Issue N 25 - September 2005
In this Issue:
INSME Activities
Join now the INSME-API Training Programme in Tunis!
INSME Handbook on Innovative Thinking available!
News from the INSME Members
New dates for the WIPO-Italy International Symposium on IPRs and SMEs
Upcoming: CEI Award for Innovative SMEs
Focus on...INSME Members
INTECH (Russia)
Partnerships
INSME and the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals
Tenders & Calls
Call for tenders: Euromed innovation and technology
Call for applications: Gate2Growth Venture Contest
Publications
OECD Observer
Developing Entrepreneurship (IADB)
Interesting Initiatives
Launch of the African Institute of Science and Technology (AIST)
iberpymeonline.org
Events
Highlighted events
Upcoming workshops, seminars, meetings
 
INSMEnews!
Contact the editorial staff
 
 

Dear INSMEnews Readers,
with the resumption of work after the Summer break, the INSME Association's activities are in full swing. Enjoy this issue of our newsletter to learn what is brewing, starting from...

...The INSME Annual Meeting 2006
We are pleased to announce that the next meeting of the INSME Association will take place in Montevideo (Uruguay) on 24-26 April 2006. This event will be hosted by CEGETEC (Centre for Technology Management, Chamber of Industries of Uruguay)our partner organisation, CEGETEC (Centre for Technology Management, Chamber of Industries of Uruguay) and will be focused on "Boosting Innovation by Bridging the Knowledge Gap - A Developer-User Approach". A dedicated  website with detailed information regarding the draft programme, the meeting venue and location, the registration procedures and much more will be available in the near future.

...New: INSME content feeds
The INSME Secretariat is about to launch two new innovative, value added services for its Members. As a hub, catalyst and a multiplier of information regarding innovation and technology transfer to SMEs, one of INSME's main objectives is to bring this information to its Members and stakeholders in the most effective way. To this end, the first new online service being introduced will allow INSME Members to integrate INSME portal content into their websites and the second will allow them to distribute news and information regarding their organisation to the interested Internet users, directly on their desktop. We invite those interested INSME Members to contact the INSME Secretariat to learn more about these services so as to benefit not only as content users but also as information providers.

...Membership in the INSME Association
The INSME Secretariat is pleased to welcome its 69th Member: the Central Hungarian Innovation Centre (CHIC), which has just joined the Association as a Full Member.  

Continue on to find out what else is new about us.

Keep in touch!

Ms. Simona Marzetti
INSME Association Secretary General

 

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INSME Activities
   Join now the INSME-API Training Programme in Tunis!

INSME-API Training Programme on Supporting the Creation and Development of Innovative Enterprises
Date: 13-15 December 2005
Place: Abou Nawas Hotel, Tunis
Language: French only
Registration fee: free for INSME Full Members; reduced fee of 250 euro for INSME Associate Members, INSME Observers and for participants from non-OECD Countries; normal fee of 400 euro for any other participant.

Download the provisional programme:
 Programme de Formation (FR)

Visits to 2 local intermediary centres are being organised on 15th December at the end of the course:
 El Ghazala Pole of Communication Technologies
 Rad�s Incubator

Subscribe to the INSME-API Training programme:
 Formulaire d'inscription (FR)
Deadline for subscribing is December 3, 2005.


A mix between Arabian, African and European influences: click here to learn more about Tunis, how to get there and where to stay.

If you are interested in attending or getting more information about the INSME-API training course, please contact the INSME Secretariat:
Mr. Mariano G. Cordone
 secretariat@insme.it
Phone: +39 06 80972.472
Fax: +39 06 80972.443

 

   INSME Handbook on Innovative Thinking available!

The INSME Handbook on Innovative Thinking provides an overview of several creative thinking methodologies and technological intelligence tools, developed, collected and applied by well known and successful professionals. Each methodology merges different creative techniques in a functional way. Case studies describe successful practices, showing how these methodologies can be applied in the perspective of generating innovative solutions and products.

