Partners
Région Nord-Pas de Calais FR
Finpiemonte S.p.A. IT
Region Västra Götaland SE
IMPIVA ES
Tuscany Region IT
OSEO FR
IWT Flanders BE
Oost NV NL
Hradec Králové Region CZ
The Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology SI
TÜBİTAK TR
Veneto Innovazione IT
Conseil régional d‘Alsace FR
UEFISCDI Unitatea Executiva Pentru Finantarea Ivatalamantalui Superiorm Cercetarii Dezvoltarii si Inovarii RO
INNtex Innovation Netzwerk Textil e. V. DE
The Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy,Building, Housing and Transport DE
Lombardy Region IT
Région Nord-Pas de Calais (FR) – Coordinator, WP5 Leader, WP6 Leader
Since 1974, the Nord-Pas de Calais Regional council has contributed to the creation and development of laboratories in Nord-Pas de Calais and to the emergence of regional research centers of national standing by uniting university, laboratory and industrial figures in the framework of structured projects in state-of-the art sectors. The Region currently consolidates these centres of competitiveness and excellence, including the “Up-Tex” cluster. Nord-Pas de Calais is a characterized by economic reconversion and business development (12.848 new businesses in 2007). With nearly 200 companies and 9000 jobs, it can boast:
- a competitive approach: the Up-Tex (innovative textile) cluster develops high-performance textiles for future use in transport, the automobile industry, medicine and health, sports and leisure, protection and public civil engineering.
- a breeding ground for innovative business entrepreneurs: Innotex (behind Maisons de Mode), in-town workshop boutiques enabling young fashion stylists.
- an embroidery and lace network: a center of excellence in the areas around Cambrai and Calais.
Finpiemonte S.p.A.(IT) – Partner, WP1 Leader
Finpiemonte SpA is the in-house financial company of Regione Piemonte and acts as its Development Agency. It that has been engaged for over 30 years in supporting local development and competitiveness and it has provided regional and EU funds to more than 50.000 beneficiaries, taking care of the procedures for the assessment, assignment and verification of financial support schemes that derive from local, regional, national and EU initiatives.
Finpiemonte SpA is participating in CossTexNet under the mandate of the Regional Directorate for Productive Activities, thus representing in the consortium the Textile/Clothing sector of Piedmont region, with its some 5.000 companies and a turnover of about 5.000 mln euros (equal to 9,2% of total TC turnover in Italy).
Textile/Clothing represent a key sector in Piedmont. The government of Regione Piemonte is putting into practice a development policy addressing the Textile/Clothing sector: supporting innovation and business both in TC Fashion and TC Technical domains, paying maximum attention on the environmental impact of textile products and processes and focusing on users’ health-related aspects of the TC products.
Region Västra Götaland (SE) – Partner, WP2 Leader
The Region Västra Götaland is the regional authority of Western Sweden in charge of Regional Development and Healthcare Provision. Its regional innovation and growth strategy supports business innovation, innovations systems, R&D programmes and excellence centres, start-up companies (seed funding, VC), communications infrastructure and cultural institutions. Västra Götaland’s industry has a strong position in health, ITC and automotive sectors, holding a top European position in terms of R&D investments by industry.
The regional R&D scheme is realised through specific research areas with internationally competitive programs based on partnerships between industry, research institutions and public bodies: Automotive/Air Transport, Health/Biomedicine, Energy & Environment, Maritime sector, Creative Industries, New Materials.
The specific support of textiles/fibre based materials area is carried out in the cross disciplinary cluster programme Smart Textiles, funded both by the Region and by VINNOVA, the Swedish National Governmental Funding Agency for Innovation Systems. The research scope encompasses Protection, Health/Functional Fibres for Medical Applications and Construction.
