Innovation and Research in
Business, including knowledge
transfer in Portugal
Nuno Vitorino
Mateus
May 19, 2012
EC DG Regio Initiative - Post 2013 Perspective
Scientific Team
Strategic
Diagnosis
Case
Studies
2/12
Schuman Associates
‘umbrella’
International
Benchmarking
Team’s
Knowledge and
Experience
Strategic Diagnosis Dimensions
Portugal’s position in
the EU-27 innovation
Good innovation
ranking has
performance has not
significantly improved Structural change
resulted in the creation of
process must be
sufficient wealth and jobs
Business innovation
reinforced/refocus
and researched,
in requiring
Portugal significantly
enhanced business
depends from
EU
innovation
and
funds
research
Policy coordination, vital for innovation
design and implementation, is still
largely absent
3/12
Case Studies Conclusions
Direct relationship between
sophistication/ranking of
business innovation and
research projects
and the need
Successful
business
for tailor-made funding
innovation Companies focus on
mechanisms
investmentsimproving
are
turnover, while
possible in researchers are more
Business innovation
Portugal, namely
focused on the publication
and research
when associated
of results
project’s life spans
with
are often not
internationalisation
Success flows primarily from the
compatible with EU
promoter’s excellence and resilience,
funding cycles
usually assisted by pro-active
cooperation from Public Agencies
4/12
International Benchmarking Lessons
Business innovation and
research promotion is a vital
element of modern
economic policies
Minimising transactions costs
and red tape are a common
goal and influence
Each benchmark
Business innovation and
simplification of access,
has a value on itsresearch demands
analysis and decision-making
own, but common
adequate funding
funding procedures
guidelines are opportunities
relevant
Both broad public
When risk-taking funding schemes
innovation policy
are implemented with public
instruments and
financial support, the progressive
customised policy
association of private capital is
tools are necessary
often present and mostly
5/12
desirable
Together with knowledge or
technological institutions,
innovative or internationalised
companies are innovation
partners
Funding automatically
approved once two
conditions are met: (i)
entrepreneurial initiative
on the implementation of
innovation projects + (ii)
Focus on experimentation of
participation innovation
new concepts and ideas (e.g.
partners through
proofs of concept, prototyping,
Recommendation
1:
contractual arrangements
market analysis), that require
Improve and
the participation of qualified
Large spectrum of business
Facilitate Access to
business or technology
innovation: (i) improvementInnovation
partners
of productive and
Adoption of a large scale
commercial processes, (ii)
innovation and research
creation of new products or
voucher scheme to simplified
services and (iii)
short-term (6-12 months)
improvement of managerial
targeted projects
skills
6/12
Decision making process
Focus on the implementation
simplified by the
of innovation-oriented business
outsourcing of analysis and
investment projects through (i)
negotiation processes to
consolidation of regional
independent experts economic structures/smart
cutting administrative
regional specialisation
costs and tailoring public
strategies and (ii)
intervention to business
implementation of thematic
specific
Recommendationinnovation
2:
partnerships for the
Promote Business requirements
creation/improvement ofInnovation
export oriented products and
Partnerships
services
Negotiation process monitored
by relevant specialised Public
Agencies
7/12
Funding by customised
business investment resultsoriented incentives
Encouragement of
experienced foreign venture
capital institutions
involvement, through joint
ventures or consortiums with
Portuguese companies
Reduced transaction costs, once
funding decision-making from
innovation investment funds is
automatic upon (i) confirmation
by independent experts of the
innovative nature of proposed
projects and (ii) validation of
Innovation
Recommendation
3: investment funds
promoters’ financial resources
should
between (i)
State
anddistinguish
EU
(own resources, loans, Create
equity or
innovative early stage
contracted State Aid co-financed
investment projects (67%
Innovation
subventions)
funding
Investment
Funds of total investment
costs) and (ii) technological
mature commercialisation,
Focus on leveraging
late financing gaps
promoter’s own or other
investment and innovation
financial resources in
expansion projects (33%
innovative investments
8/12
funding)
Facilitated by: (i)
cutting red tape for
start-ups and young
innovative companies
and (ii) promotion of
an entrepreneurship
culture
Creation of a “one-stop-shop”
service to start-up
entrepreneurs, through
contractual arrangements with
specialised interfaced entities,
which assume the preparation of
applications, innovation projects
Focus on
4: narrowing the gap
monitoring and other Recommendation
support
between knowledge creation,
Translate
tasks
knowledge
transfer and the
Knowledge
into
Economic creation
Value of economic value
through innovation
through Innovation
Implementation of a stronger, more
effective, flexible and integrated support
from Structural Funds to academic
scientific and technological institutions
entrepreneurship
9/12
Focus on increasing the
Facilitated by renewed
insertion of Portuguese R&D
Innovation Strategies,
and business players in
improved high-level
international R&D and
education, rationalised
innovation networks by (i)
academic R&D, effective
better adjusting the use of EU
mobility between
Funds to open, collaborative
academia, R&D or
and global innovation and (ii)
technological centers and
Recommendation
5:
removing initial barriers
to
companies and increased
the entry of Portuguese Stimulate innovation role to the
Integration in
players into European R&D
response to key national
International
and innovation projects
societal challenges
Networks
Implementation through (i) funding by Cohesion
Policy, (ii) blending EU funding with financial
engineering mechanisms and (iii) encouraging the
participation of external players and of mature
domestic innovation stakeholders
10/12
Looking backwards with today’s eyes
Focus
business
innovation
on SMEs?
Creation of
specialised
innovation
funding
vehicles?
11/12
Invest on
research
rather than
technological
development
?
Concentrate
innovation
funding on
lagging
regions?
Rely on
subsidies or
on US
inspired
funding
models?
Thanks for your attention.
12/12