As Albania currently lacks a support body bringing enterprises fully into the innovation dynamics, a Business Relay and Innovation centre (BRIC) is being set up to fill the institutional gap in the Albanian innovation system and implement the programmes supporting actions of the Business Innovation and Technology (BITS) policy according to the Strategic Programme for the Development of Innovation and Technology of SMEs (2011-2016) (METE 2011: 5-7). Its purpose is to address the following tasks:

• Awareness raising and promotion;
• Provision of information;
• Technology transfer and diffusion;
• International technology and knowledge transfer;
• Entrepreneurship, quality and process improvement;
• Financial resources.

BRIC is designed as a department within AIDA and is newly created. AIDA is in the phase of staff recruitment and it is expected to start its proper operation at end of May 2011. The BRIC department is responsible for implementing the strategy of business innovation 2011-2015 and its action plan.
At the beginning, BRIC will consist of a small team of five people operating within AIDA. In this way, it can concentrate on its first programmes (innovation funding,enhancing business innovation services of BSPs, awareness raising) without being burdened with administrative tasks. (METE 2011:7). It is envisaged to raise the number of employers in the following years.

Contact Person:
Eneida Guria, Executive Director
E-mail: eneida.guria@aida.gov.al

Further contact details are provided below.