To promote, develop, and commercialize the technologies, know-how, inventions, patents, and processes originating from various national R&D institutions and universities, the Government of India established the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) in 1953. At the moment, the NRDC operates under the administrative control of the Dept. of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology. In pursuit of its corporate objectives over the past six decades, NRDC has developed strong relationships with the scientific and industrial communities in India and abroad, built a broad network of research institutions, academia, and industry, and formalized agreements with them for the commercialization of know-how created in their laboratories. As a result, NRDC is now regarded as a significant repository of a wide variety of technologies covering almost all industries which include agriculture and agro-processing, chemicals, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, drugs, and biotechnology, metallurgy, electronics, and instrumentation, building materials, mechanical, electrical, and electronics, etc.
More than 4800 entrepreneurs have been granted licenses to use indigenous technology, and it has assisted in the development of numerous small and medium-sized businesses. Along with carrying the technology transfer baton, additionally, NRDC has had success exporting technologies and services to both developed and developing nations. The information regarding the policy is available on the website http://www.nrdcindia.com/.
Purpose of NRDC
IP Policy and Process Setup: Research and development (R&D) centres and businesses are at the forefront of knowledge generation. With innovation as its main focus, NRDC will offer expert assistance to organizations in developing their innovation, technology transfer, and intellectual property (IP) policies.
IP Consultancy Services: NRDC is committed to offering interested R&D organizations, academic institutions, and enterprises the necessary consulting services on all IPR-related topics, from developing and safeguarding IP to its commercialization.
Technology Landscaping: NRDC assists stakeholders in technology landscaping analysis by assisting in understanding the market for specific technology and the most recent advancements regarding that technology. The study will aid stakeholders in making crucial judgments and strategies regarding the R&D of product development processes, investing in particular technological fields, and spotting patent trends.
Promotional Programmes by NRDC
Programme for Inspiring Inventors and Innovators (PIII)
Allocation Fund: Rs. 500.00 lakhs (as per B.E. 2021-22)
The initiative is designed to support innovators and inventors in creating new, unique products and technologies as well as to provide them with the necessary financial and technical support to protect their innovations through the filing of IPRs both domestically and internationally.
The following are the main tasks:
- Development, verification, and commercialization of technology (TDVC)
- From the POC stage through pre-commercialization, provide technical support.
- For transferring technology from the pre-commercialization stage to the commercialization stage, seed finance via equity is available.
- Patent Support
- Supervising Incubation Facilities
Programme for Development of Technology Inspiring for Commercialization (PDTC)
Allocation Fund: Rs. 500.00 lakhs (as per B.E. 2021-22)
The scheme’s main goal is to assist lab-scale technologies so they can be adopted by the industry through value addition, the communication of knowledge about such developed technologies to companies, and the provision of a portion of funds as a seed fund.
The following are the main tasks:
- Laboratory-scale technologies maturing towards commercialization: value addition in the form of market analysis, the Basic Engineering Design Package (BEDP), and socioeconomic impact evaluation of technologies that are NRDC licensed, etc.
- Technology Information Dissemination Through Exhibitions, Publications, Advertising, and Industry Meetings
- Start-up India: Incubation facilities provide seed money to manufacturing start-ups.
- The launch of NRDC’s outreach office to promote IP and technology transfer
NRDC Outreach Center
WIPO- TISC
On January 28, 2017, the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) opened the IPFC Centre in the city of destiny Vishakhapatnam, with the assistance of the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME). On February 25, 2018, during the Partnership Summit, which was attended and witnessed by the then-honourable Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri. Suresh Prabhu, the then-honourable Chief Minister, Mr. N Chandra Babu Naidu, and other esteemed dignitaries of both state and central government, NRDC had the opportunity to establish the WIPO- Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) under DPIIT, Government of India. Since its inception, NRDC-IPFC&TISC Visakhapatnam has offered its IPR services to numerous PSUs of the Défense Ministry, Industries, and Academia. It has encouraged the licensing of numerous technologies to start-ups, solopreneurs, and MSMEs by promoting the technology know-how of CSIR, NIOT, and DRDO. Along with working with DPIIT-CIPAM, WIPO, the government of Andhra Pradesh, and the Ministry of MSME, NRDC-IPFC&TISC Visakhapatnam has been putting on a number of initiatives aimed at building capacity and promoting awareness, training, and workshops on intellectual property, technology management, and transfer.
In light of the expanding industrialization and start-up ecosystem, NRDC-IPFC&TISC Visakhapatnam’s goal is to promote technological innovation, IP promotion, and commercialization in the area. NRDC-IPFC&TISC Visakhapatnam has established a strong network with the scientific and industrial community in southern India. The goal of NRDC-IPFC&TISC is to promote technological innovation, and it is successfully pursuing these goals through activities like technology licensing, IP facilitation, capacity building, and awareness programmes. It has also taken part in numerous exhibitions and technology promotion events hosted by international organizations like WIPO and UNESCO and has run numerous programmes for developing technology-based entrepreneurship. The NRDC IPFC&TISC Visakhapatnam readily pursued its vision and goal while concentrating on making the center self-sustaining.
As a link between R&D organizations and business, NRDC-IPFC&TISC has offered IPR and technology transfer services to numerous PSUs, start-ups, business owners, and MSMEs, as well as IPR consulting services to armoires.
NRDC Incubation Centre: New Delhi
NRDC proposes to identify and facilitate the development of Innovation Facilitation Centers in Universities, National Institutes of Technology (NIT’s), IIT’s, Autonomous Institutions & Academic Institutions across the country where innovation activities would be promoted and encouraged among faculty, students, and researchers and would facilitate the effective management of Intellectual Property, decentralized innovation, and autonomous institutions.
In India, NRDC will establish Innovation Facilitation Centers (NRDC-IFC) in partnership with Universities, National Institutes of Technology (NITs), IITs, Autonomous Institutions, and Academic Institutions. The faculty, students, and researchers of the universities, National Institutes of Technology (NIT’s), IIT’s, autonomous institutions, and academic institutions in India would be able to market their innovative research work and enjoy the rewards of commercial success thanks to the network of Corporation with the local, regional, and global industries and entrepreneurs.
NRDC North Eastern Cell: Guwahati
On September 19, 2017, the North East Cell of the National Research Development Corporation was formally launched. The NE Cell of NRDC will now run out of GBP’s office as a result of an MoU inked between GBP & NRDC on January 5, 2017 during the Assam Biotech Conclave.
In summary, NRDC is acknowledged as a credible supplier of relevant technology, equipment, and services that are normally suitable for these nations. So, engages in a variety of activities under its structured promotional programme to encourage and advance research, promote inventions, and more. These activities include Techno-Commercial Support, Technical and Financial Assistance for IPR Protection, Value Added Services, and Support for Further Technology Development.