Technology Development Board

The Technology Development Board is a statutory body created under the Technology Development Board Act, 1995 to support the commercial use of technology. Its central mandate is to facilitate the commercial application of indigenous technology and the adaptation of imported technology for wider domestic use through financial assistance.

Core statutory mandate

Under Section 6, the Board may provide support to industrial concerns and other agencies attempting the commercial application of indigenous technology or adapting imported technology for wider domestic applications.

• It may assist research and development institutions recognised by the Central Government when they develop indigenous technology or adapt imported technology for commercial application.
• It may also perform other functions entrusted to it by the Central Government.

Financial instruments and fund

The Act authorises the Board to provide equity capital or other financial assistance, including grants and loans, for its statutory purposes.

• The Fund for Technology Development and Application, constituted under Section 4, finances assistance and other expenditure incurred in carrying out the Act's objectives.
• The mandate therefore focuses on moving technology towards commercial deployment rather than merely financing basic research without an application pathway.

Institutional significance

The Board addresses the financing gap between successful research and market-scale production, where technological and commercial risks can discourage conventional finance.

• Its assistance can support both technology-producing research institutions and industrial entities undertaking commercialization.
• By covering indigenous technologies and domestically adapted imported technologies, the Act combines technological self-reliance with productive absorption of external technology.