Örnsköldsvik Sollefteå Kramfors Härnösand Timrå SundsvallÅnge Västerbottens län Jämtlands län Gävlebors län Västernorrland County Pop.: inh. Area: km 2 Pop.dens.: 11,1 inh./km 2

Forest and rivers Electricity production Bio refinery for the future BioNorr - Woodpellets Export

Future Västernorrland! - Regional county development strategy

Future Västernorrland 2020 Vision: ’A proud Västernorrland – functional and attractive’ Overall strategy objectives: With collective resources, we will mobilise the assets of Västernorrland to create a powerful new trend that will give us: Population growth => inh, Increased accessibility Strengtened innovative capability

Focus areas – for the realisation of the objectives People as an asset Skills as an asset Innovation capability as an asset Assessibility and infrastructure as an asset

Standpoint made by ’ The County Partnership’ as part of the RUS-decision: As representatives of the County Partnership in Västernorrland, and of our respective organisations, we endorse the Västernorrland Regional Development Strategy We intend it to be the starting point of the future regional growth effort, of our joint efforts and of our individual development efforts. Härnösand, 1 December

Rural Arena Regional Development Strategy Other programmes: IT Strategy, the Regional Agreement (RÖK), the Intranet Agreement Provision of traffic services, etc. Cultural heritage in development FUNK-Y County programme for creative business Development strategy for the tourism industry Regional growth programme (RTP) Regional Transport Plan Energy and Climate Strategy Regional Service Programme Programme structure for the Västernorrland regional growth effort

3. Innovation as a driving force Directional goal: In 2020, the county will have a collaborative and supportive structure that pushes for a dynamic entrepreneurial and innovative climate on a high level in Sweden. Measures will be implemented until 2020, in order for Västernorrland to become one of the best entrepreneurial environments in Sweden, with an increasing share of young business owners, be characterised by a speedy and competitive transition from ideas/research to sustainable implementation, become known for its regional innovative environments and for the development of dynamic networks and clusters, have had strong commercial success in, e.g., a growing energy and environmental technology industry, be seen and heard as a successful and interesting part of Europe.

3. Innovation as a driving force..... Measurement structure of the programme: Innovation and investment climate Entrepreneurship and start-up promotion Clusters and innovation systems Strategic regional marketing Existing networks/clusters: The forest as a resource: Number One Forest Industry Network, the Biorefinery of the Future, Safety and Rescue Region (SRR), Bank/insurance/pension (CER), Environmental/energy technology (Clean Tech), Digital information management/archives, The tourism industry Examples of new strategic networks: Sensor IT, Materials science, Electric hybrids/hydraulics, The ‘experience’ industry, Local food production, Logistics & transport

Bio refineries – innovation perspectives in times of structural changes in pulp & paper industry, growing potentials for residual energy flows in forest-based processing plants The Bio refinery of the Future -Processum Biorefinery Initiative AB, Örnsköldsvik A cluster in biorefinery matters, and a technology park (ethanol pilot, etc,) started 2003 – focus: Bio and energy technology, inorganic and organic chemistry Forest Innovation Arena -Number One Forest Industry Network - Åkroken Science Park, Sundsvall Process industry cluster with technology park and world-leading R&D in mechanic cellulose pulping (Fibre Science and Communication Network, FSCN, Mid Sweden University) Pilot Park Norrland -BioFuel Region, Formation of a biorefinery hub in northern Sweden for new product & energy solutions based on forest raw material

The regional innovation support system of Västernorrland aancial Ideas => ALMI / Innovationsalliansen => Reg. Innov. Council => CAB grants Clusters Incubators Local entrepr. promotion Entrepreneurship/start-up promotion: Project co-operation between municipalities in the county Local business pilots; incubators ’Open-for-business’/’summer entrepreneurs’/’Business Room’ Ung Företagsamhet/’Young Entrepreneurship’ Financial infrastructure: ALMI Företagspartner Norrlandsfonden Reg. Growth policy grants / CAB Regional Ven. Cap. Organisations (SamInvest, Mittkapital, EkoNord, Inlandsinnovation…)