Press invitation: FOURTH EUROPEAN FORUM FOR INNOVATIVE ENTERPRISES

It is organised by the European Commission in co-operation with the Regions of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe under the "Research & Innovation" strand of the Sixth Framework Programme of Research & Development.
Attended by the Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Enterprise, Heinz Zourek, the German Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Federal Ministry for Economy and Labour, Rezzo Schlauch, as well as business leaders and mayors of main European cities, the 4th Forum is designed to analyse the latest trends in creation and development of innovative start-ups and look at new concepts for innovation policy., ,The Forum will look at the key challenges facing policy and business in stimulating innovation in Europe and will continue the series that started in Vienna in 1998, followed by Lyon in 2000 and Stockholm in 2002.
It will highlight financing schemes, innovation clusters, internationalisation of SMEs and the regulatory environment as a catalyst for new markets. Panels will explore how innovation can boost entrepreneurial activity and how best to shape future European innovation policy. Non-technological aspects of innovation will receive particular focus, as will the important role played by European cities and regions in the creation of innovative start-ups.
The award ceremony for the outstanding transfer projects from the 22 Regions of Excellence selected under PAXIS (the Pilot Action of Excellence on Innovative Start-ups) is part of the Forum. It will take place in the presence of the European Commissions Director for Enterprise Policy, David White. The award ceremony will be held on Monday evening, 6 December 2004 in Stuttgarts famous Römerkastell.
The preliminary press programme, information for audio-visual journalists and the media registration form can be downloaded on http://www.fourthforum.org/press_invitation.php
A complete version of the conference programme as well as regular updates, photos and visual material are available on http://www.fourthforum.org/imgs/full_programme_en.pdf
If you have further questions please contact: ,Paola Finocchiaro, Tel.: +32-2-7140742, Fax: +32-2-7140766, E-mail: paola.finocchiaro@saatchibiz.be