Issue N 43 - April 2007
In this Issue:
News from the INSME Members
Network of Centres of Excellence (UNCTAD)
Connect 2 Ideas (Meta Group)
Korea-Italy Business Forum (IPI)
Interesting Initiatives
IMP�rove Online Platform for Innovation Management
INSME's Picks in the News
Peru to host the 5th EU-LAC Summit in 2008
Patents: Commission vision for improving patent system in Europe
Tenders & Calls
3rd Joint CORNET Call for Transnational Collective Research Project proposals
2nd eTRANET Joint Call
RICAFE2 Second Conference
IPR Awareness and Enforcement Project (EU Commission)
Publications
The European Research Area: New Perspectives
The 2007 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States
Improving Knowledge Transfer Between Research Institutions and Industry across Europe
Events
Highlighted Events
Future meetings, workshops, seminars selected by INSME
 
INSMEnews!
Contact the editorial staff
 
 

 
Making intangibles more tangible

In the knowledge-based global economy Intangible Assets play more and more a crucial role, contributing to the competitiveness of companies, both large and small, in any industrial sector, in any geographical area.

That is why improving awareness about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and how to exploit its economic potential should become a top priority on the policy makers' future and present agenda. In particular, efforts should be aimed at enhancing both SMEs and financing institutions capacity  to recognise the added value of a dynamic approach to patents and  trademarks, highlighting their economic value, which goes far beyond a mere defensive market strategy.

In this view, with great expectations we welcome the European Commission intention to present a comprehensive IPR strategy in 2008 in order to provide the EU with an appropriate framework for encouraging and protecting innovation (within the Innovation Pillar in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, 2007-2009).

In line with this approach, we would like to remind you about  two important dates celebrated during this month:

And let's not forget that 2008 will be the international year of Design and that several cities are already appointed as world design capitals.

IPR is not a matter for lawyers only. It concerns everyone: policymakers, businessmen, academia, consumers.

We hope to increase your IPR-orientation also through this newsletter!

Ms. Simona Marzetti
INSME Association Secretary General

  

 

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News from the INSME Members
   Network of Centres of Excellence (UNCTAD)


Launched in 2005 with a sponsorship from the Italian Government, UNCTAD's "Network of Centres of Excellence" is now operational and involves outstanding scientific and technological institutions in the developing countries to promote training and learning activities for local researchers, in particular on new and emerging technologies.

The next training session will be dedicated to African scientists and engineers on Information Technology in Agriculture for Africa and will take place at the National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture (NERCITA) in Beijing, China, from 18 June to 2 July 2007.

For further information:
 download presentation
 visit www.unctad.org/noce

 

   Connect 2 Ideas (Meta Group)

Connect 2 Ideas is a newly launched European project which redefines the way multinational corporations and small companies can work together.

Large companies with a strategy of "open innovation" increasingly recognise the quality and wealth of new technologies being developed by specialised, innovative SMEs. Designed to help SMEs licence their new product ideas to multinational companies, Connect 2 Ideas will connect corporates with SMEs who want to develop technology partnerships with large organisations for mutual benefit.

Connect 2 Ideas is run by a consortium of partners in the UK, Italy (Meta Group, INSME Member), Germany and Slovenia and includes major multinational Procter & Gamble.

To be involved in this project please visit http://www.connect2ideas.com  or contact:

Mrs. Carolyn Dougherty (European Project Manager)
 Carolyn.Dougherty@rtcnorth.co.uk
phone: + 44 (0)191 516 4400

Mr. Lorenzo Lo Cascio (Meta Group)
 l.locascio@meta-group.com
phone: + 39 0744 248220

 

   Korea-Italy Business Forum (IPI)

A high level governmental economic Summit between Korea and Italy took place in Seoul on April 17-18, 2007.

The Summit included a Business Forum and Industry Workshop aimed at boosting cooperation in some of Italy and Korea's strongest industries: shipping, logistics, textile, ICT. A roundtable organised by IPI and KOTEF (Korea Industrial Technology Foundation) on machine industry, high technology and renewable energy highlighted the increasing complementarities of the two countries' economies and marked an occasion for a re-launch of economic relations, that are currently characterised by low import-export volumes.

