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Creation of Innovation Clusters in Greece: the GSRT approach

Creation of Innovation Clusters in Greece: the GSRT approach. Dr Agnes SPILIOTI Director Support to Research Programmes Directorate General Secretariat for Research and Technology. Ministry of Education General Secretariat for Research and Technology

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Creation of Innovation Clusters in Greece: the GSRT approach

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  1. Creation of Innovation Clusters in Greece: the GSRT approach Dr Agnes SPILIOTI Director Support to Research Programmes Directorate General Secretariat for Research and Technology Study Visit, Athens, 23 April 2013

  2. Ministry of Education General Secretariat for Research and Technology Support to Research, Technological Development and Innovation Strategic Planning and Programming Excellence in Research Evaluation and impact assessment RDI indicators Support/ supervision of the most important public research centers and institutes (10 research centers, 3 technological organizations) Research Infrastructures National Roadmap Human Potential in Research Employment of Researchers in Industry Industrial Research Links between Industry and Academia Innovation (incubators, technological parks, innovation clusters, spin off spin outs, innovation vouchers) Regional RDI Dimension, Cooperation with regional / local authorities Internationalization and extroversion of the Greek RDI system European research and Innovation Area Athens, April 23, 2013

  3. Background • Cluster initiatives are flourishing all over Europe in the fields of research and innovation, regional policy, enterprise and industry, • International experience: need for geographical and thematic focus - development of synergies and networking in the triple helix model, • Structure of the Greek productive sector: >90% SMES - Clustering could be a suitable tool to achieve economies of scale and scope, • Contribution to the European Innovation Strategy. Athens, April 23, 2013

  4. Expansion Pre-seed Basic R&D Seed Start-up Applied R&D State aid in Research & Development Funding Cycle Basic Research Universities, Research Centres Excellence, Human Potential (docs, post-docs) Industrial research, Academia – Industry Cooperation, Transnational cooperation, Highly skilled personnel in industry Spin Offs – Spin Outs Innovation Clusters Incubators Venture Capital Tax exemptions (50% R&D expenditures - Patents) Development Act Structural Funds Private Contribution Death Valley State funding Commercial financing Pre-commercial financing Athens, April 23, 2013

  5. Support to Innovation Clusters • Build on previous experience: good practice in the Micro-electronics / embedded systems sector (Corallia), initiated by 2005. • Following a long consultation period, GSRT in 2011 launched a new Action to support the creation of innovation clusters in further sectors (co-funded by European Regional Development Fund) Athens, April 23, 2013

  6. Model: Innovation clusters according to the Community Framework of State Aids for R & D and Innovation (2006/c/323/01/30.12.2006) + Facilitator Innovation Clusters “groupings of independent undertakings — innovative start-ups, small, medium and large undertakings, as well as research organisations — operating in a particular sector and region and designed to stimulate innovative activity by promoting intensive interactions, sharing of facilities and exchange of knowledge and expertise and by contributing effectively to technology transfer, networking and information dissemination among the undertakings in the cluster”. In addition: knowledge - driven, specialise in innovative activities of high added- value and strongly oriented towards international markets. Athens, April 23, 2013

  7. Facilitator • Public or private organization playing a catalytic role in the setting up, expansion and management of the cluster: supporting the development of the necessary synergies and interactions, mentoring, providing services (legal advice, IPR, training etc), promoting visibility, international networking and penetration of products in global markets. • Free access to information and services to all potentially interested undertakings of the sector, members and non members of the cluster (open access one stop shop). • Dissemination of results. • Support for access to finance. Open access national infrastructure in the thematic field of the cluster. Athens, April 23, 2013

  8. A Two - Steps Approach • 1st Step: Call for expressions of interest (September 2011) - submission of short proposals including a mapping exercise in the thematic field of the emerging cluster, identification of the clustering needs, cluster identity), • 2nd Step: Call for submission of 5 - years business plans (launched July 2012). Financial support for the implementation of a 2-years pilot programme of joint activities. Athens, April 23, 2013

