TRANSfer of successful supporting schemes for technology-based start-ups to innovative ACTions in Newly Associated Countries Elisabeth Frank Joint Workshop PAXIS Projects New Strategies for Innovation Support Salamanca, June 2005

Transfer projects: Identification of existing successful models or instruments. Development of a suitable transfer strategy to the NACs. Successful implementation of those concepts. Aims of PAXIS transfer projects

European Incubators:  Innovation und Bildung Hohenheim GmbH, Germany  Attempto Service GmbH, Germany  Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain  CREALYS, France Internal project evaluation:  Fraunhofer Institut für Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung, Germany TRANSACT Partners

AC partners:  Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic  INNOTECH, Innovation Park of the Technical University of Budapest Ltd., Hungary  University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Estonia  University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Romania TRANSACT Partners

 successful integration into the EU enlargement process by transferring best practice,  dissemination of knowledge and  enhancement of an entrepreneurial culture and the promotion of new business ideas. TRANSACT contributes to

Project Process and Methodology Collection and evaluation of data Decision on critical success factors Pre- selection of approaches Establishment of a network of relevant players Collaborative planning: Conferences Feasibility Study Implementation

TRANSACT as a PAXIS transfer project Funding ends Funding Sustain ability Identification Definition Exe- cution Evaluation Expansion within the university/ region Spreading to other universities/ regions Idea Plan Outline  Draft Completion Evaluation Continuation Improvement Identification Development Implementation

Identification Integrated approach of Technology Transfer Awareness Training Establishment of networks strategic partnerships Incubation Financing instruments Efficiency of the measures Quite unsolvable within the project “needs“

Identification Definition Conferences and Open-Space Technology In order to fulfil the needs of the partners in the accession countries at the best possible rate a conference was held in each of the participating countries. March: Budapest/Hungary January: Prague/ Czech Republic September: Bucharest/ Romania May: Tartu/ Estonia

Identification Definition During these conferences the Open-Space-Technology was used to make sure that Conferences and Open-Space Technology - the most important topics to the participants were raised and discussed - TRANSACT partners, experts and relevant decision makers were brought together - all relevant parties are committed to the project - planning is facilitated, knowledge is shared and approaches are selected - "action teams” were established.

Feasibility Study NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution Together with relevant decision makers, several approaches were checked for their feasibility. Ultimate aim: a university based innovation support system consisting of three pillars  Technology transfer,  Contract Research and Development and  Spin-off creation

Feasibility Study NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution Chosen feasible approaches in preparation for the ultimate aim: 1. Awareness raising campaigns Business Simulation Competition Contacts to student organisations Articles in Newsletters Introductory Training

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 1.Awareness raising campaigns: Business Simulation Competition A business simulation competition was proposed during the TRANSACT Conference in Budapest, in which students from all partner universities could participate

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution Business Simulation Competition The International Business Simulation Competition is a computer based simulation for students interested in starting their own business. Facing business, technical and social challenges participants have to go through different stages of business activity : The first International Business Simulation Competition took place in December 2004, supervised by the IBH Stuttgart and the evaluation was supported by the University of Applied Sciences in Stuttgart. The winner was the student team from Hungary. Business Idea Business Plan Market Entry Business Operation

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 1.Awareness raising campaign - contacts to student organisations (to all faculties of the University of Technology and Economics in Budapest; to Student Council, ERASMUS Student Network Tartu and Estonian Medical Students’ Association in Tartu; to the students’ league council in Bucharest ) - presentations concerning start-up support measures that have been or will be held (e.g., dissemination over Hungarian TV, official press statement by the University of Tartu distributed in transnational and local radio channels, report to the Senate of the Bucharest Agronomic University, article in “Zpravodaj”, a newsletter of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Prague ) Entrepreneurial awareness among students has been raised by:

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 1.Awareness raising campaign Articles in Newsletters - information and success stories of young entrepreneurs sent to the students directly via the student newsletters (e.g. in the newsletter “MÜHELY”, newspaper Universitas Tartuensis, the newsletter Novaator )

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 2. Advanced training In all partner universities from Eastern Europe it was decided to offer trainings for students, graduates and other would be entrepreneurs on entrepreneurial skills in different fields: -Business plan -Economics -Busines management -Management skills -Legal aspect -Innovation

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 3. Strengthened network at the partner institutions Integration of relevant decision makers from inside and outside the universities into the planning process of the conferences and the conferences themselves. It was possible to integrate into all of the conferences representatives of : - Universities (rector, professors, teaching staff, students) - Ministries (e.g. Ministry of Economic Affairs,.....) - Government (e.g. City Government) - Science Parks, Innovation Centres, Patent Centres, Business Advisory Centres,... - Research Institutions - Chambers

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 3. Strengthened network at the partner institutions Together with this enlarged network and supported by the TRANSACT partners - new proposals for start-up support - structural changes in the partner institutions - new collaborations are on their way.

Implementation NAC Identification Definition Exe- cution 4. Structural changes Establishment of Academic Incubator in Bucharest On the 5th TRANSACT conference in Bucharest, an action team on the Academic Incubator was launched and an Academic Incubator has been started. Students with business ideas and professors, who are supporting them in writing their business plans, are given the necessary infrastructure to start their projects, e.g. rooms.

Thank you for your attention Elisabeth Frank Attempto Service GmbH, Tübingen Germany