 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Issue N
49
-
November 2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Keep up to date on innovation matters with the INSME Association!
INSMEnews is the free monthly newsletter edited by the INSME Secretariat to stay updated about the activities of the International Network for SMEs, its Members and Partners worldwide. Main issues related to SME innovation and competitiveness at international level are tackled as well. The bulletin is now also issued in Spanish.
Sponsors and Promoters to translate this newsletter into other languages are welcome among INSME Members and Third Parties.
Enjoy this latest edition and as always, send us comments and suggestions that can enrich and improve our ongoing work to support innovation intermediaries to the final benefit of small and medium sized companies (SMEs).
Best regards,
The INSME Secretariat
-------------------------------------------------------
Updates on the life of the INSME Network
The main news regarding the Association refer to the following:
- INSME Membership: the ANIMA Association joined INSME, exchanging mutually membership for 2007-2008.
- INSME and the OECD: an assessment about the activities carried out in 2004-2007 was presented at the latest session of the OECD Working Party on SMEs and Entrepreneurship, held in Paris on November 14, with a view to the renewal of the OECD moral sponsorship for the Network.
- Promotion: INSME was presented among existing innovation network models during the EUMED Innovation Conference under the MEDIBTIKAR programme held in Cairo on November 7.
|
|
top of the page
|
|
|
 |
News from the INSME Members |
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSME's Picks in the News |
|
|
|
| |
Beijing Declaration on ASEM SMEs development and cooperation |
|
|
|
 Ministers at the 1st Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Small and Medium Enterprises (Beijing, China, 30-31 October 2007) released a declaration to enhance exchanges among the ASEM members and establish effective cooperation mechanisms for ASEM small and medium enterprises:
Read the Beijing Declaration outlining the importance of: technological innovation, industrial clusters, IPR protection.
The Asia-Europe meeting is an interregional forum which consists of the European Commission, the ASEAN Secretariat, the 27 EU members states and 16 Asian countries (list of ASEM members).
As a follow up, a dedicated thematic website, www.asem-sme.net, will be available in the future.
|
|
|
| |
Technology Business Plan Competition to foster entrepreneurship in the Arab countries |
|
|
|
 The Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) will announce winners of the 2nd Arab Technology Business Plan Competition at the 5th Investing in Technology Forum to take place in Amman, Jordan, on December 12-13, 2007.
This competition, launched by ASTF and Intel Corporation, is aimed at promoting regional technology businesses and foster entrepreneurship in the region by recognizing innovative and outstanding technology business ideas, plans and start-ups and increasing investments in them.
 Forum Brochure
Forum Programme
For further information about the Technology Business Plan Competition, please visit:
 http://www.astf.net/site/zone/zone.asp?ogzid=10228
|
|
|
|
|
|
Focus on...INSME Members |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tenders & Calls |
|
|
|
| |
EUROTRANS-BIO Third Call |
|
|
|
 EUROTRANS-BIO, a European ERANET initiative under the EU VI Framework Programme, aiming at coordinating national funding programmes for the benefit of biotech small and medium enterprises, has launched a third call for proposals to support research intensive SMEs and their strategic partnerships in all fields of biotechnology.
The transnational call is designed for SMEs in Austria, Flanders (Belgium), Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Basque Country (Spain). Participation of The Netherlands is soon to be confirmed.
Closing date for submitting pre-proposals: February 15th, 2008.
Closing date for submitting full proposals: 30 May 2008.
For further information:
ETB third call flyer
ETB third call helpdesk
ETB website
|
|
|
| |
ICSB 2008 World Conference |
|
|
|
Call for papers
Issuer: International Council for Small Business (ICSB), INSME Member.
Theme: "Advancing Small Business and Entrepreneurship: From Research to Results" (ICSB 2008 World Conference, Halifax, Canada - 22-25 June 2008).
Deadline for submitting abstracts : January 18, 2008.
For further information:
http://www.icsb2008.org
http://www.icsb2008.org/documents/2008ICSBWorldConferencePostcard.pdf |
|
|
| |
GLOBELICS calls for papers |
|
|
|
Issuer: GLOBELICS - Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Initiatives |
|
|
|
| |
A Second Chance for European Entrepreneurs |
|
|
|
 Europe's business and political leaders recognise that they need to support an entrepreneurial culture as part of their efforts to support innovation. Reducing the stigma around business failure is a key part of this process.
As part of this effort, the European Union has unveiled a new initiative, the 2nd Chance Entrepreneurs in Action, that examines how policy and culture affect entrepreneurial activity. The project operates a website that reviews the latest research on risk aversion, provides access to national insolvency (i.e. bankruptcy) laws, and other related educational materials.
It also includes useful tips for dealing with risk, assessing the health of your business, and starting anew in the case of failure or setbacks: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/sme2chance/
|
|
|
| |
World Bank Development Marketplace |
|
|
|
 Development Marketplace is a competitive grant programme of the World Bank that funds innovative small-scale development projects that deliver results and have the potential to be expanded or replicated.