  9. Successive phases in clusters evolution • Phase 0: Preparatory phase - Mapping- Identification of Clustering Needs. GSRT intervention • Phase 1: Implementation of a Pilot Programme of Joint Activities. • Phase 2: Expansion – achievement of critical mass, Athens, April 23, 2013

  10. Call for expressions of interest: (Step 1) launched September 2011 • Target groups: networks including at least 10 business firms (8 SMEs) and at least 1 research/academic organisation located in Greece. • Open to all sectors/ thematic fields, and to all Greek regions • No limitation as to the type of the facilitator (private or public sectors) • No specific legal form was required prior to the submission. Athens, April 23, 2013

  11. Evaluation Results Step 1 (January 2012) • 23 proposals submitted • Evaluation by international experts (October 2011- January 2012): 9 proposals selected to proceed to Step 2 • ICT, Biotechnology for Health, Energy, Organic Electronics, Photonics. Athens, April 23, 2013

  12. Call for submission of Business Plans (2nd Step, launched July 2012) • The 9 selected applicants of Step 1 were invited to submit a 5-years business plan for the cluster as a whole, as well as individual proposals for the facilitator and each participating enterprise. • 8 proposals submitted • Evaluation by international experts • Evaluation results announced by January 2013 • 4 proposals selected for funding Athens, April 23, 2013

  13. Cluster proposals selected for funding • LIFE SCIENCES CLUSTER IN GREECE - BIONIAN • Hellenic Space Technologies and Applications Cluster ( si-Cluster) • Innovative Gaming Technologies and Creative Content cluster ( gi-Cluster) • Chorus Cluster for Green Energy - CHORUS Athens, April 23, 2013

  14. Budget • Initial Total Public Funding: 30 m € • Maximum Public funding per cluster: 5 m € • Facilitator: Joint infrastructures, provision of services • Business firms: relocation, consultancy, innovation advisory and support services, IPR, professional training, participation to joint fairs, creation of spin offs, prototype development and demonstration projects Athens, April 23, 2013

  15. The Innovation Cluster Programme is not a research funding scheme! • Basic or industrial research activities are not eligible for funding under the Programme, • No direct support is provided to research organizations (HEIs, PROs), for activities other than the functions of the facilitator, • Research organizations are allowed to participate as subcontractors to business firms for the implementation of experimental development projects. Athens, April 23, 2013

  16. Expected benefits • Increase investment in innovation, • Promote knowledge- driven entrepreneurship in high added value sectors, • Identify competitive advantages for the country (existing or potential) / smart specialization • Promote employment of highly skilled personnel, • Increase of exports and private investments, • Networking / complementarities with innovation clusters abroad. Athens, April 23, 2013

  17. Monitoring Indicators • No of undertakings (SMES in particular), research and other organizations participating to the cluster • Turnover • Exports • Attraction of private investments • IPR expenditure • No of patents/ filings for patents • No of international trademarks • No of quality certifications • R&D expenditure • Expenditure for research equipment • No of employees PhD or Master degree holders • No of PhD, MSC prepared • Professional training activities undertaken • Participation to fairs, exhibitions, brokerage events….. Athens, April 23, 2013

  18. Constraints • Limited spontaneous clustering activities, limited previous experience • Long, heavy, bureaucratic procedures • Restrictions of the Regional Distribution of the European Structural Funds – Limited R&DI budget for the regions in transition (Attiki and C.Macedonia), having the highest innovation capacity, • Restrictions of the European State Aid Regulations, • Current economic crisis. Athens, April 23, 2013

  19. Future Perspectives • Launching of a new Call (when?) • National Cluster Forum • International Networking / Explore Opportunities offered at the European level • Further support for expansion – achievement of critical mass / appropriate schemes to explore in the next programming period 2014-2020. Athens, April 23, 2013

  20. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Athens, April 23, 2013

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