EUREKA eContent Supporting excellence in eContent & eBusiness technologies Philippe Wacker European Business Summit Brussels 16 March 2006

European Multimedia Forum The European Multimedia Forum (EMF) is the main European Trade Association promoting the competitiveness of the converging digital media industries in the global market place Not-for-profit association – founded in corporate members – 20 association members through EMMAC – 21 individual members EMF activities: –Promotion of “European Excellence in Multimedia” –Preferential service provision: International business development Funding acquisition –Management of special interest groups 9, rue du Moniteur B Brussels Belgium Tel: Fax: Philippe Wacker Secretary General

EMF European network

Key messages R&D is not the panacea on its own! Research needs to target strategic areas: eContent & eBusiness technologies ought to be an absolute priority Greater emphasis needs to be applied to the interfaces between research, product development, product marketing, job & wealth creation Mere lip-service to the importance of SMEs as engines of innovation & growth in a dynamic economy is not enough: (small) enterprise-friendly policies must follow! The current trend of refocusing everything around “large players” is as absurd as the previous trend focusing excessively on “start- ups” Success implies partnership between entrepreneurs, SMEs, key industry players, the research community, government, catalysts, clusters (“ecosystems” e.g. Silicon Valley, Bangalore, etc.)

The virtuous circle of research DEVELOPMENT SALESRESEARCH EMPLOYMENT MARKETING WEALTH Catalysts

The strategic importance of eContent & eBusiness technologies Amongst the “eContent 100” identified by eContent Magazine in 2004, only 9 are of European origin! Europe is “rich in content” AND a world-leader in broadband penetration, mobile technologies and digital TV on the other hand... …Where is the missing link? Precisely those technologies that are the cement of the eValuechain! Without a substantial effort to establish lasting excellence in eContent & eBusiness technologies a substantial building block will remain missing. The sector is characterised by a host of SMEs that are hampered in their growth by a number of factors: fragmented markets, frosty investment climate, inflexible employment markets, short term political visions, inadequate public funding mechanisms… Reinforcing this sector and facilitating its international networking is more crucial than ever.

eContent & eBusiness technologies Collaboration & knowledge management tools Digital content creation, production and publishing tools Digital content delivery platforms Content management tools (CM, payment, security, DRM location based systems, etc…) eMarketing tools Process-based technologies in the field of eBusiness & eCommerce Process-based technologies in the field of eGovernment (in the widest sense, including e.g. eLearning, eInclusion, etc.) Visualisation technologies (including 3D and virtual reality) Search engines and technologies …

Objectives of the eConTec Umbrella Respond to this challenge by “Supporting Excellence in eContent & eBusiness Technologies”. Identify research needs at the level of innovative eContent & eBusiness Technology companies (“concrete & pragmatic”) Link these needs with the research community and large industrial players (“bottom up”) Carry the results into the market place (“market orientated”) Create a powerful European network of research-based technology companies that are successful in their international marketing (“innovation marketing”)

Services of the eConTec Umbrella Information –EUREKA funding sources & procedures –key players (corporate, research, catalysts) –potential partners –success stories Networking capabilities (partner search) Assistance in project building Assistance in project lobbying Events Visibility: check-out-europe.com & Seal of Excellence Technology transfer & technology scouting eAccelerator: international business development (innovation marketing) Facilitation of access to private funding sources