Participation in the RésIt Partnership Day, jointly organised by the Italian Institute for Industrial Promotion (IPI) and the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Energy and SMEs, is open to any technical and entrepreneurial intermediary wishing to know more about Tunisian SME support centres and interested in establishing contacts for future cooperation in the textile and clothing, leather and shoes, packaging, mechanics and electronics sectors.

The event will take place at La Maison de l'Exportateur in Tunis on December 13, 2004.

  Download the agenda (FR)

The deadline for registration is December 2, 2004.
  Download the registration form (FR)

For further information contact IPI:
Ms. Francesca Giannotti
 giannotti@ipi.it 
Phone: +39.06.80972.519
Fax: +39.06.80972.443

Read more about the RésIT Partnership Day:
 http://www.insme.org/

How can incubators and venture capital investors cooperate? How lucrative is the collaboration for the involved parties? How is it possible to increase the venture capital investment flow to firms within incubators?

In order to shed light on these important issues, the Italian Institute for Industrial Promotion (IPI) and the International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development (IKED) have carried out a survey on 28 incubators from 15 different countries.

The results of this survey will be presented in a working paper to be issued in December 2004. Until then, an executive summary can be downloaded from the INSME portal:
  Working Paper on Incubators and Venture Capital - Executive Summary

If you are interested in this work, to ensure you will receive a copy of the full report, please send an email to the authors:

Ms. Glenda Napier  Glenda.napier@iked.org

Mr. Enrico Callegati  callegati@ipi.it

We invite you to visit IPRsonline.org, a website on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) supported by UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Member of the INSME Advisory Group).

IPRsonline.org contains a selection of relevant documents and resources related to IPRs and sustainable development including a guide to IPRs, proposals submitted to the WTO (World Trade Organisation), discussion papers classified by topics, a calendar of IPRs related events, latest news on IPRs, and links to relevant institutions working on IPRs.

http://www.iprsonline.org/index.htm

The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Guwahati, established in the year 1993 by the erstwhile Ministry of Small Scale Industry, Government of India with an aim to undertake training, research and consultancy activities in the small industry sector has been doing yeoman's service in the field of imparting entrepreneurial development training. As an institute set up in an industrially backward region of India, the challenges in the path of promoting entrepreneurship are many. In the last decade of its existence, the Institute has carried out a large number of training programmes both for potential and existing entrepreneurs and has also carried out research studies documenting success stories, the status of small scale industries etc. in North East India.

Through the network, the Institute would like to:

1. Share some of its findings and understand various strategies for Entrepreneurship Development undertaken by other member organisations;
2. Evolve a business development model for underdeveloped and developing countries;
3. Explore the possibility of replicating some of its work in other parts of the world.

Learn more about the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship:
  IIE Presentation

Mr. Alessandro Sisti, member of the INSME Secretariat, illustrated the INSME portal and its online services on the occasion of the sixth workshop of the European e-Business Support Network, held in Rome on November 19, 2004.

The workshop, co-organised by the DG Enterprise of the European Commission, the Italian Ministry of Productive Activities and the Italian Institute for Industrial Promotion (IPI), focused on best practices for e-solutions implemented at national and international level and available for SMEs.

  Download the agenda

Further information on this event can be found on the INSME portal, in the Life of the Network section:
  Life of the Network

Download the presentations made at the workshop:
  Presentations

Visit the European e-Business Support Network website:
  http://www.e-bsn.org/

The call for applications for the INSME Award-First Edition was closed on November 15.

The INSME Secretariat received 7 applications falling into Category 1 of the Award (Intermediaries and their networks) and 8 falling into Category 2 (Initiatives, programmes and projects).

Applications received will be examined by the INSME Secretariat and then evaluated by the INSME Award Jury.

The Award Ceremony will take place on April 13, 2005, on the occasion of the First INSME Annual Meeting in Barcelona.

For further information on the INSME Award 2005, visit:
 Call for applications for the INSME Award-First Edition

"50 billion euro to win the European challenge for innovation"

That is the total amount that the European Investment Bank will make available in the decade 2000-2010 to support research, development and innovation and thus take forward the Lisbon Strategy.

Innovation 2010 Initiative is the name of the programme that makes this challenge achievable. In this interview, Mr. Munini, Co-ordinator of R&D Task Force at EIB, explains how. Above all he provides insight into the tools that channel this money to SMEs and intermediaries and makes suggestions regarding the strategic directions that Policy Makers should take in order to make the most of the EIB's funding of innovation.

Read INSME's interview with Mr. Munini:
  http://www.insme.org/

We welcome proposals for new topics or people to interview. If you are interested, contact the INSME Secretariat:
Ms. Francesca Arra
  arra@ipi.it
Phone: +39 02 43440.205
Fax: +39 02 43440.222

We are pleased to offer INSME Association Members a special discount of 20% on the participation fee for Leaders Quest's meetings.

Leaders' Quest is an international, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to be a catalyst for positive change in the world by helping leaders - from all sectors, at all levels of society and all countries - lead more responsibly.

Leaders are brought together in week-long 'learning quests' to countries which are believed to play a leading role in the future of the world. Learning quests are intensive, stretching, unorthodox programmes for small groups of 20 or so CEOs, Chairmen and heads of organisations. Leaders' Quest's approach is international in focus, multi-sectoral/multi-disciplinary in themes and issues, interactive and people-based, varied and experiential.

Leader's Quest programme for 2005 includes Quests to India (27 February - 5 March) and Brazil (2-8 October) and provides learning around three core dimensions: Commercial opportunities; Social responsibility; Leadership development and personal renewal.

For further information on Leaders Quest and its events, visit Leaders Quest website:
 http://www.leadersquest.org/ 

To apply, please refer directly to Leaders' Quest:
Phone:  +44 (0) 20 8948 7642 
Fax:  +44 (0) 20 8332 6476  
 info@leadersquest.org

INSME has joined efforts with the World Bank Institute and a number of other international organisations (notably UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNU-INTECH, UNESCO, OECD, European Commission, IKED and the French Agency for Development) within the Global Innovation Policy Dialogue, to provide a framework for the discussion of innovation issues in developing countries.

Read the full news on the INSME portal:
  http://www.insme.org

For further information on the Global Innovation Policy Dialogue, please read:
  Global Innovation Policy Dialogue Presentation

Contact the World Bank Institute:
Ms. Aisling Quirke
 aquirke@worldbank.org

The INSME Secretariat invites professionals from all over the world with proven experience and expertise in the fields of innovation, technology transfer and SME related issues (management, training, Information Technology fields, etc.) to send their CV to be included in the INSME Experts Database. 

This database, available by logging into the INSME Association Members Area, is a useful tool for INSME Members who are looking for skills and competencies in the areas mentioned above. At the same time it offers international experts the possibility to increase their own visibility and reputation worldwide and can be a good opportunity for them to be involved in interesting cross border projects and initiatives.

Information on how to apply and details about the areas of expertise can be found at:
 http://www.insme.org/

Deadline: December 31, 2004.

To apply contact the INSME Secretariat:
Ms. Valentina Milazzo
  milazzo@ipi.it
Phone: +39 06 809472.517
Fax: +39 06 80972.443

The International Association of Science Parks (IASP) welcomes papers from experts to be presented at its XXII World Conference on Science and Technology Parks, foreseen for September 19-21, 2005.

The Conference will take place in Beijing (China) and will be dedicated to "Global Innovation: the Role of Science and Technology Parks".

Anyone interested in presenting a paper must first submit an abstract to the Steering Committee Secretariat no later than December 10, 2004:
  steercommittee2005@iasp.ws

Further details about papers requirements and how to apply can be found in the Conference website:
 http://www.iaspbeijing2005.com/Call For Papers/Proposals.asp?strCate=2

Supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sustainable Innovation 05 invites papers to be presented at its International Conference focused on the global 'state of the art' in sustainable product/service development and design that will take place in Brussels (Belgium) on the 28-29 October, 2005.

