Development of Innovative Systems through Knowledge Exchange

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The importance of science and technology parks in the South Baltic region as places offering SMEs access to facilities, flexible space and the ability to operate close to other innovation focused businesses is increasing. They are especially popular among small and medium companies because they allow creation of cooperation networks and transfer of technology among them. That is why the project focuses on intensifying cross-border relations between innovative SMEs and strengthening their economic potential and competitiveness through cooperation of science and technology parks and incubators. The project idea is based on promoting triple helix model. The cooperation of local authorities, academia and companies is the crucial factor in creating successful and innovative activities of the science and technology parks. The emphasis in the project is put on providing comprehensive conditions for growth in particular to SMEs and thus building up close relations among them in the region. The project is divided into 4 components covering all its aspects. The component 1 concerns management and coordination of the project . The second component promotes the project and its partners. Component 3 concentrates on supporting SMEs in the South Baltic region. Activities in the fourth component aim at creating conditions for providing cooperation for the future between science and technology parks in the territory co-financed by the programme. The work in the project encompasses the following activities: provision of an innovation-friendly environment for businesses in our Incubators / Science Parks as an essential step in eliminating the main barrier to investment in research and innovation. This will be implemented through harmonization, quick and efficient (service) standard setting to drive the marketing for innovative goods, intellectual property and fostering a culture which celebrates innovation and cross-border co-operation. The main activities applied in the project focus around two principle tasks: delivering strong lasting growth and creating more and better jobs. All taken actions will also include establishing the eTransfer Manager portal which will gather tools and guidance to support entrepreneurs raising funds. It will be a virtual meeting point for entrepreneurs, investors and innovation professionals. It will be also a platform for entrepreneurs searching for partners or financial support in other regions. Another activity will be the training of staff which is a fundamental part of improving the performance on any network in the provision of training for members of that network. Project activities will concentrate on preparing benchmarking for tenants of technology parks and for the technology parks themselves. It will be used as a tool to assist the identifiction of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and construction of the Strategic Market Entry Map. Common evaluation method for companies located in the technology parks will be also elaborated. Thanks to it companies will make sure that the hosting organization and the whole network are able to concentrate the forces to those who are able to enter the cross-border market. That method will also be available for other science and technology parks in the future. Activities conducted will provide better access to new markets for innovative products, services in the South Baltic area and the exchange of good practices as well as understanding of cultural differences. The project will also create a common management concept which will be a management-grid ensuring that companies get the right service everywhere. This will shorten time needed to enter market with new products and services. The network will install quality assurance mechanisms and specific process indicators. This will guarantee that partners in the consortium regularly work in line with quality standards. Incubators, science parks and clusters within and also outside the project partnership (in all the five countries of the Programme area) will be involved in the elaboration of the evaluation concept for SMEs, the benchmarking study and the common quality management. A contact list will be created at the beginning of the project implementation and made available on the website. Each project partner will be responsible for the search in their own region. These organisations will be sent 5 questionnaires throughout the project lifetime, with specific feedback requests related to the elaboration of the evaluation concept for SMEs, the benchmarking study and the common quality management, and then contacted individually. Incubators, science parks and clusters within and also outside the project partnership (in all the five countries of the Programme area) will also be targeted with all project dissemination activities. About 10 representatives from South Baltic incubators from outside the project consortium will participate in project activities.The result of the project will be stimulation and support to the internationalization of SME business activities and significant investment of SMEs and entrepreneurs abroad. The results of the project will be sustained in the future thanks to a cooperation agreement signed by the partners. This document will provide thematic and financial frameworks of cooperation between parks in future projects.

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