Available in hard copy (English version only), upon request with contribution for postage (free postage for INSME Association Members).


Read a handbook review published on Euroabstracts, 2/05:
 "Creativity, the best medicine"

For further information and to receive a copy of the handbook, please refer to the INSME Secretariat:

Dr. Silvia Grandi
 grandi@ipi.it
phone: +39 06 80972.215
fax: +39 06 80972.443
 Mr. Enrico Callegati
 callegati@ipi.it
phone: +39 06 80972.477
fax: +39 06 80972.443

 

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News from the INSME Members
   New dates for the WIPO-Italy International Symposium on IPRs and SMEs

The WIPO-Italy International Symposium to be held in San Leucio (Caserta, Italy) on 23-24 November 2005 has been postponed by a week. Take note of the new dates:

30 November - 1 December 2005
WIPO-Italy International Symposium on Intellectual Property and the Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Textile and Clothing Sectors
Real Sito Belvedere di San Leucio, Caserta (near Naples), Italy

     

Jointly organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) - SME Division, the Italian Ministry of Productive Activities-UIBM (Italian Patent & Trademark Office) and the Italian Institute for Industrial Promotion (IPI).

Download the provisional programme:
 English version                                                      Italian version

Participation is for free. To register, download the appropriate form:
 Registration Form (EN)                                           Modulo di iscrizione (IT)

Click on the following links for information on:

A photo gallery of the Symposium venue is also available:
 http://www.insme.org/

For further information on the WIPO-Italy International Symposium, please contact IPI:
 casertasymposium@ipi.it

 

   Upcoming: CEI Award for Innovative SMEs


The Central European Initiative (CEI) is about to launch an Award for Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises which will grant winning SMEs seed money for financing their business ideas.


CEI attention will be focused to SMEs committed to the development of innovative technologies and operate in higher technology and research sectors, with the aim of increasing their innovation capabilities and reinforcing the presence in the national, regional and European market.

Preference will be given to applicants from non-EU CEI Member States (Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro and Ukraine).

Opening date: 1.10.2005
Closing date: 15.12.2005

Details on how to apply will be available from October 1 on CEI website:
 http://www.ceinet.org/home.php

The Application form, completed in all its parts, should be submitted to CEI-ES by e-mail:
 dovier@cei-es.org

 

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Focus on...INSME Members
   INTECH (Russia)

In this month's issue, the "Focus on ..." section features INTECH, the Russian National Agency for Entrepreneurship Technological Support.

INTECH is Member of the INSME Association since February 2005 and is represented within our Network by its President, Dr. Veniamin Kaganov.

We remind readers that the "Focus on..." is dedicated to presentations from organisations involved in the INSME Network as Members or Partners. We invite INSME Members or interested stakeholders wishing to reach the community of INSMEnews Readers (now about 10.000 subscribers) to contact us in order to have the presentation of their organisations and initiatives included in the INSME Newsletter and on the INSME portal:
 secretariat@insme.it

About INTECH

INTECH, the Russian National Agency for Entrepreneurship Technological SupportEstablished in 2003, INTECH is a private non profit organisation providing a set of advanced ICT enabled business services and solutions in order to improve local and international competitiveness of Russian SMEs. In particular, attention is paid to the development of SME innovative projects.

Two major INTECH initiatives have been implemented to support INTECH's objectives: the Coaching Centre for Venture Business Development and the Centre for Information Technologies Transfer, respectively dealing with venture capital search and business support services (from invention protection through property rights to products promotion), offering tailor-made solutions for local small and innovative entrepreneurs and facilitating the generation of innovation through business incubation.

Read further about INTECH's mission, activities and services in the following presentation:
 INTECH Presentation

 

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Partnerships
   INSME and the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals

Association of Strategic Alliance ProfessionalsThe INSME Association has just developed a partnership with ASAP Europe, the European chapter of the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals.

