Towards RegionalspEcialisation for Smart

growth spirit

Dear Readers,The concept of smart specialisation strategy can be defi ned “as an entrepreneurial process of discovery, identifying where a region can benefi t from specializing in a particular area of science and technology”.DG Regio suggests that the development of smart specialization strategies should aim at concentrating resources on the most promising areas of comparative advantage, e.g. on clus-ters, existing sectors and cross-sectoral activities, eco-innovation, high value-added markets or specifi c research areasCf. Regional policy contributing to smart growth in Europe 2020

The concept of Smart Specialisation is getting more and more familiar, since it has been proposed as an ex-ante conditionality within the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020.

According to the proposal for “Regulation laying down common provision on the Common Strategic Framework (CSF)” this conditionality applies for two of the eleven thematic objectives that each CSF Fund shall support:1 – strengthening research, technological development and innovation,2 – enhance access to and use of quality of ICT.

That is why all EU Member States and Regions are committed to defi ning their own Smart Specialisation Strategy tailored to the specifi c regional context and territorial needs, in order to receive EU fi nancial support through the EU Structural Funds.

It is a hard task and there is a strong need for support and help. For this, Regions can – fi rst of all – count on the S3 Platform whose main aim is giving Regions support for defi ning a Smart Specialisation Strategy.

The S3 Platform has released a very comprehensive guide, which is regularly updated with useful information concerning the Smart Specialisation Strategy. Furthermore, the S3 Platform organizes a series of events on this matter, among which the “Peer review” represents the choice for Regions to present their own Smart Specialisation Strategy and get feedback from other Re-gions as well as the S3 platform team. Two TR3S projects Partners, Lubelskie Voivodeship (PL) and Piedmont Region (IT), are going to be peer reviewed during the next S3 Platform Workshop in Vaasa (FL) on May 14-15.

But all TR3S project Partners have another exclusive place where they can share experiences and support each other on Smart Specialisation issues: this place is the “TR3S Kitchen”.

Yes, the “TR3S Kitchen” is the place where virtually – by website, twitter, newsletter – and in person – with biannual Steering Groups and “cooking sessions” – the project Partners meet each other and, through a methodology assimilated to a “cooking process, they mix tradition with specialisation, innovation and creativity to mobilise the innovation capacity and potential of Re-gions with the aim to fi nd new promising recipes and actions for a smart growth.

Bon Appétit!the Piedmont Region

Apé

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Newsletter No. 2

The TR3S project is funded by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVC programme

Tabl

e d

Hôt

e: 3rd Consortium Cooking Session – Turin, 11 and 12 April 2013

The third Steering Committee meeting and “cooking session” was held in Turin (Italy) and hosted by the Ital-ian partner, the Piedmont Region.

The first day of the meeting included discussion on gen-eral project management and its promotion using web 2.0 media. In the afternoon, all the participants took part in a World Café session where they exchanged good practices in Smart Specialisation Strategies from their regions.

According to the TR3S original approach assimilated to a “cooking proccess”, the World Café participants were split into four groups, each one representing a restaurant and moderated by a “cook”. The participants not only shared their good practices with the other partners, but also had the wonderful chance of having intense discus-sions and exchanging ideas and solutions in the field of regional innovation policies.

On the following day, the project partners took part in the third “cooking session” split into two panel sessions. The leading Italian experts gave their presentations mainly focused on the Italian innovation system and the Italian cluster experience. The rest of the participants had the opportunity to get to know the Living Lab methodolgy.

After the panel sessions, the project partners visited the Innovation Cluster Environment Park in Turin.

More info at: www.tr3s-project.eu

Innovation Morning Coffee – Valga, 20 March 2013

The aim of this meeting was to study in depth the top-ics of Smart Specialisation and Open Innovation, with the assistance of entrepreneurs, local authorities and economic development organisations. New ideas and activities to shape the strategy of Valga county were also considered at the meeting.

Expert Kalev Kaarna from the University of Tartu gave an overview of smart specialisation (S3 platform) and open innovation. In addition to the theoretical knowl-edge, the expert provided good examples of successful Estonian companies operating in the world market. He also introduced the concept of the Idea Lab of the Uni-versity of Tartu. The Idea Lab is an environment, where students from different faculties form interdisciplinary teams in order to realize (positively) outrageous ideas or solve exciting challenges. The Idea Lab collects ideas and challenges from students, companies and faculty members. The Idea Lab has already established coop-eration with business incubators and other universities in Estonia. They also have partners abroad including Latvia, Finland, Croatia and the USA (more info at: www. ideelab.wordpress.com).

The participants had the chance to work out their new ideas in a workshop. Mr Kalev Kaarna introduced an idea game “daVinci” (more info at: www.maripuu.eu).

This brainstorming method involves all the participants and makes them come up with new solutions. The game also helps to train creative thinking and thereby enlarge team members ability to come up with new solutions to random questions on topics such as product development, strategy, sales, advertisement, business models, etc.

