Lorelei Hunt Director of Innovation South West England Regional Development Agency RAPIDE Successes and Challenges 20 May 2010 EUROPEAN UNION European Regional Development Fund Benjamin Kuscher RAPIDE Project Manager

RAPIDE Partner Regions South West of England – UK Galicia – Spain Kujawsko-Pomorskie – Poland Örebro – Sweden Region of Western Greece Saxony-Anhalt – Germany Tartu – Estonia Wales – UK Presov – Slovakia South Bohemia – CZ Lapland – Finland Észak-Alföld – Hungary

RAPIDEs learning curve... Past Learning Summit in Cornwall Summer member states, 25 regions Key factors preventing innovations reaching the market High level of enthusiasm INTERREG IVC application regions, 13 member states 3 themes; partnership, finanbvce, risk Identification of our toolkit 1 st phase of the project working summits 2 conferences Building partnerships, developing our working methods

RAPIDEs learning curve...Present Four peer groups 2010 Innovation Vouchers - Effective Funding – Innovation Partnerships - Innovative Procurement Developing and adapting proposals 17 Regional Action Plans 2010 Action Plans finalised Beginning the implementation Starting the action Drawing up policy recommendations 2010

RAPIDEs learning curve...Future Implementation of concrete actions Innovation Vouchers+ Pre-Commercial Procurement Business Angel Networks Start-up Assessment Innovation Partnerships RAPIDE digital story telling for a better pitch To be presented at the final RAPIDE conference Impact on Structural Fund Programmes Variable involvement of MAs New projects More efficient/effective delivery of existing projects Improved outcomes

Experience of a Fast Track Network Fast Track means just that! Did we understand how hard we would have to work? Benefits of a short, sharp, task and finish approach Continuity of personnel Involvement of external regional experts Relationship between regions and the Commission Sense of collective effort between regions and the Commission Strong dialogue between the EU and regional practioners Capitalise on new ideas and developments on the European level Commission benefits from development, testing and implementing of new ideas within the RAPIDE regions Variation in extent to which DGs and units engaged Different expectations of the INTERREG JTS and the EC

Recommendations for Fast Track The project theme should be clearly defined at the outset to allow a quick start Each DG should nominate an expert on the theme DG REGIO geographical units need to be regularly briefed and to support the project Implementation of actions should start within the project life cycle to avoid any loss of momentum

Lorelei Hunt Director of Innovation South West RDA 20th May 2010 Why South West England is the Lead Partner of RAPIDE? EUROPEAN UNION European Regional Development Fund

Advantages for Fast Track Lead Partner Direct involvement in leading search for new ideas and designing new approaches to innovation in Europe Direct contact to the Commission, influencing policy and having a say in Europe Developing productive new partnerships across Europe Real opportunity to apply experiences from other regions

For more information RAPIDEwww.rapidenetwork.eu Interreg IVCwww.interreg4c.net DG Regioec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm EUROPEAN UNION European Regional Development Fund Lorelei Hunt Director of Innovation South West of England Regional Development Agency Benjamin Kuscher RAPIDE Project Manager South West of England Regional Development Agency