Updates on the evolution of the programme are available at DM website:
http://www.developmentmarketplace.org
News about DM projects and competitions are published on the Development Marketplace Newsletter. Sign up for free at:
http://newsletters.worldbank.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
Publications |
|
|
|
| |
Report on EU RTD activities in 2006 |
|
|
|
 This report, recently edited by the European Commission, provides detailed reporting and statistics on the activities and results achieved in 2006 and on developments in research and technological development (RTD) activities in the Member States of the European Union. In particular, it aims to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of European industry and to encourage it to become more competitive at international level by promoting cooperation with and between undertakings, research centres and universities in the field of Community research and technological development by disseminating the results of these activities.
Download the English version of the report:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/reports/2007/index_en.html
Also available in all 22 EU official languages.
|
|
|
| |
EU Practical Guide for SMEs on how to Network, Obtain Funds and Grow |
|
|
|
 This guide discloses all you need to know about the European Union's services for SMEs, from financing schemes to research projects and business networks, including the IPR Helpdesk:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/focus/docs/supplement-sme3_en.pdf
|
|
|
| |
STREN Study: EU-Tunisian Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation |
|
|
|
 A recent study by the STREN project (Scientific and Technological Results Exchange Network) highlights the main strengths and weaknesses of the cooperation between Tunisia and European Countries and illustrates the main cooperation areas (i.e. energy, environment and agro-food).
Italy is the EU Member country mostly involved in European collaboration projects with Tunisia as far as science, technology and innovation are concerned within the EU Commission's Fifth and Sixth Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development.
Download the study:
http://www.insme.org/documents/STREN_Study_2007.pdf
|
|
|
| |
Methodology for a Better Understanding of Successful Project Approaches of SMEs in the Fashion Industry |
|
|
|
 Identifying the most frequent problems arising in FP6 research and technological development projects undertaken by SMEs and highlighting the related corrective actions is crucial to increase and improve enterprises participation in research programmes.
The guide Project Evaluation FMEA. An Adapted Methodology for a Better Understanding of Successful Project Approaches of SMEs in the Fashion Industry , published in the framework of the F2F-Fashion to Future project, tries to help SMEs in the fashion sector (clothing, textile and footwear) to better deal with EU funded R&D projects.
The guide is available as a free download on Fashion to Future (F2F) project website:
http://www.fashiontofuture.eu/f2f/detailed_news.php?id_article=355
View F2F presentation video at:
http://www.fashiontofuture.eu/f2f/detailed_about.php?id_article=7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recommended Newsletter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Events |
|
|
|
| |
Highlighted Events |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Future meetings, workshops, seminars selected by INSME |
|
|
|
30 November 2007
Effective Networks for the Regional Development
Organised in the framework of the TINIS project (Technological Innovation Network in the field of Information Systems), part-financed by the European Union.
Brussels, Belgium
3-4 December 2007
MANUFUTURE Conference 2007 - Constructing a Sustainably Competitive Europe
Promoted by the MANUFUTURE Platform (Technology Platform on Future Manufacturing Technologies).
Porto, Portugal
3-4 December 2007
Responsible Partnering between Research and Industry:Progress and Remaining Challenges in Effective Collaboration and Knowledge and Technology Transfer
Lisbon, Portugal
5-6 December 2007
4th International Conference on Innovation & Management
Organised by Yamaguchi University, Graduate School of Innovation and Technology Management.
Yamaguchi, Japan
5-7 December 2007
UNECE Committee on Economic Cooperation and Integration
Organised by UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe).
Geneva, Switzerland
6-7 December 2007
InterCluster 2007
First European conference dealing with strategic cooperation between clusters.
Brussels, Belgium
11-12 December 2007
EBN Technical Seminar - Building EC Projects
Organised by the European BIC Network (EBN - INSME Member).
Brussels, Belgium
11-14 December 2007
Technological and Innovation Bridge in Barcelona for European ICT Companies
Organised by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the IRC Network and Barcelona Activa, the local development agency of the Barcelona City Council.
Barcelona, Spain
12 December 2007
Roving workshop on changes to Chinese Patent Law
Organised by the European Patent Office, the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China and the Italian Patent and Trademark Office. Experts from the Chinese State IP Office will explain the origins of recent changes to Chinese Patent Law and the likely impacts on patent applicants in China, Europe and across the world.
Rome, Italy
12- 13 December 2007
5th International Forum on Investing in Technology
Organised by the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
Jordan, Amman
13-15 December 2007
33rd EIBA Annual Conference
Organised by the European International Business Academy (EIBA) and hosted by the University of Catania (Italy).
Catania, Italy
15 December 2007
IV International Serbian SME UNION Congress
Organized by the SME Union Serbia, the SA SME-Serbian SME Association, in cooperation with
the SME UNION of the EPP With the support of the Government of Serbia, OECD partners and INSME.
Belgrade, Serbia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read about the 2007 International Conference on SME Innovation organised by the SME Innovation Center (
An "enterprise matchmaking" international event dedicated to SMEs of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region took place in the framework of the 
Formally established as a non for profit Association in April 2006, 
This monthly free newsletter offers specific and updated information in the fields of EU research, innovation, training, industrial competitiveness and regional development. 
This is the monthly information tool of the 
