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• Research and Development for Industrial
  Competitiveness
• Technology and Human Resources
• for Industry Programme (THRIP)
• Romilla Maharaj (PhD, MBA)
• Executive Director Human Institutional Capacity
  Development
• National Research Foundation
• 23 October 2008

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Presentation outline

• History
• Thumbnail statistics
• THRIP supported Research and Development
• About THRIP
• Investment in THRIP projects

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History

• A government and private sector partnership
  programme established in 1992.
• Conceptualised by NRF and research community.
• Response to the shortage of skills for industry
  and, the need to make South Africas industry
  more competitive.
• First grants awarded in 1994.

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Thumbnail statistics

• 85 of new jobs are in knowledge and service
  work.
• In-house Research and Development (RD) in
  business sector accounts for 58 of national RD.
• Only 1.8 of sales income was spent on
  innovation.
• 51 of SA firms had no RD efforts.
• In 2003, 1 large, 2 medium, 8 small, 49 micro
  and 39 very small enterprises.

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Thumbnail statistics (cont.)

• Only 1.3 of South Africans owned and managed a
  business that had survived more than three years.
• Rate of 1.3 is stable, but very low.
• SMMEs accounted for 36 of GDP in 2003.
• SMME sector in SA is underdeveloped.
• Very few firms are technology orientated.

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Why should an SMME invest in RD?

• Enhance products and services
• Create new product development
• Development of products and/or services
• Gives SMMEs a competitive edge and
• Innovation and productivity.

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Break-even-analysis
Customer base needs to grow every year.
Angel investor / loan
Money
Cash drain
Need RD
Year
Point of establishing yourself
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Links between citation and wealth intensities
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Patents granted in USPTO and EPO 1991 -2005
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Patent applications 1991 -2005 ZA (red),
Singapore (yellow), India (green)
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THRIP Mission

• To improve the competitiveness of South African
  industry, by supporting research and technology
  development activities and by enhancing the
  quality and quantity of appropriately skilled
  people.

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• THRIP supported
• RD

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Cultivating the rootsof economic growth
Cassava provides one of the main sources of
starch for poor rural farmers. In South Africa
it is an important potential crop for food
security and as an industrial starch for economic
growth and wealth creation.
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Changing theface of crime

• Excessive Internet usage for
• non-work purposes and deliberate
• misuse of the Internet have
• become a serious problem in
• many organisations.
• The University of Pretoria does
• research on computer security,
• protection of privacy and web
• services all of which is aimed at
• creating more secure mobile
• Computing and reducing electronic
• Payment vulnerability.

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Beefing upthe cattle industry
Irene Animal Production Institute apply software
that enables farmers to predict the true breeding
potential of individual animal. The breeder is
able to identify animals that will improve the
genetic ability of the herd, while avoiding
animals that are genetically inferior.
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• About THRIP

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Key objectives of THRIP

• Specific responses to the technology needs of
  industry
• Produce highly skilled researchers and technology
  managers
• Educational experience for students within the
  industry environment and
• Foster collaboration among industry and,
  researchers.

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THRIP Process
Academic / SETI Researchers
Industry
Partnership
Submit THRIP proposal to NRF

• Benefits
• People
• Products
• Processes etc.

THRIP cost and benefit sharing
Industry
Government
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How can SMMEs benefit?

• Matching RD funds
• Sharing cost and risks
• New or improved technologies, processes and
  products
• Spin-off technologies or companies and
• Tapping into knowledge at universities.

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Cost sharing between industry and government
Industry Partner(s) THRIP contribution Large industry contribution Small and Medium Enterprise contribution Very Small/Micro Enterprise contribution
Large industry(ies) only 1 3 N/A N/A
Large industry(ies) plus minimum of 25 by number of SMMEs 1 2 5 of highest contribution No financial Contribution
All SMMEs 1 N/A 1 No financial Contribution
All SMMEs and all BEEs 2 N/A 1 No financial Contribution
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Industrial Sectors supported
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• Investment in THRIP projects

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Co-investment by Government and Industry
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Industry financial investment in THRIP Projects
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SMMEs and Large Industry supporting THRIP
Projects
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SMMEs involved with multiple projects
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Industry Partner breakdownfor 2008/09 projects
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• How can you become
• an industry partner?
• Contact us _at_
• Etresia du Plessis
• Tel [phone]
• E-mail etresia_at_nrf.ac.za
• Website www.nrf.ac.za/thrip