

17、 Achievement output and intellectual property requirements

1. Expected research results are not limited to academic or applied achievements, and may include papers, works, research (consulting) reports, patents, talent cultivation, software, hardware (prototypes, prototypes), technical standards, formulas, new materials, new processes, etc.

2. The applicant and the cooperating party must make prior arrangements regarding the intellectual property issues involved in the collaborative research, negotiate with the cooperating party to reach intellectual property terms, clarify the basic principles of intellectual property ownership and utilization of research results, and ensure that the applicant can effectively grasp and reasonably share the collaborative research results and their intellectual property rights.

18、 Please refer to the "Foreign Science and Technology Cooperation Funding Program" for detailed information on the report and agreed upon procedure report, obligations of the recipient, consequences of breach of obligations, possible disciplinary consequences, refund and compulsory collection of funding funds, administrative, civil and criminal responsibilities, supervision, appeals, personal data processing, and other precautions.