CreaMED
“Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area as key elements for
Regional Sustainable Development: CreaMED Alliance”
Deliverable:
” Capitalisation Strategy Plan: Measures for sustainability of
projects results after conclusion of CreaMED”
Thessaloniki, April 2012
4th version
CONTENTS
CreaMED
1
“Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area as key elements for Regional
Sustainable Development: CreaMED Alliance”
1
1. Introduction
1
2. Objectives of the Capitalisation Strategy
3
3. Target Groups
5
4. Action Plan
8
5. Capitalisation Tools
10
6. CreaMED Regional Action Plans
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Spain – Andalusia region
22
Spain – Catalonia region
26
Italy – Abruzzo region
29
Italy – Tuscany region
33
Greece – Central Macedonia region
35
France – PACA region
39
Slovenia – Pomurje region
42
Cyprus – Agios Athanasios region
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Portugal – Algarve region
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1. Introduction
According to the MED programme1, the term “Capitalisation” refers to the “organisation of data
concerning the implementation of programmes, projects, concerning their impacts, the methods
used in order to make the accumulated experience usable for other programmes or projects”. It is
evident from the aforementioned definition that capitalisation is a key aspect of MED projects in
supporting the accomplishment of their objectives on local, regional, national and even EU level.
The valorization procedure ensures that all possible channels and opportunities are used for the
projects outcomes to reach as many potential final users as possible. It is significant to realize
that longevity and sustainability of the project will be achieved only by providing benefits that
meet the specific needs of a wider audience of beneficiaries.
The Capitalisation Strategy Plan of CreaMED has been designed in such a way so as to allow the
exploitation of the tangible and intangible results of the CreaMED project, optimize their value,
enhance their impact and facilitate their integration at multiple levels. The Plan thus pays
particular attention to the sustainability of the results and the enhancement of their impacts on
regional level through direct involvement of local and regional policy makers, stakeholders and
enterprises – mainly SMEs. Furthermore, it has been built in close collaboration with the
Communication & Dissemination Plan of the project so as to ensure maximisation of synergies
between the related activities and also elimination of all possible cases of overlaps.
Before proceeding with the outline of the Capitalisation Plan, a distinction has to be made
between dissemination and exploitation measures so as to improve its comprehensiveness and
appreciation:
 “Dissemination”, is derived from the Latin words "abroad" (dis) and "seed" (semin) and
means to “spread widely”. Dissemination is a planned process of providing information
1
European Union, “MED OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME 2007-2013” (CCI 2007 CB 163 PO 045)
1
on the quality, relevance and effectiveness of the results of projects – and the programme
– to key actors. Dissemination occurs as and when the results of projects/programme
become available.
 “Exploitation", in its positive meaning, is considered as “making use of and deriving
benefit from (a resource)”. The Commission divides exploitation measures into two
distinct categories: mainstreaming and multiplication. Mainstreaming is “the planned
process of transferring the successful results of projects and programmes to appropriate
decision-makers in regulated local, regional, national or European systems”.
Multiplication, on the other hand, is “the planned process of convincing individual endusers to adopt and/or apply the results of programmes and initiatives”.
The present document starts with a brief description of Capitalisation’s aims and objectives, in
accordance to the project proposal as well as the programming documents of the MED
programme and then it continues with a definition of the target groups addressed via this
capitalization plan. Afterwards, the different actions to be performed as well as tools to be
utilized are described and the Plan concludes with partners own regional capitalization actions
and plans.
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2. Objectives of the Capitalisation Strategy
According to the proposal document of the CreaMED project, the Capitalisation Plan is going to:
 Encourage sustainable synergies among Mediterranean regions
 Involve the final beneficiaries (Mediterranean SMEs and Public bodies) with the
strategy
 Match the capitalization and enhancement activities with the real needs of the
project’s beneficiaries
At this point, it is important to underline the flexible nature of the CreaMED capitalisation
process, necessary for its adaptation to the dynamics observed throughout the elaboration of the
project. The capitalization strategy of CreaMED is envisaged to be a support process that will be
built progressively; however, such flexibility requires an appropriate organizational and
management model that is already an integral part of the CreaMED project.
The CreaMED partners are advised to use this plan not only as a reference base or a guide for
their valorisation actions, but mainly as a pool of ideas for streamlining CreaMED impacts to
potential beneficiaries by:
 Optimizing the value and the impact of the CreaMED project: It is a fact that an
ongoing process nurturing interactivity between partners and potential users via
adequate channels will produce more useful results targeting real needs.
 Wide-spreading dissemination: Creating awareness and attracting interest and
involvement of a vast range of stakeholders will boost the quality and the usefulness
of the project’s results.
 Optimal use of resources: Using the right resources will optimize the involvement of
the targeted groups (appropriate allocation of financial and human resources).
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 Transferring results to upgrade innovation systems and practices: As a
consequence, the outcomes will allow the enhancing of innovation policies and
systems on regional and local level.
 Sustainable use of results: The results are taken and adapted by users. We don’t
want the results to be put in the drawers but instead to be creatively used by target
groups and all the potential stakeholders
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3. Target Groups
As described in the Communication and Dissemination Plan of the project, the CreaMED
concept and main messages are anticipated to penetrate policy makers as well as (indirectly)
SMEs and the research / academic community. All of them are considered as key players, as
they are relevant to and involved in their regional innovation system and processes. In that
sense, the target groups are:

Local and regional public authorities & policy makers
Policy makers are one of the most important target groups of CreaMED due to their influence
on their local/regional/national innovation policies. Policy makers who make decisions
about defining strategies and policies relevant to and financing of innovative initiatives and
organisations are targeted. The CreaMED Alliance involves them from the beginning of the
project and keeps them informed about results during its whole period.
The CreaMED Alliance shall contact all local and regional public authorities involved or
interested in the promotion of innovation and creativity in their area and also all local and
regional policy makers during and also after the end of the project and will attempt to create
a Regional Innovation Board that will meet regularly and discuss on the furthering of
Creativity and Innovation in their areas.

Project stakeholders (Associations and Centres devoted to the promotion of
Creativity & innovation, Universities, Technology Centres, Chambers of
Commerce…)
Research centres, business associations, chambers of commerce, universities and all other
organisation that promote Creativity and Innovation through their role and work (projects)
are also a basic target group of the project. These organisations constitute both a group that
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influences innovation policy plans and implementation, but also act as potential
beneficiaries. In addition, all these organisations have a lot of relevant experiences,
knowledge in innovation issues, financing, etc. and some of them (champers, business
associations, business parks, etc.) are strongly connected with SMEs. Consequently, they
need to be involved in and reached through the project and afterwards to provide their
views, suggestions and experiences.
Selected members from this second layer community could join the Regional Innovation
Board to be developed, based on their experience, level of influence on local level, etc.

