By Roman Stoletov
A round table discussion, entitled Problems and Practice: Commercialising Sci-Tech Developments and Innovative Ideas in Belarus and Germany, has been attended by Peter Dettmar, the Consul Ambassador of the German Embassy to Belarus. He notes, “Germany’s experience isn’t the only example to possibly follow but offers an idea of how innovative projects can be supported.”
Naturally, all states rely on innovations for successful development, since these allow production to move with the times, reflecting market demand. Sci-tech application to business is essential, so the state’s major task is to create favourable conditions for such work.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Business Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, Georgy Badei, believes that market relations need to be developed, while interesting innovations require promotion and support to achieve full implementation.
Sergey Novitsky, the Deputy Chairman of the Business Promotion Council of Belarus and Director General of Henkel Bautechnik JLLC, asserts that major economic modernisation is needed, using innovative technologies. He believes that Belarus has much to learn from other states regarding the application of sci-tech developments into production.
Germany is known for its efficient, multi-level support of innovative development, with considerable budgetary and external funds earmarked for such purposes annually. These are distributed via federal and regional programmes by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, facilitating the commercial launch of entrepreneurial innovations. Programmes in the Federal Land of Saxony rely solely on the banking system.
The 2011-2015 State Programme of Innovative Development of Belarus currently uses a system of tax relief to support innovative and high-tech production, applied across its free economic zones, at the High-Tech Park, and in small, rural settlements.
The round table session concluded that the successful development of the innovative sector requires adequate, up-to-date legislation and the support of private-public partnership, alongside efficient financial mechanisms and corresponding infrastructure.
Belarus plans a nationwide system to promote the commercialisation of innovations, including regional programmes. Commercial banks are to fund small and medium-sized enterprises by up to 50 percent of their costs. Meanwhile, consultative and marketing services will be offered and a system may be established to promote long-term sharing and exchange of innovative solutions.