ASAP is a global professional association for alliance managers and executives, headquartered in Wellesley, Massachusetts (USA). It provides its members with a forum to exchange alliance best practices, resources and opportunities, and offers products that enable them to harness alliances as growth engines to drive corporate performance.

The INSME Secretariat will promote those ASAP events and initiatives relevant to the INSME community and will diffuse information regarding them through the Events section of the INSME portal and the INSME newsletter. INSME Association Members will in turn benefit from reductions to the attendance fees for ASAP events.

The first of them will take place in Brussels (Belgium), on October 11-13, 2005 and will focus on "Alliances as Engines for Growth and Profitability".

For further information on ASAP, please visit:
 http://www.strategic-alliances.org/

Are you interested in becoming a Partner of the INSME Association? Please contact the INSME Secretariat: 
 secretariat@insme.it

Check the list of INSME Partners at:
 http://www.insme.org/

 

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Tenders & Calls
   Call for tenders: Euromed innovation and technology

The European CommissionThe European Commission has published a call for tenders to provide enterprises in the region covered by the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (MEDA) with new instruments to reinforce competitiveness and innovation.

The overall objective is to provide the MEDA enterprises with new instruments with respect to competitiveness and innovation, to reinforce their development in order to achieve a good level of services, and create an effective link between research and industry

Final beneficiaries will be Mediterranean public or private partners' enterprises, which require strengthened infrastructure that supports innovation and technology.

EUROMEDDeadline for submitting tender documents: November 18, 2005.
Reference:
AOF 60538 - Ref OJ S 146 of 30.07.2005

To see the full details of the call, please go to: 
 http://ted.publications.eu.int/
 Corrigendum: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/
tender/data/d38/AOF60538.htm

For further information, contact the EuropeAid Cooperation Office:
 EuropeAid-meda-tenders@cec.eu.int

 

   Call for applications: Gate2Growth Venture Contest

Europe Unlimited invites companies that have raised their first round(s) of finance and are now seeking international funding, or looking  to expand their technology at European/international level, to apply for the Gate2Growth Venture Contest.

This is the first pan-European business contest supported by the European Commission within the Gate2Growth Initiative and has the following main objectives:

  1. to identify and support young high technology based companies in their search for international funding and partnerships
  2. to provide these companies with hands-on advice and free coaching throughout the contest
  3. to give these companies the opportunity to gain international exposure and access the most active pan-European venture capitalists and corporate dealmakers
  4. to promote the entrepreneurial spirit throughout Europe

Deadline for applying: 15 October, 2005. Selection is already underway. So we advise interested companies to apply as early as possible.

Further information and details on how to apply can be found on the Gate2Growth Venture Contest website:
 http://venturecontest.e-unlimited.com/ 

For assistance during any stage of the contest, please contact Europe Unlimited:
Mrs. Anna Janusz
anna@e-unlimited.com
phone: +32 2 6433686  

 

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Publications
   OECD Observer

Published in English and French, the OECD Observer magazine keeps the readers ahead of economic and social policy challenges of our time, getting to the heart of questions and presenting issues in a clear, concise and objective way.

Aimed at senior policymakers, researchers, business people, but also interesting for the media and civil society representatives, this publication presents experts views on global issues in a wide range of areas (public governance and management, employment, information and technology, development, economics, science, etc.), features in-depth reports in specific fields, delivers key economic indicators of OECD countries and includes links, references and bibliographies for further research and background. 
 
For information on how to subscribe, please go to:
 http://www.oecdobserver.org/subscribe.html

Or contact OECD co-publisher:
Pressgroup Holdings Europe
 oecd@pressgroup.net

 

   Developing Entrepreneurship (IADB)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)Resulted from a preliminary study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) on the most influential factors for business creation in East Asia and Latin America, this in-depth comparative analysis of the entrepreneurial landscape of 13 regions in Latin America, East Asia, and Southern Europe features the key success elements for high-growth business creation.

