The Buenos Aires Technological Innovation Fund (FITBA) provides $3,000 million for innovation projects aimed at the productive sector and public organizations. A total of 98 projects will be funded, eleven of which belong to the National University of La Plata.
Nicolás Rendtorff, Minister of Science and Technology of the UNLP, attended the awards ceremony of the projects of the 4th edition of the Buenos Aires Technological Innovation Fund, chaired by the Governor of the Province Axel Kicillof.
The FITBA is a critical tool for the scientific and technological development of the Province of Buenos Aires and is implemented by the Provincial Undersecretary of Science, Technology and Innovation with funds provided by the Federal Investment Council (CFI). The award ceremony also confirmed FITBA’s 5th Call for 2026, which will award 3.5 billion pesos.
At the meeting, Kicillof noted: “In developing countries like ours, investments in science and technology are always supported by the state: in this way, Argentina managed to build a system recognized at the international level.”
The FITBA initiative, in this edition, consists of three lines and aims to finance joint technological development projects between universities and public science and technology institutions, with MSMEs and cooperatives (line A), with other public organizations of the province (line B) or with municipalities in Buenos Aires (line C).
The UNLP receives funding of almost 300,000,000 to finance these projects, as well as eight other projects in which CCT La Plata acts as a beneficiary institution.
Rendtorff explained: “This program is of great importance because it allows funding the research of various groups and laboratories that deal with solving complex problems directly related to the needs of the private sector or the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires.”
“On the other hand, this program gains importance in the current context where there is a lack of programs from the national portfolio. Especially after the disappearance of the Scientific and Technological Research Projects (PICT) of the National Agency for Scientific and Technological Promotion, which were deregistered 10 days ago by a decree of the national government,” concluded the UNLP official.
The funded projects will help industrial MSMEs in Buenos Aires Province to replace imported inputs, implement artificial intelligence solutions in their production lines, integrate nanotechnology into their products and develop new industrial machinery, improving their productivity and competitiveness and achieving concrete economic results.
This new edition grants non-refundable contributions (ANRs) of up to P40 million for each of the awarded projects. As in the three previous editions, science and technology institutions will be the recipients of the funds and will be responsible for the development and transfer of the innovations. Companies, public organizations or municipalities receive a technological solution tailored to their needs.
The ANRs finance up to 80% of the total value of the projects, with a maximum of P40,000,000 for projects corresponding to the theme of “Productive Development” (Line A) and up to P20,000,000 for the themes of “Provincial Challenges” (Line B) or Local Governments (Line C). In all cases, users and beneficiaries must make a counter-contribution of at least 20% of the total amount of the project.
About The Author
