This is an interesting publication, with the results presented in a thematical manner. It is extremely useful for agencies’ experts who want to know more about other projects’ experiences and external references, which can be useful for their business innovation support services. The document contains easy references which allows the reader to easily find a specific Design Option Papers (DOPs), prepared by each of the 74 projects.
EISMEA is to be congratulated for compiling and producing this publication. These projects are the result of the INNOSUP-05 call on peer learning for innovation agencies as part of the H2020 programme. The design of these projects was intended to produce tangible results. Each of them had a budget limited to around 50,000 euros, avoiding the dispersion of resources in the management of the projects themselves; and all the projects had the obligation to write the operative DOP document that establishes clear mechanisms for other agencies to be able to replicate the INNOSUP’s project results. The benefits are clear as a result of the decision to set up a large number of projects of limited size, involving hundreds of regional actors working in practice, and providing a least output from 74 projects that gave tangible results for other agencies. The main principle of the projects was co-creation to design better innovation services to companies, and the results were the establishment of joint design mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of the agencies. In many of the cases, the lessons learnt in each project are still being applied by the partners which means there is a good output on exploitation of these projects’ results.
Brokerage Event for Innovation Agencies
This interesting call has mobilised many of EURADA’s member agencies. Since the first call in 2014, their interest was identified and is the core of what led to the brokerage being created, which now serves as an annual event for development agencies to explore how to collaborate. Each year we set up a two-part event: firstly, we showcase the results of the approved projects (with their PDOs) that were most promising, and in the second part of the event, development agencies make a pitch to seek partners for new projects.
To date, 7 editions of the brokerage events have been held, and it has become an annual date in the calendar of the regional development experts. In each edition, EURADA awarded a prize to the best project result. The jury consisted of the participants themselves, through an open vote after each presentation. The overall purpose has always been to promote the consultation of valuable project results, easily to replicate with the description included in their DOPs, that have now been gathered and published by EISMEA. We consider it to be a useful reference document for any regional practitioner.
Gathering Innovation Support Best Practices
Support for innovation is a major element in the activity of development agencies as it leads to long-term competitiveness and greater social cohesion. The projects that have been approved over the years address almost all the traditional mechanisms of innovation support: technology transfer, human resources and talent attraction, internationalisation, financing, industrial property rights, and more. We recommend reading the publication and consulting all mechanisms and projects that interest you. Many EURADA members are behind the experiences compiled in these documents and we, the association’s secretariat, would be pleased to put you in touch with them.
More Information:
Handbook of service design by innovation agencies. Compendium of project results: Innosup05 - peer learning of innovation agencies
