Get PHP 5 Million for Industry-Academia R&D: Philippines DOST CRADLE Program

If you’re a Filipino company that’s been wanting to work with university researchers to develop new products or improve existing ones, but haven’t had the budget to make it happen, the DOST CRADLE (Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy) Program could be exactly what you need. This isn’t just another grant—it’s a structured partnership program that brings together industry expertise and academic research to solve real business problems and create commercially viable products.

The program provides up to PHP 5 million in funding for collaborative projects between Filipino companies and higher education institutions (HEIs) or R&D institutes. What makes CRADLE particularly valuable is that it’s designed specifically for industry-driven research. You’re not funding pure academic research that might never leave the lab. You’re developing products, processes, or technologies that will actually be commercialized and used in your business.

DOST (Department of Science and Technology) manages the program through its Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI), which means you get support not just with funding, but with commercialization strategy, intellectual property management, and technology transfer. This is crucial because many industry-academia collaborations fail not because the research isn’t good, but because nobody knows how to turn research results into market-ready products.

The cost-sharing model makes this accessible even for small and medium enterprises. You provide 20% of the project cost as counterpart funding, and DOST covers the remaining 80%. This means you can undertake a PHP 5 million project for PHP 1 million of your own money—significantly reducing the financial risk of R&D while still ensuring you have skin in the game.

What the Program Offers

CRADLE is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application. Here’s what you get:

Funding for collaborative R&D covers the costs of working with university researchers to develop new products or processes. This can include researcher salaries, equipment, materials, testing, prototyping, and other direct project costs. The funding goes to the academic partner, but the project is driven by your company’s needs.

Access to university expertise and facilities is one of the program’s biggest benefits. Philippine universities have researchers with deep expertise in various fields, along with laboratories, equipment, and testing facilities that most companies can’t afford to maintain in-house. CRADLE lets you tap into these resources for your specific business challenges.

Intellectual property support helps you navigate the complex questions of who owns what when companies and universities collaborate. DOST provides guidance on IP agreements, ensuring both parties are protected and incentivized. Typically, companies get commercial rights to use the technology, while universities may retain rights for further research or licensing to non-competing parties.

Commercialization assistance through TAPI helps you actually bring the research results to market. This isn’t just about completing the research—it’s about turning research into revenue. TAPI can help with product development, market testing, regulatory compliance, and other steps needed to commercialize your innovation.

Network and credibility come from being part of a DOST program. This can help when seeking additional funding, partnerships, or customers. Being able to say “we’re developing this technology in partnership with [University Name] with DOST support” carries weight.

Key Details at a Glance

Who Should Apply

CRADLE is designed for Filipino companies that have identified specific technical challenges or product development needs that could benefit from academic research expertise.

Manufacturing companies looking to improve processes, develop new products, or adopt new technologies are ideal candidates. If you’ve identified a bottleneck in your production, a quality issue you can’t solve, or an opportunity to develop a new product line, partnering with university researchers through CRADLE can provide the technical expertise and R&D capacity you need.

Food processing and agriculture businesses can use CRADLE to develop new products, improve shelf life, enhance nutritional value, or create more efficient processing methods. Philippine universities have strong programs in food science, agriculture, and related fields that can help you innovate in these areas.

Technology and software companies can partner with computer science, engineering, or IT departments to develop new applications, improve algorithms, or solve technical challenges. Even if you have in-house developers, university researchers can bring specialized expertise in areas like machine learning, data science, or specific technical domains.

Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies can collaborate with medical schools, pharmacy programs, or health sciences departments to develop new medical devices, diagnostic tools, treatment protocols, or pharmaceutical products. The regulatory expertise of academic partners can be particularly valuable in this sector.

Environmental and renewable energy companies can work with environmental science, engineering, or related departments to develop clean technologies, waste treatment solutions, renewable energy systems, or environmental monitoring tools.

