The Conversion of Knowledge into new Businesses. The European Days of the Entrepreneur Sofia 4-5 November 2004

Boosting ERA……………….. Barcelona: EU Members to increase R&D investments up to 3% of the GDP Lisbon: make the European economy the most competitive knowledge based economy in the world.

National Governments & the exploitation of knowledge……. Horizontal & Vertical ERA NETs : VALOR EUREKA: Clusters & Knowledge based sme’s in the European Business Area. Correlation

SMEs in Europe ………………………..SMEs in the US sme’s 65 % contribution to GDP Large firms: 20% comes from sme’s/80% from mergers US: Sme’s 45% contribution to GDP Large firms 75% come from young fast growing sme’s

Two of the Key Issues in ERA……………….. Getting more & sustainable knowledge based SME’s Provide them with the market and the means to make them really grow.

Emphasis in Dutch Innovation Policy……………… The Conversion of Knowledge via the generation of New Technology Based Firms should be improved International technological Collaboration to be reinforced in Cluster Projects, in SME driven projects.

Knowledge conversion…………… ………………………….some Dutch data 45000 start up’s per annum; 3%/1200 technology oriented 25%/300 get into the market place 50%/150 are sustainable and survive the “three year threshold”.

NTBF’s …………..where do they come from? Bigger Companies Universities, Knowledge Institutes R&D Programs

Dreamstart A Public Private Foundation for 4 Years 10 mln Dutch Guilders Aimed at Knowledge Conversion Soft Assistance Financial Support to start Up’s. Paving the Way for a Dutch Start up Program

Valorisation Identification Breeding Growing up Company Business plan First growth (fast) growth Tracking&tracing Screening Assesing the concept Proof of concept IPR Development & marketing of new products Project/ product Proof of principle Development & marketing Proof of product Cash flow Pre-seed Seed Bank finances Universities Business Angel VC Universities, Companies Research inst. Inventors Incubator Accelerator Company building Instruments Science&Technology Development Product/market

EUREKA Key Characteristics…………… International High Tech/Medium Tech Project Collaboration Initiated by Companies in a Bottom Up Way Close to the Market Umbrellas, Individual Projects, Clusters. Project Value: 22 Bn Euro’s 33 Members plus the European Commission

EUREKA ……………………Funding a Key Issue National Project Funding decreasing, no earmarked Budgets anymore National Mechanisms high tech oriented, not fit for medium tech close to the marketplace Heavy Competition with National Projects Funding Volume is not the Problem, the targeting is.

The present Dutch Chair in EUREKA………………………….. Restoring the national funding Basis for EUREKA Projects to again make it a building Stone for ERA. Re-establish a sound Collaboration with the Commission in: Umbrellas/Clusters/ETP’s Umbrellas and ERA NETs

The present Dutch Chair in EUREKA…………………………. To create Incentives for Industry to start new ambitious Initiatives on Themes like Health, Food & Nutrition Boosting SME Participation and Cluster Projects To make technology flow into new Products, Processes and services Thus converting Technology into Business Contributing to Barcelona in a borderless Approach via EUREKA.

SME participation in E! projects

EUREKA Perfectly fit to better support sme’s in Europe Perfect Match to European ERA Initiatives like VALOR.