Issue N° 108 - March 2013

In this Issue:

INSMEnews!

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Keep up to date on innovation matters worldwide with the INSME Association!

Dear INSMEnews Readers,

during one of my last international travels I came across this advertisement that I “re-cycle” as I believe that it matches perfectly with the spirit of INSME, being a knowledge-based network:

“Why to start from scratch when you could build on strengths?”

Together with this nice picture I leave the floor to you - our successful innovation practitioners - and invite you to take advantage of the last days of the Early-bird rate for the interesting upcoming INSME-IZKA-UNCTAD training session on the 24th of April with the title “Key-resources for profitable growth: how to strategically access and co-develop economic assets for the benefit of SMEs”.

I am looking forward to welcoming you all in Izmir, to share good practise, learn from the outstanding expertise of our speakers and experts and spend some time with you to furthermore fine-tune the work of the INSME Secretariat for a successful year.

...and now as usual enjoy your reading!

Ms. Christin Pfeiffer

INSME Secretary general


The INSME Team welcomes your comments and inputs for further improvement of this service.

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Supporting organisations:

Updates on the life of the INSME Network

Successful launch of the INSMEAcademy

The first session of the newly established INSMEAcademy has taken place on the 27th of March with the topic “The social media based innovative services: the new value creation drivers" held by Aleardo Furlani - CEO of INNOVA/Italy (INSME Board Member).

  Participants strongly appreciated the possibility of actively intervening via the online platform by taking advantage of the question and answer session.

The second training of the INSMEAcademy will be held on the 23rd of April 2013, from 1 pm to 2 pm Central European Time (CET) with the topic "Innovation and Technology Transfer in SMEs" and the seminar will be given by Dr. Georges Haour of IMD (International Institute for Management Development/Switzerland).

Registration is mandatory, please contact the INSME Secretariat.

The INSMEAcademy is a new webinar-based training program on relevant topics concerning Innovation, Creativity, Strategic Partnerships and  Entrepreneurial Spirit.

All webinars will be held at lunch time and each session will have a duration of 60 minutes including a 10 minutes Questions&Answers Session.

All participants have the possibility to take advantage of a free “Expert-talk”-Session, held during the following two weeks of the seminar to raise questions, find solutions and share good practices.

Webinars are open to everybody, upon registration, on a fee basis.

Please contact the INSME Secretariat for further details.

INSME full members participate free of charge.

For further information please visit this page and download the INSMEAcademy flyer

9th INSME Annual Meeting update

INSME Annual Meeting 2013 logoThe INSME team is working hard on organising the 9th INSME Annual Meeting taking place from the 21st to 24th of May 2013 in Izmir, Turkey. 

The agenda is close to be totally set up and the four days of the event will be full of interesting round tables and conferences. Check the agenda and register to the round tables you are most interested in!
 
During the 9thINSME Annual Meeting you will also have the chance to attend the 2013 INSME-IZKA-UNCTAD Training Workshop on "Key-resources for profitable Growth". This interactive workshop - on a fee basis - will upgrade management skills for SMEs in order to be successful in the innovation eco-system. Read the full training program at this webpage.
 
Registration is open now! Please take advantage of the convenient Early-Bird rates! All details and the online registration form are available here or contact the INSME Secretariat at 2013@insme.it

Welcome to our new member: IMP3rove!

INSME is delighted to welcome a new Member joining the Network in March:

IMP3ROVE LogoIMP3rove - European Innovation Management Academy - based in Duesseldorf, Germany - offers an approach with an integrated online assessment to quickly and confidentially determine where a company stands in terms of its competitiveness, sustainable growth and Innovation Management. The IMP³rove Assessment provides the answers to the following questions: Does the company’s innovation strategy, organisation, culture, life cycle management or enabling factors facilitate the innovation? Which areas should be reviewed? What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses? The IMP³rove Assessment effectively analyses all these aspects.