You’re a good fit if you have a specific technical problem or product development goal, can clearly articulate how solving it will benefit your business, have the capacity to provide 20% counterpart funding, and are willing to work collaboratively with academic researchers. You don’t need to be a large corporation—SMEs are actively encouraged to apply.

Insider Tips for a Successful Application

Start with the business problem, not the research. Many companies make the mistake of proposing research that sounds interesting but doesn’t clearly connect to business outcomes. Your application should start with a specific business challenge: “Our production process generates excessive waste” or “We need to extend the shelf life of our product to reach export markets.” Then explain how the proposed research will solve that problem.

Choose your academic partner carefully. Don’t just pick the nearest university or the most prestigious one. Look for researchers who have relevant expertise, a track record of industry collaboration, and genuine interest in your problem. Talk to potential partners before applying to ensure you have good chemistry and aligned expectations. A strong, committed academic partner makes a huge difference in project success.

Be realistic about timelines and deliverables. R&D is inherently uncertain, but your application should show realistic thinking about what can be achieved in the project timeframe. Overly ambitious goals (“we’ll develop five new products in one year”) hurt your credibility. Focus on specific, achievable objectives with clear milestones.

Show how you’ll commercialize the results. DOST wants to fund projects that will actually reach the market, not just produce academic papers. Your application should explain how you’ll use the research results in your business: Will you launch a new product? Improve an existing process? Enter new markets? Be specific about your commercialization plan.

Demonstrate your commitment through counterpart funding. The 20% counterpart requirement isn’t just a formality—it shows you’re serious about the project. Your application should clearly show how you’ll provide this funding and what it will cover. In-kind contributions (like providing materials, facilities, or staff time) may count toward your counterpart, but check DOST guidelines.

Address IP ownership upfront. Don’t leave intellectual property questions vague. Your application should include a draft IP agreement or at least a clear statement of how IP will be handled. Typically, companies want exclusive commercial rights while universities want to retain rights for research and publication. Work this out with your academic partner before applying.

Include letters of support from your academic partner. A strong letter from your university collaborator showing their commitment to the project and explaining their relevant expertise strengthens your application. This should be more than a generic “we support this project”—it should demonstrate genuine engagement.

Application Process

CRADLE uses a rolling application process, meaning you can apply anytime rather than waiting for specific deadlines.

Identify your academic partner is the first step. Reach out to universities or R&D institutes with relevant expertise. Discuss your business challenge and explore whether collaboration makes sense. You need a committed partner before applying.

Develop your project proposal together with your academic partner. This should include a clear problem statement, research objectives, methodology, timeline, budget, deliverables, and commercialization plan. Both parties should contribute to the proposal to ensure it’s truly collaborative.

Prepare required documents including company registration, financial statements, tax clearance, and other standard business documents. You’ll also need a detailed budget showing how the PHP 5 million will be used and how you’ll provide your 20% counterpart.

Submit your application to DOST-TAPI. Applications are reviewed for completeness, technical merit, commercial viability, and alignment with DOST priorities. The review process typically takes 2-3 months.

Present to evaluation committee if your application passes initial screening. You may be invited to present your project to a panel of experts who will assess its feasibility and potential impact. This is your chance to demonstrate your commitment and answer questions about the project.

Negotiate IP and partnership agreements if your project is approved. DOST will help facilitate agreements between your company and the academic partner covering IP ownership, publication rights, confidentiality, and other important terms.

Implement the project once agreements are signed and funding is released. You’ll work closely with your academic partner, with regular monitoring by DOST. Expect to submit progress reports and participate in project reviews.

What Makes a Strong Application

Clear business case is fundamental. The evaluators need to understand why this project matters for your business. How will it increase revenue, reduce costs, improve quality, or create competitive advantage? Vague benefits aren’t convincing—be specific and quantify when possible.

