The Carinthian approach Innovating SMEs – The Carinthian approach Messages   Discover the new cohesion policy 2007-13: it opens a wide range of public and private investment opportunities. Public-private partnerships: working together for more competitiveness, innovation and sustained regional growth. EU Cohesion policy means achieving more together – Structural Funds investments make enlargement a success for all. Investing in Europe: Regions and cities deliver the Growth and Jobs agenda. Hans Schönegger, Reinhard Schinner KWF Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund

Who is KWF? Carinthia: south of AT, at the border to SI and IT 550.000 inhabitants 22.000 companies GDP: € 23.600 per inh. R&D-rate: 2,7% rate of unemployment: 5% KWF: the only regional institution for funding companies (consultancy, grants, loans, risk capital)

Structure and tasks of KWF? Outsourcing of economic funding, public company based on regional law, owned by the Region 28 employees, 2 general manager with a wide range of competencies 5 areas of intervention (Technology, Handcraft & Industry, Tourism, Risk Management, Restructuring) Shareholder of several economy related institutions Annual regular budget: € 25 Mio + € 10 EU-Funds + € 10 federal funds

How supports KWF? Integrated development on company level: Management skills (Assistant for Tourism, Knowledge Management) RDT-capacity building (Assistant for Innovation, Technology Transfer) Personal Management (Gender mainstreaming, needs for Qualification & Training, also for CEOs) Partners: consultants, interest groups, Universities

How supports KWF? Innovation system with company focus and orientated to three main competence fields: University (sponsoring of technical professorships, founding of technical faculty) Intermediate R&D-Infrastructure (Lakeside-labs, Carinthian Tech Research, Competence Center for Wood) Technology Parks (Lakeside Science and Technology Park, Technology Park Villach, Industrial Park St. Veit)

How supports KWF? Financial funding on company level: Investments for technical equipment and building up of production capacities Projects in Research & Development Development of Clusters, networks, co-operation Investments in tourism offers Venture capital (fund), guarantee of equity, loan for start-ups Partners: funding institutions on federal level

How supports KWF? first-stop-shop and networking: Managing Authority for Objective 2-Programme Regional Co-ordination Unit for INTERREG IV CBC partnership in interregional EU-projects Graduate Center for Entrepreneurship Services for investors (via Development Agency and 6 Technology & Innovation Center) Consultancy for exports and 7. FP for RDT Co-financing of 10 MB|s broadband

Thank you for your attention Hans Schönegger, Reinhard Schinner KWF - Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund E-mail: schinner@kwf.at http://www.kwf.at