Book your agenda on April 19-22, 2009 for the next V INSME Annual Meeting to be held at the Hotel Atlantis (at the Palm Jumeirah), Dubai (United Arab Emirates). The main co-hosting organisation of the event is the Dubai Institute of Technology.
Other partners in organising the event are: UNIDO ITPO Bahrain and the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF).

 Find out about Dubai Institute of Technology at Technopark

More information on the INSME Annual Meeting 2009 will be available in the next months.

 Contact us at insme2009dubai@insme.it

 To learn more about former INSME Annual Meetings, please click here.

 

Intrasoft International Luxembourg is the coordinator of the project US-EU-Match Network aiming at ensuring technology-transfer deals and developing an open innovation platform. Launched on September 10, 2008, to help U.S. companies and research institutes to establish links with their EU counterparts, the portal aims to enhance the transfer of innovation and technology, providing companies and research institutes with a range of services. The US-EU Match network will link up with the existing Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).

 Find out more about the network and its services at: www.us-eu-match.com
 Read the press release

 

A call for Papers has been launched for the 2009 ISPIM Conference The Future of Innovation to be held in Vienna, Austria on 21-24 June 2009 and hosted by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.
Papers can be submitted by academics, consultants and managers and should focus on specific innovation-related topics, such as innovation financing, innovation business models, networks and clusters of innovation, methods and tools for innovation, innovation training & education, innovation policy and global competitiveness, managing virtual innovation.

Deadline for submission of Papers' Outlines: 31 December 2008

Read more about this call for papers at:
 http://www.ispim.org/conference/CFP.html
 
 

The project eServices4Europe (eTEN NCP SS - National Contact Points Support Service) funded under the former eTEN Progamme, now part of the CIP ICT PSP (Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, Information and Communication Technology, Policy Support Programme), is an initiative coordinated by INNOVA Europe S�rl and targeted to European companies and organisations involved in the deployment of new services and applications based on telecommunication networks. Its main goal is to provide direct support in marketing, dissemination and networking to a selected number of eTEN past and present projects and to the National Contact Points Network.

For further information, please visit the eServices website at:
 http://www.eservices-europa.eu/node/115

 

EurOffice Services (EOS) is a project managed by EBN - European Business Network - kicked off in September 2006, under the VI EU Framework Programme and extended until December 2008. This initiative, promotes dynamic networking opportunities between the European regions, especially for innovative start-ups and SMEs by providing a kit of integrated business services to get trained and develop their internationalisation strategy.

For further information on EOS, please visit the site:
 http://www.euroffice-services.eu/index.php?id=project

 
 

The European Commission has recently adopted a Regulation which allows Member States to grant aids - without first notifying the Commission - in favour of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), research, innovation, regional development, training, employment, environmental protection, risk capital and aid for enterprises newly created by female entrepreneurs.
 

 Read more about the EU's Regulation

 

This Communication, by the European Commission, outlines actions to ensure Europe has a high quality industrial property rights system in the years to come. It provides a horizontal strategy across the spectrum of different industrial property rights and includes initiatives on enforcement, innovation support for SMEs, and the quality of industrial property rights.

 Download for free the paper

More information on the site:
 http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/rights/index_en.htm

 

Established in 2002 as a Public/Governmental Body, Dubai TechnoPark is a science and technology park, member of Economic Zones World, aimed at leading Dubai's technological development strategy. In particular, TechnoPark is focused on research, development and studies in core economic sectors including energy and technology driven knowledge-based industrial development.
Its mission is to establish clusters of similar technology oriented industries and to create partnership with tech-oriented companies and institutional/academic partners on commercially feasible ventures.

Read more about Dubai TechnoPark:
 http://www.technopark.ae

 DIT (Dubai Institute of Technology)
is an independent institution established in mid September 2008 by TechnoPark. It aims to become a world-class centre for research, technological development and innovation, leading the region towards becoming a knowledge-based society.

 

The European Commission has launched a new round of calls to strengthen research and innovation capacity of SMEs under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7 R&TD) 2007-2013:

FP7 Capacities: Research for SME Associations Call 2 - Call for Proposals
Topic: Strengthening the innovation capacity of European SMEs and the creation of SME Association/Groupings with the aim of developing new technology solutions to
problems common to a large number of SMEs in specific industrial sectors through research and technological know how.
Participants: At least 3 independent SME Association/Groupings established in 3 Member States (MS) or Associated Countries (AC), 2 Research and Technological Development (R&TD) performers (independent from any other participants), 2 SMEs (other enterprises or end-users) established in 2 MS or AC.
The indicative budget is: EUR 78.55 million
Deadline: 18 December 2008

FP7 Regions: Regions of Knowledge Call 1 - Call for Proposals
Topic: Supporting economic competitiveness and in particular the emergence of lead markets enhancing the sustainable use of natural resources and of the natural and man-made environment.
Participants: Consortia of partners representing a minimum of three regional research-driven clusters from at least three different European Countries.
The indicative budget is: EUR 16.15 million
Deadline: 27 January 2009

The list of the two FP7's calls is available at:
 http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/home_en.html

Published by the European Commission's Directorate for Enterprise and Industry, this guide helps Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to better understand EU business policy, its key initiatives and programmes. It shows how SMEs can get involved to do business and where they can turn to for additional information. The guide also includes information on the proposed Small Business Act for Europe (SBA).

Download a copy of the guide at:
 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/document.cfm?action=display&doc_id=806&userservice_id=1&request.id=0

For further information about this initiative, please visit the webpage:
 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=1619

 

Published by InfoDEV, this report deals with the funding challenges and opportunities facing technology SMEs in developing countries. In particular, it underlines different efforts, made by institutions and investors, to address the financing needs of ICT and ICT-enabled SMEs in developing countries, and identifies the key challenges and constraints to meeting these needs.

 Download for free the complete report

 

Edited by the European Commission Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry, this report is the result of the project on Supporting the internationalisation of SMEs to understand and beat the barriers that impede SME involvement in international operations by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and the dissemination of good internationalisation programmes.

The report examines a series of national and regional policies to support the internationalisation of Small and Medium Enterprises, both inside the Single Market and outside the EU. It provides recommendations to public policies in order to support SMEs' efforts to achieve international growth and have a more international orientation.

 Download the full text of Good Practice Selection

For further information on this report, please visit the website at:
 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/
support_measures/internationalisation/index.htm

 

Released within the Medibtikar project, this guide aims to facilitate entrepreneurs' search for funding innovation in MEDA Countries, gathering all the financing tools required for the creation of new SMEs for the research of instruments providing business and innovation support.

 Download the final version of this guide available in English and French

 Medibtikar project will run till mid 2009.

 

Released by the EuropeAid Cooperation Office of the European Commission, this report underlines the strategic impact of regional cooperation and provides concrete information on cooperation and actions undertaken within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Barcellona Process) .

 Download the brochure

Further information about the European Commission External Co-operation Programmes at:
 http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm

 

The first issue of the newsletter edited by the China IPR SME Helpdesk focuses on the counterfeiting in China and provides information about Helpdesk's activities and the upcoming events in Europe and China on Intellectual Property Rights.

Download for free the newsletter
 http://www.china-iprhelpdesk.eu/newsletter/index.html

To subscribe to the newsletter and for more information on China IPR SME Helpdesk please visit the site:
 http://www.china-iprhelpdesk.eu/

  

Enterprise & Industry is a magazine published three times a year by the EU's Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry. Its goal is to keep readers informed on the Commission's works to make European Union a better place for business and entrepreneurs. In this issue a special focus is dedicated to SME's contribution to the economic growth and to the creation of new jobs.

 Download for free the latest edition of the magazine available in English, French and German.

 Subscribe in order to receive free copies of the print edition.

For further information please visit the site:
 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/e_i/theme3_en.htm

 

1 October 2008
Encuentro Iberoamericano Exportar para Ganar 2008 Innovación para la Internacionalización
Organised by the Programa Iberoamericano de Cooperación Institucional para el Desarrollo de la Peque�a y Mediana Empresa (IBERPYME) and FUNDES - La Red de Soluciones Empresariales. 
Caracas, Venezuela

3 October 2008
EASY Central Europe Investment Marketplace
Organised by EASY - Early Stage Investor for High Growth Businesses.
Prague, Czech Republic

6-9 October 2008
OPEN DAYS 2008 - European Week of Regions and Cities 
Organised by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission's Regional Policy Directorate-General, with the support of the French Presidency of the EU and the European Parliament.
Brussels, Belgium

8-10 October 2008
11th Microenterprise Forum
Organised by the Inter-American Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund.
Asuncion, Paraguay

