We are happy to announce that no tuition fee is foreseen for participating in the forthcoming WIPO-INSME International Training Programme on Intellectual Property and Management of Innovation in SMEs (Geneva, Switzerland,
11 - 13 May, 2005). Only travel costs and hotel accommodation are to be covered by each participant.

We encourage you to view the provisional programme and apply to the course:

Download the provisional programme:
  English Version
  French Version

Register to attend the WIPO-INSME Training Programme:
  Application Form (English Version)
  Application Form (French Version)

For a list of hotels in Geneva where special conditions for trainees are available, please go to:
  http://www.insme.org/

For any further information, contact the INSME Secretariat:
Mr. Mariano G. Cordone
 secretariat@insme.it
Phone: +39 06 80972.472
Fax: +39 06 80972.443

Read about other INSME upcoming training programmes:
  http://www.insme.org/

< span> 

Don't miss the INSME 2005 Annual Meeting:

"International Cooperation to Seize Innovation Opportunities for SMEs"
April 13 - 15, 2005, Barcelona (Spain)

  Download the latest version of the meeting agenda
 

Register now:
 Registration form for media representatives
 Registration form for any other category of participants (INSME Members and non-Members).

Deadline for registering: April 7, 2005.

We also suggest you to book your accommodation as soon as possible, since there are a number of conferences and fairs on the same period of the INSME Annual Meeting and hotels are filling up fast. For a list of recommended hotels please go to:
 http://www.annualmeeting2005.insme.org/barcelona_8.asp

The first Dubai SME Conference and Exhibition, co-organised by INSME and held in the United Arab Emirates from January 31 to February 2, 2005, attracted great interest across the Middle East and the Gulf as well as visitors and participants from outside the region (19 countries were represented and over 200 people attended from the private and public sector).

Ms. Marzetti, INSME Association Secretary General, participated as a speaker at the conference, highlighting INSME's contribution for the promotion of innovation process in SMEs.

Click here to download the conference final recommendations.

  For a full report on the event, go to the News section of the INSME portal.

  To download speakers presentations, visit the Life of the Network section.

  For and extended press release, refer to the Press Room section.

  A photo gallery of the event is available in the News in Pictures section.

We are proud to announce that the INSME Association is also among the co-organisers (with INTEX and WASME) of the Dubai 2006 SME Conference, due to take place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre on January 29-31, 2006. Read more at:
  http://www.insme.org/

If you are interested in being updated on the 2006 Dubai SME event, contact the INSME Secretariat:
  secretariat@insme.it

In order for the INSME Association to achieve a wider international reach, the INSME Secretariat has recently published a German version of the INSME presentation and flyer and a Russian version of the INSME flyer:

  INSME presentation in German
  INSME flyer in German
  Russian version of the INSME flyer

Information about the INSME Association, its Members, organisation and activities are also available in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

In addition a Japanese version of the INSME portal, provided by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), can be found at:
  http://www.chusho.meti.go.jp/insme/

Information in Chinese and Arabic will be available in the future.

"Imagine a captain of a ship sailing to a certain destination. If he/she has skills and measurement tools to navigate the way, then the ship and its team has much better chances to reach the "promise land" compared to others who does not have all these."

"Let's take a new engine in a ship which makes possible to sail faster. It is rather costly but brings new opportunities. Can it help reach the destination set by the captain with lack of navigation skills and measurement tools? No. And unfavourable results become more costly."

This metaphor (where the captain can be seen as an entrepreneur, the ship as an enterprise and the new engine as an innovation) captures the essence of INSME's interview with Dr. Golovanov, President of GOLEM Integrated Microelectronics Solutions, an Austrian-based company specialising in developing business performance management solutions for SMEs. He is also Director of the GOLEM's Enterprise Performance Improvement Centre (EPIC), whose main activity is the implementation of training programmes based on UNIDO Business Performance Management Software and related consulting services.

INSME's Interview focuses on how UNIDO's methodology and information tools for business performance management can facilitate innovation in SMEs. So, the sailing metaphor apart, methods, tools and practices are investigated in it, which prepare entrepreneurs to handle innovation in a more controllable and predictable way.

Read the interview at:
  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

The National Agency for Entrepreneurship Technological Support (INTECH), registered in 2003, is a non profit organisation aimed at improving local and international competitiveness of Russian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Its main attention is focused on supporting the development and providing technological assistance to SMEs. The agency operates as an information point, also providing a wide range of services, such as assistance in creating business and product development strategies, financial management, accounting and auditing, marketing, juridical support, educational services, information technology, business incubator services, setup and enhancement of small enterprises. INTECH has recently joined the INSME Association as an Observer.

For more information on INTECH please visit:
 http://eng.intech-tr.ru/

The term OSEO, meaning "to venture high" ("oser" is French for "venture" and "o" sounds like the French "haut" meaning "high"), points to the ability to "venture", which is the most important quality for a small enterprise to thrive.

Therefore this new outfit embodies the dynamics of French government support to small enterprises, in order to take them to their highest potential.

OSEO represents the result of the joint efforts undertaken by the French National Agency for Innovation (ANVAR), the Developing Bank for SMEs (BDPME) and the Agency for SMEs, to provide entrepreneurs with an easy access to the national or regional support devices for SMEs and innovation.

