Agencies and sectors for technology and innovation

Innovation Pole: Services and Networking for Competitiveness and Innovation in the Lombardy

Region Attilio Martinetti

Director

Euro Info Centre IT 351 – Special Agency of the Milan Chamber of

Commerce

OPEN DAYS 2006

Brussels - Prague House

10 October 2006

Overview: Tools to promote innovation and competitiveness Innovation Pole: catalyser of all dynamic

local energies and players (other entities, associations, universities /research centres, SMEs)

Networking through international networks (IRC, EIC, BICs, Europe Innova), with centres of excellence

Framework Agreement for competitiveness between the system of the Chambers of Commerce and the Lombardy Region (2006-2008)

Introduction: Lombardy Region Lombardy is one of the four “ENGINES” in

Europe Lombardy economy represents one-fifth of the

italian economy, with a GDP (Euro 229 billion in 2000) equal to 20.7% of the national GDP

Enterprises account approximately for 15% of the national total: there are an overall 740,000 enterprises

Total R&D spending (in % of GDP): 1.17%, divided in the following sectors: public sector 0.31% (Government 0.12%, University 0.19%), and private sector 0.86%.

Innovation Pole Objectives:

To facilitate innovation, particularly of SMEs To participate in the definition of research and

innovation policies at regional level To promote a cultural mobilisation towards

innovation Driving principles:

Users demand – researches conducted together with the Politecnico of Milan, UNIMITT, Bocconi University

Analysis of innovation services/centres at regional and international level

A comprehensive and responsive supply of services for companies

Users demand: Orientation to innovation

Past achievements

Future orientation towards innovation

Inert (switched-off)

4%

Inert (persistent)

56%

Innovators

9%

Aspiring

31%

Do not have vision of future innovations

Have achieved leading innovations

Do not have achieved leading innovations

Have vision of future innovations

Users demand

Services from Institutional Bodies

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

University Chamber ofCommerce

Associations

Innovators

Aspiring

INNOVATORS

ASPIRING

INERT

Use of innovation services (offered by private sector - consultants)

68% 43% 24%

Use of innovation services (offered by institutional bodies)

46% 32% 24%

Analysis of supply services At regional level: tool QuESTIO (www.questio.it) At international level: visit to the following centre of

excellence: Zenith Gmbh – Dusseldorf (DE) Steinbeis – Stuttgart (DE) Arist – Lyon (FR) Cidem- Barcelona (ES) Méditerranée Technologies - Marseille (FR) Pera Group - Melton Mowbray (UK) Innovation Philadelphia- Philadelphia (USA) ERBI/St. Johns Innovation Centre - Cambridge (UK) Technopark Zurich - Zurigo (CH) Chicago Technology Park - Chicago (USA) Provincia di Trento, Agenzia di Sviluppo, Microsoft Research

Centre (I)

Framework Agreement for Competitiveness (2006-2008) Between the Lombardy Region and the

system of the Chambers of Commerce (+ Province of Milan)

Rationalisation of existing measures and optimization of resources

5 sectors of intervention: innovation, internationalisation, territorial marketing, P.A. modernization, intervention towards artisans and micro enterprises

2006-2008: 206.8 mln €

Joint call for proposal for innovation projects (2006) Resources: 21 mln € (16 mln €

innovation projects; 5 mln € patenting and technological consultancy services)

Beneficiaries: SMEs, aspiring entrepreneurs

Contribution: Innovation projects: 50% eligible costs (max.

50.000 €) Patenting: 50% eligible costs (max. 14.000 €) Technological consultancy services: 50 %

eligible costs (max. 10.000 €)

Major issues Consensus and alliances at local,

regional level (see creation of 2 new committees: “Consulta” and “Laboratorio”)

Contents / services rationalisation and creation (see other complementary demand analyses)

Alliances at international level (see 3 pilot projects)

Future outlook: National Agency for Innovation The National Agency has been set up by the

2006 financial act Its seat has been assigned at the Milan

Chamber of Commerce, and, consequently at the Innovation Pole

The 2007 financial act allocates to the Agency 5 mln € yearly.

The regional model of intervention could be transferred at national level, with a particular focus on industrial districts, networks of enterprises