3rd PRACE Industrial SeminarPaolo Bonaretti, ASTER General Director

About us

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ASTER is the Consortium among the Emilia-Romagna Regional Government, the fiveUniversities of Emilia-Romagna, the National Research Centres located in the region – CNR,ENEA - the Regional Union of Chambers of Commerce and the regional EntrepreneuralAssociations.

Among its main activities, ASTER coordinates the Emilia-Romagna High TechnologyNetwork, that consists in industrial Research Laboratories and Innovation Centres,organised in Thematic Platforms in order to meet companies’ needs.

The Consortium was established with the aim to:

sustain, coordinate and valorise research and technology transfer throughout theterritory

support the economic growth of the regional productive system through the promotionof industrial research, technology development

improve of high quality skilled professionals and career development in technologytransfer field

Based on its role, in twenty years of activity ASTER has developed a number of initiatives atnational, European and international level in order to develop new opportunities ofcollaboration and to ensure the presence of the regional system within relevant internationalnetworks.

SHAREHOLDERSInstitution, Research, Industry

CNR - National Research Council

ENEA – Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

University of Bologna

University of Ferrara

University of Modena e Reggio Emilia

University of Parma

University “La Cattolica” – Piacenza

Polytechnic of Milan

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Unioncamere Emilia-Romagna (Federation ofEmilia-Romagna Chambers of Commerce)

CNA Emilia-Romagna (Confederation of the micro and SMEs)

Confartigianato Emilia-Romagna (Confederation of micro and SMEs)

Confcommercio Emilia-Romagna (Confederation for Trade)

Confcooperative Emilia-Romagna (Confederation of Cooperatives)

Confindustria Emilia-Romagna (Confederation of Industries)

Legacoop Emilia-Romagna (CooperativesLeague)

Confapi Emilia-Romagna (Confederation ofSMEs)

Emilia-Romagna Region (Regional Government)

Communication & EventsCommunication & Events

MAIN ACTIVITIES

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Development & CoordinationEmilia-Romagna High Technology Network

Companies Human CapitalEuropean & International

MAIN ACTIVITIES

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Development & CoordinationEmilia-Romagna High Technology Network

The Emilia-Romagna High Technology Network, made up by industrial research laboratoriesand innovation centres, gathers the regional academic institutions and publicresearch centres and provides skills, facilities and resources to the businesssector.

The Network is organised according to 6 Thematic Platforms assuring that the researchoffer is backed up with the best skills development model and that it gains the widest visibilitytowards the industry. The Network collects the industrial research labs and innovationscentres spread throughout the regional territory operating in the following fields: Agrifood,Constructions, Energy & Environment, ICT & Design, Mechanics & Materials, LifeScience.

Innovative products, more efficient processes, new technologies: the

Network labs and researchers are ideal partners providing tangible

solutions for the development needs expressed by enterprises.

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EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORKOrganisation & Mission

Each platform is conceived in order to gather regional competences

MISSION : Provide support to industrial enterprises

upgrading its labs with the most suitableinstrumental equipment and tooling Define international scenarios relevant to the

regional development patterns Foster company innovation attitude Keep a close contact with the European

Technological Platforms Define still to be developed or further to be

specialized in areas Outline Marketing and Product Development

tools Disseminate information among the regional

enterprises

EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORKRegional Thematic Platforms

6 Regional Thematic Platforms

STEERING COMMITTEE

Members from Research

Laboratories Directors or Scientific Managers

Members from Industry

Selected among the main industrial sectors relevant for the regional context

ASTER STAFF

PLATFORM SCIENTIFIC MANAGER

CIMSIScientific and Industrial Steering and Monitoring Committee

EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORK Governance

To Identify the enterprises research demand

To identify and promote a “research offer catalogue“, a new tool to facilitate SME to get the right research support

To match research demand and offer in order to increase the productive systems alliance for research and innovation

To develop and enlarge the public regional network to private industrial research and technology transfer Labs

To encourage cross-fertilization and integration between research centers and companies thus developing an “ OPEN INNOVATION“ business mode

To highlight possible technology scenarios to prepare a future successful evolution for both regional research and industrial sectors

To foster the development of a knowledge-intensive productive systems (the “knowledge community”)

EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORK Strategic Agenda

EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORKOn-Line Research Catalogue

5000 Specific Entries 78 Thematic Pages

On-line on www.aster.it

English Version Available

updated February 2012

EMILIA-ROMAGNA HIGH TECHNOLOGY NETWORKNumbers

34 Industrial Research Labs

11 Innovations Centres

51 New Members (2012 Public/Private Labs & Centres)

241 M€ Investment (Regional Government, Research Centres, Universities, Local Authorities)

559 New young Researchers

661 research Contracts (57 M€), 43% from Industry

MAIN ACTIVITIES

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Companies

Among its daily activities, ASTER provides information and assistance services for researchers and businesses on funding, supply/demand of tech-nology and development of collaborations between business and research.

COMPANIESActivities & Tools

Among its daily activities, ASTER provides information and assistance services forresearchers and businesses on funding, supply/demand of technology anddevelopment of collaborations between business and research.

COMPANIESServices for Innovation

Support Services to IMProve innovation and competitiveness of Businesses in Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna

Services:• Assist companies in identifying potential

commercial partners, especially in othercountries

• Help SMEs develop new products, to accessnew markets and to inform them about EUactivities and opportunities

• Advise small businesses on technical issuessuch as intellectual property rights, standardsand EU legislation

• Act as a two-way street betweenentrepreneurs and EU decision-makers,relaying views in both directions

COMPANIESServices for Innovation

ASTER promotes new business development and supports the career developmentof human capital in the fields of innovation, industrial research and technologytransfer

COMPANIESSupport to Business Creation

MAIN ACTIVITIES

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European & International

EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL

ASTER performs activities and services aimed at: favouring the participation to European research and innovation programmes establishing collaborations at European and international levelASTER provides support for: accessing EU funding schemes the internationalisation of the research and business community through the

participation to European and international Networks in order to detect and develop new projects of interest to the territory

Europe 2020The strategy for sustainable growth and employment, set out by Europe 2020 and launched by the European Commission in March 2010, represents a reference point also for ASTER. In fact, the Consortium develops activities for implementing its strategy through the definition of both specific action plans and initiatives allowing to access the opportunities provided by Europe to enterprises, universities, research institutions, laboratories and other organisationsoperating in Emilia-Romagna in the field of research, innovation and technology transfer.

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Europe 2020 strategy is the main framework where Emilia-Romagnadefines its priorities

‘Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive’ are the three words Pact fordevelopment

HORIZON 2020 is the perspective for regional policies andprogrammes for Research & Innovation:

• CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES

• STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS

EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONALEMILIA-ROMAGNA tw HORIZON 2020

MAIN ACTIVITIES

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Human Capital

Support human resources working in research and technology transfer Promote their role within the regional productive system

HUMAN CAPITAL AREAActivities & Tools

Global Grant “Interventions for human resources qualification in the research and technological innovation sectors” Emilia-Romagna Region programme, funded by ESF

www.spinner.it info@spinner.it

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HUMAN CAPITAL AREAPhD student career development outside the academy

Spinner 2013 for PhD’s - CharacteristicsThe Emilia-Romagna, through the Spinner 2013 Global Grant, supports theimplementation of inter-university PhD programs related to research projectsresulting from the collaboration between the Universities of Emilia-Romagnaand focused on topics of interest for the development of the regional system.

11 Inter-University Research projects foreseeing 38 Research Grants

Regional Investment: 2 M€

Global Grant “Interventions for human resources qualification in the research and technological innovation sectors” Emilia-Romagna Region programme, funded by ESF

www.spinner.it info@spinner.it

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HUMAN CAPITAL AREAPhD student career development outside the academy

Spinner 2013 for PhD’s - ADDED VALUE

Convergence on the objectives of Regional Government action plans Promotion of collaboration among Universities through Doctoral Network Involvement of local actors in both the evaluation process and the early

stages of implementation Convergence and Complementarity of the Spinner2013’s Action with

Industrial Doctorates

For further informations

ASTER S. Cons. p. A.Via P. Gobetti, 101I-40129 Bologna

Tel: +39 051 639 8099e-mail:info@aster.it

www.aster.it

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