To sum up, all the participants were inspired to think creatively for their next steps. This event was a good starting point to build up a stronger network between businesses, the public sector and R&D institutions.

More info at: www.tr3s-project.eu

Plat

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aux: Good Practices from…

New Factory Tampere Region – Finland

New Factory, located in the historic factory district of Finlayson in Tam-pere, Finland, was established as a driver of the regeneration of the Tampere region and its appeal. The aptly named New Factory is just that – a novel, dynamic engine empowering businesses, universities, as well as the public sector to discover cost effective means for effecting innovation. For national innovation strategies, New Factory emerges as a platform for experimental industrial policy, brought about through extensive regional cooperation.

New Factory is based on a concept of open, diversified, and communal modes of operation. Practical inno-vations and pilots generate not only wellbeing and vitality in the present, but business and jobs for the future. This is what will raise innovation in Tampere to a never before seen level.

The function of New Factory is to facilitate the continued renewal and evolution of enterprise. Furthermore, New Factory serves in encouraging the development of an operating envi-ronment that is sensitive to innovation; conditions under which – with the help of a favourable combination of structures, platforms, and service con-cepts – innovative ideas can be tested and realized in a flexible way.

The four engine rooms – Demola, Protomo, Suuntaamo and Start-upStairs – offer students, seasoned professionals, growth enterprises and all citizens open and easy access to the New Factory community. The same people can assume different roles such as developer, entrepreneur, advisor, user or sparring partner, and participate in the activities conducted in the different environments. The extensive community provides peer support and creates networks and collaborative relationships at no cost. In return, the community expects its members to be enterprising and will-ing to share ideas.

The engine rooms provide a quicker and more affordable platform for pro-cessing ideas and start-up companies. To turn ideas into concrete products or services, you need a demo, a pro-totype, user feedback and financing. New Factory is a one-stop-shop for all these and more. In this community, students are active participants who are encouraged to join demanding but

incubator renting low-budget office spaces for cultural and creative start-ups. The second (Blue House, Kalevi 15) and the third building (Kalevi 17) with more office space and a confer-ence room were opened in 2011 and 2012. Behind the complex there is a large open-air space that will be developed into a park/picnic area with a concert stage and a sculpture garden.

The objective of the Tartu Centre for Creative Industries was to become the coordinating and developing unit of creative industries not only in Tartu but the whole region (South Esto-nia), and they have established good contacts with cultural entrepreneurs, institutions and businesses active in the area. As one of their goals includes setting up an international network enabling our businesses to enter foreign markets, Tartu Centre for Creative Industries took the lead in developing a creative industries cluster in South Estonia.

TCCI provides office space and incu-bation services for up to 40 compa-nies. In addition, there is a cafeteria, arts gallery and shops (Estonian design, vintage clothes, and ecological food) housed in the premises of the TCCI. In collaboration with a number of part-ners TCCI organizes various events (seminars, community days, confer-ences, fairs, etc.) throughout the year.

Since 2009 TCCI has had 8 calls of applications for business incubation. At the moment there are 36 companies in the incubator.

In addition to business incubation TCCI has been the initiator and/or partner of several other events (Tartu Young Art Auction (6 times), design fairs (4 times), music week, Karlova Days, etc. etc.), organized seminars, conferences and roundtables on dif-ferent subjects related to CCI. As a result of all these activities, TCCI has by now become opinion leader in the field of CCI in the region.

In the course of its 3,5 year-long existence Tartu Centre for Creative Industries has become the most im-portant coordinating and developing unit of creative industries not only in Tartu but the whole region of South Estonia, and established good contacts with cultural entrepreneurs, institu-tions and businesses active in the area. As one of the Centre’s goals includes setting up an international network enabling businesses to enter foreign markets, TCCI has also taken the lead in developing a creative industries cluster in South Estonia.

highly rewarding projects to acquire cooperation and partnership skills. For students, participation in projects is a valuable asset in the job markets. For businesses, the community offers an effective, low-risk and low-cost process for carrying out customer-driven and customer-oriented product and service development projects.

DemolaDemola brings together students of different disciplines and businesses to develop products and services and to solve real-life problems. The student team developing an innovation will re-tain intellectual property rights to their work, and companies can acquire a li-cence to use it. Business partners have licensed up to 96 per cent of project deliverables for their use. Demola also gives birth to new businesses and to Protomo teams.

ProtomoProtomo offers a wide range of sup-porting services to business idea developers, seasoned professionals and young talent free of charge, in-cluding facilities, community support, supplementary know-how and expert sparring for new product and service development and market launch. Pro-tomo provides a new path to entre-preneurship: you can bring in an idea for further development, combine ideas, or find a suitable team to join in.

SuuntaamoSuuntaamo invites everyone to get involved in the testing of different products and services, and to offer development ideas. For businesses, Suuntaamo provides an easy channel for supplementary product or service development.

StartupstairsThe newest of the engine rooms in New Factory is Startupstairs, the engine room that provides all-round training and coaching for potential start-ups.

