The Transport R&D for Innovation (TIPS) Project: first phase underway
Efficient transport systems can create economic and social opportunities, resulting in better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments. To ensure that transport continues to have a positive impact however, new innovative solutions must be developed and quickly integrated into the market. Often, the transport sector falls short at the research and development (R&D) stage. To improve this situation, good practices are needed to identify which exploitation channels are working, where to find financing, who the first users may be and how to access new markets. This has been the focus of the Transport R&D for Innovation (TIPS) project since it began in October 2012. The two-year long project, coordinated by Steinbeis Innovation in Germany, aims to enhance innovation by helping EU-funded transport R&D projects to transform research results into innovative products and services. TIPS then selects the best way for each project to bring its results to market. The first phase of the project - identifying good practices - is already underway. A field study, managed by the ICCR Foundation in Austria, has been initiated to analyse innovation and exploitation processes and identify best practices in completed European and national research projects. As the first step, 516 EU projects have been invited to answer a questionnaire by the end of April 2013. A second step, which will involve national projects, will shortly follow. Based on the analysis of the answers received in these steps, the project will develop specific tools to support result exploitation plans, either through individual support, workshops or training sessions. The project aims to support up to 100 on-going projects free of charge.For more information, please visit: http://www.transport-tips.eu/