VietNamNet Bridge - Many scientific inventions still cannot be transferred and developed commercially because of a lack of intermediary organizations.

At an important sci-tech event, the HCM City Science & Technology Department displayed and introduced to visitors sea water purification equipment which can be used for offshore fishing boats and residents on islands and salt-water areas.

According to the department, the equipment is 0.8m x 0.5m x 1.1m, uses 24 volt electricity and can purify 30 liters per hour. The equipment has a ‘reasonable price’, estimated at VND90 million.

At the event, the Tay Nguyen University introduced some kinds of the next-generation fertilizer and plant protection products VINANA 1 and VINANA 2. The products are made of shrimp shells, and with natural derivation, they are non-toxic and friendly to the environment.

Truong Hong Ha, head of the school’s biotechnology transfer and environment division, said the school attended the event to look for partners to transfer technology.

“The research has been completed. However, large-scale production is not within our reach. If someone is interested in the product, we are willing to transfer the technology within the shortest time,” he said.

An analyst commented that it would take the inventors a lot of time and effort to find clients who buy technologies.

“Even though the products are useful and they have high quality, it will be not easy to sell them,” he said. 

“This is because Vietnamese, who need the products, do not believe in Vietnamese technologies. Meanwhile, we still lack intermediate institutions which connect inventors and clients,” he said.

Nguyen Van Ga, the author of the roller used for a salt field, who won the prize at the 2013-2014 Ba Ria – Vung Tau provincial creativity contest, also said he has sold only 5 machines so far, mostly to local enterprises, though the product was certified as having high efficiency.

As many as 250 technological products and equipment were introduced at The Days for Technological Demonstration and Connection in the South this year, an important technological event, but only 14 contracts on technology transfer were signed, worth VND70 billion. 

The figure, analysts said, doesn’t truly reflect the real demand for technological equipment, but realistically shows the real situation of the Vietnamese technology market.

A representative of the Soc Trang Science & Technology Department confirmed that  many inventions have been put into mothballs because they cannot be transferred.

“People tend to prefer foreign-made products no matter whether they are good or bad. However, they will think very carefully before deciding whether to buy domestically manufactured products,” he said.

“They will only accept domestically created products or equipment if they see others using the products as well,” he added.

Kham Pha