Tartu Centre of Creative Industries – Estonia

Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (TCCI) was established in May 2009. At the moment it operates as the coordinator of creative industries in Tartu and South Estonia by providing creative industries related information and training, legal and economic con-sulting for creative entrepreneurs, as well as business incubation (and pre- and post-incubation) services.

TCCI is located in three buildings in the centre of Tartu (Kalevi 13, 15 and 17). The first house (Kalevi 13) was opened in August 2009 as a creative businesses

Must try…Europe 2020, Regional Innovation Strategies and future funding opportunities, 17 April 2013The event opened a timely discussion on European and regional innovation policy as Europe moves to new fund-ing opportunities in Horizon 2020 and Cohesion Policy in 2014. It was also an excellent opportunity to learn how the RIM Plus activities can support effective regional innova-tion policy (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innova-tion/policy/regional-innovation/monitor//index.cfm?q=p.showFeed&t=event&n=16685)

European Commission Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013Innovation performance in the EU has improved year on year in spite of the continuing economic crisis, but the innovation divide between Member States is widening. This is the result of the European Commission Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013, a ranking of EU Member States. While the most in-novative countries have further improved their performance, others have shown a lack of progress. (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/files/ius-2013_en.pdf)

Annual Report “Credible Actions Key to Regions” Future Innovation Performance 2012This report – which is a third and final in its series deliverable – presents an updated analysis of innovation policies across EU regions, incorporates the results of the recently published Re-gional Innovation Scoreboard – 2012, and provides an account of benefits which have arisen from improved regional innova-tion practices (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innova-tion/policy/regional-innovation/monitor//index.cfm?q=p.file&r=b267f187de546d1c5d532525b4c69b23)

Regional Studies Association European Conference 2013 – Shape and be Shaped: The Future Dynamics of Regional Development, May 5-8, 2013 University of Tampere, FinlandThe central idea underpinning the RSA 2013 conference in Tampere is that there is now an urgent need to better understand how regions and localities can adapt to current

challenges and deal with the wicked issues of sustainability by developing new multi-actor governance, policy-making and leadership capacities.

More info at: www.regionalstudies.orgS3 Platform Peer-review workshop, May 14-15, 2013 Vaasa, FinlandDuring the workshop, four European regions Ostrobothnia (FI), Languedoc-Roussillon (FR), Lubelskie (PL) and Pied-mont (IT) will present their current work on RIS3. The rest of workshop participants will be asked to act as ‘critical friends’ and discuss the strategies of the four regions under review. The peer review sessions are an excellent opportunity to discuss RIS3 strategies with other regions and experts. Please read more about the S3 peer review methodology.More info at: s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu

ECA workshop – The role of clusters in supporting the development and implementation of RIS3, 14 May 2013 Brussels, BelgiumThe themes of clusters and RIS3 remain highly relevant to regional authorities across Europe. This workshop, which will include presentations from DG Regio and DG Entreprise, will be of interest to users of the S3 Platform and the regions who have joined the platform.More info at: www.eca-tactics.eu

Not to miss…International Benchmarking Forum, June 25-26, 2013 Basel, Switzerland

Special Theme: How can smart specialisation strategies strengthen regional innovation systems? The conference gath-ers European and non-European stakeholders dealing with Smart Specialisation strategies, coming from National, regional and also municipal levels, including scientists as well as busi-ness and governmental representatives.More info at: www.bakbasel.com

4th Cooking Session, October 2013 StuttgartMore info at: www.tr3s-project.eu

Lead partner:Tecnalia Research & Innovation Foundation (Basque Country, ES) Contact: Ms Ezekiela Arrizabalaga (ezekiela.arrizabalaga@tecnalia.com) www.tecnalia.com

Part

ners

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SPRI S.A. (Basque Country, ES) Contact: Mr Txomin Olabarri (tolabarri@spri.es)

Pannon Business Network Association (Nyugat-Dunantul, HU) Contact: Ms Regina Pethő (regina.petho@pbn.hu)

Scottish Enterprise (Scotland, UK) Contact: Mr Ian McCoull (Ian McCoull@scotent.co.uk)

Valga County Government (Eesti, EE) Contact: Ms Sille Roomets (sille.roomets@valgamv.ee)

Regione Piemonte (Piemonte, IT) Contact: Ms Stefania Crotta (stefania.crotta@regione.piemonte.it)

Bucharest-Ilfov Regional Development Agency (Bucuresti-Ilfov, RO) Contact: Mr Daniel Popescu (daniel.popescu@adrbi.ro)

Lubelskie Voivodeship (Lubelskie, PL) Contact: Ms Anna Kępa (anna.kepa@lubelskie.pl)

The Baltic Institute of Finland (Pirkanmaa, FI) Contact: Mr Esa Kokkonen (esa.kokkonen@tampere.fi)

Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation (Stuttgart, DE) Contact: Ms Stephanie Fleischmann (stephanie.fleischmann@region-stuttgart.de)

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