Technology transfer in science parks – experience of SPoW

the network of Science Parks in Wallonia Maxime Woitrin Economic & Commercial Counsellor, Belgian Embassy Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX) 14 April 2010, European Economic Congress 2010, Katowice www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

SPoW – network of Walloon STPs

• Network of 6 science parks •

Louvain-la-Neuve Science Park

•

Liège Science Park

•

Crealys

- Gembloux •

Aéropole

- Charleroi •

Initialis

•

Qualitis

- Mons – Enghien • Managed by local development agencies and universities/research centers www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

SPoW

•

Missions:

• Promote STPs as a tool for R&D and technology • • transfer Contribute to the development of innovation networks of expertise in partnerships •

Advantage of this network:

• pooling of technology resources • efficiency: flexible organisation www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

Walloon STP ≠ “classic” industry park 1.

3 criteria to be a Walloon STP: Concentration of high-tech players 2.

TT & Networking boosting dynamics 3.

Specific high-tech facilities

+ STRUCTURAL and OPERATIONAL LINK WITH AN ASSOCIATED RESEARCH INSTITUTION High-tech SME and large companies

innovation University Research centre

SPoW Quality Charter

www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

Company profile selection : Concentration of high tech players

(

Quality Charter

) • R&D centers • Technologically new companies • Non R&D units of innovative companies • Non-innovative technological businesses • Usefulness to R&D activities min 80 % max 20 % • Examples of high-tech companies present in SPoW www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

Specific infrastructures

On a science park, high technology companies will find the infrastructures adapted to their specific needs (

SPoW Quality Charter

)  Incubators for start-ups and spin-offs  Equipped business centres  Technological platforms  Use of scientific equipment from the Universities  Multi-services building: restaurants, banks, post offices, meeting rooms, etc.

www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

Experience in Technology Transfer (TT) – services of SPoW

• • • • • encouraging exchanges between industrial and R&D actors facilitating TT and industrial research contracts; advising companies on technological innovation (IP, etc.) stimulating creation of high-tech companies; disseminating technological information.

2/3 of the companies in STPs have cooperation with University

– concrete examples : • use of university labs • creation of prototypes • technology transfer (e.g. patent licenses) www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

International cooperation of SPoW

• IASP = international association of STPs 349 members in 71 countries representing 200,000 companies •

Workshop “Recognition of STPs in Europe”

o Brussels, 17 – 19 November 2010 o Part of EU Belgian Presidency official calendar => Contact: Lisa LOMBARDI Tel: +32 10 47 91 34, [email protected]

www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be

Thank you for your attention

Maxime Woitrin Radca Ekonomiczny i Handlowy Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX) Stratos Office Centre Ul. Skorupki 5 00-546 Varsovie Tel: +48 22 583 70 11 fax: +48 22 583 70 19 [email protected]

www.investinwallonia.be

www.spow.be www.wallonia-international.be