Introduction of 'Citizen Participation' System from SME R&D Planning

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 17th that it will introduce a public participation system for designating priority items for SME intensive cultivation in 2021.

This system introduction was prepared to ensure that ideas from the public are reflected from the research and development (R&D) planning stage so that technologies closely related to daily life, which the public can feel, can be commercialized.

Until now, the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs established the 'SME Strategic Technology Roadmap' and designated promising technologies for SMEs that require strategic cultivation and commercialization technology development items suitable for SMEs for intensive cultivation. However, this time, it was improved to a public participation derivation method. The system was newly introduced reflecting opinions that it was difficult for the public to feel the effects of government R&D support in real life.

To collect ideas and opinions on the development of various new technologies and products necessary for public life, an online technology demand survey will be conducted for the public through the 'Technology Roadmap website.' The survey period is from the 18th of this month to the 30th of next month. Anyone interested in product ideas necessary for daily life or development technologies to solve social problems can freely propose.

In addition, IBM's 'Jamming,' which has been used for future technology forecasting and technology roadmap establishment, will be introduced. Jamming is a method where the general public freely discusses problems related to promising technologies through online brainstorming and finds solutions. Through this, various opinions of the public will be utilized in establishing the technology roadmap.

Promising technologies proposed by the public will be evaluated for practicality and marketability by the 'Intensive Cultivation Item Business Feasibility Evaluation Group,' composed of about 100 people including the R&D public evaluation group and investment reviewers. Projects with excellent business feasibility will be recommended as candidates for SME R&D support items in 2021. They will be finally selected as intensive cultivation items by an expert committee composed of experts in each technology field.

Through the SME Strategic Technology Roadmap, intensive cultivation items and strategic technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution field and the materials, parts, and equipment field will be discovered. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to provide focused support by designating items when soliciting R&D projects (such as SME Technology Innovation Development and Startup Growth Technology Development) in 2021.

Won Young-jun, Director of Technology Innovation Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "Ideas for daily life-related technologies and social problem-solving proposed by the general public will be reflected from the R&D planning stage, leading to commercialization through SME projects, providing an opportunity for the public to feel the effects of support."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.