Mediterranean Technology Led Incubator Co-Operation
The project MEDI-CUBE is addressing the problem of relatively low performance of target areas in innovation capacity compared to Northern European member states. The innovation index for Greece is 0.20, for Cyprus is 0.17, for Italy is 0.31 comparing to EU-15 which is 0.44 (source European Innovation Scoreboard 2004 Comparative Analysis of Innovation Performance). The project aims at enhancing the abilities of targeted incubators to initiate the innovation environment so innovation can flourish among their tenant high-tech SMEs. The main objectives of the project are the following: • To create a fertile environment inside incubators where innovation will flourish among the participant start-up companies; • To improve innovation build-up capacity in the remote areas of South-eastern Europe; • To advance networking in capitalizing on the innovative characteristics of the area. The project will implement a series of tools, applications, agreements and events enabling incubators to offer advanced technology and innovation services to their tenant companies and to external organisations. To achieve this objective, the project includes the following work packages: 1. Creation of a network of 10-20 incubators. 2. Analysis of the business and technology environment. 3. Development of an online platform with an innovation toolbox to facilitate the transfer of technologies and product innovation to tenant companies. 4. Training of all network members in the adaptation and use of the toolbox in their particular business environment. 5. Pilot implementation of the platform in sixteen cases in different industry sectors, such as food, IT, health, telecommunications, energy, automation and development of the corresponding technology services. 6. Evaluation of pilot applications and exchange of good practice based on the results of the pilot applications. The expected results will be the creation of an environment where innovation can flourish among high tech SMEs of incubators through cooperation, networking, and transfer of technologies and collaboration on exploiting the innovation results. Thus, the target group defined is the high-tech tenant SMEs incubators situated in the project’s member states.