Particularly interesting OSEO website dedicated to SMEs:
  http://www.portailpme.fr/

For a presentation of OSEO's mission and goals visit:
  http://www.oseo.fr/-Mission-

The Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) based in Trento invites institutions and individuals to submit papers for its Conference on "The Social Economy in Central, East and South-East Europe: Emerging Trends of Social Innovation and Local Development", to take place in Trento, Italy on September 22 - 23, 2005.

Papers are invited on four themes:

1. Social Economy Awareness: legal frameworks, partnerships and networks
2. Social innovation and Local Development: experiences, tools and practices
3. Decentralisation and EU Integration: challenges and opportunities for financing and developing the social economy
4. The role of international institutions and social economy networks in supporting social economy development

Applicants should submit a one-page abstract specifying which of the four themes listed above it addresses by April 15, 2005.

Description of the themes to be developed and details on how to apply can be found on the OECD website at:
  http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/37/62/34450753.pdf

At the core of the revised agenda, presented in Brussels by the EU Commission's President José Manuel Barroso on February 2, 2005, is a new Action Programme for Growth and Jobs.

Among the priority actions that appear in the Commission's action programme are:

• gearing the EU state aid framework more towards research and development (R&D) and innovation;
• directing EU cohesion and structural funds more towards innovation, training and infrastructure;
• creating a 'European Institute of Technology' to attract the brightest minds in the world;
• extending and deepening the single market, particularly in services;
• improving regulation and reducing red tape;
• speeding up efforts to meet the three per cent research spending target.

The Commission has also set out a simplified delivery mechanism and system of governance for the Lisbon strategy.

For further information, please refer to CORDIS News or download the communication from President Barroso:
  Communication from the European Commission to the Spring European Council - "Working together for growth and jobs. A new start for the Lisbon Agenda"

28 February - 1 March 2005
Research To Business (R2B) - "Research Reinvigorates Business"
Co-organised by ASTER and co-sponsored by IPI (both INSME Association Members).
Bologna, Italy

Both institutional and private investors will participate in this event, which is intended to be the first in a series of forums to be held each year in Bologna.

R2B primary goal is to facilitate interaction between the most qualified Research Centres and the business community in order to develop new research projects financed by manufacturers and explore other collaboration opportunities in the area of technology transfer. It also aims at demonstrating that the benefits of advanced research are available to small and medium sized businesses who want to grow and develop by pursuing innovation.

More on R2B goals:
 http://www.rtob.it/page.asp?m=61&l=2&a=&ma=43&c=374&p=61The

The 2005 edition of the fair will focus on four strategic research areas for Italy:

1. Advanced Mechanical Engineering
2. Biotechnology
3. Energy and environment
4. New materials and nanotechnology

Four seminar spaces, one for each thematic area, will be available, where entrepreneurs and managers can meet 150 Research Centres representatives and discuss latest evelopments in these fields.

More on R2B format:
 http://www.rtob.it/page.asp?m=61&l=2&a=&ma=43&c=375&p=61Format

The INSME Association Secretariat will attend the Fair and will have an information booth.  Come and visit us!

A new search tool is available on the INSME portal to help you find relevant international, regional or national events related to innovation, technology transfer and SME issues. Events can be searched by date, place and thematic areas.

Go to the new search tool for events:
 http://www.insme.org/

To be kept regularly informed about new events added in this section, subscribe to the weekly INSME E-mail Alert for Events: 
 http://www.insme.org/

Advertise your event to the more than 8,000 INSMEnews subscribers!

Looking for a place to advertise your event regarding innovation, technology transfer or SMEs related issues? Well, let us help you out. You can advertise your event in this section of INSMEnews and on the dedicated section of the INSME portal.

Just send an email with relevant information about your event to the INSME Secretariat:
  secretariat@insme.it

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

2 - 3 March, 2005
Advanced UNISPIN Workshop on Designing, Managing and Evaluating a Spin-Off Programme 
Organised by TII (Technology, Innovation, Information) UNISPIN Special Interest Section in collaboration with ProTon Europe.
Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria

3 - 4 March, 2005
Fifth Annual EBAN Congress - "Business Angels: Accelerators of Innovation in Europe"
Organised by the European Business Angel Network (EBAN) in cooperation with France Angels.
Paris, France

7 - 8 March, 2005
AMI Technology Transfer Workshop
Organised within the AMI project (Augmented Multi-party Interaction), a European Integrated Project of the IST Sixth Framework Programme.
Brussels, Belgium

10 - 11 March, 2005
"European Policy on Patents and Intellectual Property: What direction should it go?"
5th EPIP (European Policy for Intellectual Property) Conference.
Copenhagen, Denmark

10 - 16 March, 2005
Future Match CeBIT Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Fair Hannover, Germany

10 - 12 March, 2005
International Workshop on Accelerated Radical Innovation (IWARI 2005)
"Information Enhanced Technology Cluster Development Challenges"
Sponsored by the University of Toledo (USA) and BGSU Center For Regional Development (Bowling Green State University, USA).
Toledo, USA

11 March, 2005
Regional Dimension of the European Research Area
Organised by CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe) and EURADA (European Association of Development Agencies).
Valencia, Spain

14 - 16 March, 2005
Seminar on Improving Access to Financial Services
Organised by the World Bank Institute and World Bank Financial Sector Vice Presidency
Washington, D.C., USA

23 March, 2005
Gate2Growth Event on Stimulating Innovative Entrepreneurship
This event aims at bringing together professionals involved in promoting and developing entrepreneurship, innovation and venture capital in order to network and exchange knowledge.
Warsaw, Poland