The socio-cultural reality is that government and academia have very negative impression of business. Government means both politicians and bureaucrats and academia usually maintains a distance from business. Close cooperation is imperative for economic development.
It is widely discussed that bureaucratic bodies often encounter obstacles such as a lack of innovation and limited exposure to contemporary research and global best practices. The academia hardly thinks of consulting the business to know their requirement of technological development for goods and services. The business community only goes to bureaucrats to clear their files and obtain license and permits. They are also not telling their requirement of skill manpower and technology to academia.
For Bangladesh, a structured policy framework to strengthen government, academia-industry-research partnerships is essential to accelerate technology transfer, attract investment, and build globally competitive industries. Such a framework can also enhance the effectiveness of trade bodies, industry associations, and innovation funds, positioning Bangladesh to leverage its demographic dividend and upcoming LDC graduation for sustainable and inclusive growth.
The G2B++ model of cooperation represents an advanced framework of collaboration where Government, Business, Academia, and Global Partners jointly contribute to translating research into marketable innovations. Unlike traditional G2B models, this approach emphasizes a multi-actor innovation ecosystem that ensures knowledge transfer, commercialization, and societal benefits.
Government strategies should include providing financial incentives for R&D, establishing innovation centers, and strengthening intellectual property rights, while academia focuses on providing practical research and developing market-relevant curricula. Businesses benefit from skilled graduates and innovation, leading to higher productivity and growth, though challenges remain in bridging the gap between theoretical education and practical industry needs. All the stakeholders must jointly invite overseas cooperation for transfer of technology and skill development.
One of the example is the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The agency supports R&D that is aligned to areas of competitive advantage and national needs. These span the four technology domains of Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity, Human Health and Potential, Urban Solutions and Sustainability, and Smart Nation and Digital Economy.
There are some examples of cooperation in Bangladesh. It has been reported that Korean electronics brand Samsung funded two labs - Samsung Innovation Lab and Applied Machine Learning Lab - in BUET during the period of 2013-2019. The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Dhaka University and Janata Jute Mills have taken a joint initiative to carry out research on the method of jute retting with a view to making it suitable for cultivation twice a year and thus increasing production.
The key features of the G2B++ Model are (1) Government - Provides enabling policies, establishes intellectual property (IP) laws, funds R&D initiatives, and ensures a fair and competitive market environment. (2) Academia - Generates new knowledge through fundamental research, develops prototypes and innovations, and transfers technology by licensing intellectual property. (3) Business - Invests in applied R&D, scales up innovations, drives commercialization, and connects products and services to consumers. (4) Global Partners - Contribute international expertise, financing, and access to advanced global markets, fostering cross-border collaboration. (5) Market & Society - Serve as the ultimate beneficiaries, gaining from innovations in health, energy, ICT, agriculture, and other priority sectors.
The sequence flows is Policy (Government)?Knowledge Creation (Academia)?Commercialization (Business)?Global Support (Partners)?Market Access & Societal Impact.This model highlights that no single actor dominates; all four must work together to deliver innovation outcomes that benefit the people of Bangladesh.Time-Bound Roadmap for Continuous Engagement between Ministry of Science and technology (MoST), Trade Bodies, Academia, and Industry Associations.
Bangladesh may follow the G2B++ Model-Government, Business, Academia, Global Partners, and Market. It is a life cycle of 10 years.
Phase I: Foundation (0-1 Year): Objective: Build institutional mechanisms and align stakeholders. National Framework for Technology Transfer & Innovation Commercialization (NFFTT&I) to be established under MoST with representation from Bangladesh Competition Commission (BCC), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), FBCCI, Universities, and other leading research organizations.
- Mapping Exercise: Conduct a nationwide survey of university research capacity, existing patents, incubators, and industry innovation needs.
- Policy Alignment: Draft a National Research to Market Framework (NRMF) aligning STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) with industrial policies.
- Early Pilot Funds: Launch a Research Commercialization Seed Fund jointly with MoST and trade associations to support 10-15 promising prototypes.
Phase II: Early Engagement (1-3 Years): Objective: Create trust and test collaborative models.
- Joint Innovation Clusters: Pilot sectoral clusters such as in ICT, Agro-processing, Pharmaceuticals, Renewable Energy.
- IPR and Tech Transfer Offices (TTOs): Establish TTOs in at least five major universities (BUET, DU, KUET, SUST, BAU) with support from industry associations.
- Skill Development Programs: Co-develop curricula with trade bodies (e.g., BASIS, BGMEA etc. ) on applied R&D, entrepreneurship, and innovation management.
- Annual Research to Market(R2M) Forum: Institutionalize a yearly national forum co-hosted by MoST and industry chambers for matchmaking researchers and firms.
Phase III: Scaling (3-5 Years): Objective: Institutionalize and expand partnerships.
- Innovation Hubs: Build regional hubs in Dhaka, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, and Sylhet connecting universities, local industries, and MSMEs.
- Tax Incentives: Introduce R&D tax credits for industries funding university research or co-developing patents.
- Public Procurement Leverage: Ensure a percentage of government procurement is reserved for locally innovated solutions.
- Patent Pool and Licensing Marketplace: Create a digital platform under MoST for licensing patents and technologies developed by universities.
Phase IV: Consolidation (5-10 Years): Objective: Make the ecosystem self-sustaining.
- Innovation Endowment Fund: Establish a permanent, multi-stakeholder fund with contributions from government, private sector, and development partners.
- Global Linkages: Facilitate partnerships with ASEAN, EU Horizon programs, and South-South collaborations.
- Evaluation & Continuous Feedback: Every two years, commission an independent review of ecosystem performance on commercialization, startup creation, and job generation.
Continuous Engagement Mechanisms (Across all phases): Quarterly Roundtables: Co-chaired by MoST and FBCCI with academia and industry associations.
- Digital Innovation Portal: A shared platform for posting research opportunities, industry challenges, and funding calls.
- Monitoring Indicators: Number of joint patents, startups incubated, R&D investments, and export revenue from high-tech products.
Synergy between government, academia, and business fosters innovation and drivessustainable economic development and collaboration ensures that educational programs align with the evolving needs of the market and the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Bangladesh's transition toward a knowledge-driven economy requires deliberate policy interventions to bridge the gap between research outcomes and market application. While universities and research institutes are producing valuable knowledge, weak institutional links with industry and limited government facilitation have slowed the pace of commercialization.
The writer is CEO, Bangla Chemical
