Innovation as a driving force for Green growth Ivar H. Kristensen Director

Nordic Innovation Centre: A Nordic organisation that orchestrates increased Nordic value creation through international co-operation We: Stimulate innovation Remove barriers Build relations

INNOVATION

It is not only about more money to research

Stimulate innovation Stimulate innovation in the Nordic region through cooperation between national innovation actors Our conception of innovation; ” a new product, service or process that creates economic or other societal value. Innovation is important in all sectors”

It is about people and passion

The student who dreams about creating the next Google

Employees who want to be innovative

The customer who wants value for money

Green Growth Eco-efficient Economy (Publications from the Swedish EU presidency) Europe Innovation Union (Eus Innovation plan) Nordic Cooperation program on Business and Trade –Focus on Green Growth - goods and services Focus on both Green and Growth –Green is not only about cost cutting and to improve the company reputation it is about increasing the business of the company The baseline and key factor is innovation –To put what we already know into practice

Our projects on sustainable innovation Sustainability have become an important element in our funding strategies Started (formally) 2006 with a small program for Nordic environmental technology “Clean, Clever and competitive” Followed by several projects and programs; –Total invested 20.0 million Euro over a 5-6 years period –Value of the portfolio between 40.0 to 50.0 million Euro –7 different programs (thematic areas)

Activities - sustainable development Sustainable renovation – Nordic initiative Tekes Fi, Formas SE, Swedish Energy Agency, EBST DK, RCN NO Eraco-build - Common European/Nordic call Energy and transport – Nordic call Better Trade in Services - Engaging SMEs in the development of standards, focus on environmental technology Project on green business models (under development)

Activities continued.. Sustainability is important in the coming CSR lighthouse project – NICe contributor Lighthouse project on climate friendly buildings Top-Level Research Program (TFI) - CCS and Energy Efficiency using nanotechnology – common Nordic call Nordic MINT – MNT Era common Nordic/EU call Clean, Clever and competitive Nordic Environmental Technology Sustainable development related to food and fisheries (Nordic Marine Innovation and New Nordic Food)

Nordic Cleantech Alliances I-II ( ) Project leader: Stig Hirsbak, Grøntmij/Carl Bro, Danmark –Commercialization in networks – outside Norden i.e. Nordic Green Days in Silicon Valley 2009 –Combining Nordic national network of clean tech companies –Promote and facilitate deals between Nordic companies and communipalities –Nordic CleanTech Open Focus on Environmental Technology Clean, Clever and Competitive

Nordic-Baltic cooperation Hands on experience –NICe has experience in facilitating trans-national cooperation between the Nordic countries, Nordic -Baltic countries and Nordic countries and EU –Common pot, virtual distributed pot, linking national activities together, creating new cooperation platforms consortium Nordic – Baltic cooperation –One ”region” – creates a critical mass one home/test market –Focusing on infrastructure to enhance implementation of new technology and concepts Transnational “added value”; –Cross-boarder consortiums - better solutions –More competition - better projects