IT IS ENVISAGED TO IMPLEMENT SECOND GRANT PROGRAM OF CRDF

Noyan Tapan
Aug 30 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The introduction of developments
of 6 scientific groups – winners of the grant tender announced by
the US Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and the
Enterprise Incubator Founadtion (EIF) has begun, the EIF director
Bagrat Yengibarian told NT correspondent.

The tender was held within the framework of the CRDF Science and
Technology Entrepreneur Program (STEP), while its winners were
announced during the venture conference held in Yerevan in October
2006. The following scientific groups: the group that designed and
created a prototype of a new piston pump, the scientific group that
developed a new cost-effective photovoltaic solar energy concentrator
system, the group that designed and marketed photovoltaic systems
based on silicon vertical multi-junction solar cells, the scientific
group that developed a new integrated biometallurgical process
for gold production, the group that worked out intensification of
probiotics production by means of burdock’s raw inulin, and the group
that developed TPS technology used in elite seed-potato production –
received grants of 5 thousand dollars each for the introduction of
their scientific developments in cooperation with their partners –
Armenian enterprises.

It was mentioned that the CRDF STEP has been completed in
Armenia. According to B. Yengibarian, negotiations are being conducted
with CRDF about launching the second grant program of CRDF. Scientific
groups financed by other donors, as well as agricultural organizations
willing to introduce new technologies of meat and milk production
have expressed their intention to participate in this program.

B. Yengibarian said that the issue of increasing the amounts of grants
during the second program or receiving co-financing from other donors
is also being discussed with CRDF because despite being small, the
sums of the first program were taxed.

STEP was implemented in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. In the words
of B. Yengibarian, monitoring of the program implemented in Armenia
is scheduled for November. B. Yengibarian noted that according to the
current reports, the Armenian program was implemented more successfully
than those in the three other countries.