TAP - Technology Advancement Programme

The Innovation Fund invests in late stage research and development (where proof-of-science already exists) through its TAP programme by offering R&D Funding to higher education institutions, science councils and small to medium enterprises. This capital investment ensures that projects that are already underway can continue on to success and ultimately help to change the face of the South African business arena.

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The Technology Advancement Programme Objectives and Offering

The Technology Advancement Programme (TAP) is an investment vehicle of the Innovation Fund that invests in end-stage research and development projects from proof-of-idea/science to proof-of-concept. TAP is open to publicly funded institutions and provides funding for research in key areas of science and technology.

Through TAP, the Innovation Fund assists in the conversion of research ideas into commercially useful end-products. This is done through the funding for development with the aim of construction of a prototype. TAP projects are funded over three years and up to a maximum of R5 million per year including VAT, but not exceeding R15 million for the entire project.

Requirements and Rules for Application

Projects that involve technological innovation with a large component being R&D that provides new knowledge.
Capital investment is made in areas that will deliver significant benefit to South Africa either through: Expanding existing commodity sectors or enabling new health, social or infrastructure initiatives that create new opportunities or other benefits for historically disadvantaged groups.
Enabling the migration of existing industries to new added value areas, or create new leveraged industries from existing industries.
Enabling the establishment of new or emerging high R&D intensive industries.
Funding for research is offered within a consortium arrangement that incorporates the appropriate combination of research, business, NGO and BEE partners to achieve the benefit.

Procedures for Application

TAP operates on an open call basis and considers proposals in all areas. From time to time, the Innovation Fund does run closed calls for applications for investment in specific areas. A pre-proposal is submitted and after an internal screening and external evaluation, a successful outcome enables an application to proceed to a site visit, presentation and full proposal. The timeline from submission of a pre-proposal to a decision by the Investment Committee is expected to be 6 months.