fitt toolbox network services

www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu

FITT Toolbox – PracticeNetwork Support Services

FITT

(Fostering Interregional Exchange in ICT Technology Transfer)

2 | Network Support Services

Network Support Services

Network support services are a bunch of communication and logistical

services delivered to networks in order to support them and make them

sustainable. These services are delivered free of charge in the

framework of a long term agreement between the TTO and the network.

The networks addressed here are composed of professional individuals,

gathering to exchange and create information on common thematic.

The objective of a TTO delivering these services are to:

Become a network incubator

Facilitate the integration of networks at the heart of innovation


Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths :

• Network objective strongly aligned with innovation, high number

of companies, potential partnerships to leverage projects, access

to competences

• Services support for networks, become an active partner in

innovation, supplementary added value for members

Weaknesses:

• Difficulty to federate initiatives

• Difficulty to put in place agreement


In Practice

How is it structured?

• Face-to-face meeting

• Agreement

• Collaboration chart

• Services catalogue


Face-to-Face Meeting

Between network founders and CRP Henri Tudor

• Discussion about network’s objectives and innovation alignment

• Acceptation of support by CRP Henri Tudor direction

• Designation of network correspondent


Agreement

Legal document of collaboration between CRP Henri Tudor and network and

mentions :

• Name and objectives of the network,

• Name of the correspondent

• Obligations of each parties : signature of the present agreement, annual report of activities,

coverage by an insurance in civil liability, respect of rules in the implementation of services

• Price: free of charge

• Confidentiality


Collaboration chart

Integrated part of agreement

Conditions of collaboration between the CRP Henri Tudor and the network :

• CRP Henri Tudor accepts to collaborate with a network because the network theme is

strongly aligned with one of the innovation themes treated by CRP Henri Tudor. As a

consequence, the network allows to address a high number of companies within a precise

domain, which offers potential partnerships to leverage projects, to have access to

competences within the network, and to benefit from concise case studies.

• The network accepts to collaborate with CRP Henri Tudor because the latter may provide a

support for development by proposing, under certain conditions, services adapted to its

needs. This support from CRP Henri Tudor permits the network to become an active partner

in innovation, and to provide a supplementary added value to its members.


Services Catalog

Describes the proposed Services, terms and conditions, the actors around these

Services.

Services proposed:

• Communication services: cross communication of events

• Logistical services: rooms for events, working groups, board meeting

• Insertion of trainings in CRP Henri Tudor trainings catalogue

• Help for communication plan

• Advice on network strategy and dashboard

• Good practices for constitution of a network and animation of a network


Parts of the Process

Integration in the innovation transfer :

Strong collaboration :

Network Innovation program

Projects

Working group

Events

Trainings

Market


Examples


Examples

Examples of network

partnerships


Examples


When?

First networks created 10 years ago : Spiral, Clussil

A lot of professionals networks created in the last 2 years

12 networks (9 with agreement)

3 networks in incubation

A lot of partnerships


Stakeholders

The researchers

• Creation of specified contacts pool

• Narrow links built: network incubation, partnerships on projects, market knowledge,…

Project Team

• Creation of agreement, collaboration chart and catalogue of services

Network correspondents

• Definition of their role, advice on the proposed services, link between market, network and innovation

Technology Transfer Office

• creation of the link between networks and research and market to valorize/communicate/transfer results of the research on a specified market and to better know the target market

Other networks

• creation of links to each other according to common thematic between networks (collaboration on events, participation on working groups,…) through network correspondents and researchers.


Resources involved

Team project : 8 days per month

Network Correspondent : 1/2day/month

Jurist : 1day/month during 1 year


Where?

All the networks are located in Luxemburg

All the services are delivered in Luxemburg


Pro’s & Cons

Pro’s

• Peers needs help to create their network and CRP HT needs the networks to improve the base of their innovation projects’ results for the Luxemburg market.

• Imply network in the innovation value works thanks to the important work of the network correspondents

• Facilities proposed and collaboration for networks with the innovation of their sector.

• Connection for a TTO with a specified market to communicate, to collaborate, to valorize.

Cons

• Quite long to put in place the agreement (respect all the conditions of transparency of a TTO and respect the flexibility of a network)

• difficulty to create links between networks (sometimes, some networks accept to open to the others but others not or do not see the benefit of it)


Why ?

Initiatives for the creation of professional networks flourished in Luxemburg

Need of peers to meet up to discuss, exchange, construct and build initiatives for the research and development of projects.

Networks are the crossroad of paths between the markets, and the research and development, and are becoming pioneers of innovation for Luxemburg.

Proof of high dynamics and motivation.

Draw high numbers of people


Why?

Networks = levers for

Amplification of diffusion

Impact of innovation on Luxemburg

Improvement of innovation projects’ results for the Luxemburg market

Transfer of results and appropriation by the market

Merit the support from the CRP Henri Tudor

Services proposed free of charge


Outcomes

12 networks

Agreement in signature

Integration of networks in innovation programs

Value added of networks = assets for innovation and transfer

Foster collaboration

Better knowledge of target markets

Annual event to foster collaboration and knowledge between market, research

center and networks

Integration of networks in the corporate strategy


Lessons Learned

An advice :

Always keep contact with the networks

• to understand their needs

• to propose right services,

• to foster strong links for innovation collaboration

• to better know the market

Imply all stakeholders in the process

fitt toolbox network services

Business

network difficulty

network incubation

network objective

network strategy

network founders

network incubator

network theme

month network correspondent