The study is articulated in 12 chapters divided into three major areas:

  1. Comparative Study of the Entrepreneurial Process in Countries of Latin America, Southern Europe, and East Asia
  2. International Experiences in Fostering Entrepreneurial Development
  3. Conclusions and Good Practices in Latin America

The IDB Study, by H. Kantis, can be purchased on the IADB online bookshop.

Search INSME Library for additional publications on SME related issues.

 

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Interesting Initiatives
   Launch of the African Institute of Science and Technology (AIST)

African Institute of Science and Technology (AIST)Experts on Africa recently came together at World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the launch of the African Institute of Science and Technology (AIST), a new organisation devoted to expanding science and technology research, information transfer, leadership, access, and excellence in sub-Saharan Africa.

The AIST is an initiative of the Nelson Mandela Institution for Knowledge Building and the Advancement of Science and Technology, whose plans are to establish four AIST regional institutes. The first AIST is to open in Arusha, Tanzania by 2007. The bridge between research and industrial development will be enhanced through strong links with industry for technology transfer and through the creation of technology parks around the AIST regional institutes for seeding innovations.

AIST will be run through an endowment fund called Endowment Fund for Excellence (EFE) which will seek contributions from private and public sources worldwide. The institute will equally enjoy the financial and technical support of the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Transfer of knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN).

Read more about the launch of the African Institute of Science and Technology on the World Bank website:
 http://info.worldbank.org/

Read more about interesting initiatives in the What's New Section of the INSME portal:
 http://www.insme.org/

 

   iberpymeonline.org

iberpymeonline.org is the portal of the Iberoamerican Programme of Institutional Cooperation for SME Development (IBERPYME). As such, it is conceived as a tool supporting  this programme with its mission to strengthen public and private institutions that provide assisting services to small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.

Now in its fifth year, IBERPYME portal fulfils this role through different services and contents, addressed not only to intermediary organisations, but also directly to SMEs:

  • institutional information about the Programme;
     
  • services and tools expressly designed to support SME internationalisation processes:
     
  • information about activities carried out by organisations in the Iberoamerican region (seminars, training courses, conferences, etc.) as well as documents focused on SME issues.

For further information about iberpymeonline.org, contact SELA, the institution responsible for the management of the IBERPYME programme:
SELA - Latin American Economic System
 http://www.sela.org/index_e.asp
 sela@sela.org

 

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Events
   Highlighted events
World SME Expo

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC), this event is a platform for SME service providers to showcase their services and business solutions. It is also an international SME marketplace for networking, business matching, and exchange of ideas and inspiration. INSME is among the supporting organisations of the World SME Expo.


23-24 November 2005

8th CEI Summit Economic Forum
Bratislava, Slovak Republic

This year edition of the Central European Initiative's main event will address the theme of Reforms key to Competitiveness.

Presentation and Programme
http://www.insme.org/documents/VIII_CEI_summit.pdf

 

   Upcoming workshops, seminars, meetings

A search tool is also available on the INSME portal to help you find relevant international, regional or national events related to innovation, technology transfer and SME issues. Events can be searched by date, place and thematic areas.

Here is our selection of interesting events due to take place in the next months. The full list of events is available at:
  http://www.insme.org/

03-04 October 2005
Innovation to foster a Sustainable Development in the EuroMed Region
Organised by the Innovation Relay Centre Med'IN in partnership with the Italian Chambers of Commerce of Marseille and Izmir and the Chambers of Commerce of Genoa and Marseille-Provence.
Izmir, Turkey

04-06 October 2005
Innovact - the European Forum for Innovative Growth Companies
Organised by the Chamber of Commerce of Reims to foster innovative European projects.
Reims, France

05-07 October 2005
EDE - The European Day of the Entrepreneur 2005 - "Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century"
Co-organised by the SMEA (Small and Medium Entrepreneurs' Association) and the EUROPEAN MOVEMENT SPLIT under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship of Croatia.
Zagreb, Croatia

