IN INDIA

The Indian Project Coordinator (IPC) must be a commercial company that operates in and is headquartered in India (ideally, researchers or managers of these companies should be nominated as project coordinators). Academic institutions, other R&D institutes (including notfor-profit research institutes recognised by Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, DSIR, DARPAN) that are headquartered and operate in India are encouraged to participate in the projects as co-investigators/partners.

Note: An Applicant should not be having any ongoing project with TDB-DST, that has not been successfully completed, under any of its programs supported by TDB-DST.

Where business entities are participants in a project, but with no initial involvement in R&D activities, the project must show a plan of how capabilities are going to be developed in the business entity in the following years in order to:

IN SINGAPORE

A team of Indian and Singapore companies proposing an R&D project that meets the requirements in this area is eligible to apply to this RFP and does so in accordance with the national laws, rules, regulations and procedures of their jurisdiction or country

The project content and budget should be balanced between the Singapore and the Indian participants. Cost estimates must be congruous with the planned activities presented in the proposal.

Any team proposing an R&D project that addresses the requirements detailed below is eligible to apply to this RFP:

1. Proposals must demonstrate the joint India-Singapore project team’s capacity to manage the project in their respective countries and the modes for coordination between the two sides. The participants shall have an organisation appropriate to ensuring effective implementation of the project.
2. Projects must be innovative and market-driven, leading to the proposed development of new/improved technologies, processes or services, with a strong potential to commercialise.
3. The project must have a civilian purpose.
4. The project should have an obvious advantage and added value resulting from the technological cooperation between the participants from the countries (e.g. increased knowledge base, commercial leads, access to R&D infrastructure, etc.).
5. The participants are required to have signed a consortium agreement.
6. The IPC is responsible for the Indian application submission, leading the Indian part of the project and communicating with the SPC. Project Investigator (PI) will be an individual duly authorised by the IPC to this project on behalf of the IPC in India. The SPC is responsible for the Singapore application submission, leading the Singapore side of the project and communicating with the IPC.
7. For the Indian side, a minimum of 50% of the total project costs must be incurred by the business partners.
8. The projects should be in the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) between 5-8. For new processes or technologies, the project should lead to the creation of low-cost alternatives of an existing technology.
9. On the Indian side, should there be any change in the PI of the IPC, liability on account of the project will continue to rest with the IPC. The IPC shall ensure that the project is staffed with personnel of relevant qualification, experience and capability, as required, till project completion, so that the project execution is not impeded.
10. Although it is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged for projects to engage an enduser/first customer, on either side of the consortium.

IN INDIA

IN SINGAPORE

1. Singapore companies interested in applying should fill in the preliminary interest form by January 2025.
2. Upon confirmation by EnterpriseSG, a unique link will be provided for application on the Business Grant Portal (BGP)
3. Singapore companies must submit the Enterprise Development Grant (Co-Innovation Programme) Application by 28 February 2025, 8:00pm Singapore Time. Documents required include (i) supplementary project proposal form, (ii) latest ACRA Bizfile, (iii) latest and previous two years of audited financial statements or official management accounts, (iv) relevant key quotations, and (vi) any letter of intents.

The regulation of ownership and access rights to Background IP and Foreground IP shall be entered into the Project Agreement and include provisions regarding inter alia:

