1. Priority Areas Cross-fertilisation Workshop Competitiveness and Internationalization of SMEs in Bioeconomy in Danube Region
Dr. Jonathan Loeffler
Managing Director
Steinbeis 2i GmbH
Vukovar,

2. Pilar C Building Prosperity in the Danube Region
Pillar C focuses on innovation, information society, competitiveness of enterprises, education, labor market and marginalized communities.
PA8 Competitiveness – is coordinated by the State Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and Croatia.
WG Innovation and Technology Transfer – is coordinated by Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum

3. Danube Transfer Centers
Baden-Württemberg pilot initiative to support the competitiveness of enterprises in Danube Region
Project Ojective - fill the gap between research and innovation
Installation of Danube Technology Transfer Centers (DTC) organized as “one-stop-shops” mainly for SMEs in regard of innovation & technology transfer.
Results:
4 DTCs operational
(Nitra, Cluj-Napoca, Vukovar, Novi-Sad)
2 DTCs working together
(Maribor, Ruse)
2 DTC Letter of Intent
(PBN Hungary, TU Bucharest)
7 R&D organisations
with project collaboration

4. Danube Transfer Center Ceremony (at 5th Annual Forum of EUSDR)
signing  Letter of Commitment with DTC Maribor
and
Memorandum of Understanding with DTC Slavonski Hrast

5. DTC „SLAVONSKI HRAST“ 02-04.05.2016 in Karlsruhe
Connect Ideas2Business 2016
Karlsruhe, Germany
Wood Competence Center
Baden-Württemberg

6. DTC „SLAVONSKI HRAST“
Karlsruhe, Germany

7. Projects synergy .

8. Made in Danube
Made in Danube Kick-Off Event – 22nd of March, Stuttgart
Project co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA)

9. Wokshop Objective
Supporting the competitiveness and internationalization of SMEs in Bioeconomy in Danube Region
To open Priority Areas (PAs) cross-fertilisation perspectives on common understanding of innovation and technology transfer priorities for the Danube Strategy with the participation of relevant representatives for the area of research and innovation, potentially from all PAs.
To realize synergies between the actors and experts in innovation and technology transfer, efforts concretized by identifying concrete recommendations for future Research and Innovation actions in Danube Region.

10. “Missing links” at local level - Network of Networks

11. Technology Readiness Level
Actorss
Actors
Developer
University
R&D organisation
Company
Recipient
Facilitator
EEN
DTC
Needs
Technology Readiness Level

12. Technology Readiness Level
Build the bridge
Technology
Basic Research
Research to prove feasibility / Lab Prototype
Dev. Phase / Ind. Demonstration
Available on the market
Type of SMEs
Pioneers (1-2%)
Early Followers (3-5%)
Late Followers (10-15%)
Techn. Users (80%)
Capacity of R&D organisation to transfer new knowledge
Capacity of SMEs to absorb new knowledge
Needs
Technology Readiness Level

13. Knowledge and Technology Transfer
Example of applied research project – design of an advanced cooling system
Product Design
Based on technical specifications
Simulation
Air flow
Temperature distribution
Acoustics - sound absorbers
Mechanical properties
Functional tests
Production
Local university +
University 2
Company
Local university
Company

14. Flexible Innovation Eco-systems
(Innovation 2.0) combined with S3 regional strategies
Macro-regional level - EUSDR
Regional / Local level – S3
Company / Organisation level

15. Three main priorities
Barriers
Needs
Priority I - Achieve a shift of mentality at University/R&D organisations and SMEs
Priority II - Support the competitiveness of companies through new product development in collaboration with Universities or R&D organisations
Priority III - Forster the knowledge exchange and the financing of support/ facilitator structures at Danubian level
Lack of trust
Mentality shift
Lack of communication
Lack of innovative thinking at business level
Cooperation with stakeholders
Lack of knowledge about TT
Exchange of best practices
Lack of financing for projects
Long term strategy for cooperation
Training for cooperation

16. Top priorities to achieve a shift in mentality
Public Authorities
Changing the curricula at the level of Universities
Organising Dissemination Events
Changing the regulatory framework to support innovation
Opening Labs for business purposes
Research, Science, Education
Good examples and leaders
Legislation support
Culture to accept change
Framework conditions to encourage service to society at the operational level
Companies, Clusters
Opening Innovation towards universities
Include clusters or intermediaries as interfaces
Sharing information, vision, bring the Universities to the companies
List of programs for undergraduates for future leaders