05-07 October 2005
European Innovation Workshop
Organised by the European innovation initiative PAXIS, the workshop is hosted by the Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and is supported by the European Commission DG Enterprise & Industry.
Edinburgh, UK

10-12 October 2005
Science and Technology Parks in China: Incubation Policy and Partnership
Organised by CCBCC (China Center for Business Coordination and Cooperation).
Beijing, China

12-14 October 2005
Sixth Annual ASTP Seminar - "Science Based Intellectual Property Management"
The ASTP (Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals) annual seminar on intellectual property for innovators.
Athens, Greece

16-19 October 2005
The Euro-China Business Forum 2005 - The Marco Polo Program and New Ways for Euro-China Cooperation
Co-organised by the Euro-China International Association and the Shanghai Small Sized Enterprises Trade Development Service Center.
Shanghai, China
 Presentation

17-18 October 2005 
Seminar on "Regional Entrepreneurial Competitiveness of SMEs"
Organised by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Latinamerican Economic System (SELA), the Caribbean States Association (AEC) and the Ministry of Labor and SMEs of Trinidad and Tobago.
Puerto Espa�a, Trinidad and Tobago
 Programme (ES)               Objectives (ES)              Invitation (ES)

18-19.10.2005
4th Forum on Economy, Research and Innovation
Organised by Les Echos Conférences in partnership with OSEO Anvar (French Agency for Innovation).
Paris, France
 Conference Programme (FR)

18-20 October 2005
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) International Forum 2005 - Economy Globalization and Business Incubators
Organised by XIBI (Xi'an International Business Incubator).
Xi'an, China
 Application form

25-26 October 2005
2nd Euro-Mediterranean Industrial Cooperation Forum (II Meda- Industrial Forum) - Globalisation and its Consequences: Partnership and Innovation
Jointly organized by the fair of Barcelona (Salón MAQUITEC), the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Barcelona with the support of the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME).
Barcelona, Spain
 
27-28.10.2005
IRE Workshop (Innovating Regions in Europe) - "Promoting an Innovation Culture in the Regions"
Organised by the IRE Network in collaboration with the Northwest Development Agency.
Liverpool, United Kingdom    

31 October - 04 November 2005
Globelics Africa 2005 - "Innovation Systems as Framework for the Promotion of Economic Growth, Social Cohesion and Political Development"
Organised by the Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems (Globelics).
Pretoria, South Africa

07-08 November 2005 
Conference of the African Science Academy Development Initiative "Improving Public Policy to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Africa: Harnessing Science and Technology Capacity"
Organised by the Kenya National Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences, and the US National Academies.
Nairobi, Kenya 

08-11 November 2005
TCI (The Competitiveness Institute) 8th Annual Conference - "Enter the Dragon: China's Emergence and International Competitiveness"
Organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy.
Hong Kong

16-18 November 2005
WSIS - World Summit on Information Society 2005
The World Summit is held in two phases to create the framework for an equitable and inclusive Information Society, under the auspices of the UN.
Tunis, Tunisia

22-25 November 2005
4th International CONIDEAS Congress - Knowledge, Innovation and New Companies Creation
Jointly promoted by the Institute for the Creation and Development of Enterprises and the Politecnics of Valencia under the IDEAS programme for innovative enterprises creation.
Canc�n, Mexico

11-14 December 2005
ProTon Europe Annual Conference 2005 - Transfer Offices - "Bridging the Gap Between SME's and Academia"
Co-organised with e-unlimited, this conference will focus on technology transfer and universities/enterprises virtuous relationships.
Berlin, Germany

To be kept timely informed about future events, subscribe to the weekly INSME E-mail Alert for Events: 
http://www.insme.org/

Advertise your event to the 10,000 INSMEnews subscribers!

Looking for a place to advertise your event regarding innovation, technology transfer or SMEs related issues? Well, let us help you out. You can advertise your event in this section of INSMEnews and on the dedicated section of the INSME portal.

Just send an email with relevant information about your event to the INSME Secretariat:
 secretariat@insme.it

  

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