Evaluating a Program of Public Funding of Private Innovation Activities: An Econometric Study of FONTAR in Argentina

This work contains an evaluation of the Non-Reimbursable Funds (ANR) program of the Argentinean Technological Fund (FONTAR), which is managed by a federal government agency. FONTAR's objective is to fund projects presented by private firms that aim at improving their competitive performance through technological innovation activities. The main goal of this evaluation is to analyze the impact of the ANR program on the innovation activities of granted firms. A series of econometric techniques were used to identify the performance impact for firms that have received a subsidy from FONTAR on relevant outcomes, distinguishing this impact from other factors that could also be affecting the performance of a firm.