17. Top priorities to support collaboration between
enterprises and R&D institutions
Public Authorities
Special calls for technological transfer
Voucher system from SMEs to R&D
Establish incentives conditioning funding on collaboration
Favorizing the partnership projects
Research, Science, Education
Financial Programs to initiate industry academia consortia
Structures for building networking
Demand driven research
Integrate experts from the industries to teach
Companies, Clusters
Invest in gathering company data and use for communication and dissemination
Technology Transfer office takes administrative tasks
Transparent, efficient Contractual Procedure
Professors associate - volunteers

18. Top priorities for knowledge exchange
and lack of financing
Public Authorities
Less bureaucracies to address structural funds
Elaborate a good cluster policy
Foster knowledge to access financing
Political Consensus
Research, Science, Education
Online instruments
Staff exchange
Adapt good practices
Study visits
Companies, Clusters
Provide support and guidance (ex. Innovation management audits)
Media for promoting technology transfer
Flexible – small and quick financing
Basic funding to go out

19. Wood Competence Center Vukovar
Case study
Wood Competence Center Vukovar

20. Action plan What should be done in the first 2 years?
List of concrete measures to be performed from the perspective of
Public Authorities
Research, Science, Education organisations
Companies representatives, clusters

21. Workshop – working in groups
3 Tables
Table I - Public Authorities
Table II - Research, Science, Education
Table III - Companies, Clusters, etc.
3 „Table host“ + 3 moderators
„Travellers“ or „ambassadors of meaning“
3 priorities x 20 minutes rounds of conversation
Initiate a period of sharing informations per groups – prioritization of the conclusions - 30 minutes
Presentation of the results minutes (3x10 minutes)

22. Workshop – working in groups
Table
1st round
2nd round
3rd round
Table 1
Public Authorities PA
Companies
R&S&E
Table 2
Research, Science, Education
Table 3
Companies, Clusters e.g.

23. Table I - Public Authorities (PA)
1st round PA
2nd round
R&S&E „as PA“
3rd round
Companies „as PA“

24. Table II - Research, Science, Education (R&S&E)
1st round
R&S&E
2nd round
PA as R&S&E
3rd round
Companies as R&S&E

25. Table III - Companies, Clusters e.g.
1st round
Companies
2nd round
R&S&E
as Companies
3rd round
PA as Companies

26. I&TT phases I&TT phases
Awareness raising
Events
Workshops
Communication campaign
Company visits
Trainings
Analysis of needs
Innovation audits
Business consultancy
Surveys, interviews …
Matchmaking
Brokerage events
TO/TR database
Technology scouting
Innovation partnerships
Platforms, networks
Implementation
R&D consultancy, R&D contracts
Innovation funding
Innovation management (training, coaching, mentoring)
Living labs, Fablabs

27. Objectives versus needs of SMEs
Business development
New products with new functionalities
New clients and new markets
Internal company development
Improve quality of existing products
Reduction of costs
Knowledge
Contacts
Financing
Management
Equipment
Qualified personal

28. How can I&TT helps? – Innovation perspective
How can I&TT help? – Innovation perspective
How can I&TT helps? – Innovation perspective
Internal solutions
External solutions
Knowledge
R&D department
Production
Contacts
Marketing
Selling
Financing
Stakeholders
Capital
Management
Executive Management
Innovation Manager
Equipment
Production machines
Testing equipment
Qualified personal
Internal training …
R&D consultancy, feasibility tests, prototyping, co-creation, TO/TR, Licensing, Tech. Scouting
Matchmaking events, networking support, I-Partnership agreement
Public funding, Joint Venture
Business plan support, Management of RDI projects, IPR
Living labs, Fablabs, Manufacturing agreements (subcontracting & co-contracting)
Open Innovation Trainings

29. Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum
Contact Details
Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum
Haus der Wirtschaft
Willi-Bleicher-Str. 19
70174 Stuttgart
Tel.:
Fax:
Haus der Wirtschaft
Erbprinzenstr. 4-12
76113 Karlsruhe
Tel.:
Fax: