Estonian Innovation Policy Trends

Helena Rozeik 8 May 2009

The Estonian R&D and innovation policy governance system

Estonian Parliament and Government Policy foresight and design Estonian Development Fund Academy of Sciences Innovation Sub Committee R&D Council Research Sub Committee Programm e design Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication Ministry of Education and Research Science Competence Council Other Ministries Programm e administratio n Enterprise Estonia KREDEX Science Foundation Archimede s Foundation Foundation Innove Projects Firms R&D institutions Universities Science / technology parks Competenc e centers

Main innovation policy challenges Description of challenge

1. Supporting specialisation in technology fields 2. Encouraging a favourable springboard to establish and develop high growth oriented companies 3. Building competences and developing innovation management skills

Relevant indicators and trends

•continuous technology and socio-economic foresights •launching-phase technology programmes •increased RDI cooperation in specified fields •concentration of RDI resources •increased number of spin-offs •upgraded and new RDI infrastructure •growth of businesses‘ RDI investments •growth of enterprises and employment in high and medium-high-technology sectors •growth of new technology based firms •RDI competence building in specified technology fields •business clustering •growing skills and practices in innovation management

The innovation policy mix

• Three main policy areas: – Technological innovation, growth of productivity and development capacity of enterprises – Inflow of new innovative business ideas and their transformation into enterprises – Transfer of knowledge and technology

Main changes

• A number of policy measures have been created or redesigned in order to counteract the impact of the present crisis – the technology support for industrial enterprises, a programme launched in 2008 but amended in March 2009 in order to match changing needs. • Problem: insufficient added value in manufacturing, which has become increasingly obvious when the financial and real estate sectors have faced meltdown. – the cluster development programme – – the innovation voucher programme support programme to involve innovation staff in Estonian companies

Summary innovation performance in EU

Innovation performance per dimension

Convergence in innovation performance

Estonian innovation performance and growth per dimension

Selected documents related to Estonian innovation

• INNO-Policy Trendchart - Policy Trends and Appraisal Report ( http://www.proinno europe.eu/extranet/upload/countryreports/Country_Report_Estonia_ 2008.pdf

• Estonian National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007 2013 ( http://www.struktuurifondid.ee/public/Estonian_NSRF_21June07_E NG.pdf

) • Evaluation of Estonian RTDI Policy Mix. Results of OMC Peer Review Report 2007. Country Report for Estonia – Innovation Studies ( http://www.mkm.ee/failid/p_3.2_OMC_Country_Report_Estonia.pdf

)

Thank you!

http://www.praxis.ee

e-mail: [email protected]