Specific technical approach shows you’ve thought through how the research will be conducted. What methods will be used? What equipment is needed? What are the key technical challenges and how will they be addressed? The academic partner should take the lead on this section, but you should understand and support the approach.

Qualified team with complementary skills is essential. Your company should provide industry expertise, market knowledge, and commercialization capability. The academic partner should provide research expertise, technical knowledge, and access to facilities. Show that together you have what’s needed to succeed.

Realistic budget that clearly shows how funds will be used. Break down costs by category (personnel, equipment, materials, etc.) and justify each major expense. Show that you’ve thought carefully about what’s needed and that the budget is appropriate for the proposed work.

Commercialization readiness demonstrates that you’re prepared to actually use the results. Do you have the manufacturing capacity to produce the new product? The market access to sell it? The regulatory knowledge to comply with requirements? Show that you’ve thought beyond the research phase.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Proposing research without clear commercial application. Some companies propose interesting research that doesn’t clearly connect to business outcomes. Every aspect of your project should tie back to specific business benefits.

Underestimating the time and effort required. Collaborative R&D takes significant time from both partners. Make sure you have staff who can dedicate time to the project, not just hope to fit it in around other priorities.

Choosing an academic partner based on prestige rather than fit. The most famous university isn’t necessarily the best partner. Look for researchers with relevant expertise and a track record of industry collaboration.

Vague or unrealistic commercialization plans. Saying “we’ll sell the product” isn’t a plan. Explain specifically how you’ll manufacture, market, distribute, and sell. Show that you understand the path from research to revenue.

Ignoring IP issues until later. IP disagreements can derail projects. Address ownership, licensing, and publication rights upfront in your application and partnership agreement.

Inadequate counterpart funding. If you can’t credibly show how you’ll provide your 20% share, your application won’t be approved. Make sure your counterpart funding is realistic and documented.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can startups apply or only established companies? Both can apply, but you need to demonstrate financial capacity to provide the 20% counterpart and ability to commercialize the results. Very early-stage startups may struggle to meet these requirements.

What counts as counterpart funding? Cash contributions, in-kind contributions (materials, equipment use, staff time), and other direct project costs you cover. Check with DOST for specific guidelines on what qualifies.

Can we work with multiple universities? Yes, if the project requires expertise from multiple institutions. However, this adds complexity to management and IP agreements.

What if the research doesn’t produce the expected results? R&D involves risk. DOST understands that not every project will succeed as planned. What matters is that you follow good research practices, document your work, and learn from the results.

Do we own the IP? IP ownership is negotiated between partners with DOST guidance. Typically, companies get commercial rights while universities retain rights for research and non-commercial use.

Can we apply for multiple projects? Yes, if you have multiple distinct R&D needs and the capacity to manage multiple projects.

How long does approval take? Typically 2-4 months from submission to approval, depending on the complexity of your project and the completeness of your application.

How to Apply

Ready to start your industry-academia collaboration? Here’s what to do:

First, identify your specific business challenge or product development need. Be clear about what problem you’re trying to solve and how solving it will benefit your business.

Second, research potential academic partners. Look for universities or R&D institutes with relevant expertise. Review faculty profiles, research publications, and past industry collaborations.

Third, reach out to potential partners and discuss collaboration. Explain your business challenge and explore whether they have the expertise and interest to help. Schedule meetings to discuss project scope, timeline, and expectations.

Fourth, develop your project proposal together. Work with your academic partner to create a detailed proposal covering objectives, methodology, timeline, budget, and commercialization plan.

Fifth, gather required documents including company registration, financial statements, tax clearance, and other supporting materials specified by DOST.

Finally, submit your application to DOST-TAPI. You can find application forms and detailed guidelines on the DOST website.

For complete program information, application forms, and contact details, visit the Department of Science and Technology website: https://www.dost.gov.ph/

Questions about eligibility, the application process, or technical requirements? Contact DOST-TAPI directly. They’re helpful in guiding potential applicants through the process.