Challenges for innovation Bilbao, the 28th of April 2010 Innovation in regions Luc Rousseau General Director for Competitiveness, Industry and Services Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employement
Instruments to stimulate innovation Three Tools 1/ the regional innovation strategy 2/ OSEO and the Network Technology Development 3/ the cluster policy
Regional innovation strategy : background and issues Why a regional innovation strategy? Importance of the environment and specifically of the regional knowledge networks for innovating enterprises Increasing role of Regions in implementing and monitoring innovation policy French Regions in average or medium-high innovators groups according to the European Innovation Scoreboard European Commission pointed out innovation strategy weakness in Operational Programmes of structural funds Context of the Lisbon Strategy and mid-term review of the 2007-2013 Operational Programmes of structural funds (2010)
European Innovation scoreboard 2009 : Positionning of the french regions French Regions are in average or medium-high innovators groups according the European Innovation scoreboard 2009 most innovative regions are located in countries whose performance in innovation are the best.. France is ranked by the Commission in the 2nd group of «Innovation followers», while Germany, Sweden, Finland Denmark, and UK are classified as «Innovation Leaders» Source : European regional innovation Scorebaord 2009 (European Commission)
The Regional Innovation Strategy approach Objective Improve the french regions innovation performance in a context of international competition between regions Diagnoses SWOT thorough analysis with a specific methodology designed by international experts in this field. the Regions made an inventory and a performance appraisal of all the regional structures and actors of innovation about 100 studies in different areas regarding innovation (innovation in service sector, role of clusters )
Implementation of a regional innovation strategy Strategy fit the regions specificities design a tailor made innovation strategy Results Regional Innovation Strategies already approved by regional and national authorities in 20 régions among 26. Action plans decided with a battery of indicators for monitoring Regional innovation strategies integrated in operational programmes of structural funds from 2010 mid-term review. Better coordination between the regional, national and EU levels.
OSEO and The Technology Development Network (TDN) : a regional network OSEO has three activities : support for innovation (OSEO innovation) guarantee bank loans and equity investors (OSEO waranty) partnership financing (OSEO financing) OSEO runs the National Coordinating TDN group which is based on regional stuctures (associations in most cases) that support their operations. The Technology Development Network allows SMEs to : initiate a process of innovation, identify their technology needs, build a project, find the necessary experts (technical centers, university, laboratories) and provide businesses with financial advices or support (APTR).
The Technology Development Network : a regional network operations are funded equally by the national authorities, through OSEO Innovation, and the Regions 22 regional networks covering entire metropolitan area : - more than 1300 development advisors. - nearly 20 000 visits to companies each year. actors are part of different support organisations: Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Regional Centres for Innovation and Technology Transfer (Critt), Technical centers, OSEO, Direccte, research organizations, laboratories, universities..
TECHNEO : how to find a partner in regions In 2007, the TDN created a simple and intuitive search technology skills for Business : TECHNEO TECHNEO facilitates the search for partners, public or private, could provide the technical solution to the innovation project of the company. In March 2009, TECHNEO contains almost 33000 records of skills
Fruitful interactions with national policy : Cluster policy In 2004 : launch of a new industrial policy that combines more research, innovation and industry : => the competitiveness clusters policy combination of firms, highest education centres and research units, within a geographic area (regional and sectoral) sharing a common strategy centred on co-operative R&D projects, In 2009 : 2nd phase of the cluster policy : 1, 5 billion A reinforced contractualisation with poles : a strategic roadmap, action program for 3 years, progress indicators =>signing a performance contract between the clusters, national and local authorities Important issue : How to facilitate access to EU funding for the competitiveness clusters and how to secure financing for their governance structure
II/ Direct support to R&D projects Focus on clusters 71 competitiveness clusters labelled since mid-2005 ~ 5 000 companies are cluster members / 80% of these are SME 2 calls for projects (CP) launched each year Results of the 9 CP launched (2006-2010) ~ 1 500 R&D projects submitted and 14 000 researchers 740 R&D projects (~4 B ) have received 1.47 B public funding: 946 M (central government), ~ 500 M (regional and local authorities) 11
71 competitiveness clusters 17 world class clusters
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