15-17 October 2008
XIII Foro Iberoamericano de sistemas de garant�a y financiamento para las micro y pyme
Organised by Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE) and Red Iberoamericana de Garant�as (REGAR).
Salvador - Bahia, Brazil

15-17 October 2008
EVCA Venture Capital Forum
Organised by European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA).
Paris, France

15-17 October 2008
2008 APEC Forum "Business Incubators Promote Regional Innovation"
Organised by the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
Xi'an, P. R. China

16-17 October 2008
Industrial Property Rights in the Internal Market
Organised by the European Commission - Directorate General Internal Market and Services, in collaboration with the French Presidency of the European Council.
Strasbourg, France

19-22 October 2008
International Economic Development Council '08 Annual Conference
Organised by International Economic Development Council (IECD).
Atlanta, GA, United States

21-22 October 2008
Empowering the Mediterranean to innovate
Organised by Medibtikar, the EuroMed Innovation & Technology Programme.
Amman, Jordan

22 October 2008
9th Annual Early Stage Venture Capital Investing Conference
Presented by International Business Forum (IBF).
San Francisco, CA

22-24 October 2008
2nd Europe INNOVA Conference
Organised by Europe INNOVA in collaboration with the French Presidency of European Union.
Lyon, France

22-24 October 2008
2008 IASP-ASPA Joint Conference on Gathering, Sharing, Innovating and Developing
Organised by TusPark and hosted by the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) and the Asian Science Park Association (ASPA).
Beijing, P. R. China

27-28 October 2008
'Innovation, creativity, diversity: The regional dimension of European economic excellence'
Organised by the Assembly of European Regions (AER).
Linz, Austria

28-29 October 2008
International Conference on Design-Driven Innovation New Challenges to Intellectual Property Protection
Organised by the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM), Chamber of Commerce of Turin in collaboration with World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Turin, Italy

29-31 October 2008
11th Annual Global Conference of TCI " Clusters: meeting the challenge of globalisation"
Organised by The Competitiveness Institute (TCI) in association with SBS - Strategic Business Services.
Cape Town, South Africa

30-31 October 2008
ASTP Annual Seminar "Mobilizing Partners in Technology Transfer"
Organised by the Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP).
Valencia, Spain

4-6 November 2008
35th ISBC Congress "An Entrepreneurial Odyssey"
Organised by the International Small Business Congress (ISBC) in collaboration with the Institute for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (ISBE).
Belfast, N. Ireland

10-14 November 2008
V PLLM - Programa Latinaomericano de Liderazgo en Microfinanzas
Organised by SIPROMICRO - Sistema de Informacion sobre la Microempresa en America Central.
Veracruz, México

11-12 November 2008
4th International Conference on Services & Innovation "Innovate your services: practical steps to raise the service level that drives values, profit and growth"
Organised by VINNOVA - the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems.
Malmö, Sweden

13-14 November 2008
Ministerial Conference on Cluster and Innovation
Organised by the EU French Presidency.
Sophia Antipolis, France

13-15 November 2008
World Entrepreneurship Forum
The first worldwide think-tank dedicated to entrepreneurship and its role in society.
Evian, France

17-20 November 2008
4th annual event - Private Equity World MENA 2008
Organised by Terrapinn.
Dubai, Unites Arab Emirates

17-23 November 2008
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)
Organised by the Kauffman Foundation 
Venues: Across the globe

20 November 2008
Medibtikar Conference Towards the creation of a Regional Innovation Financing Instrument for the Mediterranean
Organised by Medibtikar, the EuroMed Innovation & Technology Programme.
Marseille, France

21 November 2008
4th "Mediterranean Business Summit"
Organised by ANIMA Investment Network.
Marseille, France

26-28 November 2008
Sidereus - Cooperation through Space
Coordinated by FILAS, the Financial Development Agency of the Regione Lazio, and co-funded by the Asia Invest Programme of the European Commission with the patronage of the Regione Lazio (Italy).
Beijing, P.R.China

4-5 December 2008
EBN Technical Seminar - Building EC Projects Education, Training, Knowledge & Cooperation - Opportunities and Best Practices
Organised by the European Bic Network (EBN).
Lisbon, Portugal

8 December 2008
Global Business Incubation Day
Organised by the UK Business Incubation (UKBI). The first global celebration of Business Incubation.
Venues: Around the globe