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Promotion of innovation in the region of Cyprus & IRC Cyprus activities. Antonis Antoniou IRC Cyprus Technology Advisor. Innovation. Innovation is recognised as a major driver for productivity, growth and employment creation Innovation ideas can derive from: Research
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Promotion of innovation in the region of Cyprus& IRC Cyprus activities Antonis Antoniou IRC Cyprus Technology Advisor
Innovation Innovation is recognised as a major driver for productivity, growth and employment creation Innovation ideas can derive from: • Research • Collaboration between suppliers & clients • Market & technology watch • Competition • Collaboration with technology transfer centers • Collaboration with financial institutions The benefits of innovation are usually long- term
Innovation and SMEs • The innovative capacity of most technology-using SMEs remains weak • SMEs tend to lack both the internal resources and the appropriate networking for easy access to the knowledge, technologies and finance on which innovation depends
Barriers in innovation process • Lack of time “…We are so busy to work in the business that we have no time to work on the business…” • Organisational structure • SMEs are resistant to change • Lack of funds • High risks • SMEs infrastructure • No access to information
Failure of innovation • Innovation has very high rate of failure and this is the major reason why companies especially SMEs do not innovate • Only 12%-20% of innovations succeed while the remaining 88%-80% fail (Edwin Mansfield)
Cyprus general information • Population: 797,800 • Surface area: 9,251 km2 • Annual Growth Rate: 5,2% • Distribution of the working population Agriculture: 4% Industry: 20% Service: 76% • GDP per capita: 15.000 Euro • R&D rate: 0.2%
Cyprus innovation policy • No single entity responsible for the design, promotion & coordination of innovation measures • Innovation system is structured on: • Policy level • Intermediary level • Implementation level
Cyprus innovation policy Policy level • Planning Bureau (PB) is responsible for the economic policy of the country • PB has central role in the RTDI strategy • Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism responsible for the promotion of high-tech companies, reconstruction of traditional industry, attracting foreign investment & promotion of high-tech industry
Cyprus innovation policy Intermediary level • Research Promotion Foundation promotes R&D strategy & measures • Cyprus Institute of Technology promotes the technological upgrade of the economy • IRC Cyprus promotes the development and management of innovation in Cyprus • Other initiatives and projects (RITTS)
Cyprus innovation policy Implementation level • Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics • University of Cyprus • Higher Technical Institute • State General Laboratory • Agriculture Research Institute • Cyprus Productivity Center • Private colleges & research centers • Business Incubators • Private enterprises
Cyprus innovation policy Innovation policy developments Strategic Development Plan 2004- 2006 priorities: • Extension & upgrading of infrastructures • Boosting competitiveness • Human resources development-promotion of equal opportunities • Balanced rural development • Protection of the environment & upgrading the quality of life
Cyprus innovation policy Strategic Development Plan 2004-2006 Boosting competitiveness: • Emphasis in strengthening SMEs • Encouragement of the R&D sector • Exploitation of the information society • Support of competitiveness • Exploitation of new technologies • Promotion of innovation • Productivity improvement
Cyprus innovation policy Strategic Development Plan 2004-2006 Encouragement of the R&D sector: • Support of research & technological infrastructure • Support of research & technological development • Innovation and technology transfer support • Promotion of the information society
Cyprus innovation policy Support to innovation policy makers • Policy makers undertake missions abroad to promote new collaborations and study specific policies • Systematic collaboration with Greece, Russian Federation (innovation issues) • Frequently visits to the USA, Russian Federation, Ireland, Greece and Israel (incubators issues) • RISC project (transfer experience from the regions of Kent, UK & Central Macedonia, Greece)
Cyprus innovation policy National framework to foster Innovation: • Business incubators measure • Youth entrepreneurship measure • Women entrepreneurship measure • Subsidisation of studies for the adoption of standards • Guarantees for loans to SMEs measure • Technology Park in co-operation with Sofia Antipolis Technology Park (future action) • Technology Park for ICT companies in co-operation with the Indian government (future action) • Research Center jointly with the School of Public Health of the University of Harvard (future action)
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center • IRC Cyprus was established in April 2000 • Sole partner consortium • The host organization of the IRC is the Cyprus Institute of Technology • Members of the host organization's Board of Directors is the Ministry of Commerce Industry & Tourism, Cyprus Chamber of Commerce, Employers and Industrialists Federation, Planning Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Human Development Authority • Chairperson of the Cyprus Institute of Technology (host organization) is the Minister of Commerce Industry and Tourism
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center • IRC Cyprus has very good knowledge of the Cyprus market • The IRC team is consisted of 9 members including the IRC Manager and Coordinator • The IRC staff is very experienced and works on the project since 2001 • The IRC team works on a sectoral / Thematic Group basis
Technology Transfer Technology Transfer assist companies and institutions to: • Share risks • Share costs • Gain technological knowledge • Develop common industry standards • Gain additional markets • Improve the product cycle • Help to the product development
Regional Constraints • The local demand from SMEs is not specialised and the overall competitive industrial environment is fragmented in traditional sectors; SMEs show limited propension to innovation. • The overall R&D performance is lower than in the rest of Europe and sectoral specialisation is possible for the Tourism which is the key economic driver of the Island. • The average time to reach a TTT substantially reduced during the last years because the local companies are keen to get first hand information about the most recent technology developments in Europe.
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center • The IRC staff carry out • (i) a standard technology orientation visit based on a standard check list assessing the production process, the competitive advantages and problems through a SWOT analysis , • (ii) followed by a follow-up visit.
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center • The IRC standard service package includes (i) the free registration to the Bulletin,(ii) TO/TR Automatic Matching Tool,(iii) participation to brokerage events and (iv)sign-posting to other Government supports. • There is no charging policy, At present the service promotion orientation is not encouraged and there is a strong reliance on Regional and European R&D funding as key lever to involve SMEs in Innovation and TT initiatives. • Local SMEs need to be coached in improving their perception of the technology transfer related services.
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center • The IRC staff works on a sectoral base. The IRC Advisors are working on the following economy sectors: • ICT • Fisheries • Agrofood • Textiles & Wood • Environment • Energy • Marine & Materials
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center Activity results for the periods 1&2 of the current contract • 50 Technology Audits & 128 Preliminary Technology Audits • 253 Company visits • Organisation of 4 info days, 4 workshops (Good practices, 6FP, fisheries etc) • Organization of 2 workshops for IPR issues, 2 workshops for funding innovation • 7 Meetings with Business Associations • Participation 9 in Brokerage Events and organization of 3 brokerage events • Distribution of the Monthly Bulletin (1500 recipients)
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center Activity results for the periods 1&2 of the current contract • Automatic Matching Tool (Diffusion of European technology profiles – 340 registered clients) • 16 TTT agreements (13 inward and 3 outward agreements) • 90 Negotiations (29 outward and 61 inward negotiations) • Organization of 8 company missions • Organization of 7 staff placements • Participation in Thematic Groups (Agrofood, ICT, Fish Technology, Environment, Marine, Wood)
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center Negotiations & TT Agreements in the first two years of operations
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center Profiles processed and TTT Agreements (2005-2006) Profiles processed into EoIs=12.89% EOIs into negotiations=13.4% Negotiations into TTT Agreements=22% Profiles processed and TTT Agreements (2004-2005) Profiles processed into EoIs=13% EOIs into negotiations=12,7% Negotiations into TTT Agreements=12,5%
Cyprus Innovation Relay Center Review of the Activity Report 2005- 2006 • Very good knowledge of the Cyprus market and needs of the IRC clients • Good to excellent project • The project has fully achieved its objectives and technical goals for the period and has even exceeded expectations