Business Sector and SMEs
The business sector and in particular SMEs are the “end users” who needs to be reached and
invited to discuss about their needs and problems concerning creativity and innovation
development (organisational culture, financing and funding finding, implementation of
creativity techniques, etc.). As stated in the Communication Plan, the CreaMED Alliance
should attempt to get the innovative SMEs of the region involved in the project.
Representatives of the business sector shall be participating in the Regional Innovation
Board to be developed and are expected to promote the interests of the business sector and
SMEs in particular.
Furthermore, this target group is expected to be addressed on a continuum basis through the
CreaMED Open Book and the new or developed policies to be designed and implemented on
local and regional level. Regular events, publications, etc. that will ensure that the business
sector and SMEs are informed on the outputs of CreaMED should be conducted.
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
Other interested parties – General Public
Results of the project have to reach the public in a broad sense on a regional and national
level. During the project and according to the budget available, partners will decide on tools
to use in order to support wide dissemination effect. In case it is not affordable to use
expensive media tools (television, radio), all other tools are going to be used to support
dissemination. After the conclusion of the project, the CreaMED Alliance will continue
addressing this target group via mass media, so as to ensure the widest possible
dissemination of project’s results.
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4. Action Plan
Capitalisation requires a common guiding principle that must be applied to all types of
capitalisation actions proposed within the framework of this Plan. The different steps to be
conducted are organised according to the following phases:
1) Identification of the experience to be capitalised on
2) Organisation of a system
3) Capture of the experience to be reused
4) Valorisation of the experience by transforming into usable information (definition of a
common format for all types of capitalisation)
5) Use/dissemination of experience gained.
Phases 4 and 5 are developed in relation to the Communication of the Programme.
An important issue identified and discussed during a project meeting was that the Capitalisation
opportunities of the project will be assisted and reassured by the proper elaboration of the
project. In further detail, as long as the CreaMED Open Book, the Seminars, etc. are designed and
implemented in view of the needs of the final users of the CreaMED project for sustainable
development via innovation and creativity, the Capitalisation prospects are ensured: the
participants themselves will continue using the project’s outputs and will also promote them to
their friends and colleagues respectively.
In order to ensure the proper dissemination of project results after project’s timetable
completion the overall following actions are required:
-
Regular updating of the CreaMED website with new information about Creativity and
Innovation policies and activities on local, regional, national and EU level;
-
Participation of partners in national and international conferences;
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-
Generation of new cooperation European programmes (projects) on issues relating with
the project’s objectives;
-
Support of the application and of the monitoring of project results within the targeted
area and other regions and of the incorporation of project’s results in the future local /
regional primarily and even national innovation strategies;
-
Identification of other funding and institutional opportunities in the whole MED area for
continuation of support towards the utilization and integration of project’s outcomes;
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Identification and cultivation of connections with other projects and organisations
working in the same field for exchanging experiences and furthering concepts;
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Exploration of promotion of CreaMED’s outcomes and results beyond the areas directly
linked to the project;
-
Exploration of the necessity of giving the CreaMED Alliance a legal substance;
-
Selection of ideas from the SMEs that will attend the seminars and continuation of their
support even after the conclusion of the project through soft activities such as assistance
for networking with other organisations within or outside their country, etc.;
-
Transformation of the experiences the SMEs gained via the Seminars into Case Studies to
be integrated into the CreaMED Open Book;
-
Elaboration of scientific papers and articles for publication in national and international
journals related to innovation and creativity.
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5. Capitalisation Tools
The following tools are expected to be utilized for the promotion of project and its results after
CreaMED’s completion:
1. CreaMED’s website:
Each partner will incorporate a link on his/her organization’s website to the CreaMED
project so that all possible visitors can access it. This tool is important as CreaMED’s website
can and should be reached by all target groups and could effectively offer a real support to
the different actors involved. The CreaMED website will be constantly updated with
information and news and will remain online also after the project end for a period of at least
five years.
2. Creation of contact lists:
Contact details such as phone numbers/faxes/e-mails/etc. of local and regional policy
makers, liaison offices of local universities, local and national media, managers of large or
medium sized enterprises, owners of firms, organizations conducting research,
representatives of Chambers of Commerce, etc. are expected to be recorded in a Contact
Database that will start being developed during the project, as stated in the Communication
Plan. This Database will allow every member of target groups to be approached by e-mail,
phone or any other available mean of communication.
3. Providing special materials to target groups:
The CreaMED project brochure together with the CreaMED Open Book to be sent to partners
local network in order to attract their interest and motivate them respectively.
4. Use of mass media:
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The press or any other means of mass media – as long as feasible to be addressed after the
project conclusion – could be addressed so as to inform the wider public about the results of
the project and motivate them to visit the project’s website and obtain its results.
5. Supplementary dissemination material:
The posters of the project together with the brochures, etc could be put in partners
institutions places of public view, such as the foyer or reception point.
Partners could also provide posters and flyers to their network so as to put them in their
own public view areas, if possible.
6. Electronic Presentations:
The electronic presentation of the CreaMED project that has been developed during the
project can also be used as dissemination mean after the project’s completion. Any partner
who wishes to participate in any conference or seminar or event being relevant to the
CreaMED project can make a presentation or reference to CreaMED to encourage interest in
the project. The presentation will include a long version of 3 slides and a short version of 1
slide. All partners should then translate it into their own languages.
7. Building “bridges” with relevant projects:
CreaMED is part of a wider pool of projects elaborated in the Mediterranean area that deal
with the promotion of innovation via various ways. In order to accelerate spill-over effects on
regional level across all partner countries the project partners shall identify relevant projects
so as to ensure that future events of these projects shall capitalize on the knowledge
accumulated and classified under CreaMED and will also inform their own networks of
contacts respectively.
Up to date, the project partners have identified the following projects that are considered
relevant and appropriate to capitalize CreaMED’s outcomes:
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1. The CreatInn Project (http://www.fundacion.udc.es/creatinn): The CreatInn
project is financed by the Interreg IV B SUDOE Programme and its main
objective is to promote wealth creation by launching a tool of systematic
support for the competitiveness of the Companies within strategic sectors of the
SUDOE regions involved, according to Creativity and Innovation. For this aim,
the participation of Universities, Research Institutions and Technological
Centres, Public Administrations and Society is required so that a trans-regional
innovation system within SUDOE can be implemented. In further detail, the
specific objectives of the project are:
a. Identification of Companies and research groups of Universities
showing potential and interest in taking part in trans-regional actions.
b. Involvement of agents interested in a timetable of action based on
Creativity and Innovation with a trans-regional perspective in SUDOE.
c. Provision of training to the staff of the organisations involved on
methodologies and tools for the development of creativity and
innovation management.
d. Support mainly of Companies that are interested in achieving the
proposal of creative ideas aimed at improving competitiveness.
e. Preparation of a portfolio including proposals of innovation projects
within Companies, based on creative ideas and regarded as an
implementation of methodologies and tools related to innovation
management.
f. Establishment of a basic transregional innovation system regarding
its organisational, institutional and social aspects.
2. The Crea NET 2.0 Project (www.creabusinessidea.com): The Crea NET 2.0
Project is financed by the Interreg IV B SUDOE Programme and its overall
strategic objective is to help people become as highly creative as possible and to
work in a more creative company within a more creative environment. CREA
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NET 2.0 is a European project that aims to create a business network between
entrepreneurs and companies that will support creativity. Thus, identifying and
developing innovative projects as well as quality jobs can be achieved. Partners
from three European countries (Spain, Portugal and France) are involved in this
2 year project. CREA NET 2.0 is the continuation of the CREA-BUSINESS-IDEA
Project which started on the 1st April 2009 and finished on the 31st December
2010.
3. The Easy-Finance Project (www.easyfinanceproject.eu): The Easy-Finance
project is financed by the MED Programme and aims at reinforcing innovative
assistance services for enterprises in order to increase their access to financing.
This shall be accomplished through a transnational system of intensive use of
innovation and knowledge technologies. In the pursuit of creating new
innovative enterprises and of injecting capital in growth enterprises, the project
will create new methodologies and will propose a shared space of resources
between business development and innovation centres in the Mediterranean.
4. The MED LAB Project (www.medlivinglab.eu): The project is financed by the
MED Programme and its overall objective is to implement the Living Lab
approach with the demand side of regional policy. The project builds a
governance network that brings economies of R&D scope, social innovation and
policy coherence to all levels, from the local community to the trans-national
scale. Its multi-player, multi-level Mediterranean-wide Living Lab will bring
benefits not only to the MED space’s ICT-based innovation economy, but also to
each application domain that the Living Labs address. MedLab brings together 8
partners from 6 Member States in the following regions: Central Macedonia
(GR, Lead), Cyprus (CY), Slovenia (SI), Sicily (IT), Latium (IT), PACA (FR), and
Andalusia (ES).
5. The MedGovernance Project (http://www.medgov.net): The Medgovernance
project is a European territorial cooperation project and its objective is to carry
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out common regional policies at Mediterranean level in the following key
sectors of development:
a.
Innovation
b.
Environment
c.
Transport
d.
Migration and Culture
Medgovernance comprises six regions of France, Italy and Spain, and high level
research institutes charged by regional authorities to provide a scientific and
technical foundation to common orientations. The purpose of the project is to
be an instrument for policy makers in order to support the institutional building
of a macro-region in the Western Mediterranean area (Medocc) with common
policies in key sectors as starting point.
6. The TEMA Project (www.temamed.eu): The Technology-based Environmental
Enterprises Market Approach – TEMA project is funded under the MED
Programme and is considered to be directly linked with the EU’s aim of turning
the whole MED area into a territory able to meet international concurrence. The
project will support the creation of an ET Cluster that will reinforce the
collaboration among economic development actors and public authorities in the
entire MED area. The main objectives of the project are:
a. Internationalisation of ET-SMEs: TEMA will result in the improvement
of the means available for ET SMEs to develop successful
internationalisation and valorisation strategies aimed at improving of
their competitiveness and market opportunities.
b. Opening-up of new markets for ET-SMEs: Provide the necessary means
to overcome the barriers and difficulties experienced by ET-SMEs.
c. Development of a consolidated ET-SMEs sector culture: Gradual
creation of a culture aware of the specificities of the sector and
concerned with the development of internationalisation strategies.
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7. The Asvilog Project (http://www.asvilocplus.eu): the AsviLoc Plus project
contributes to the South East Europe (SEE) Programme general aim to foster a
balanced territorial development and territorial integration within the
cooperation area. Strengthening the capacity of institutions and of the society
for innovation is a critical component of overall innovation performance.
Missing or lacking (national) innovation strategies are a main characteristic of
the programme area’s innovation capacity. Asviloc Plus will make the economic
environment of the involved regions more innovation friendly setting up a
virtuous circle at regional level where supply of new ideas and demand for new
solutions both push and pull innovation. Since the target area is dominated by
SMEs whose innovation capacity is lower than in large industry, AsviLoc plus
will establish qualified and fitting frameworks to motivate SMEs for innovation
and to bring them closer to the results of R&D activities.
8. The WIDE Project (http://wide.regione.marche.it): the WIDE project, presented
within
MED
Programme,
aims
at
supporting
Micro/SMEs
(MSMEs)
organizational innovation and competitiveness through a strong cooperation
between MED economic development actors and public authorities and through
targeted paths to facilitate innovation processes. The core activities of the
project will favor MSMEs performances upgrading in terms of new offered
products and services, increase of international competitiveness, "time-toprofit" and, consequently, positive impact on growth and job creation within the
focused territories.
9. The Regiolab project (http://www.regiolab.info): The basic objective of the
project is the establishment of a functional platform for a quicker and more
uniform development of the whole cross-border region Austria (in particular
Styria and Carinthia) – Slovenia. This will be done on the basis of supporting
innovation and the use of the whole as well as the complementary competence
and the improvement of cross-border (international) cooperation between
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companies, educational institutions, development organisations, supporting
and regional organisations, political and administrative bodies and other actors
at local, regional and national level with the intention to rise the
competitiveness of the cross-border region in the international benchmark.
10. Program Agreement Abruzzo 2015: Region Abruzzo aims to characterize the
regional economic system view of innovation, as a matter of fact, with the
signing of Program Agreement Abruzzo 2015, is the first region in Italy to
propose a new method of approach to industrial policy. The agreement is a
model that, through the establishment of networks of enterprises and the
strengthening of partnerships, will channel more resources development,
research and innovation to improve competitiveness and territorial creativity.
Abruzzo 2015, aims at characterizing the regional economic system view of
innovation and creativity. This Program Agreement will be instrumental in
strengthening and expanding partnerships and joint planning in the area.
Abruzzo 2015 represent, therefore, the basis around which to begin socializing
processes of regional economic system that capitalizing on the geographical
experience, enabling the creation in regional business networks both within the
poles of innovation in all regional excellence sectors.
The project CREAMED falls fully in this context, indeed, through workshops and
pilot projects provided by the project has started a process of strengthening and
aggregation between the business of the poles of innovation participating to the
pilots of the project. The Program Agreement fully meets the objectives of the
project strengthening the impact of the results and opportunities at regional,
national and MED area using three types of lines of Implementation:
- The first is represented by the Shared System, directed by the Region that will
strengthen the entire regional system through increasing their skills and
expertise and with the definition of intervention programmatic lines of medium
to long term.
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- The second type of implementation is represented by facilitative calls for the
establishment and strengthening of networks of companies, across various
sectors of excellence, consistent with the specific objectives of the Programme
Agreement and in synergy with other systems on the aggregative territory
(districts, etc..) or under development (innovation clusters).
- The third line concerns of the implementation of technical assistance, which
has been entrusted to Abruzzo Development SpA
.
THE SHARED SYSTEM
• MAP: A survey of the entire geo-regional industrial system comparing it at
national level, that will map and make usable on a computing platform the
territorial production, innovation and competition capacity.
• NETWORKING: actions to link the regional economic system to other areas of
the country and MED Area. Define and activate a top level network that will
allow the construction of stable relationships with businesses and research
systems outside the Region Abruzzo.
• ANTICRISIS SYSTEM: a model to prevent and deal with crisis implementing
shared tools and standard operating procedures to afford the unexpected
sectoral or territorial crisis.
• FINANCE AREA: a comprehensive project to create a financial support to
programs of industrial development, an innovative process that favours the
maintenance of local savings and investment in the regional production system.
• FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: a comprehensive program that outlines the
area's attractiveness and competitiveness, which is instrumental for a trading
system against foreign investors.
• BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE: urgent retraining and upgrading of industrial areas.
The idea for new projects explores the relation between creativity, innovation
and new project development in multidisciplinary and multisectoral settings.
The development of innovative projects benefits from the generation of a high
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number of creative ideas. Moreover, the idea generation process can be
particularly fruitful within collaborative multidisciplinary environments, where
organizations (public and private) and Science and Technology institutions
coexist and cooperate. The approach draws on existing literature to investigate
the creativity and idea generation process within the frame of multisectoral and
multidisciplinary cooperation initiatives, involving organizations and related
institutions of the sector. The empirical work should identify conditions
favourable to those processes and some issues that affect the fulfilment of the
creative potential that exists in multidisciplinary groups of partners from the
area MED.
11. The MAPEER SME project (http://mapeer-sme.eu/): The MAPEER SME project
serves as a tool for paving the way for SME-friendly R&D&I programmes. The
project is supporting activities to create the background conditions in which
Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I) is welcomed, supported and
nourished in European SMEs. The ultimate goal is to increase the participation
of SMEs in the EU research programmes, by improving the conditions for
participation and overcoming the barriers for innovation activities. Accordingly
MAPEER SME has defined some crucial objectives: 1. Boost SME’s research and
innovation activities and performance by bringing down barriers for SMEs
across the EU to get them into the “research and innovation loop”. 2. Provide
R&D&I funding plan of Europe by establishing a database of regional, national
and EU level R&D&I programmes. 3. Assess the needs and expectations of SMEs
and transform their views into recommendations for policy makers and
programme managers. 4. Utilise and benefit from synergies of EU initiatives in
the R&D&I field and initiate structured policy dialogue between the various
players at EU and national, regional levels (DG RTD, REGIO, EAC and ENTR,
along with national and regional level) through the European Experts’ Panel on
SMEs. 5. Set-up and establish sustainable mechanisms to provide advice to the
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EU, the national and regional policy makers and programme managers (from
R&D&I related Ministries, research agencies and intermediaries) as well as SME
Stakeholders.
The partners will continuously look for new relevant projects during the lifetime of
CreaMED and update this list regularly.
8. Constitution of an International Experts Committee:
Overall, it is advisable to make use of all available human and financial resources, within and
outside partners’ institutions, to attract interest in the project. It is well worth noting that
contacts with the primary target group – policy makers – are of vital importance as they are
the main influencers for the local enterprises. If we embrace their respect and attention for
CreaMED outputs they will support our enterprises in the long run through the formulation
of appropriate policies and initiatives.
One of the intentions of the consortium is to constitute an International Experts Committee
on Creativity with experts from different Mediterranean areas. The committee will involve
regional experts, selected by project partners, who will elaborate the creativity workshops in
each partners country and thus are considered to be the most appropriate to participate in
the monitoring and follow-up activities of the project.
Given that, we can consider as a possible capitalization opportunity to keep alive the
interaction among experts, partners and companies through the CreaMED website on
creativity issues. In this sense we will keep them posted about all partners activities in the
field of creativity and innovation (event, news, training, conferences, seminars….) even after
the project’s end. Furthermore in this way, we will have the opportunity to explore possible
ways for collaborating together and create synergies in the future at regional and/or
interregional/international level thus facilitating the capitalization of CREAMED outputs &
results
9. Support to CreaMED participants (SMEs):
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The consortium of the CreaMED project has expressed its willingness and intention to
continue supporting the SMEs that will attend the CreaMED Seminars even after the
conclusion of the project. The participating SMEs will be interested and involved in
innovation and creativity activities and are expected to be characterised by a (significant)
potential for further expansion in the forthcoming years. Thus, provision of support to them
through soft actions, such as assistance for networking with enterprises and organisations
within and outside of their countries borders, is anticipated to be of crucial importance for
them and an important factor determining their sustainable development in the future.
10. CreaMED Case Studies:
As expressed in various studies, SMEs tend to prefer Case Studies that refer to how other
SMEs have confronted specific problems rather than associate with strategies adopted by
larger organisations with respect to similar problems. On the other hand, the SMEs that will
be invited and participate in the CreaMED seminars to be organised around all partners
countries are expected to provide the consortium with a wealth and plethora of information
and case studies that should and could be of use to other SMEs in the future. Thus, it is
suggested that the most interesting and illustrative problems SMEs will manage to resolve
through the utilisation of CreaMED’s tools and methodologies to be reported by the partners
as Case Studies and have them integrated in CreaMED’s Open Book.
11. Scientific Papers:
The partners agreed to elaborate scientific papers and articles that shall be published on
national and international journals involved in issues of creativity and innovation.
Aligned with the activities above mentioned, IAT (as representative of CreaMED project) has
participated (and participates) in all the Capitalisation Events organized until now by the
MED Programme.
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The Med Program initiated a capitalisation process aiming at identifying best practices to
improve the quality of projects and the contribution of the Med Program to the territorial
development, notably in the perspective of the next budgetary period (2014-2020) of the EU.
A first step concerns the creation of clusters of projects, sharing common thematic issues and
territorial characteristics, to capitalise results (in terms of outputs) with the following
objectives:
- To produce thematic and territorial policy recommendations and strategic project
orientations for the new programming period
- To create synergies among the projects and coordination with other programmes and funds
- To share knowledge and to make results known, transferred and used as widely as possible
in the Mediterranean area, harmonising and improving the quality of regional and local
policies
In this sense, IAT as representative of CreaMED project is taking part in this “clusterisation”
process. More concretely CreaMED is included (at the moment) in cluster nº1: Web based
Platforms for technology transfer
The clusterisation and capitalisation process, as service for the capitalisation of the MED
programme, is implementing the following activities for the first semester 2012.
WP1 – Sharing the formation and the contents of the cluster - February
WP 2 - Collaborative overview of projects’ results – March/April/May
WP 3 - Proposal of themes for the next MED programming period - June
WP 4 – Dissemination – July onwards
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6. CreaMED Regional Action Plans
Spain – Andalusia region
1. Capitalisation Opportunities
1 – Successful implementation of pilot experiences. In the frame of the CreaMED project,
partners are committed to help and support companies in the identification and assessment of
their problems and possible solutions though the conduct of pilot exercises. In this sense, one of
the main capitalization opportunities can be the benefits organisation will gain from the effective
implementation of those experiences in the companies involved in the project, especially after
the conclusion of the project in the long-term. Although the partners cannot ensure the success
of these pilot experiences, in case these provide successful outcomes they will be the main proof
of the success and thus the cornerstone of capitalisation prospects.
2 – Sustainable interaction among companies and experts: In the frame of the project, a
committee of experts will be created (further information available at pp. 19). Given that, we can
consider as a possible capitalization opportunity to keep alive the interaction among experts,
partners and companies through the CreaMED website (as well as through Facebook or Twitter
pages). In this sense we will keep them posted about all partners activities in the field of
creativity and innovation (event, news, training, conferences, seminars….) even after the
project’s conclusion. Furthermore in this way, we will have the opportunity to explore possible
ways for collaborating together in the future at regional and/or interregional/international
level.
3 - Enlargement of the alliance. Collaboration among regional bodies (public and privates)
previously contacted to the purpose of the project: As stated in the proposal, CreaMED Alliance
should be enlarged before the end of the project. It is anticipated that two new partners from
involved region should join the alliance. IAT has already started by suggesting to the proposed
future collaborators the co-organization of events (seminars, conferences…etc) and the starting
of regional awareness campaigns, among others. The CreaMED Alliance could also program a set
22
of activities of communication and dissemination of the Alliance activities and resources. Those
included approach the potential of the regional and European partners of the Alliance to
participate in European projects and networks; Development of an electronic platform and the
social network positioning of the Alliance could also enhance the positive impact of the Alliance.
4 - Interregional Cooperation Synergies: Linking CreaMED project to other interregional
cooperation projects is a clear capitalization opportunity. Regardless of the Interregional
Programme in which the CreaMED project is framed, all partners are working for the sustainable
growth of their regions. In this sense it is important to search for projects sharing the same
purposes and aims in order to undertake actions together even after the project’s conclusion.
5. - Regional Capitalization Plan which includes a set of activities aimed at:
- enhancing the alliance enrolling new members,
- carrying out the CreaMED activities in a sustainable way, incorporating new services which can
be provided to andalusian SMEs,
- building a sustainable creative culture for innovation in Andalusia.
In this sense the activities foreseen to be undertaken (since the regional capitalization plan is
still in process, therefore some changes can be made or some of the activities indicated can be
reoriented) are the following:
a. Organization of a Regional Creativity Conference gathering all relevant stakeholders.
b. Creation of a regional Think Tank, aimed at identifying new projects and opportunities in
Andalusia (both at public and private level),
c. Creation of a virtual community devoted to creativity specifically where all interested partners
and general public can participate,
d. Dynamization of twitter and FB pages of creamed project.
2. Means for Capitalisation
A. Regional Authorities’ support:
1. The Regional Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Science of Andalusia: the Regional
Ministry, which is already a CreaMED partner, develops sets of initiatives and measures aimed at
23
promoting innovation. Some of them could be very helpful for companies to undertake (for
example) pilot projects coming from CreaMED pilot experiences. Find following the most
remarkable ones:

The Innovation Cheque (funding programme designed to help small and mediumsized enterprises to start ongoing research and innovation activities) and other
funding
programmes
(http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/economiainnovacionyciencia/cons
ejeria/adscritos/ayudas.html)
 Open Mind Awards (Creativity and Innovation)
 Entrepreneurial Ideas Award
 Emprendejoven Award
 Premio Alas “Wings Award” (companies’ internationalization)
 Internationalization grants
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/economiainnovacionyciencia/cons
ejeria/adscritos/premios-concursos.html?pagina=1
Below are some indicative activities foreseen to enhance the impact of CreaMED results and
outputs:
- Brochure of the successful experience, related with the Open Book
- Regional/National congress focused to researchers and new SMEs in which one or two expert
from the actual CreaMED Alliance will explain the experiences and rules of the aims of the
project.
- Extension of the CreaMED Alliance. First of all, the partner could do it in the regional/national
scene and after that in the European scheme. This extension must include agents from
Technological and Research Centres, Universities and Enterprises (SMEs).
2. Innovation and Development Agency of Andalusia. Their representative, who attended as
speaker to IAT’s Regional Seminar, expressed their support to CreaMED project and emphasized
they put at companies’ disposal their programmes and tools to finance pilot experiences that
might result in innovative projects. Below, one can find some examples:
24
Funding Support Programmes:




Incentives to promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship
ERA Nets
Technology Fund
Reimbursement Funds
Advanced Technology Services:
Industrial Property Rights.
Technology Watch.
Cooperation and Technology Transfer.
Information and advising in R&D National and International Financing
Programmes
 Institutional coordination and cooperation
(http://www.agenciaidea.es/cocoon/ai-estatico-.html?p=/Inicio/Incentivos/&c=Incentivos )




B. Key Innovation Actors’ support and collaboration: these can be other bodies in the region such
as: Technology Research and/or Innovation Centres, Regional Development Bodies, Chambers of
Commerce, Companies (small, medium, and large), Universities etc…
3. Foreseen benefits
- Creation and/or reinforcement of collaborative networks (including key actors, regional bodies
and companies)
- Design and elaboration of new innovative projects (private projects carried out by companies
or cooperation projects carried out by regional bodies and other key actors…)
- Increase of the competitive potential of regional companies, and consequently of the region
- Raising awareness about how important is to adopt a creative thinking in companies, in
regions, in our lives… to be able not only to think about new things, but to make new things
better.
25
Spain – Catalonia region
1. Capitalization opportunities
Catalonia is one of the most dynamic and innovative regions on the international stage thanks to
the research, dissemination of science, innovation and technology transfer carried out in
different fields. This is due to different factors such as its strategic location and its dynamic
economy.
ASCAMM, being a CreaMED project partner, has detected during workshops and pilot
experiences that there are some weakness in the region which could difficult the sustainability
of the project in medium term:
- Lack of stable collaboration networks between the different agents in the innovation system:
the Catalan government has promoted various networks to foster collaboration between
companies such as TECNIO. However, these networks have not reached a sufficient critical mass
to provide relevant results.
- Lack of venture capital firms which support innovation projects: Because of the shortage of
credit and cutbacks in the public sector is essential to create stable networks of private investors
so as to boost innovation.
- Poor involvement of SMEs management team in the innovation process: innovation and
creativity implies radical and continuous changes in organization. As a result, strong leadership
is needed to disseminate and promote the culture of innovation and creativity in a company. For
this reason, it is essential the involvement of the chief executive of the companies participating
in the project.
- Risk aversion: It is strongly difficult to advance and innovate without taking risks. In fact, the
most innovative projects are often the most risky. The main problem in the region is that SMEs
are unable to calculate and balance risks against benefits.
At the moment, there are different opportunities in order to disseminate the project and transfer
the outcomes of the project in our region. Some of them are listed below:
26
-
22@ district (In Barcelona): the 22@ Project, which constitutes the transformation of 200
hectares of industrial land into an innovative production district for the development of
knowledge-intensive activities and which focuses on five urban hubs: audiovisual,
information
and
communication
technologies (ICT), medical
technologies (MedTech), energy and design.
-
Design Centres: In Catalonia, design is a high-profile activity with close links to
technology, communications, culture and the economy. A distinctive design culture can be
found in disciplines such as graphic design, industrial design, gastronomy, trade,
architecture, fashion, etc. Barcelona is also known for its 50 design schools which offer
design classes to over 6,000 people every year and for the associations, awards and
international events linked to design.
-
TECNIO Network: TECNIO is a network of over 100 centres and technology-transfer
agents whose aim is to favour the competitiveness and international projection of
companies set up in Catalonia. TECNIO centres carry on their activities in the fields of
biotechnology and health sciences, food technology, information and communication
technologies, materials technologies, energy and environmental technologies, chemical
technologies and production technologies.
-
Training courses: Barcelona has a highly diverse structure, top-class universities and
business schools, internationally recognised research centres and strong spirit of
innovation.
International trade fairs: Barcelona is the fourth European city in terms of available exhibition
space (280,000 m2) and the third most popular city in the world for staging international
events (International Congress and Convention Association).
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
In order to exploit the different opportunities available in the region ASCAMM propose 3 specific
actions:
27
1. Collaborate with SMES which participated in pilot experiences and other companies in order
to advice them beyond the project. This means supporting them improving their creativity and
innovation process. The main goal is to transfer all the knowledge acquired during the project to
the “end users” and check the implementation of CreaMED methodology.
2. Create a specific training program on Creativity in collaboration with universities, business
schools and members of TECHNIO in order to transfer the outcomes of the project to SMEs,
students and different kind of organizations.
3. Create a database of different case studies on creativity and innovation in order to show off
the best practices implemented for different organizations. The database might be updated by all
members of the project using the case studies of pilot experiences. The main goal of this
proposal is to offer these cases to Business Schools, universities and SMEs in order to discuss
and learn from them.
3. Foreseen benefits
It is quite complex to analyse the impact of the project in short-term. However, following the
different actions proposed some benefits could be achieved:
Sustainable use of results: through the continuous advisement SMEs could develop their own
innovation process and could take a competitive advantage from it. This means to change the
culture of the company in order to generate and bring more ideas to the market.
Transferring results to targeted groups: the aim of the training programs proposed is to transfer
the results to SMEs and involve the Catalan educational system in the project.
Wide-spreading dissemination: the training courses using business cases from Creamed pilot
experiences could help to disseminate the project and the impact of the different actions carried
out. Apart from that, this is a way to create networks between different actors of the innovation
system.
28
Italy – Abruzzo region
1. Capitalization opportunities
Although no regional measures are aiming at – or are expected to in the near future – specifically
to encourage creativity in the area of Abruzzo, yet the region appreciates the contribution of
creativity in the development of the area and more specifically to support the existing regional
innovation policies that exist in the territory. Creativity means the ability of small businesses to
develop their activities from an innovative idea, the creation of adhesions with the cultural area
and close links with consumers. Overall, the ability to share experiences with partners of the
project will give the inspiration and opportunity to policy makers to take actions that will
improve the quality of the companies not only from a financial standpoint but also from a social
and cultural point of view.
Abruzzo’s businesses have a great capacity to innovate. They have sufficient experiences of
technological innovation and innovation based on ICT and innovation in design and product, but
they should invest more on intellectual capital and connect with the best specialists in the world,
for activities that they don’t do well, triggering processes that produce a significant variety. This
helps the company to define those distinctive and identity traits now required to move from
‘’red ocean’’ of mass production and strong competition from emerging countries, to ‘’Blue
Ocean’’ of the production of high "value" based on knowledge.
Region Abruzzo as a political body responsive to the business needs and the need to broaden the
horizons of the market is preparing a tender called "Aid to innovative SMEs" which fits well
within the activities of the CreaMED project with the specific objective to increase the
attractiveness of the territory and the competitiveness of abruzzo’s enterprises through the
development of R&S and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The activity is to promote the birth and early development of SMEs located in the region which
work in high technology sectors. The Region aid operates in those phases of the enterprises
lifecycle in which the death rate is higher and it focuses on areas of high tech with a view to
29
facilitate the emergence of a large manufacturing base in these areas. The interventions can be
technically classified as: 1) seed capital; 2) early stage capital, 3) expansion capital. Such aid will
promote some business investments aimed: to carry out research programs, innovation, efficient
use of digital technologies and communications (information technology), to the applied
research, to the precompetitive development and to the start up of activities and innovative,
environmental and energy efficiency processes, with priority to integrated support packages and
to the logic of the district and cluster. All new SMEs or already operating for no more than three
years SMEs can access to the supports referred to this tender that will be financed by ERDF
structural fund.
In light of the above matter it is necessary to adopt a strategic approach that can help companies
to manage the complexity of the competitive environment and allow them to focus on the causes
of change rather than the symptoms, clarifying the logic of success and the assumptions upon
which it is based. This approach should enable companies to continuously assess the relevance
of their strategies and compare them with other at national and MED area level. From a strategic
point of view, it could be necessary to change the relationship between the business and other
stakeholders of different countries to review the approach and orienting it to a short-term
strategic planning. It might be useful to provide a process of continuous updating of the
company that makes the strategy more future proof. The paths of innovation ideas are
developable within a system in constant evolution, but that can be driven in competitive and
innovative when compared with those of other companies both nationally and within the MED
area. By virtue of the experiences of the pilot enterprises, foreseen with the Creamed Project, the
POLES can find an answer to remain competitive and to find viable options on the road of
competitiveness and innovation.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
This is the most important challenge afforded by the CREAMED Alliance. In the Abruzzo there
have never been implemented direct actions for the support of the development of creativity in
SMEs. The idea is to identify tools in collaboration with the actors of the economic system,
30
collecting needs of the institutions that represent the sector during the workshops that will be
organised in the region.
The Region, as an institution with the duty to facilitate the development, has always had a keen
sensitivity to the Mediterranean synergy to create the conditions for Abruzzo's businesses, so
that they can actually hook up the train of competitiveness in the global markets. It’s a process of
interaction that leads to incentive policies of mutual learning and wants to enhance innovation,
authenticity, entrepreneurship, knowledge of culture and the development of the area. In order
to target policies on innovation and creativity, the vice president of the region will measure the
significant linguistic device (American sociologist Richard Florida) of the three T's that have
called in to help the three S's. "The T of talent needs the S of school to grow up, the tolerance T to
contend with the daily reality can not work without the S of solidarity, T of technology has finally
given up and met technocratic drift of the S of Society to increase in an exponential way its
effectiveness"
3. Foreseen benefits
The immediate benefit is that, for the first time, is pointed out the emphasis on the importance of
creativity in the development of SMEs, which represent the most of the productive sector in
Abruzzo. In fact, while big businesses are sufficiently structured to give importance to creativity,
within SMEs we can not ignore the need of support of appropriate public policies. It is, therefore,
to broaden the vision of the traditional regional policies to support innovation.
The way to forward the problem is innovation, creativity and authenticity. In many areas of the
Mediterranean the economy is mainly composed of SMS’s, often family run. Proposing
themselves on the market at the side of big business, their only chance of survival is to
differentiate their offering and their business strategy. The “Mediterranean Marketing " is
different from the traditional one and is based on a quality of products that contains itself a
story, that is an added value that comes from the link with the territory. Abruzzo has its
31
problems, like all the country, but we must also have awareness to have a strong and solid
business system with peaks of extraordinary excellence.
32
Italy – Tuscany region
1. Capitalization opportunities
-
The opportunity was the main support for the creativity that can be traced back to a
broader interpretive framework in which we encounter signals emerging from the
regional area, translated into guidelines for policy formulation.
-
Tuscany is focusing its attention on design skills and orientation to innovation by public
authorities operating in the area and is the result of a choice in a reasoned and logical
centers of innovation and network contracts.
-
Creativity is the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises in various sectors of public
intervention, which share logical design and levers d 'action with the theme of creativity:
from political intervention in the sector (creation and maintenance of' employment and
more recently of employability) policies for the creation of' enterprise policies of
intervention in the cultural sector actions for the development of human capital and the
consolidation of the knowledge society.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
This is the most important challenge laid down by Creamed. The idea is to identify the tools and
focus attention on the design skills and on approach to innovation by government operated on
the territory, in collaboration with the actors of the economic system, the needs of collecting
institutions, representing the sector during the workshop will be organized in the region of
Tuscany.
The Region has a strong role and aware of the testing, founded on a logic of type button-ups,
projects and programs at regional and local levels, and has the task of facilitating the
development, promotion of mutual learning and wants to encourage innovation, authenticity,
entrepreneurship, knowledge of culture and development in the area.
In order to influence the policies of innovation and creativity, the region promoting the Festival
of Creativity, not only as the production of works of art and objects or solutions, but above all as
33
human relations based on empathy, communication and enhancement of emotions deeply
human and universal. It is both a training event (including lectures, panel discussions, seminars
and training courses), a series of performances (theater, cinema, music, dance, etc..), An
exhibition of works and products of any kind (painting, sculpture, business, industry, etc..), a
series of live workshops and workshops on innovative techniques in various fields (psychosocial rehabilitation, various arts, social activities, etc..).
3. Foreseen benefits
The benefits are reported on the importance of creativity in the development of policies for the
creation of company, the policy of intervention in the labor sector (creation and maintenance of
occupation, policies of intervention in the cultural sector. It is, therefore, to expand the
traditional view of regional policies to support innovation.
Never as in this moment is precious for the area, to pool to provide support to businesses, a
series of assumptions to facilitate processes that support innovation and dynamism through the
precise information on the benefits that may result from the integration of dynamic with a
business approach to work on culture, education, research and creative innovation.
34
Greece – Central Macedonia region
1. Capitalization opportunities:
In the current economic crisis times, innovation is a critical parameter of sustainable economic
development and creativity is an important leverage of it. The intention of CERTH is to further
promote the notion of creativity and innovation through the exploitation of CreaMED’s results
towards enterprises, promising sectors, regional policy makers and the general public.
Below are some indicative activities anticipated to be performed by CERTH for the promotion of
creativity and innovation in the region of Central Macedonia through the utilization of
CreaMED’s outputs, outcomes and results:
-
Establishment of a series of regular “Regional Creativity Dialogues”: as performed in
ancient times where people would gather and discus several issues together (Plato
Dialogues), CERTH anticipates to perform a series of regular informal meetings in
which people from the region will participate and discuss on innovation promotion
issues and how can creativity assist (or has assisted) this process. These Dialogues will
aim at promoting synergies, developing new project and research ideas, etc. among
participants. The Open Book recommendations will be utilized thoroughly together
with the results of the regional creativity analysis in order to identify relevant points to
be discussed during these meetings.
-
Continuation of the Regional Policy Networking Meetings (CreaSeminars): the
CreaSeminar conducted in Greece was addressed to the regional policy makers. For the
first time, all stakeholders involved in the innovation policy making process were
present at a meeting room and discussed on the current situation as well as prospects
of innovation initiatives in our area. Everybody acknowledged the importance of this
interaction and asked for further such meetings to be held under the auspices of
CERTH. CERTH intends to utilize the creativity techniques elaborated and available in
35
CreaMED upon the regional policy makers so as to understand – at first hand – the
contribution of creativity in innovation formulation.
-
Valorisation of results through the conduct of CreaSeminars in CERTH: CERTH is the 2nd
largest Research Centre in Greece and one of the top 25 Research Centres in Europe,
with significant linkages to the industry as well as the regional innovation system. We
consider it important to introduce our researchers to the notion of creativity, not only
for the improvement of their innovative research fields but also for improving their
mutlidisciplinarity, levels of creativity and open innovation concepts.
-
Promotion of creativity in promising sectors: apart from creative industries, in the
region of Central Macedonia there are also evident other promising sectors, such as
biotechnologies, ICT, etc. We believe that the promotion of CreaMed’s results will be of
significant usage to these sectors and will assist them towards their further
development.
-
Promotion of CreaMed results to all other Greek Research Centres: CreaMed outputs
and results should be communicated to all other Research Centres of Greece, as
researchers are another vital component in the regional innovation supply chain.
-
Promotion of CreaMed results to other regions: we believe that the CreaMed outputs
and results should be communicated to all other regions of Greece so as to ensure
maximization of impacts on regional and cumulatively on national and even
transnational level.
-
Scientific promotion of CreaMed results: the CERTH CreaMed team will attempt to draft
a paper – to be distributed to scientific journals in Greece and Europe – in which to
describe the Greek experience with CreaMed, the issues that affect the region of Central
Macedonia in promoting innovation and recommend means of using creativity for
enhancing regional and national innovation capacity.
-
CERTH, apart from the already mentioned capitalisation activities, during the 4th
project period it has made all possible efforts to further capitalise on CreaMED activities
and outputs. Towards this aim:
36
-
It has invited researchers apart from SMEs to attend the CreaMED seminars (comp. 5)
in order to maximise the project’s impact on regional level. In addition, in that way it
triggers creative collaboration and networking between research & business
community of the region of CM.
-
It has made all required contacts so that visibility of the project is maximised though 11
targeted publications (internet & press) in order to attract and raise awareness to all
possible stakeholders.
-
It has organised a 2nd CreaSeminar during November (10/11/2011) where policy
makers were invited and discussed about regional development with the use of
creativity techniques tool. This seminar envisaged to boost fruitful discussion thus
allowing room for influencing policy makers’ perspectives and ideas concerning the
regional innovation system. After presenting the latest project news (Conference main
results (Faro, Portugal), etc.), the workshop was facilitated with the use of creativity
techniques (6 thinking hats & safari of creativity) in order to create synergies and
support regional innovation potential. In addition, relevant initiatives were presented
and stakeholders were informed about the project progress and the pilots which are
organised to be held in May.
-
Central Macedonia municipality after being informed about the project has contacted
CERTH to collaborate and support variable creative activities in the city of Thessaloniki,
considering that a crucial mass of people living in the area have shown their creative
potential and can be part of a mapping exercise.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
The necessary human resources are available in the CERTH team together with their devotion
and commitment towards promoting CreaMed’s outputs to the aforementioned target groups.
However, some of these activities shall need some sort of funding. The team will aim to utilize all
available funding frameworks and programmes on national and European level, such as FP7,
SEE programme, ENPI Programme, etc. Apart from these, the CERTH team anticipates to exploit
37
– should Thessaloniki be awarded respectively – the framework of the “Thessaloniki Youth
Capital 2012” initiative. Thessaloniki, the capital city of the Central Macedonia region, has
submitted an application to become Europe’s youth capital for 2012. We hope and wish our city
to be awarded as this will give the entire city the chance to organize events, happenings,
workshops, discussions, festivals, conferences, etc. that – apart from others – will aim at
addressing the creativity of local artists, entrepreneurs, etc. in view of improving the innovation
and sustainable development of the city and region.
3. Foreseen benefits
The promotion of CreaMed on intraregional level (regional policy makers, regional innovation
stakeholders, CERTH’s own research teams) as well as inter-regional level (other research
centres, other regions) is expected to improve the awareness and appreciation of people on the
leverage effect of creativity upon innovation and multidisciplinarity.
38
France – PACA region
1. Capitalization opportunities
Our regional authority had announced in its regional innovation strategy in 2009 that creativity
would be one of its main differential factors compared to other regions, following a long
historical tradition of inventors (e.g. Henri Fabre, with the hydroplane) and artist (e.g. the school
of Nice, including Arman, Cesar, Klein…). The scope of CREAMED is then naturally in synch with
the regional agenda regarding innovation. The regional council has embarked in a diversity of
programmes and pilot experiences in order to maintain this rich creative atmosphere. CREAMED
results will undoubtedly find their continuity into several clusters dedicated to cultural
industries (publishing, multimedia, fashion design, perfumes, digital entertainment) but also, as
a process and a toolbox, into all other clusters and incubators. One extraordinary opportunity
coming up in 2013 will be “Marseille 2013, European Capital of Culture”: this year-long series of
events will bring together artists and creators, scientists and performers, and should offer an in
vivo testbed for some of our hypothesis and results.
Thanks to CREAMED, Med Technos is now recognized at regional level as an important actor
involved in the “creativity for innovation” field. As such, we have recently been invited to attend
various committees, including the “scientific committee of CEREM” (upcoming Regional Center
for Mediterranean Studies, that will open in Marseille in June 2013, heavily involved in
creativity) and the working group on “regional fablabs and coworking spaces” (together with the
School of Arts in Aix-en-Provence).
At national level, thanks to the connection with our CREAMED expert (Thomas Paris), we will
serve as advisors in the selection of “creative innovators” that will be contacted to become
lecturers at prestigious French universities on the topic of creativity (first one coming up is Alain
Passard, a 3-star French chef that was recommended to T. Paris after we mentioned his name
during the CREAMED seminar in June 2011 in Cannes).
39
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
They are various specific ways to carry on with the spirit of CREAMED in our region, once the
project has officially expired. The most obvious one is the Regional Innovation Network,
gathering 75 members specialized in innovation support. This network can create new working
groups (none exists at the moment on creativity issues), can select creativity as a common
thread for an annual event (the way we did in December 2010 in Marseille, in front of 170
people), and can get subsidies to experiment new support programs. The second means we can
use is to infuse existing regional programs with by-products of CREAMED, like the second phase
of the “Designers in Residence” programme, like the “one artist / one start-up” programme, like
the “Creative Valley” initiative launched by 3 towns of the French Riviera, etc. Among the various
other means we can use to make the CREAMED results last, we can think of participation to
working groups at national or European level (e.g. the EEN sub-group dedicated to the creative
industries).
3. Foreseen benefits
Several interesting spill over and sustainable effects are expected from CREAMED in the PACA
region. The first one concerns the invaluable inventory of expertise available, achieved during
the project: talent agencies, artists in residence, consultants specialized in creativity, coaches,
researchers on creativity, designers... This “creative who’s who in PACA” will be used to set up
new projects and continue singing the gospel of creative innovation within regional SME. The
second one is about the fine tuning and selection of regional smart specializations in the field of
creative and cultural industries: after our regional innovation strategy was issued, stating that
“creativity” should be at the forefront of our innovation policies, we now face the challenge of
pursuing only a few strategic market opportunities. In that respect, the analysis and evaluations
done through CREAMED should help us deciding which ones to keep among the existing options
(transmedia, game design, 3D animation, comics, live performances, photography, digital books
publishing, etc). The last benefit that comes to mind has to do with bridges: by showing that
creativity is of the essence in marketing and basic research, by proving that artists can provide
40
added value to start-ups, by demonstrating that well-designed policies for creativity
enhancement work, by stressing the fact that creativity is somehow manageable and can be
encouraged in companies, many gaps will have been filled and new mental bridges will have
been built inside the minds of our policy makers.
41
Slovenia – Pomurje region
1. Capitalization opportunities
1. The enterprises are aware about how important is to be creative.
2. The companies which already took part with the project (attending seminar in creativity
and those applied for pilot action) are familiar with concept of creativity and its
importance for innovation. Some of them are already using and encouraging the
creativity within company.
3. Among companies is high inters to get knowledge of creative techniques.
4. Other institutions as schools and public institutes and organizations show interest.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
Practices and methods used within this project will be used for ‘multiplication’ within wider
environment. Naturally, additional expenses will occur which should be covered by beneficiaries
themselves or by some subsidy.
3. Foreseen benefits
Companies, involved in the project pilot activities, will implement gained knowledge and
experience from training. In the future we can expect cooperation among them, and also
establishing new consortiums for new projects. In a respectable time frame we do expect that
some new ideas could be further developed or be put on the market.
Within the Regional development agency we are planning to continue with seminars on
creativity on yearly base and incorporate these ideas also to the other projects.
Our activities have positive impact on innovation potential and networking of involved
companies. Some of them will already start with new activities, which were either developed or
discovered during training process and pilot implementation process.
42
It has also high level of sustainability, since Slovenian Association of Creativity is going to be
established in next months.
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Cyprus – Agios Athanasios region
1. Capitalization opportunities
The main limits in the implementation of the outputs/results of the project in the region are:
- Governmental authorities responsible for budget reallocation for innovation and creativity are
not easily convinced about innovation potentials and cultivation of creative thinkers. One of the
main conclusions from the closing discussions (during the implementation of the Agios
Athanasios dissemination seminar on 29 June 2011) was related to the inadequate degree of
funding and opportunities offered related to innovation policies as well as the cultivation of
creative thinkers. The general system of governmental authorities, agents and companies in
Cyprus should cooperate towards the recognition of Creativity as a valuable tool to generate
more and better solutions and to enhance socio-economic growth and provide the means in
terms of investments, to scaffold this process.
- Lack of expertise according to market demands for constant development, new innovative
ideas and products. In general, there is no sufficient mechanism that supports funding and
opportunities for constant research and development therefore, in many areas, there is lack of
qualified technical and academic staff. Cyprus needs to take a step further into research and
development funding in order to overcome obstacles and increase human capital, expertise and
competitiveness.
- The concept of creativity is not incorporated into everyday jobs and applications because
people believe that it is time-consuming. Not only that, but also it does not always lead people to
effective solutions and in a way “distracts” employees from their duties. The cultivation of
creative decision-making and the rationale of using innovative solutions needs to be enhanced
among SME’s in a number of ways, including local and European initiatives and programmes
aimed at promoting creativity and innovation, effective dissemination of the Creamed project’s
outputs and scaffolding of various governmental and other processes.
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The training seminars that will be organised during the next reporting period offer a great
opportunity to our region not only to communicate the project’s results, but also to start a longterm relationship with companies, SMEs, governmental/non-governmental institutions and
stakeholders, in an effort to address the issues related to innovation and creativity. In this
context, we will also try to enable relevant civil servants and elected regional/local politicians to
become aware of and apprehend the results of the programme’s actions on regional
development policies. Thus, the SWOT analysis results, the Set of Recommendations and
Improvement Measures as well as, the successful experiences and methodologies identified are
outputs foreseen to be presented during these seminars. We also intent to use the CreaMed
Open Book that will be issued to gather the main conclusions, interventions and lessons learnt
during the seminars, as a way to create awareness and encourage SME’s of the Ayios Athanasios
Municipality region to undertake more creative initiatives and policies that make them able to
face future European innovation challenges.
Further, in the same context, we are planning to pursue opportunities for future cooperation
with the Cyprus University of Technology, which aspires to develop itself into a modern,
pioneering University able to offer education and high level research in leading branches of
science and technology which have high impact on the economic, technical, and scientific
sectors. With its orientation towards applied research, the specific University aspires to
establish for itself a role in support of the state and society in their efforts to confront problems,
which cover all areas of science, technology and innovation. The specific goal will provide high
innovation potential, strong transfer conditions and capabilities and high level of sustainability
due to the University’s participation in other projects and programmes related to research and
development.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
To fulfil the above mentioned objectives, we will adapt communication activities and tools as
presented through the project. Specifically, we are planning to focus on the continuous updating
of information circulated among all interested stakeholders and SME’s in order to achieve better
45
capitalization of the project’s results (i.e. – for this period, we aim at the capitalization of the
outputs derived from the pilot experiences in all SME’s that participated to the CreaSeminars).
At the same time, we are using and we will continue using tools such as CreaMed website (to
create accounts for people/authorities that will be involved, in an effort to keep a close
interaction among partners, stakeholders, public authorities and beneficiaries and also to
guarantee access to the project’s results), brochures/newsletters/books (provide electronic and
printed material to various target groups with the intention of promoting the outcomes of the
case studies and urge other people/companies to adopt innovation and creativity within their
organizations) and the interaction among experts (through the experts committee panel) in
order to increase potentials related to the capitalization plan of the project.
Further, we will make use of the media (press conference, press releases, etc) in order to
promote the beginning of our training seminars and increase participation.
3. Foreseen benefits
The development of SME’s in a new nurturing environment based on creativity is crucial for the
Ayios Athanasios region, which presents fast growing economic activities, developmental plans
and increased participation in European initiatives and research projects. The existing
companies definitely require scaffolding and motivation in order to incorporate new strategies
and innovation policies into their productive stages.
Opportunities such as the organisation of the Creamed training seminars help such initiatives
and broaden the vision of the traditional regional policies to support innovation. Further, our
participation to the project offers the opportunity for the creation of a nurturing environment
for creativity and innovation, counting on the main public and private actors within our region
and the promotion of a proactive attitude from policy makers and entrepreneurs. In this sense,
the creation of multidisciplinary partnerships will work towards the acknowledgement of a set
of instruments aimed at improving access to financing and promoting an innovation friendly
regulatory environment, as well as towards the reinforcement of the cooperation between
research institutions/universities and the industry.
46
Moreover, the implementation of the Agios Athanasios dissemination seminar on 29 June 2011
gave us the opportunity for important networking with a great number of governmental
authorities, local institutions, Universities and entrepreneurs. These contacts were used later for
the dissemination of informational material concerning the implementation of the CreaSeminars,
where we gained satisfied participation by local SME’s.
Finally, the nature of the CreaMed project and its output (most importantly: a. the Regional
Analysis of Innovation Systems within the Mediterranean regions involved and a Set of
Recommendations and Improvement Measures for Policy Makers, b. the CreaMED Open Book
including the main conclusions, observations and lessons learnt and c. the SMEs Pilot
Experiences), being in line with the goals set by the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Innovation
Union (in terms of innovation-friendly rules and regulations, innovation supported by the public
sector, easier participation in EU research and innovation programmes and concrete innovation
partnerships to give EU businesses a competitive edge), provides the opportunity to encourage
the implementation of innovative techniques and help removing obstacles to innovation.
Additionally, the participating partners of the Creamed project already created a fruitful base for
dialogue and discussion that ensures sustainable cooperation in order to improve conditions for
SMEs and ensure that innovative ideas can be turned into products, solutions and services.
47
Malta – Malta region
1. Capitalization opportunities
Nowadays, creativity and innovation are crucial to the competitiveness and sustainability of an
economy. Within the local context, Malta has a national research and innovation strategy which
was developed through consultation between local partners and government, presenting the
framework for the implementation of specific measures in this field. The National Strategic Plan
for Research and Innovation 2007-2010 was produced by Malta Council for Science &
Technology (MCST) within the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs. The main objective of
the plan is to The National Strategic Plan for Research & Innovation 2007-2010 was approved by
the Cabinet of Ministers in July 2006 and is being implemented by the Council for Science &
Technology (MCST).
It provides a coherent policy framework and related measures and actions that will enable Malta
to achieve its national vision of placing research and innovation “at the heart of the Maltese
economy to support value-added growth and wealth”. As also outlined in the national reform
programme, increased investments in research and innovation will drive Malta towards
becoming a more competitive knowledge-based economy in line with the Lisbon objectives and
improve its position vis-{-vis the European Union’s Lisbon rankings and the European
Innovation Scoreboard (EIS). The strategy proposes that overall investments in research and
innovation increase to 0.75% of GDP by 2010.
The Strategy sought to identify and map the barriers and weaknesses in the national system of
research and innovation. Another important goal is that of highlighting the key niche areas that
will contribute to Malta’s economic growth and in which to channel state financing and point
towards alternative sources of funding to sustain ongoing RTDI investments.
48
The document puts forward a series of recommendations to:
- Build critical mass in priority sectors of Health-Biotech, Energy and Environment
Resources; ICT, and High value-added Manufacturing Services;
- Promote institutional capacity building and policy co-ordination mechanisms across
ministries and departments;
- Stimulate enhanced R&I capacity in the private sector and set-up programmes and
schemes to boost the human capital base with science, engineering and technology
skills.
One of the most important implementing instruments of the strategy, the National R&I Funding
Programme, is providing public funding for collaborative projects in the private and public
sectors and academia.
The new Research and Innovation Strategy for Malta seeks to focus national investments in R&I
in the following priority areas identified: Energy and Environment; ICT; Health and Biotech; and
Value Added Manufacturing. Amongst the policy measures identified as being critical to shape
the national R&I framework one finds the following:
- Carry out a Horizon Scanning Exercise every three years to provide input for the
priority-setting process.
- Establish Platforms of Strategic Importance (PSIs) in the priority sectors supported by a
PSI Fund.
- Set-up a Technology Transfer Office at the University of Malta in order to encourage
start-up companies and provide necessary advice and assistance for this purpose.
- Promote enhanced co-ordination among relevant ministries and public bodies with
shared competencies in research policy design and implementation of the Strategy.
These entities include the Malta Council for Science & Technology, Malta Enterprise and
the Secretariat for SMEs.
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- Through the work of the National Commission for Higher Education, assess tertiary
level education and identify gaps and SET human capital base needs of the economy.
- Strengthen the human capital base through Studentship Schemes to support postgraduate research and invest in a science popularisation strategy.
- Strengthen Private Sector R&I capacity through various R&I tax incentives as well as
dedicated funds (such as Access to Financing Seed Ideas Fund and Venture Capital
Fund) to encourage start-ups in the areas of national interest and an R&I co-sharing
fund to provide financial support for joint industry-academia-government businessdriven research.
- Re-design the National Research Programme in line with the measures provided in the
Strategy.
Further to this, one of the challenges for the CreaMED alliance is related to the actual
reinforcement of the MED business creativity and innovation. Moreover, fostering creativity and
innovation through various communication and sustainable utilization tools proofs to be
another call to contest. Nonetheless, Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit foresees to capitalize on
creativity and innovation after the CreaMED project ends by:

Building a stable and effective CreaMED partnership

Raising awareness of CreaMED main outputs/results

Motivating a wide, but define group of stakeholders (related to creativity and innovation)

Securing the commitment of the defined group of stakeholders to the project aims

Influencing strategic policies and policymakers to Creativity and Innovation
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
Implementing actions related to creativity and innovation remains a challenge for the CreaMED
alliance. Nevertheless, the main communication and implementation tools that will be
implemented throughout the project’s life cycle will help the alliance to put into practice the
main outcomes. Some of the main outcomes of the project are the following ones:
50

Interactive website (for the communication between partners, stakeholders and the
general public).

Local CreaSeminars

Various Meetings with local stakeholders

Workshops

Press Releases and Newsletters
Other project’s Informative tools: General material: poster, brochures, leaflets, CDs and so on.
As mentioned previously, one of the main objectives of the CreaMED project is to foster
creativity and innovation. Therefore, enabling SMEs, educational institutions and individuals to
innovate and flourish is fundamental. By organizing local seminars and workshops the SMEs, the
educational institutions and last but not least the individuals can benefit from the interactive
sessions together with the consultancy provided by the selected Experts Committee.
3. Foreseen benefits
The communication and capitalization of project results mustn’t stop when the project’s
timetable finishes. It is even more important to disseminate concrete results after the end of the
project. Ensuring the dissemination of the project and its results after project’s timetable
completion, the CreaMED alliance could foresee the sustainable tasks listed below:
- The updating of the web site
- The participation of partners in national and international conferences and editions
- The generation of cooperation European programmes on issues relating with the project’s
objectives.
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The final activities will be determined utilizing the experienced gained during the dissemination
of project within the project’s implementation period. The financial sources will be provided by
the project’s partners.
Therefore, some of the foreseen benefits will be the following once:

The creation of a sound alliance through the MED space gathering the key actors in the
field of Innovation, which promotes economic growth on the basis on Creativity and
Innovation

The creation of a nurturing environment for Creativity & Innovation, counting on the
main public and private actors within the MED Innovation System and promoting a
proactive attitude from policy makers and entrepreneurs before Innovation

The reinforcement of the MED business innovation (and thus competitive) potential,
contributing to the growth, prosperity, and sustainability of the regions, leading MED
SMEs at the forefront of EU in terms of competitiveness

The transference of knowledge and methodologies about Creativity and Innovation
among public and private bodies. As far as the Creativity and Innovation are concerned,
the exchange of experiences and knowledge is fundamental since Regional Public
Instruments for promoting and supporting Innovation should be built on the basis of the
revision and assessment of previous experiences, as well as the thorough analysis of the
needs and demands of the agents that integrate the different MED regions Innovation
Systems.
Within the local context, some of the foreseen benefits are the following:

Effectiveness and Performance in SMEs

Organizational Excellence in SMEs

Benefits of Thinking "Out of the Box"

Tools for Opening "The Box"

Overcoming the Most Common Blocks to Creativity

How to Encourage a Creative Organizational Climate
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
How to Generate Ideas Alone or in Groups

Smart Questions to Help People Evaluate New Ideas

How to Brainstorm for Increased Productivity
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Portugal – Algarve region
1. Capitalization opportunities
The region faces some limitations in the implementation of outputs / results that have to do with
the small dimension of the territory, in terms of people (less than half a million), big or mediumsized companies (98% are micro or small) and tourism-dependent economy; with its political
fragmentation in 16 districts, without any regional coordination structure, it is difficult to
establish common goals or projects, which may lead to important results; the state institutions
are the biggest organizations in the region (e.g. hospitals, university, city halls) but lack
resources, especially financial. There are no technological parks, nor R&D organizations outside
the university, turning it difficult to develop the local economy using technology transfer.
Moreover, the State is under a profound restructuring, reducing services and merging agencies,
which is causing some vacuum in key leadership positions, delaying the decisions and projects.
This situation makes it difficult to implement projects and to gather different powers and
knowledge around a specific problem.
Also, the current economic situation makes it difficult to concentrate in anything else but
survival and any mid-term project can be interrupted by some last minute urgency.
Besides the limitations already reported, the situation in Portugal has gone worse, in economic
and social terms, especially in the Algarve, due to reductions in tourism and construction,
growth of unemployment rates and reduction of mobility (e.g. highway toll introduction and
petrol prices).
People’s creativity and innovation through collaboration appears as almost the only way out.
Nevertheless, this will only be possible if people are able to overcome the depression and inertia
conditions that came along with the recession
In addition, the orientation provided by the European Commission, related to service innovation
as a catalyst for regional development (Smart Specialization), may reinforce the importance of
CreaMED results and outputs, obtained with companies.
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From our experience with Creamed project initiatives, the interest people show about creativity
and innovation is increasing. The seminars are having more participants and, in each seminar,
other projects arise, and on-going projects seem to regain strength and momentum.
Also, Apgico is learning to improve the projects with companies, and some initial mistakes serve
as lessons for the future. The mistakes have to do mainly with three dimensions: time – projects
take more time to produce effects than expected, and the fact that they seem to have stopped is
misleading, as they are just delayed; ownership – it is important that companies do not try to
reach objectives beyond their capabilities, mainly the knowledge they possess, as it is not
feasible to produced accelerated learning in a short period, or outside the company’s expertise;
outsourcing – open innovation and the use of outside consultants to improve a business, on a
voluntary base, cannot produce more effects than ideas, as it is difficult to ask volunteers to
work together with the company in difficult and lengthy projects.
Another trend that Apgico is exploring now is to work with entrepreneurs of start-ups and
clusters of micro/small businesses, instead of trying to change middle sized companies.
Nevertheless, the effort is balanced between knowledge intensive projects, with middle sized
companies and the university, aiming at defining and solving regional problems; and network
projects with micro-small sized businesses, aiming at increasing business results. The only factor
that Apgico is not succeeding is to include local government agencies in the projects, either
because they tend to centralize decision, or as managers do not see advantages in their
contribution, for the moment.
As early indicated, things take more time than expected to produce effects, due to the current
situation, but we are confident that, in the end, Creamed project will leave a long lasting seed.
2. Means for addressing these opportunities
In order to exploit the different opportunities available in the region Apgico has suggested the
development of the following projects:
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a. Establish a project from a company (suggested Vitacress – Agro industry), aggregating agents
business, university and government delegates, to present a first step at the next meeting
(includes approval of the expansion of the network with the new players invited to the project)
b. Find ways of financing and implementation of a digital platform for information on companies
and the university (information desk).
c. Establish a government's advisory group (Think Tank) on real problems (domestic policies) of
companies in the region and ways to solve it.
Although the above mentioned projects suffered a delay, nevertheless, CreaMED project
represents a constant inspiration for developing other options, and we are now on the way to
create a project incubator platform that may foster new projects
Getting the Innovative SMEs and the Public Institutions, and namely the University, involved in
common projects is an ambitious goal that will contribute to the development of the business
sector and the transparency of public institutions.
The projects may result in a “think tank” helping to disseminate the local or company well
succeeded projects. The policy makers will acknowledge the importance of having a process to
foster change and innovation
The collaborative approach will give organizations the opportunity to work out problems they
have been trying to solve for a long time. The creative sessions and the team projects foster
interaction between different organizations and institutions, giving them the opportunity to
explore new ways of collaborating at a regional level.
It is also intended to organize similar sessions to involve companies at inter-regional level or
even national level
The active involvement of the University of the Algarve in the program may contribute to the
development of processes and projects that will foster creativity and innovation at a regional
level
3. Foreseen benefits
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The project should have the participation of the media to help dissemination of good practices
and examples of facilitated processes, in order to convince policy makers to extend the sessions
and projects to other regions.
Dissemination of succeeded sessions will help to gain more SMEs and Institutions to enter the
project and thus expand the intervention capacity.
We enclose the image of our project incubator, which we are trying to improve. The idea is to
start company seminars aimed at creating collaborative projects, which will be adapted to a
virtual platform called “Algarve Co.”.
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