INNOVATION Technology Validation and Technology Transfer projects: Progress report
In 1995, the Community's specific programme for the dissemination and exploitation of the results of activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (INNOVATION) launched its first call for proposals for "Technology Validation and Technology Transfer" projects. The call was very successful and resulted in over 500 proposals, of which 98 projects were granted funding for a "definition phase" aimed at verifying the technical and economic viability of the project and drawing up detailed plans for implementation and financing. Projects having successfully completed the definition phase may then move on to the main "implementation phase". Eight projects, considered to be of very high quality, passed quickly to the implementation phase. The remaining 90 projects have been conducting their definition phase during 1996. These definition phases, generally of between six and nine months duration, have focused essentially on developing a detailed plan for implementation and, at the same time, overcoming any shortcomings in the original proposal. Typically the work of the partners in the project during a definition phase might involve: - Identifying additional partners; - Carrying out market studies; - Verifying the situation with regard to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) with the help of the INNOVATION programme's QUICK SCAN facility; - Preparing a detailed techno-economic feasibility study. Many of the projects in definition phase held "Moderated Planning Workshops", a technique developed by the INNOVATION programme to assist partners in the start-up or definition phase of the "Technology Validation and Technology Transfer" projects. The aim of the workshops is to help partnerships (in some cases up to 12 partners) to organize their definition phase work and assign tasks to the various partners. An additional facility offered to project proposers was the "PMS" computer software programme which helps with the development of detailed and structured final reports in which workpackages, activities, tasks and financial information can all be presented in a form which is easily understood. Another advantage of the PMS software is that it can be used, at a later stage, as a reporting tool. Projects have now completed their definition phase and evaluations and hearings, with the support of external experts, have been going on since April this year. At this time, 50 projects have been successful and have been approved for funding under the main implementation phase. Support funding for these projects varies depending on the extent of the work involved, but has been typically between ECU 200,000 and ECU 800,000 per project for a workprogramme of two years. The second call for proposals for "Technology Validation and Technology Transfer" projects under the INNOVATION programme was launched on 17 September 1996, with a deadline for submission of 16 December 1996. As with the previous call, the focus is on adapting and validating the results of previous research work or transferring existing and emerging technologies to new areas of use (trans-sectoral or trans-regional). The two-phased approach adopted by the INNOVATION programme will be continued with all successful proposers being expected to conduct a definition phase. The definition phase work will help proposers to structure their project, find additional partners, verify the IPR through the QUICK SCAN facility and reduce the risks associated with implementation.