Read more at KOTEF website:
 http://english.kotef.or.kr/

Download IPI presentation:
 "Investment Opportunities emerging from the Korea - Italy Industry Workshop"

 

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Interesting Initiatives
   IMP�rove Online Platform for Innovation Management

IMProvement of Innovation Management Performance with Sustainable IMPact
 http://www.improve-innovation.eu/

A new online platform is available to enable small and medium-sized enterprises verify their innovation processes using a web-based questionnaire and benchmarking themselves in relation to the top performers in their business sector.

IMP�rove additionally provides consultancies with access to new clients, best-practice analyses and methods to enable them to detect and make up for possible shortcomings in their clients' innovation management.

IMP�rove is a Europe INNOVA project, an initiative for innovation professionals supported by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme for R&D.

 

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INSME's Picks in the News
   Peru to host the 5th EU-LAC Summit in 2008

EU-LAC is a strategic partnership between the EU27 and the Latin America & Caribbean region.

It grounds on 3 pillars: institutionalised political dialogue, economic co-operation and the strengthening of trade relations. EU-LAC Summits, which take place every two years, represent the main forum for political and economic dialogue. The last Summit was held in Vienna in mid 2006.

The next high level EULAC meeting of Heads of States and Governments will take place in Lima, Peru, in May 2008.

Stay updated with the evolution of EU relations with Latin America at: 
 http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/la/index.htm

 

   Patents: Commission vision for improving patent system in Europe

In its recent Communication "Enhancing the Patent System in Europe", the European Commission has set out its vision for improving the patent system in Europe and reinvigorating the debate on this issue.

The single market for patents is still incomplete. Europe has not yet been able to create a single and affordable Community-wide patent, despite repeated calls by Heads of State and Government. Parallel efforts made in an intergovernmental framework level aimed at improving the existing European patent system under the auspices of the European Patent Organisation (EPO) have also been delayed.
 
The EU Commission now calls for action to provide a simple, cost-effective and high quality one-stop-shop patent system in Europe, both for examination and grant as well as post-grant procedures, including litigation. It intends to present a comprehensive IPR strategy in 2008.

Read the EU Communication:
 "Enhancing the Patent System in Europe"

 

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Tenders & Calls
   3rd Joint CORNET Call for Transnational Collective Research Project proposals

 http://www.cornet-era.net/index.php?seite=third_call_introduction

Consortia of associations, federations, trade associations from at least 3 different European CORNET countries or regions are entitled to participate.
Any industrial sector or research subject is eligible.

Participating countries/regions: Austria, Walloon Region (Belgium), Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Valencia (Spain), Turkey.

Closing date: 31 May 2007.

 http://www.cornet-era.net/

 

   2nd eTRANET Joint Call

 2nd eTRANET Joint Call for International R&D Projects on ICT for Traditional Manufacturing Industries

All manufacturing sectors are considered for support. Projects with a significant impact on SMEs are encouraged. Preference will be given to applied research or knowledge transfer projects.

Participating countries/regions: Austria, Flanders (Belgium), Cyprus, Finland, France, Spain, Basque Country (Spain), Switzerland and Turkey.

Deadline for submitting projects: 28 May 2007.

 http://www.etranet.net

 

   RICAFE2 Second Conference


"Regional Comparative Advantage and Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship" (RICAFE2)

This is a project sponsored by the European Commission, DG-Research. Its key objective is to understand how the European models of societal, legal, and economic institutions affect the patterns of regional economic growth and how knowledge based entrepreneurship contributes to shifting patterns of regional comparative advantage and shape policy options and priorities.

Call for papers for the RICAFE2 Second Conference (5-6 October 2007, Riga, Latvia):
 http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/RICAFE/pdf/Call2007.pdf

Papers are invited on topics such as: the ability of financial systems to provide financing for knowledge-based entrepreneurial firms; the influence of venture capital on firms' ability to translate technological advances into successful products; the contribution of knowledge-based entrepreneurship to regional dynamics.

Deadline for submission of papers: 20 June 2007.