Sustainable Innovation 05 welcomes conceptual and research-based papers covering sustainable product and services.

The deadline for submitting a paper is the 31^st of January, 2005.

Further details about this call and the conference are available at:
 http://list.unu.edu/pipermail/itenv/msg00153.html

The "Small & Medium Enterprises International Conference and Exhibition", due to take place in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) on December 12-14, 2005, has been postponed and will presumably take place on February 2005. The exact date and location will be soon available. Registrations are still open.

We remind readers that a special reduced registration fee (US$ 150 instead of US$ 200) is foreseen for INSME Association Members who intend to attend the meeting.

For further information about the Dubai SME Conference, please visit: 
 http://www.ismedubai.com/conference.asp (soon to be updated)

You can also contact:
  info@seagull.ae

Would you like to promote your international event among our worldwide Members offering special conditions?

If you are interested in taking advantage from this opportunity, please send your proposals to: 
 secretariat@insme.it

Would you like to be informed about major international events related to innovation, technology transfer and SME issues? If so, you may subscribe to be notified by e-mail when new events are added to the INSME portal.  To subscribe, enter your details here:
http://www.insme.org/

The INSME E-mail Alert is sent once a week.

For further information contact the INSME Secretariat:
Mr. Alessandro Sisti
  sisti@ipi.it
Phone: +39 06 80972.225
Fax: +39 06 80972.443

Here is this month's selection of interesting upcoming events:

• 29-30 November 2004
  Nanotechnology and Smart Materials for Medical Applications: from Medical Diagnostics to Therapy
  Organised by IoN (Institute of Nanotechnology), AIRI (Italian Association for Industrial Research) and Nanotec IT (Italian Centre for Nonotechnologies)
  Rome, Italy
  
  
• 1-2 December 2004
  "In Search of Successful Innovation Strategies"
  TAFTIE (The Association For Technology Implementation in Europe) Annual Seminar 2004
  Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  
  
• 1-2 December 2004
  Innovation Forum
  Organised by CIDEM
  Barcelona, Spain
  
  
• 2-3 December 2004
  18th Annual European Finance Convention
  The Recognised Event for European Financial, Investor and Business Leaders from the Private and Public Sectors
  Palermo, Italy
  
  
• 5-7 December 2004
  Fourth European Forum for Innovative Enterprises
  Organised by the Pilot Action of Excellence on Innovative Start-ups (PAXIS)
  Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, Germany
  
  
• 6-7 December 2004
  MANUFUTURE 2004 - "European Manufacturing of the Future: Making Research Work"
  Organised by the European Commission, DG Research Industrial Technologies
  Enschede, The Netherlands
  
  
• 6-9 December 2004
  Joint ITC-WASME Special Workshop: "Identify & Enhancing Services Sector Exports"
  Co-organised by the International Trade Center (ITC) and the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME)
  Geneva, Switzerland
  
  
• 8-10 December 2004
  Expert Meeting on "Promoting the Export Competitiveness of SMEs"
  Organised by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)
  Geneva, Switzerland
  
  
• 9-10 December 2004
  "Best Practices in Science Based Incubators"
  Science Alliance third Annual Conference
  Oxford, United Kingdom
  
  
• 13-18 December 2004
  Seminar on "Entrepreneurship and SME Development"
  Organised by the LEED (Local Economic and Employment Development) Programme through the LEED Trento Centre for Local Development
  Trento, Italy
  
  
• 15-17 December 2004
  WIPO Asian Regional Workshop on Intellectual Property (IP) for Managers and Staff of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and SME Support Institutions
  Organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation in cooperation with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People's Republic of China
  Shanghai, China
  
  
• 16-17 December 2004
  Public-Private Partnership for Innovation
  Organised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
  Moscow, Russia
  
  
• 18 December 2004
  II International Serbian SME Congress: "Via Economic Cooperation to EU Integration"
  Organised by the SME UNION of the European People's Party in cooperation with SASME (Serbian Association of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) and SEA (Serbian Employers Association)
  Belgrade, Serbia