The IMP³rove Innovation Management consulting approach and tools developed by IMP³rove are holistic, integrated and based on the experience of almost 3000 SMEs.
 
IMP3rove organises an international contest. The 2013 Award Ceremony will be held during the 9thINSME Annual Meeting, on the 22nd of May  2013 in Izmir during the Gala Dinner.

More information at this page.
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Contributions from INSME PARTNERS

Partnership with the EARMA Association

EARMA LogoIn March INSME and the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators - EARMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim to better promote multilateral communications and cooperation in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, science and technology transfer, and research management and administration.
 

EARMA aims at being an interface between research funding organisations and the scientific community, bridging cultural and legal differences between countries, and between academia and industry, contributing to policy consultations and managing the smooth running of research projects.

The EU SME Centre is asking European entrepreneurs: Are you ready for China?

EU SME Centre logoBeing the world's biggest market as well as the fastest growing major economy, China has been attracting a lot of attention, but due to the cultural, political and social differences it still remains a major challenge for European small and medium-sized enterprises. To lower the barriers, the EU SME Centre (INSME Partner) was founded in Beijing in 2010 to provide practical and trustworthy help to European SMEs.
 
In this article you will find an overview of its activities and its tools.
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INSME's Picks in the News

President Barroso announces the creation of a Science and Technology Advisory Council

On the 27th of Febraury 2013, the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, has announced the creation of a Science and Technology Advisory Council. 
 
As President Barroso said "this Advisory Council will focus on science and technology related topics that are of cross-cutting nature, with a clear societal dimension. It will identify the issues of value where science, research and innovation can contribute to support future development in Europe".
 
The Science and Technology Advisory Council is an independent and informal group of outstanding science and technology experts from academia, business and civil society. Its members have been selected by the President in consultation with the Chief Scientific Adviser, based on their scientific reputation, experience at the science-policy interface and communication skills.
 
More info at this page.

EU-ASEAN talks on trade and investment

The EU-ASEAN Business Summit, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on the 9th of March 2013 and the informal meetings of the previous days between the EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and the Trade Ministers of the ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) have been focused on how to strengthen trade and investment relations.
 
The EU successfully concluded a free trade deal with Singapore in December 2012 and negotiations are ongoing with Malaysia and Vietnam. However, the EU hopes to start negotiations with other partners in the region as well, aiming one day to complete these agreements with a regional trade agreement.
 
More info here.
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INSME's Picks in the Web

When is an Innovation an Innovation?

DNA Helix
Was the discovery of the structure of DNA an innovation?
Is innovation evolutionary or revolutionary?
Find some possible answers in this article of Tim Kastelle.

Unlocking Talent is a Key to Organizational Agility and Innovation


In this article Chuck Frey explains why it is so important - in the "Social Era" - that leaders meet their workers' desire to contribute to a mission that matters.
Read the article here.

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About IPR...in China

IPR CHINA SME Help Desk:  Research and Development in China for European Businesses (Part 1)

When addressing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues related to research and development (R&D), people often quickly jump to the questions on IPR ownership, licensing, enforcement etc. All of these issues are important; however it is very helpful to examine also other important points.

In this article the China IPR SME Help Desk (INSME Partner) gives some hints about developing a good "R&D strategy".

Read the article

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Tenders, Calls & Consultations

Crowdsourcing Week 2013 - Startup Challenge

Crowdsourcing WeekThe Crowdsourcing Week 2013 is looking for innovative startups to compete in a pitch and crowdfunding challenge. The teams are invited to submit their business plans and 10 finalists with the maximum potential will be picked by a panel of venture capitalists and startup mentors.
 
The 10 finalists will compete to raise $30,000 capital on a crowdfunding campaign on RocketHub and test market response.
 
This competition is open to startups from anywhere in the world.
The deadline for applications is the 8th of April 2013.

More info at this page.