 

   IPR Awareness and Enforcement Project (EU Commission)

The objective of this grant is to increase business development and innovation of enterprises, particularly SMEs, through improving their awareness and use of intellectual property rights and their ability to protect those rights and to fight counterfeiting. The action will cover all forms of IPR, both those formally registered (patents, designs, trade marks etc.) and those protected by  non-registered or informal methods (non-disclosure agreements, trade secrets etc.).

Indicative total budget: 7,900,000 euro.

Final date for submitting proposals: 22 June 2007.

 Text of the call

 

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Publications
   The European Research Area: New Perspectives


In a recently published Green Paper, the European Commission puts forward ideas for a European Research Area (ERA) that makes the most of Europe's knowledge potential.

The Green Paper is set out along 6 main axes:
1.
Adequate flow of competent researchers; 2. World class research infrastructures; 3. Excellent research institutions, engaged in effective public-private co-operation and partnerships; 4. Effective knowledge-sharing; 5. Well-coordinated research programmes & priorities; 6. Opening the European Research Area to the world.

An on-line public consultation on the issues in the Green Paper will be open until August 2007. Contributions will be used in the design of concrete actions for the development of the European Research Area, to be put forward from 2008.

Download the Green Paper:
 The European Research Area: New Perspectives

Informal debate and comments are welcome on the DG Research Commissioner Poto�nik website: 
 http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/blog_potocnik/page/potocnik

 

   The 2007 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States

The Index uses 26 indicators to rank each state of the USA on the extent to which their economies are knowledge-based, globalised, entrepreneurial, information technology-driven and innovation-based. Massachusetts ranks first on the State Index, while New Jersey and Maryland have made climbs to close the gap and take the second and third place.

The 2007 State New Economy Index is released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

Download the survey at:
 http://www.kauffman.org/pdf/2007_State_Index.pdf

Browse the INSME Library:
 http://www.insme.org/

 

   Improving Knowledge Transfer Between Research Institutions and Industry across Europe

"Improving Knowledge Transfer between Research Institutions and Industry across Europe: Embracing Open Innovation - Implementing the Lisbon Agenda"

This Communication from the EU Commission tackles barriers to greater transfer of knowledge in Europe, among which cultural differences between the science and business communities; lack of incentives; legal barriers; and fragmented markets. Moreover, it sets out how both Member States and the EU can work together to increase knowledge transfer:

  • by creating a workforce of skilled knowledge transfer staff in universities and research institutes;
  • by designing a qualification and accreditation scheme for knowledge transfer professionals;
  • by encouraging researchers to adopt a more entrepreneurial mindset.

The European Institute of Technology (EIT) also features in the paper. Describing it as Europe's "innovation flagship", the Commission points out that the EIT will promote research institutions-industry interactions.

Voluntary guidelines for universities and other research institutions to improve their links with industry across Europe complement the EU Commission document.

 

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Events
   Highlighted Events

31 May - 1 June 2007
OECD GLOBAL CONFERENCE
ENHANCING THE ROLE OF SMEs
IN GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS
Tokyo, Japan

Organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the framework of the OECD Bologna Process on SME & Entrepreneurship Policies.

 Conference Programme - EN [274]
 Conference Programme - FR [279]
 Conference Flyer [289 kb]
 


28-29 June 2007
La Baule 2007 World Investment Conference (WIC)
"Making Europe more Attractive and Competitive"

La Baule, France  

This conference aims at monitoring FDI flows, benchmarking economic and social policies, understanding international investor's needs, linking European region to the world. Organised by Europe+ Foundation.
 

 

7-9 November 2007
30th ANNUAL ISBE CONFERENCE
International Entrepreneurship. Stimulating Smarter Successful Small Businesses Worldwide
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Organised by the Institute for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (ISBE), INSME Member.