IMPIVA (ES) – Partner, WP4 Leader
The Institute of the Small and Medium Size Industry (IMPIVA) is established in 1984 by the Valencia Regional Government to promote and improve productivity by concentrating on key issues relevant for the innovation process in small and medium sized enterprises. IMPIVA based its management system devoted to innovation on a two-fold principle:
1. Decentralisation, both geographical and in terms of different activities, by means of a creation of centres with specialised functions (technology institutes and EBIC’s) located in the main industrial areas of the Region of Valencia, a in turn coordinated eith the services of the IMPIVA, in order to obtain synergies in the operations undertaken by each of these entities.
2.Participations of social agents which play a major role:
- The Technology Institutes are organised as Business Associations in each of the sectors. Affiliation to the Association will not, however, be necessary in order to obtain the services of the Technology Institute.
- The European business and innovation centres also have the collaboration of the Administrations involved in regional development, and entities of all types representing social and professional sectors related to the business world.
Tuscany Region (IT) – Partner, WP3 Leader
The Regione Toscana is the regional government of Tuscany. Over the last 3 decades the region has seen economic, social and demographic changes through intensive urbanisation and concentration of the working population in industrial, tourist and commercial sectors. The proportion of employment in manufacturing has declined dramatically in recent years, yet remains higher than the European regional average. The manufacturing industry is characterised by the fashion sector which makes up 35% of Tuscan industrial employment.
It is divided into industrial districts: Leather and Shoes, Textile and Clothing, Furniture, Jewellery, Paper, Marble. The vitally important fashion sector has shown losses in comparison to sectors more open to technological innovation. Economic development over recent years has pointed to the small size of enterprises as a limit to innovation capacity, to relations of the international market, to credit access and to commercialisation of products.
OSEO, the French Agency for Innovation with an annual funding budget of €300 million, provides advice and financial support to SMEs. OSEO is part of a public body group under the authority of French Ministries for Industry, Research and SMEs. OSEO is organised all over France into 24 regional offices with 250 consultants running day-to-day relationships with companies of which 90% are SMEs having less than 250 employees. Committed to backing innovation in all thematic areas, these regional units are responsible for financing decisions.
Being the major actor for innovation in France, OSEO is now on the process to strengthen its activities for the benefit of SMEs in the context of a closer cooperation with financial and guarantee tools. To build effective technological, financial and commercial partnerships, OSEO has developed numerous partnerships throughout France, Europe and other parts of the world.
IWT is a governmental agency established by the Flemish Government in 1991. With innovation policy being a regional matter in Belgium, it is the key organisation for support and promotion of R&D and innovation in Flanders. IWT is both programme owner (in close cooperation with the Flemish Ministry of Innovation) and programme manager (design and implementation of funding programmes, selection and follow-up of research and innovation projects).
The scope of existing funding is quite broad including industrial R&D projects, EUREKA-projects, feasibility studies and innovation projects for SMEs, support to industrial networks and universities, individual grants for PhD and post-doc research and support to larger “ad hoc “ initiatives as decided by the Flemish government. Besides promotion of innovation through funding of R&D-projects and services, one of the main tasks of IWT is the co-ordination of the regional innovation actors as regional development agencies, technological advisory services, research centres and industrial federations.
Development Agency East Netherlands (Oost NV) is an enterprise established in 2003 by the provincial governments of Gelderland and Overijssel and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands. The aim of the organisation is to implement the innovation policies of both provinces and the Ministry. The main sectors on which Oost NV focuses are food, health and industrial technologies in the Materials & High Tech Systems sector (HTSM).
Oost NV has been involved in the management of regional public innovation funds:
- intake of applications for the structural funds programme in the East Netherlands.
- management of innovation schemes for SMEs in the area.
Since 2003 Oost NV has encouraged innovation and collaboration of companies in the textile and fibre materials sector in the area. It involves them in regional, national and European policy schemes.
Hradec Králové Region (CZ) – Partner
The Hradec Králové Region (HKR) is located in Eastern Bohemia. The total population is 549.643. Hradec Králové is the capital with a population of 94.255. There are 3 universities in the fields of education, medicine, pharmacy and military healthcare. Farming, textile, automotive and rubber industries are the most important industries for the economy.
HKR and the whole NUTS II Northeast (NE) is the traditional Czech textile industry area comprising the most important regions of this manufacturing branch. In 2007, 18% of the whole Czech workforce was engaged in the textile sector in HKR (34,8% in the NE area respectively) against 21,3% (38,2% respectively) in 2005. HKR area counts 6743 companies in the textile industry (2007).
Sustainable growth in turnover (+11,75% between ’08 and ‘05) and stop loss of employment (-24,7% between ’08 and ‘05) require a systematic, innovative and multidisciplinary approach. A high added value textile industry needs to be fostered by the implementing of an intensive and effective R&D and innovation policy programme. The link between R&D (academic), supported by innovation and technology transfer services of specialised centers, and industrial companies needs to be improved using national and international founding tools with special support for SMEs needs.
The Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology (SI) – Partner
Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology is programme owner, responsible for defining, financing or managing research programmes carried out at national and regional level. The Ministry publishes guidelines for medium-term and long-term work of public research institutes and determines the ratio between block financing, national project funding and other public tenders, concessions and external funds.
Promoting R&D activity and innovation through financial support is one of the main priorities. Special emphasis will be placed on supporting strategic R&D projects and subject matters that have been identified in the framework of national technological platforms. Greater emphasis will be placed especially on R&D activities and specific objectives such as increasing investment by the commercial sector in R&D, increasing the proportion of innovative companies and increasing the proportion of trained R&D personnel. A partnership of companies, research institutions and the government will in the next years draw up detailed strategic R&D programmes reflecting needs and priorities of the economy i.e. especially in fields which could offer possibilities for being globally competitive and for achieving technological breakthroughs
TÜBİTAK (TR) – Partner : co leader to launch the calls
TUBITAK is the leading agency for management, funding, conduct of research and technological development in Turkey. It was established in 1963 with a mission to advance science and technology, to conduct research and to support Turkish researchers and industry. TUBITAK funds research projects carried out in universities and other public and private organisations. It conducts research on strategic areas and develops support programs for public and private sectors. TUBITAK is also the national coordinating body of the EU Framework Programmes (FP).
Aiming to fasten the process of conversion of technology to economic development, the Technology and Innovation Funding Programs Directorate (TEYDEB) of TUBITAK was established to fund the innovation activities of the companies in Turkey. It is targeted to increase RTD capability, innovation culture and competitiveness of Turkish companies. In line with these objectives, TEYDEB designs and executes various funding programs.
Veneto Innovazione (IT) – Partner: Task leader in WP3
Veneto Innovazione is the regional agency for research, innovation and technology transfer with the aim of promoting applied research and innovation in the Veneto Region. The main activities are:
- Promotion of the regional network for research and innovation.
- Collaboration and assistance to the Regional Authority for the development implementation and monitoring of local policies concerning research and innovation.
- Information to companies and research centres on technological innovation and applied research.
In order to support the development of new policy approaches and to present the outcomes of the regional supporting schemes, it has implemented several initiatives at local and international level. Some examples are the the InnoNets INNET, IMQ-Net and TACTICS in the framework of Innovation policies. Concerning the setting up of the European Research Area and in support of the regional Research and Innovation policies it is involved in the implementation of the ERA NET scheme. Furthermore several other initiatives have been launched regarding the exchange of experiences with other regional authorities and innovation stakeholders, aiming to gain insight and import, as well as export, new models. Finally, to reach its aims it actively participates in different national and European Innovation networks, such as APSTI and Enterprise Europe Network.
Conseil régional d‘Alsace (FR) – Partner: Task leader in WP 3
The Direction de la Recherche, de l’Enseignement Supérieur et du Transfert de Technologie (DREST), belonging to the Alsace Region, is the unit in charge of supporting high education, research and innovation (triple helix).
It is one of the key bodies for the Regional authority to develop new axis of its innovation strategy:
- To place innovation at the heart of regional policies,
- To foster business creation and the creation of new activities.
- To reinforce openness to international trade and cooperation.
The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) is a public entity of the Central Administration under the ultimate authority of Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport (MoERYS).
UEFISCDI reached the current status in July 2010, through GO nr.62/1999, approved with amendments by Law 74/2010 and GEO nr.150/2000 by merging three organisations with responsibilities for the management and administration of various programs in the fields of higher education, research, development and innovation: Executive Agency for Higher Education and Research Funding (UEFISCSU), National Centre for Programme Management (CNMP), Management Agency for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer (AMCSIT).
UEFISCDI implements under the supervision of its advisory councils five out of the six programmes of the National Plan for Research, Development and Innovation 2007-2013 (PN II): Human Resources (exploratory research), Ideas (exploratory research), Partnerships in Priority Areas (applied research), Innovation (innovation and technology transfer), Capacities (R&D infrastructure).
The R&D Programme ‘Partnerships in Priority Areas’ is structured in nine thematic areas, similar to FP7: information and communication technology, energy, environment, health, agriculture, food safety and security, biotechnologies, innovative materials, processes and products, space and security, socio-economic and humanistic research.
The total budget of the programme “Partnerships in Priority Areas” is 125.M€ (10% – Information and communication technology; 10% - Energy ; 14% – Environment ; 14% – Health; 12% – Agriculture, food safety and security; 7% - Biotechnologies;15% - Innovative materials, processes and products; 8% – Space and security; 10% – Socio-economic and humanistic research).
INNtex Innovation Netzwerk Textil e. V (DE) – Partner – Task leader
INNTex e.V. was founded in 2000 mainly to initiate, prepare and coordinate SME networks in the Saxon textile and clothing industries. Main focus of activities is cooperation in innovation and research.
The service profile of INNtex includes three main fields:
- Conception and coordination of SME networks and R&D joint projects.
- Trend, market and branch studies as well as feasibility and strategy conceptions.
- Consulting and coaching of companies in company foundation and settlement, market strategies, corporate planning and consolidation.
INNtex e.V. supports the reorientation of textile and clothing industry in novel innovative growth fields. The Saxon region has a long standing tradition in technical textiles. A new joint initiative for Technical Textiles under the leadership of INNtex was started to support the T/C-branches (www.innovation-textil.de). This initiative was recently prolonged until 2011.
The innovation policy of Saxony is focused on individual and collective research, know-how transfer and market implementation. The special relevance for the textile industry becomes evident by joint initiatives in five main fields, including technical textiles.
The Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Building, Housing and Transport of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (DE) – Partner
The aim of the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Building, Housing and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWEBWV) is to create optimal general conditions for business in the state and strengthen North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) as an innovative, forward-looking and attractive industrial location. The focus of attention of the Ministry’s economic promotion activities is on small to medium-size enterprises, as these companies are the true job motors of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Regional economy
The economy of North Rhine-Westphalia comprises a mixture of large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With more than 700,000 SMEs, this segment provides about 70 per cent of all jobs, generates 47 per cent of the gross value added and accounts for 41 per cent of all investments in Nordrhein-Westfalen. At the same time, half of the 50 German companies with the highest sales are based in NRW, including Bayer, E.ON, RWE, Bertelsmann, ThyssenKrupp, Deutsche Telekom, etc. On balance, around 20,000 new companies are founded in NRW each year. NRW is the most important industrial location in Germany. 27.4 per cent of gainfully employed people in North Rhine-Westphalia work in the manufacturing industry.
Lombardy Region (IT) – Partner
The Regione Lombardia – Directorate Industry, small and medium enterprises and cooperation of is a team of 94 people that aims at improving competitiveness, innovation, internationalization, attractiveness of the Lombardy market, simplification of procedures and access to credit.
Lombardy, with its textile districts of Varese, Bergamo and Como, is one of the Italian regions with greater density of textile companies approximately 30.050 industries; therefore, it plays a major role and competes in the first position versus other textile oriented regions. At domestic level, textile companies account for 9,4% of total manufacturing industries. Regione Lombardia is one of the “Four Motors of Europe” and partner of the Creativity District.