IRC network celebrates ten years of achievements
The closing session of the Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) annual meeting took stock of the organisation's ten years of success, and examined those areas in which performance could be yet further improved. IRCs were established in 1995 with support from the European Commission. They form an integrated pan-European platform intended to stimulate transnational technology transfer and promote innovation services. Some 71 IRCs are currently providing these services in 33 countries. Most IRCs are operated by consortia of regional organisations, including innovation agencies, chambers of commerce, regional development agencies and university technology centres. A graph illustrating the number of contracts signed due to IRCs since their inception in 1995, presented at the meeting by Manager of the IRC Secretariat Raimund Bröchler, shows a higher than linear increase. During the last year of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5), the number of agreements secured by IRCs rose by 19 per cent, and this figure increased by a further 26 per cent during the first year of FP6. One of the likely reasons for this increase is the dissemination and implementation of good practice within the network. The IRC network has absorbed 88 good practices in the past year, according to Mr Bröchler. Of the 110,000 clients served in the last year, over 13,000 received a visit, audit, or technology/needs assessment from an IRC member. Some 60 per cent of clients were from industry, the second largest contingent coming from research institutes and universities with 16 per cent, and then the service sector with seven per cent. Over half of the company clients had less than 50 employees. As one would expect, more Expressions of Interest (EoIs) are received than negotiations started. And more negotiations take place than contracts are signed. Currently, the IRC is able to conclude one contract for every 26 EoIs, said Mr Bröchler. This figure needs to be increased, and the network must assess how this can be done, he added. In addition to facilitating more negotiations between potential partners, the IRC network must focus on implementing a quality label and understanding event efficiency better, Mr Bröchler stated. The IRCs organised 211 events in the last year, 78 of which were brokerage events. But the network needs to decide whether to hold fewer events with more participants, or fewer events with more targeted participants, he said.