Call for proposals: The Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) 2026 FDCT-GDST External Science and Technology Cooperation Joint funding

1.The requested funding amount for each project shall not exceed MOP 1.3 million. For projects co-funded by prefecture-level cities, the requested funding amount for each project shall not exceed MOP 1 million.

2.The funding period shall not exceed two years.

3. At least one of the leading applicants from either side must be an enterprise. Where the leading applicant from Macao is a commercial enterprise owner or a commercial enterprise, it shall provide matching self-raised funds. Requirements for the Macao side's matching funds shall be stipulated by the Macao side’s Funding Scheme, while the requirements for the Guangdong side shall be referred to the GDST’s regulations.

4. Project leaders from both the Macao side and the Guangdong side must possess an established foundation of prior collaboration. Supporting materials demonstrating the collaborative relationship between both project leaders within five years prior to the release of the application notice must be provided, including but not limited to: co-published papers, works, or papers accepted for journal publication; joint patent applications; joint project funding applications; co-supervision of postgraduate students; and jointly organized academic activities, among others.

5. The Scheme will not support basic infrastructure projects, equipment procurement, policy and management and other soft science research projects, or market promotion projects.

6. Projects should achieve key technological breakthroughs and produce at least one marketready scientific and technological outcome with independent intellectual property rights. Expected outcomes shall include patents, technical standards, prototypes, models, or formulas, and quantifiable indicators for the outcomes must be set; and the project should generate certain economic and social benefits upon completion.

7. During the collaboration period, the Macao and Guangdong teams shall take at least one exchange visit to each other's institutions, and hold at least one project meeting (in any format) involving key responsible personnel from both sides every year.

8. For projects involving collaboration between a Guangdong enterprise and a Macao tertiary institution, the Guangdong enterprise must provide at least one short-term postgraduate internship (lasting for at least three months and in any format) for the Macao team during the collaboration period.