Making the Knowledge Triangle a Reality Is the EIT the Solution?

Cesaer seminar, Trondheim, 15/10/2010

Dr. J.M. van der Eijk

CEO Climate-KIC

Push factors for action in innovation

• Crisis of Commons of product design and manufacturing

• Environmental & resources crisis

• The BRIC factor

European Institute of Innovation and Technology

(EIT)Mission:

“To be the catalyst for a step change in the

European Community’s innovation capacity and impact”

The knowledge triangle at the core of innovationActors in the knowledge triangle are at the core of the innovation web

higher education

business

research & technology

Entrepreneurship

KICs main ingredients Prerequisites for scaling up Europe’s innovation performance: enhanced capacities high degree of integration e.g. co-location leadership

KICs integrate the knowledge triangle new innovations & new innovation models (inspiring others to emulate them)

Entrepreneurship is the glue and the driver of the triangle

Innovative companies across industries critical to a low-carbon

future

Leading academic and research institutes in critical area of climate

change

Regional agencies driving sustainable growth and

development

TNO, Deltares, Port of Rotterdam, Province of Utrecht

From a group of prominent and interested parties…….. ……to a productive Knowledge and Innovation

Community

Co-location centre

Regional implementation centre

ParisFondation Saclay: ParisTech, IPSL, CEA

BerlinPIK, TU Berlin, TU München, GFZ

ZurichETH Zürich

LondonImperial College

West MidlandsLower Silesia (Wroclaw)

Hessen

Central Hungary

Emilia Romagna

Valencia

NetherlandsUtrecht University, Delft Technical University, Wageningen University

Climate-KIC’s European Network

Climate-KIC activities

New generation of Climate Change Entrepreneurs & Innovators

Education on Climate Change issues, Entrepreneurship & Local Context

Input New Innovations & Business Ideas

Output

• Student start-up company

• Corporate spin off or innovation

• University Research & Innovation

Output

Input

Coaching & Inspiration

Scholar Program (200 students/year)

Fellow Program (50 students/year)

Education on Climate Change issues, Entrepreneurship & Local Context

Input New Innovations & Business IdeasOutput

Input Inspiration

• University Research & Innovation

• Corporate spin off or innovation

• PhD Student start-up company

Output

InputCoaching & Expertise

New generation of Climate Change Entrepreneurs & Innovators

1st Climate-KIC Summer School: Climate Change Innovation, Paris, London, Zurich, 5 July -13 August 2010

Jointly organized by:Climate-KIC centres France (Paris), UK (London) and Switzerland (Zurich)

50 students accepted:• PhD students: 9• Master students: 36• Employees corp. partners: 5• Natural sciences: 19• Engineering: 13• Business and management: 12• Social sciences: 3• Architecture: 3

44 students successfully completed Summer School – 4 dropouts due to private reasons

9 teams developed promising business ideas

Climate-KIC Summer School 2010

Jury members: Prof. Anders Flodström (EIT, Jury chair), Prof. Nicolas Gruber (ETH Zurich), Prof. Arie Buijs (Utrecht University), Stephan Hess (former CTO Alstom, now ETH F&W), Torsten Kleiss (Siemens), Prof. Christian Marxt (ETH Zurich, Venture), Oliver Christ (SAP)

General jury feedback: High quality of presentations and very good ideas; high level of presence and commitment of students; real entrepreneurial attitudes sensed.

Teams: Cloud Factory (No.1 by the Jury), DeCo! (No. 1 by the students), ElectricFeel, IMBY, Combine, C.Sense, Synergy, GreenUp, GreenForceOne

Follow up so far (lead: CLC Switzerland):• Cloud Factory: Master thesis started (project: Re-use waste heat / Aquasar)• DeCo!: coaching / access to grant organizations to finance pilot • ElectricFeel: coaching / 3 months stipend from ETH Zurich

Way forward: Expressed interest of all teams to move to Climate-KIC Greenhouses, alumni network (LinkedIn)

Business Plan CompetitionClimate-KIC Summer School 2010

“The programme of the Climate KIC Summer School has a high value.

Personally, it meant a big step for me.” Student, 13.8.2010

“It is so much fun. The ideas are really good. I’ve seen very committed

people, some of them are future entrepreneurs.” Jury member, 12.8.2010

“Europe needs real pioneers: young innovative talents with

entrepreneurial and global thinking.” Prof. Anders Flodström, EIT, 13.8.2010

Climate-KIC Summer School 2010

Pioneers into PracticeConcept:Practitioners are the backbone of climate change innovation implementationA programme to facilitate knowledge exchange between professionals from industry, academia, research, public agenciesEmbracing the EU’s broad-based innovation strategy – crossing conventional boundariesDevelop a new generation of highly-skilled specialists for the low carbon economy

Programme content90 participants starting in October 2010Each participant will:undertake 3 one-month placements during 12 month period placements will be in demonstration projects in at least 2 different countriesparticipate in two-day intensive workshops known as ‘crucibles’be mentored by leading experts in system innovationBest ideas showcased at Climate-KIC Innovation Festival

Summary and Conclusions

Europe needs entrepreneurs and CC change agents

KIC partnership tests new education concepts

First experiments are promising

Too early to claim victory