News archive - [Event Review] Investment Vehicles and Financial Instruments supporting Technology Transfer and Innovation
The workshop was organised on March 1-2, 2017 in Belgrade by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in collaboration with the European Investment Bank, World Bank, European Investment Fund and the EU Delegation in Serbia.
Background
Many of the challenges in funding technology transfer and innovation are common across the Western Balkans countries and the broader Danube region. Several issues have been identified, in particular during the Macro-Regional Innovation Week held in Trieste, 26-30 September 2016 and this workshop was one of the first follow-up activities.
Furthermore, it set the scene for the upcoming innovation workshop, part of the Berlin Process Summit, by exploring one of the most crucial elements of research and innovation – the funding component.
Content
The objectives of the workshop were to identify existing financial instruments to support innovation and technology transfer activities in the region, explore where the evident gaps exist and explore ways to address currently unmet demand with synergistic solutions. The workshop also aimed to strengthen and cement an emerging community of practice on these issues that should help to maximise impact on regional innovation.
The workshop stimulated exchange and discussion on the nature, features and the general suitability of existing financial instruments for the financing of different innovation and tech transfer projects (including start-up creation, joint ventures, licensing transactions etc.).
The final results will be a definition of the type of financing instruments necessary for the region (in the form of vouchers, financial products, enhancements of features of existing innovation funds etc.) and a plan to accelerate their creation.
The second day of the workshop gave attention to access to finance in four specific sectors of particular importance to the region, including:
- Agri-food industry – focusing on rural development and social innovation
- Biotech – focusing on medical and life sciences projects and innovation
- Creative industries – focusing on social entrepreneurship and social innovation
- Eco-industry – focusing on innovation with environmental impact in the region.
Programme & Media
- Video recording of the 1st March sessions
- Photos on the official Facebook page of the Centre for Technology Transfer, University of Belgrade
- Survey
Speaker Presentations - All Documents
1 march 2017 - University of Belgrade, Solemn hall
Clément Brenot, Project Manager, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Giovanni Nicola Pes, Deputy Secretary General of the Italian National Government Agency for Microcredit
Lisa Cowey, Key Expert for Technology Transfer. Project "Capacity Building for Technology Transfer for the Western Balkans –EU4Tech" (Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations)
Patrick McCutcheon, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Jean-Luc Revereault, Head of Strategy, Advisory Services Department, European Investment Bank (EIB)
Dragan Šoljan, Advisor, Western Balkan Enterprise Development & Innovation Facility (WB EDIF), European Investment Bank (EIB)
Andrea Bua, Head of Unit, Financial Instruments Adriatic Sea Department, European Investment Bank (EIB)
Piyush Unalkat, Head of Technology Transfer Investments, European Investment Fund (EIF)
Marco Giuliani, Mandate Manager, European Investment Fund (EIF)
Paolo Guilherme Correa, Practice Manager, Trade and Competitiveness, World Bank
2 march 2017 - Belgrade, Science and Technology Park
Gordana Danilović Grković, Director, Science and Technology Park of Belgrade
Stephen Taylor, Director of Marketing, Communications and Business Development, AREA Science Park
Nedeljko Milosavljević, TTO Director, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Anwar Aridi, Innovation Specialist, World Bank
Ljiljana Ršumović, Project Coordinator, Science and Technology Park of Belgrade
Blagoy Stamenov, Policy Analyst, Knowledge for Finance, Innovation & Growth Unit, Joint Research Centre European Commission
Ivan Rakonjac, Interim Managing Director, Innovation Fund, Serbia
Aleksandar Tasev, Managing Director, Balkan Unlimited Foundation
Jasmina Popovska, Director, State Fund for Innovation and Technological Development, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Mariyana Hamanova, Co-Founder and Director Cleantech Bulgaria
Luigi Amati, President, CEO & Co-Founder of META
Source and further information: EC JRC
Country
Serbia
Geographical focus
- Danube Macroregion
- Western Balkans
Scientifc field / Thematic focus
- Cross-thematic/Interdisciplinary
Entry created by Ines Marinkovic on March 5, 2017
Modified on April 5, 2017