   Future meetings, workshops, seminars selected by INSME

MAY 2007

3-4 May 2007
Meeting of Experts on Financing for Innovative Development
Organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in cooperation with the UN department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Geneva, Switzerland

3-4 May 2007
Research to Business (R2B) Fair and Conference - Research Renews Business 
Organised by Bolognafiere and Emilia-Romagna Region in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of International Trade, ASTER (INSME Full Member) and ICE (Italian Institute for Foreign Trade).
Bologna, Italy

3-4 May 2007
"Research and Technology Organizations in the European Research Area: Innovation and Competitiveness in an Enlarged Europe"
Organised by the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.
Munich, Germany

3-4 May 2007
TII Annual Conference 2007 - "Innovation for Development"
Organised by the European Association for the Transfer of Technologies, Innovation and Industrial Information (TII) in collaboration with UNESCO.
Paris, France

4-5 May 2007
Bioparks 2007 - "Life Sciences Regional Development and its Impact on Global Discovery, Innovation and Partnerships - How Bioregions Impact Global Discovery and Innovation"
Co-sponsored by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) and the Council for Biotechnology Centers (CBC).
Boston, MA, USA

9-11 May 2007
2nd EGEE User Forum (Enabling Grids for E-sciencE Project)
This forum will be co-located with the 20th Open Grid Forum. This combined event will bring users and standards bodies together to ensure that the future of the Grid is complemented by the establishment of key standards.
Manchester, United Kingdom

10-11 May 2007
ERIK Network Conference - "Knowledge for Regional Innovation: Towards Regions for Economic Change"
The ERIK conference represents a space to debate the role of regions in promoting economic growth through innovation, entrepreneurship and the growth of the knowledge economy.
Brussels, Belgium

11 May 2007
IRC Open Source 2007 
This event will add one more opportunity for exchange and transfer of know-how, experience and technology enabling participants to generate real opportunities for cooperation as well as for business.
Rende, Italy

13-17 May 2007
IAMOT 2007 - 16th International Conference on Management of Technology 
Organised by IAMOT (International Association for Management of Technology).
Florida, USA

13-15 May 2007
European Researchers of Tomorrow - "Crossing The Borders of Academia and Industry" 
The conference continues work initiated by conferences organised in the Netherlands (2004), the United Kingdom (2005) and Austria (2006). It complements initiatives led by EUA and EIRMA which focus on fostering cooperation between academia & industry.
Stuttgart, Germany

14-15 May 2007
OECD Forum 2007 - Innovation, Growth and Equity
A high-level, multi-stakeholder summit organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Paris, France

17-19 May 2007
The First International Forum from Science to Business on "International experience in Development of Infrastructure for Innovation Aactivity"
Organised by the Saint-Petersburg State University in collaboration with the German IT-companies Association Bitkom and the Russoft Company
Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

20-23 May 2007
CIP Forum 2007 - Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship 
Organised by the Center for Intellectual Property Studies.
Gothenburg, Sweden

22-24 May 2007
2nd Small and Medium Enterprises Forum
"Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Arab Region: Opportunities and Challenges"
Organised by the SMEs Center at the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Science in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Professional Integration of Youth.
Tunis, Tunisia

22 May 2007
Methodology and Tools for Improving Agro-Biotech Clusters Management 
This seminar is organised in the framework of the ABC-Network Project (Agro-Biotech Clusters Network), part of the Europe Innova initiative (EU Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry).
Crealys Science Park (Namur), Belgium

24-25 May 2007
5th IRE Plenary Conference 
Organised by IRE (the network of Innovating Regions in Europe), which was created by the European Commission in the mid-1990s. During the conference, the IRE Award for Best European Innovation Scheme will be handed out for the first time.
Shannon, Ireland

30 May 2007
The Third RIBN Business Forum
Organised by The Slovenian Business and Research Association - SBRA as secretariat of the Research, Innovation and Business Network for Central and South-Eastern Europe - RIBN.
Nova Gorica, Slovenia

31 May - 1 June 2007
ASTP 8th Annual Conference
Organised by Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP).
Heidelberg, Germany

31 May 2007
Innovation in Textiles and Apparel
Organised by EURATEX (the European Apparel and Textile Organization) in collaboration with the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing.
Brussels, Belgium

JUNE 2007

1-3 June 2007
ISMOT '07 - 5th International Symposium on Management of Technology Managing Total Innovation and Open Innovation in the 21st Century
Organised by the Research Centre for Innovation & Development of the Zhejiang University.
Hangzhou, China

