NIA reveals summary of Thai Innovation in 2021

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Bangkok, December 23, 2021 – Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, Executive Director of the Thailand National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), or NIA revealed the success of promoting Thai innovation in 2021 with delight since the strong support has accelerated the overlook of growth in many dimensions, whether it be DeepTech Innovation Business, increasing innovation opportunities at the regional and city levels, Thailand innovation ranking, reducing inequality, as well as a growing number of innovation businesses from the new generation. Together revealed the action plan in 2022 that continues to focus on innovation development amid the challenges of the world and continues to promote innovation to revitalize the economic and social sectors.

 

Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, Executive Director of Thailand National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), revealed that in the past year, in the area of the growth of Thai innovation, the first noticeable growth is on DeepTech, which has become a key element that enhanced competitiveness and changes in the current context. It is also the first year that NIA is the pioneer who has created a program to shore up DeepTech Innovation in the six target industries including MedTech, FoodTech, AgTech, SpaceTech, Defense Tech, and ARI-Tech. The emphasis is on working with higher education institutions, research, and technology institutes, and science parks across the country, to link in-depth research to develop into “Innovative Business” by the private sector. This includes supporting new Innovation-Based Enterprise (IBE) entrepreneurs to be able to develop innovative businesses with in-depth technology that can meet the changes of the future.

 

NIA aims to encourage Thai startups to turn themselves into DeepTech through innovative business supporting programs that use Deep-Tech Regionalization, the distribution of innovation knowledge to different regions across the country. NIA has been working together with partners in the exclusive economic zone or EEC, such as PTT Public Company Limited (Thailand), Siam Kubota, Soonthorn Tanyasap Co., Ltd., etc., organizing an in-depth incubation activity for 10 ARI-Tech startups, which gave the opportunity for startups to work together in a co-creation manner at the NIA Deep Tech Incubation @EEC activity. 

 

During the last five months, at least two startups were invested in, Alto Tech and MoveMax, which created a business value of more than 300 million baht. Additionally, two more startups are in the process of negotiating with further investors. Hence, NIA aims that by 2023, there will be around 100 companies capable of registering as DeepTech companies, 60 companies currently have good potential. NIA also shoring up investment in FoodTech Startup through the SPACE – F project together with Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, Betagro Company Limited, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Jaiyos Company Limited, and the Faculty of Science Mahidol University.

 

The next point of interest is “Spatial Innovation Development”, which currently has 12 cities or districts in operation, including 11 provinces in the Upper North and 12 provinces in the Upper Northeast. There are a total of 120 associates from state division, civil society, educational institutions, and research institutes, with approximately 12,000 innovators in the network. The newest neighborhood is “Aree Innovation District” which is characterized by ARI-Tech (AI, Robotics, and Immersive Technology), which is a collaboration with telecommunication companies, Government digital agencies, and other private sectors. 

 

In the past year, NIA has consistently focused on spreading access to innovation opportunities at the regional level. The emphasis is placed on working with local networks to capture the potential of each district, for example by allowing municipalities and citizens to participate in planning Maejo Agricultural and Food Innovation District and Suan Dok Medical Innovation District in Chiang-Mai, collaborating with municipalities to create a public space in the form of an innovation district that must have an Innovation Lab managing by local authorities, and working with universities and private sectors.

 

This also includes setting up a Startup Global Hub providing business information, organizing networking activities, and giving Smart Visas to Foreigners working in innovation in the country, in order to drive innovation at the city and provincial level. Additionally, it is also important to stimulate the community economy by promoting and supporting SMEs and startups in the area through the “Nilmunggorn” campaign to link entrepreneurs in SMEs, start-ups, and social enterprises space with accessibility to basic regional innovation infrastructure. NIA hopes that the 20 qualified teams will be able to increase sales by at least 3 times or a total sales value of not less than 630 million baht, as well as accelerate brand awareness by about 30%.

 

Dr. Pun-Arj added that it is gratifying that for the result of the Global Startup Ecosystem Index, Thailand ranked 50, and four cities are ranked in the Top 1,000 City on the World’s Best Startup Ecosystem. Bangkok jumped 19 places from 90 to 71 in terms of e-commerce and retail technology, while Chiang-Mai ranked 397, Phuket ranked 442 (shot up 428 places from 870), and finally, a new city that has just entered the list for the first, Pattaya, which ranked 833.

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2021/12/23/nia-reveals-summary-of-thai-innovation-in-2021/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2021-12-23

 

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