EU: Clusters and Entrepreneurship in support of Emerging Industries


EU logoThe main objective of this call for proposals is to support regions to adapt and change their industrial structures to unlock the potential of clusters and entrepreneurship for regional economic development and for addressing societal challenges such as reducing CO2 emissions, improving resource efficiency and environmental protection. 
 
The call invites interested regional organisations to submit, in a first stage, a short "concept note" on their vision of how to promote entrepreneurship in regions by using clusters as platforms with a view to supporting the development of emerging industries. 
 
Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible: EU Member States, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and CIP participating countries.

The concept notes shall be submitted by the 17th of April 2013. 
The "winners" of this first round will then be invited to submit full proposals by the 22nd of August 2013.
 
More info at this page.

EU: MERCOSUR IPR SME Helpdesk

EU logo The overall objective of this call for proposals is to provide support services to assist European SMEs to both protect and enforce their intellectual property rights in or relating to the MERCOSUR region including Chile.

The applicants will have to define the target countries of their choice as set out in the call for proposals.

The maximum budget allocated is 600 000 Euro.
Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible: EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Croatia, FYROM and Turkey. Legal entities from the target countries are eligible provided that they come from organisations having as a main objective to represent the interests of companies established in an EU Member State, present or active in the target countries.
The deadline is the 30th of April 2013

More info at this page.

European Public Sector Award (EPSA)

EPSA logoThe European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) - with the institutional and financial support of 13 European public partners - offers the possibility to send applications for the fourth European Public Sector Award - EPSA 2013. 
 
The EPSA 2013 will be awarded on the occasion of a high-level event on leading-edge public administration solutions, which will be held from the 25th to the 27th of November 2013 in Maastricht (NL). This event thus again presents a significant opportunity for European administrations to showcase their innovative performances and achievements to an extensive audience and to be recognised for being at the forefront of their field at European level.

All European public sector institutions from all levels, as well as public sector enterprises, agencies or public-private partnerships are eligible to submit their projects for the award. The lead applicant – in any case - must be a public sector actor.
The topic of this year’s call is "Weathering the Storm: Creative Solutions in a Time of Crisis" and the deadline is the 12th of April 2013.

More info here
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Interesting Initiatives

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme which gives young or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to gather and exchange knowledge and business ideas with an experienced entrepreneur, with whom they stay and collaborate for a period of 1 to 6 months. The stay is partly financed by the European Commission.
 
The programme encourages the participation of both:

  • New entrepreneurs, firmly planning to set up their own business or having already started one within the last three years;
  • Experienced entrepreneurs who own or manage a Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise in the EU.
To learn more about the programme click here.
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Publications

Investment and Value Added Trade in the Global Economy: UNCTAD's Preliminary Analysis


UNCTAD's Division on Investment and Enterprise (INSME Member) published a preliminary analysis on "Global Value Chains And Development: Investment and Value Added Trade in the Global Economy".
 
The findings presented in this report include some important policy implications. GVCs (Global Value Chains) can be an important avenue for developing countries to build productive capacity, including technology dissemination and skill building, opening up opportunities for longer-term industrial upgrading.
 
UNCTAD intends to build on the preliminary analyses of the new data presented in this launch report in its forthcoming World Investment Report 2013, which will examine the mechanisms through which GVCs can contribute to development (e.g. market access, employment generation, productive capacity building), as well as the risks involved for developing countries (e.g. social and environmental sustainability impact, the risk of remaining locked into low value adding activities, footlooseness of activities).
 
To learn more about the report click here.

Study on Building SME Competitiveness in the EU and LAC

The Services Consortium of the AL-INVEST Programme (EUROCHAMBRES) - with the supervision of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) - published a study on "Building SME competitiveness in the European Union  and  Latin America and the Carribbean".
 
In December 2012, in the framework of public-private dialogue between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean organized by AL-INVEST/EUROCHAMBRES and ECLAC, a series of interviews were conducted with some 50 business leaders and opinion shapers in countries of both regions.
 
