Innovative Wielkopolska

1. Poznań Science & Technology ParkCentre for Innovation Promotion Contract N°IPS-2000-1037 Innovative Wielkopolska Workshops on : Technology Transfer & Financing Innovation Interregional Collaboration with Partner Regions Industry – Science Relations 22-23 October 2003 – Poznań Presentation by Alasdair Reid Alasdair.Reid@ade.be

2. How to proceed? • Key challenges to be addressed by RIS: • “Political messages” –no more than 5 ! • Specific objectives to be pursued under each challenge • For each set of challenge/objectives: • Identify 1, 2 or 3 pilot actions; • Agree on objective criteria for selecting one as a “Flagship” (priority) project; • Identify a project champion & possible funding sources. RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

3. Technology transfer & financing – diagnosis • Vast majority of ‘intermediaries’ provide generalist business support services to ‘low tech’ SMEs: • But we have no understanding of quality of this support…(demand side analysis ?); • How do we know this does not actually meet current expressed needs of firms (demand side analysis)? • Human resources for business support are limited – about 20% are short-term specialists: • Can we identify within specialist base those focused on technology/innovation and upgrade their skills and expand their number? • Only 4 units involved in technology transfer? • What services do they offer in reality? • To what level of expertise and quality ? • To which sectors or types of firms? RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

4. Technology transfer & financing – diagnosis 2 • Is finance really problem n°1 ? • Risk and cost of innovation activities against uncertainty/delay of return may be real barrier. • Support needs identified offer different picture: new product development, brokering partnerships and international marketing support for new products. • Absence of structured platform for cooperation between R&D base, intermediaries and financial sector. RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

5. Inter-regional collaboration - diagnosis • On enterprise side – findings suggest limited propensity to co-operate: • particularly of exporters – yet most favoured co-operation is product promotion + relative openness to TT from abroad ? • Particularly at local level – fear of competition from neighbour – but willingness to co-operate at regional level on training ‘Trojan horse’ to build ‘clusters’ ? • Weak co-operation with support structures. • For support organisations: • Low satisfaction with current co-operation – money or priorities/awareness ? • Inter-regional co-operation – a few and mainly followers rather than leaders . RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

6. Raising awareness Creation of innovation agencies/observatories (RIS+ Niederösterreich, Dytiki Makedonia, Castilla-la-Mancha, etc…) Branding the region – promotion campaign (innovation week, portal, etc. – Greek RIS+) linked to new approach to support markets of regional firms (export clusters in Wallonia, B). Innovation in regional and local administrations – improving services through new methods and technologies (RIS+ Aragon) Focused study trips for intermediaries AND entrepreneurs to understand how innovation support systems work in other countries Professionalise and build capacity of system: Accreditation schemes (RIS+ Thessaly, Wallonia) twinned with training actions (e.g. on IMTs); Optimise current offer – pilot actions to develop services in partnership with enterprises (various RIS+); Improve networking of intermediary structures (e.g. model of French Tech Diffusion Networks; RIS+ Western Scotland) Evaluate effectiveness of current and planned funding systems (various RIS+) as basis for designing new instruments. Pilot actions – possible inspiration ! RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

7. Research-industry relations - diagnosis • Structure of R&D base: • Fragmented system (low budgets, 50% < 20 employees, only 7% > 100 employees) • Limited financial resources (essentially state funded) + contribution of business sector declining. • Performance: • Good ranking on scientific assessments (at Polish level); • Dominance of research on traditional fields but some new developments towards new technologies. • Research-industry relations: • Only 28% have continuous relations - branch R&D units have strongest relations; • Working with ‘low tech’ larger firms and no upswing in cooperation with higher tech firms; • Dominance of applied versus development co-operation but latter becoming more important RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.

8. Research-industry relations – possible pilot actions • Mobility of students and researchers: • Identified weakness in regional industry => create ‘gatekeepers’ by funding (Masters or PhD) students in selected enterprises (various schemes in EU). • Funding for research-industry consortia working on applied research themes (3-5 years from market). • Based on analysis of ‘key technologies’ for regional social and economic development; • Launch pilot programmes aimed at groups of enterprises plus R&D partner (e.g. RIS Wallonia, RIS Pais Vasco). • Research-industry training and technology centres (product development and certification) • In-depth review of existing JBRs and other similar centres and funding for restructuring and strengthening capacity to deliver services to industry (RIS Castilla-la-Mancha, RIS Weser-Ems, ). • Interface and technology transfer offices at universities or research centres. • Various RIS+, SPINNO programme in Estonia. RIS Wielkopolska - ADE S.A.