DOST traces its roots to the National Science Development Board, created in 1958, later reorganized as the National Science and Technology Authority in 1981, and finally elevated to full cabinet-department status in 1987 under Executive Order No. 128, signed during the Corazon Aquino administration.

Today, DOST is one of the Philippine government’s most active direct funders of startups through its Startup Grant Fund (SGF) program, launched in 2020, which has disbursed roughly PHP 230 million to more than 60 startups for research and development. DOST also runs a national network of over 50 Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) attached to universities and research centers.

Under the Innovative Startup Act (Republic Act No. 11337), DOST is named one of three lead government agencies — alongside DTI and DICT — responsible for implementing the country’s official Startup Development Program.

🇵🇭 Philippine Example

DOST-PCAARRD (its agricultural research council) runs a recurring annual Startup Grant Fund call specifically for agriculture, aquatic, and natural-resource technology startups — a real, verifiable, currently-running program rather than a one-off initiative.

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