DOST S4CP — CRADLE (Collaborative R&D to Leverage Philippine Economy)

DOST S4CP CRADLE — Collaborative R&D

Connects Philippine companies and research institutions through S4CP CRADLE for collaborative projects that bridge practical ideas and university capability.

CRADLE (Collaborative R&D to Leverage Philippine Economy) is a sub-program of DOST's Science for Change Program (S4CP), administered through PCIEERD. It funds applied research projects that pair Philippine industry with higher education institutions (HEIs) and research and development institutes (RDIs), with the explicit goal of translating academic research into commercially relevant outcomes. Over a three-year period the program supported 63 projects with a combined allocation of PHP 285 million, involving 29 HEIs/RDIs and 63 partner companies — an implied average of roughly PHP 4.5 million per project.

All CRADLE applications require a formal industry-academia consortium: a Filipino-registered company must be partnered with at least one HEI or RDI. Eligible sectors span manufacturing, materials science, biotechnology, agri-technology, and emerging technology including AI infrastructure. Proposals are submitted through the DPMIS online portal and calls are announced on s4cp.dost.gov.ph and pcieerd.dost.gov.ph. The program operates on a rolling or annual basis; specific 2026 cycle opening dates were not captured in available sources.

CRADLE is distinct from SETUP (which targets MSME equipment acquisition) and from the flagship GIA multi-million basic research grants. It is most suitable for companies that have identified a specific applied research gap that a university or RDI partner is positioned to address, and are prepared to co-invest in a structured collaborative project. Applicants should monitor the PCIEERD and S4CP portals for the next call announcement and allow adequate lead time for consortium formation.