3-5 June 2007
Global Investment Promotion Summit 2007
Sponsored by UNIDO and the Chinese Industrial Parks Association, supported by the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministry of Commerce of China and organized by Guangxi Provincial Government.
Liuzhou City, China

4-5 June 2007
DIME Conference on "Knowledge Based Entrepreneurship"
Organised by Dynamics of Institution & Markets in Europe (DIME) and Bocconi University (Milan, Italy). This conference aims at examining the relevance, features and developments of knowledge-based entrepreneurship (KBE).
Milan, Italy

06-08 June 2007
4th Technopolicy Network Annual Conference - "Internationalising Regional Innovation"
The conference will cover important topics, such as: attracting talent and entrepreneurs, supporting the international growth of high-tech companies, internationalisation of R&D and dealing with cultural differences.
Fairfax, Washington D.C.  United States

6-8 June 2007
"Culture as Innovation - The Search for Creative Power in Economies and Societies" 
This conference will bring together people from universities, research institutes, companies, regional authorities, public sector, governmental and non-governmental organisations. The aim is to promote networking between people from different backgrounds.
Turku, Finland

11-13 June 2007
Regional Conference on "Knowledge Management As An Enabler Of Change And Innovation In Africa" 
The focus of these events was to share experience and insights on the challenges faced by research institutes in managing the knowledge that they are generating so that they can strengthen their operations and offer better services to their clients.
Cairo, Egypt

13-15 June 2007
ICSB (International Council for Small Business) 2007 World Conference "At the Crossroads of East and West: New Opportunities for Entrepreneurship and Small Business"
Organised by the European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB) in co-operation with the Small Business Institute at the Turku School of Economics and Business Administration (TSEBA).
Turku, Finland

13-15 June 2007
IANIS Annual Conference 2007 - "Technological Innovation & Creativity: Knowledge-based Regions For A Competitive Europe"
Co-organised by Sociedad para la Promoción y Reconversión Industrial (SPRI) and Eusko Jaurlaritza Gobierno Vasco.
Bilbao, Spain

17-20 June 2007
ISPIM 2007 Conference: "Innovation for Growth: The Challenges for East & West"
Organised by the International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).
Warsaw, Poland

17-22 June 2007
"The Economics of Technology Policy" 
This conference is organised to fill the gap between policy practices, empirical evidence and theoretical understanding of the main processes at stake.
Ascona, Switzerland

19-21 June 2007
EuroNanoForum 2007 "Nanotechnology in Industrial Applications"
Organised on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and promoted by the European Commission.
D�sseldorf, Germany

20-22 June 2007
EBN 2007 Annual Congress 
The conference of the European BIC Network (Business and Innovation Centres). Organised in cooperation with The Kent Innovation Partnership (Kent Business and Innovation Centre and Kent County Council).
Canterbury, United Kingdom

29 June - 1 July 2007
EARMA Annual Conference - "Building the European Research Area: the Responsibilities of Research Managers"
Organised by the European Association of Research Managers & Administrators.
Warsaw, Poland

JULY 2007

2-4 July 2007
IASP World Conference on Science & Technology Parks - "Creative Jobs & Creative Companies: Key Factors for Growth and Competitiveness" 
Organized by IASP (International Association of Science Parks).
Barcelona, Spain

3-7 July 2007
9th International Conference - "Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Managing Global Resources"
Organised by Global Business And Technology Association (GBATA). The Conference will include contributed paper sessions, invited and plenary presentations, case studies, round tables, panels, workshops and forums.
Taipei, Taiwan

4-6 July 2007
The R&D Management Conference 2007 
Organised by Universit�t Bremen. The conference will aim to comprehensively explore and address R&D Management and it welcomes papers from across the spectrum in order to achieve this objective.
Bremen, Germany

11-14 July 2007
International Conference on Perspectives on Technological Entrepreneurship 
Organised by the E-Business Management Section of the Institution of Higher Education ISUFI - University of Lecce, Italy.
Ostuni, Italy

 

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