1. The Participants in a project shall ensure appropriate protection of Intellectual Property Rights (“IPR”) generated from cooperating pursuant to the joint project approved under the India-Singapore Request for Proposals (RFP) consistent with their respective laws, rules and regulations.
2. “Background IP” means any data, know-how or information whatever its from or nature, tangible or intangible, including any rights such as IPR, which is:
   a) held by each of the Participants prior to their accession to the action,
   b) needed for carrying out the action or for exploiting the results of the action, and
   c) identified by the Participants.
3. Each Participant is and shall remain owner of its Background IP. The Participants shall declare that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the use of the Background IP or Foreground IP in connection with the cooperation does not infringe any third party’s valid Patent Right/Intellectual Property Rights. The validation and verification in context of the project, is to be carried out with much sensitivity and precaution by the Participants to avoid all kinds of infringements of rights. The Participants will be jointly responsible for the Joint Foreground IP and each Participant is responsible for their own respective Background IP and/or the jointly created Foreground IP. Each participant is responsible for any kind of legal implications emanating from infringement by it of the IPR, as set forth in the Project Agreement.
4. A Participant that holds Background IP is, until the signing of the Project Agreement, or by special agreement with the Participants, entitled to exclude Background IP from a Participant's right pursuant to this section as per mutual agreement.
5. “Foreground IP” means any tangible or intangible output of the action, such as data, knowledge or information, that is generated in the action, whatever its form or nature, whether or not it can be protected, as well as any rights attached to it, including IPR, as a result of performing the activities under the Project Agreement.
6. If, for the implementation of the project, a Participant needs access to or use of the jointly created Foreground IP, that Participant shall be entitled thereto to the extent necessary without paying compensation. If, for the implementation of the project, a Participant needs access to or use of another Participant's Background IP, that Participant shall be entitled thereto to the extent necessary and the conditions for this are to be set out on the Project Agreement.
7. Unless otherwise agreed, if a Participant, in order to use the jointly owned Foreground IP, needs access to or use of another Participant’s Background IP, that Participant shall be granted such rights to the extent necessary in the Project Agreement.
8. Unless otherwise agreed, Foreground IP shall be owned by the Participant generating it. Where Participants in an action have jointly generated Foreground, and where their respective contribution to the joint Foreground cannot be ascertained, or where it is not possible to separate such joint Foreground for the purpose of applying for, obtaining or maintaining the relevant IPR protection, they shall have joint ownership of that Foreground. In case of Joint Foreground, the Participants should apply as co-applicants, unless otherwise agreed, for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Project Agreement and in accordance with their obligations under Grant/Funding Agreements with the respective funding organisations. The non-exclusive licenses to third parties to exploit the jointly owned Foreground, without any rights to sub-license, can be granted subject to the following conditions:
   a) agreement between the joint owners,
   b) prior notice shall be given to the other joint owners,
   c) fair and reasonable compensation shall be provided to the other joint owners.
   If employees or any party working for a Participant are entitled to claim rights to the Foreground generated, the Participants concerned shall ensure that it is possible for those rights to be exercised in a manner compatible with its obligations under the Grant/Funding Agreement with the respective funding organisation. The Participants shall use the Foreground in accordance with a plan for use. Use means, for example commercialization, licensing and publication. In case of publication consideration shall be taken to a Participant's need of protecting intellectual property and trade secrets.
9. Commercialisation: The Participants shall agree in advance on the ownership, management and commercialisation strategy. License rights, manufacturing rights, marketing responsibilities, ownership of technology and other related commercial strategies for the outcome of this joint project.
10. All information and documents exchanged between the Participants shall be kept confidential by the Participants and shall be used subject to such terms as each Participant may specify, subject to the Participants respective applicable laws, regulations, rules and procedures.
11. The Participants shall not use the information for purposes other than those specified, without the prior written consent of the other Participant.

STAGE 1

Eligibility check with complete set of documentation submission by the Indian Project Coordinator (IPC) and Indian Partners, if any.

STAGE 2: Initial Screening Committee Meeting

EnterpriseSG will only assess proposals that meet the formal requirements.

STAGE 3 (Onsite Project Evaluation / Due Diligence)

Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. How well the suggested project corresponds to the defined theme of the call
2. If there is a clear future market need for the intended technology, product or service
3. Novelty of technology in relation to state of the art
4. Novelty of process/functionality/integration/service in relation to state of the art
5. Technology maturity stage/proof of concept
6. Technical capability (team, infrastructure etc.)
7. Ability to deliver/complete the project
8. Financial capability/health of the project, including possible ways to fund the project to market entry
9. Project balance in terms of costs and efforts between the IPC and SPC
10. Commercialisation potential
11. The intended product, service or process has the potential to contribute to one or more of the Global Sustainable Development Goals in Agenda 20302

STAGE 4

Announcement of awarded projects.

STAGE 5

Signing of Grant Agreement (GA)