1. The Carinthian approach
Innovating SMEs –
The Carinthian approach
Messages
Discover the new cohesion policy : it opens a wide range of public and private investment opportunities.
Public-private partnerships: working together for more competitiveness, innovation and sustained regional growth.
EU Cohesion policy means achieving more together – Structural Funds investments make enlargement a success for all.
Investing in Europe: Regions and cities deliver the Growth and Jobs agenda.
Hans Schönegger, Reinhard Schinner
KWF Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund

2. Who is KWF? Carinthia: south of AT, at the border to SI and IT
inhabitants
companies
GDP: € per inh.
R&D-rate: 2,7%
rate of unemployment: 5%
KWF: the only regional institution for funding companies (consultancy, grants, loans, risk capital)

3. Structure and tasks of KWF?
Outsourcing of economic funding, public company based on regional law, owned by the Region
28 employees, 2 general manager with a wide range of competencies
5 areas of intervention (Technology, Handcraft & Industry, Tourism, Risk Management, Restructuring)
Shareholder of several economy related institutions
Annual regular budget: € 25 Mio + € 10 EU-Funds + € 10 federal funds

4. How supports KWF? Integrated development on company level:
Management skills (Assistant for Tourism, Knowledge Management)
RDT-capacity building (Assistant for Innovation, Technology Transfer)
Personal Management (Gender mainstreaming, needs for Qualification & Training, also for CEOs)
Partners: consultants, interest groups, Universities

5. How supports KWF? Innovation system with company focus and
orientated to three main competence fields:
University (sponsoring of technical professorships, founding of technical faculty)
Intermediate R&D-Infrastructure (Lakeside-labs, Carinthian Tech Research, Competence Center for Wood)
Technology Parks (Lakeside Science and Technology Park, Technology Park Villach, Industrial Park St. Veit)

6. How supports KWF? Financial funding on company level:
Investments for technical equipment and building up of production capacities
Projects in Research & Development
Development of Clusters, networks, co-operation
Investments in tourism offers
Venture capital (fund), guarantee of equity, loan for start-ups
Partners: funding institutions on federal level

7. How supports KWF? first-stop-shop and networking:
Managing Authority for Objective 2-Programme
Regional Co-ordination Unit for INTERREG IV CBC
partnership in interregional EU-projects
Graduate Center for Entrepreneurship
Services for investors (via Development Agency and 6 Technology & Innovation Center)
Consultancy for exports and 7. FP for RDT
Co-financing of 10 MB|s broadband

8. Thank you for your attention
Hans Schönegger, Reinhard Schinner
KWF - Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund