RIS NÖ

Irma PriedlZilina, 27.9.2005

Niederösterreich – some geographical & structural data

• Largest province of Austria• 1.55 mill. Inhabitants • Area of 19.174 square km• Approx. 4,5% unemployment rate• Very heterogeneous economic structure

Starting point and objectives of the Regional Innovation Project

The ministry of economics of Lower Austria initiated the Project RIS NÖ – Regional Innovation Strategy Lower Austria

By submitting a proposal to the European Commissionin December 1995

With the following project objectives: Better coordination of the existing

innovation supporting activities Better collaboration of the regional actors Stronger need orientation of the public services

But only a vague idea of how to start and run such a project ....

How to build a regional consensus on regional innovation policy ?

Do the actors talk to each other

?

Do the actors know each other ? ?

Do the actors coordinate their activities

?

....when there is no appropriate platform?

Involve the relevant actors in the steering committee from beginning

Role of the Steering Committee

• The regional actors and interest groups were represented within the regional steering committee

• Information- and communication platform• Discussion and contribution to the analyses results• Regional platform for consensus building about regional

innovation strategy, required measures and decision on prior pilot actions

• Active part within the elaboration and implementation of the regional innovation strategy of Lower Austria

Not only discussions – but also involved in actions!

RIS requires …

High flexibility and Broad understanding of innovation

Only a few things will remain as you have planned- Manage your RIS project flexible with milestones in order to

amend the process according the findings of the latest activities

- RIS NÖ took 26 months instead of 18 months!- RIS NÖ is a step-by step approach

Don´t reduce innovation to technology, R&D or infrastructure- Not only Lower Austrian companies have a much broader

understanding of innovation see need bundles

Facilitating the RIS process

Do not expect that the regional actors have already formed a homogenous innovation supporting system at the beginning of RIS

Facilitate the consensus building process- By combination of different analysis tools (Questionnaire

survey, personal or telephone interviews, etc)- by illuminating issues from different point of views like

comparison of SME´s needs offered services by the actors Convince with facts instead with rumours Installation of the steering committee as the regional

communication platform Providing incentives for the actors

- Actors are members of the Steering Committee- Actors were involved and responsible for single pilot actions- Additional financing of the actors for pilot actions

… thus we initiated a step-by-step approach with milestones

RIS NÖ – a step by step approach

stage 1

regular meetings of the steering committee

stage 0 stage 2

Needanalysis

Offeranalysis

Networkanalysis

SWOT andSynthesis

CoordinationDetailedelabora-tionof theworkprogram

Definition of measures and prior pilot actions

Implemen- tation of prior pilot actions by regional actors

Presentation& discussionof analysesresults;

consensusbuilding

RIS NÖ – Regional

Innovation Strategy Lower

Austria

03/97 05/97 03/98 02/99

SME´s need bundles for innovation support

Internal company

developmentFinanceMarket

R&D projectrealisation

Use of labora-tories/appliances

Project manage-ment for R&Dprojects

Technical problemsolving

Information onR&D offer

Technologyscreening

Feasibility studies

Technology

Development ofnew products

Marketing of newproducts

Marketdiversification

Search for newclients

Regional supportprogrammes

National supportprogrammes

Internationalsupportprogrammes

Search for qualifiedpersonnel

Qualification of ownstaff

Management/strategy consulting

Information events/seminars

Exploitation of intellectuelproperty rights

Information on R&D offerR&D projects realisation

Use of laboratories / appliances

Projectmanagement for R&D projects

Technical problem solving

Technology screening

Feasibility studies

Search for cooperation partners

Market diversification

Developement of new products

Marketing of new productsSearch for new clientsRegional support programs

National support programs

International support programs

Venture capital

Search for qualified personnal

Qualification of own staff

Management / Strategy consulting

Information events

Quality management / certificationInward Investment in Lower Austria

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Exploitation of intellectuelproperty rights

Information on R&D offerR&D projects realisation

Use of laboratories / appliances

Projectmanagement for R&D projects

Technical problem solving

Technology screening

Feasibility studies

Search for cooperation partners

Market diversification

Developement of new products

Marketing of new productsSearch for new clientsRegional support programs

National support programs

International support programs

Venture capital

Search for qualified personnal

Qualification of own staff

Management / Strategy consulting

Information events

Quality management / certificationInward Investment in Lower Austria

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Reinforce the innovation awareness: convince with facts !

SMEs Need for Innovation Support and Use of Support

Gaps between need and offer

RIS NÖ pilot actions: selection and impact on the strategy

Definition of measures on basis of the findings of the analysis stage Proposal of pilot actions by members of the Steering Committee and

discussion of single pilot actions for identified measures Definition of pilot projects and the teams

• Project lead is actor and also member of Steering Committee• Project partners are actors and members of the Steering

committee• Accompanied by Project team

Implementation of pilot actions • As part of the RIS NÖ project• Presentation of project status at the meetings of the Steering

Committee• Total duration: approx. 4 to 6 months

Validation of the pilot actions Amendment of the former identified measures Elaboration of the Regional Innovation Strategy

Involvement of regional companies

Don’t bother the regional SMEs with political discussions and consensus building- Reduce efforts for SMEs during analyses to a minimum - Give involved SMEs a quick feedback (even during analysis

phase) and explain possible benefits for the companies- Strong involvement during implementation of pilot actions

Find „process promoters“ – companies that - develop own initiatives or- want to be involved in the pilot actions

The REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM consists of several modules aiming to foster the economic success of the regional firms and thus

to increase the quantity and quality of work

Governments BusinessOrganisations

Sources ofCapital

IntermediariesEducational

Organisations

Science andTechnology

Infrastructure

LabourOrganisations

BusinessEnterprisesand Groups

The REGIONAL INNOVATION PROFILEis the „face“ of the Regional Innovation System

From the Regional Innovation Strategy to the Regional Innovation System

?

The process from the strategy towardsthe Regional Innovation System NÖ

For more information see www.ris-noe.at

The process from the strategy towardsthe Regional Innovation System NÖ

1997 20041999

Development of theRIS NÖ Strategy

Implementation ofthe RIS NÖ Strategy

Development of the holistic Regional

Innovation System

2006

Vision:Establishment of NÖ as

„Top 10“ innovation region in Europe

Innovation

Technology

cooperation

Internationalisation

Mobilise Start up´s

RIS NÖ – Regional Innovation Strategy Lower Austria

Objective 2-Programme

Innovative Actions

NÖ as Top 10

Innovation-System

RIS+

PEP Trans-Regional Innovation Project

IRE Thematic Networks STRINNOP, CROBOBUCO

++

NÖ Foresight

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

101. Identification of regional competencies

2. Creation of regional knowledge

3. Stimulation of firms' innovation activities

4. Implementation of firms innovation activities

5. Focus on regional strength

6. Internationalisation supporting companies

7. Marketing of the regional innovation profile

8. Accompanying step: Coordination of the regionalinnovation supporting infrastructure

9. Accompanying step: Monitoring and evaluation of theregional innovation activities

10. Accompanying step: Financing of the regionalinnovation activities and supporting infrastructure

NÖ Innovation Profile

2001

Vienna Region

Funding scheme “Opening up

new markets”

INTERREG

Measure the progress of the process

Development of a monitoring system for innovation related funding schemes- Approval of submitted request- In-process monitoring- Ex-post monitoring- Integrated information system- EXEK (external unit for project coordination and management support)

Follow-up of the questionnaire survey- 1st survey in 1997 during RIS analyses- 2nd survey in 2002 on own initiative- Increased transparency of offered innovation supporting services- Increased awareness for importance of external support- Increased use of offered services- Increased satisfaction with services

Regular meetings of the RIS NÖ steering committee as the acknowledged forum of Lower Austria in the field of innovation

Development of a NÖ Regional Innovation Profile with quantitative and qualitative indicators

Transparenz - Angebot an öffentlichen Dienstleistungen 1997

0,7%9,4%

20,9%

49,8%

19,1%

Sehr gute Transparenz

Gute Transparenz

Ausreichende Transparenz

Wenig Transparenz

Keine Transparenz

Transparenz - Angebot an öffentlichen Dienstleistungen 2002

4,0%

20,8%

26,4%

40,1%

8,8%

Sehr gute Transparenz

Gute Transparenz

Ausreichende Transparenz

Wenig Transparenz

Keine Transparenz

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

101. Identification of regional competencies

2. Creation of regional knowledge

3. Stimulation of firms' innovation activities

4. Implementation of firms innovation activities

5. Focus on regional strength

6. Internationalisation supporting companies

7. Marketing of the regional innovation profile

8. Accompanying step: Coordination of the regionalinnovation supporting infrastructure

9. Accompanying step: Monitoring and evaluation of theregional innovation activities

10. Accompanying step: Financing of the regionalinnovation activities and supporting infrastructure

Facilitator

Thank you for your attention!

Ms Irma Priedl

Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung

Haus 14, Landhausplatz 1 / Haus 14

3109 St. Pölten

Austria

Tel.: +43(2742)9005-16123

Fax: +43(2742)9005-16240

irma.priedl@noel.gv.at