This document incorporates the survey and is intended to stimulate discussion and thinking at the highest political and business echelons of the European Union and of Latin America and the Caribbean about the role of smaller-sized firms in domestic economies and the support they need in order to overcome their most important limitation, which is their productivity compared to larger firms. 
 
If SMEs improve their competitiveness they will be in a position to "go international", tackling new and more complex markets and gaining access to the knowledge economy, etc.  

To learn more about this study please click here.

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Recommended Website

SME Toolkit

SME Toolkit logoThe SME Toolkit is a website dedicated to the namesake programme of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) - a member of the World Bank Group - available in multiple languages through local partners around the world. 
 
The portal aims at providing assistance to SMEs by offering the essential tools to start a new activity and to do business internationally.
 
The portal is divided into eight main sections (Accounting and Finance/ Business Planning/Human Resources/Exporting/Legal and Insurance/Marketing and Sales/Operations/ Technology).

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Recommended Newsletter

Eurochambres News


Eurochambers Logo
EUROCHAMBRES NEWS
is the Association's free monthly newsletter. Published 10 times a year in English and French, it provides clear and concise information about EUROCHAMBRES' activities and positions.

You can subscribe this newsletter here.

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Events

Highlighted events

Paris - La Defense4th of April 2013

Towards a sustainable economic paradigm: From labour to resource productivity
Paris, France

UNIDO (INSME Member) will hold the Paris Forum with the topic "Towards a sustainable economic paradigm: from labour to resource productivity" on the 4th of the April

The forum will bring world leaders and key actors together to engage in a dynamic and critical debate on the need for a shift away from labour- and resource-intensive production towards resource-efficient productivity.

The new economic model of growth will be explored through fundamental topics:

  • Green economy for green growth: from labour to resource productivity
  • Regulatory, policy and financing frameworks for a green economy
  • Green industry for a strengthened economy
To learn more please click here.


EBAN logo13th - 14th of May 2013
13 th EBAN Annual Congress & 8th EBAN Awards
Vienna, Austria

The EBAN (INSME Member) Congress is the annual greatest gathering event of the European early stage investment community.

Over 300 participants are expected to attend the sessions which will clarify the role of early stage investors as enablers of growth and jobs for Europe. The Congress will also comprise the annual Awards Ceremony which distinguishes amongst other awards the Business Angel of the Year.

To learn more please click here.

Future International meetings, workshops, seminars selected by INSME

7th - 10th of April 2013
Annual NBIA Conference
Organized by the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA)
Boston, USA

10th - 14th of April 2013
41st Exhibition of Inventions
Organized by Inventions Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland

17th - 18th of April 2013
Breakthrough Innovation 2013
Organized by Connecting Group
Berlin, Germany

17th - 19th of April 2013
IFT Energy 2013 International Fair of Technologies
Organized by IFT Energy
Espacio Riesco, Santiago- Chile

21st – 23rd of April 2013
ADT Spring Conference 2013
Organized by ADT (German Association of Innovation, Technology and Business Incubation Centres)
Chemnitz, Germany

22nd – 25th of April 2013
World Chambers Congress
Organized by ICC - International Chamber of Commerce
Doha, Qatar

24th – 26th of April 2013
Seventh Global Congress "Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy"
Organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO (INSME Member)
Istanbul, Turkey

26th of April 2013
World Intellectual Property Day
Organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO (INSME Member)

29th – 30th of April 2013
Fostering Innovation and Strengthening Synergies within the EU
Organized by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
Dublin, Ireland

6th – 7th of May 2013
Creating markets from research results
Organized by EPO - European Patent Office
Munich, Germany

6th – 10th of May 2013

TII Conference: Globalization of Technology
Organized by Technology Innovation International (TII)
Beijing, China

9th of May 2013
Innovation Economy Expo
Organized by Innovation Economy Konnect, Inc.
Ontario, California, USA

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