Objective
The biotechnology sector has the potential to make a major contribution to Europe's future economy and society. Because of the Lisbon Declaration, the Commission is seeking to stimulate the emergence of high growth companies to boost innovation and economic growth as well as helping Member States to reach the target of 3% of GDP invested in research, of which 2/3 should come from the private sector.
The Commission set 15% as a target for the number of SMEs to be involved in FP6, but the actual number has fallen short of that target. This project aims to increase the number of SMEs, particularly high growth technology companies, to invest more in R&D through participating in FP7. The project also aims to overcome existing barriers to collaborations between academic research and corporate groups and SMEs, and improve the effectiveness of knowledge transfer and financing of further development, through specialized assistance and training to make these collaborations materialize.
The project will achieve its aim with a novel approach which brings together at partnering events SMEs with academic institutions and corporations and by offering assistance, training and website tools so a to make SMEs aware of the opportunities, match their research interests with larger research organisations and transfer valuable research results to the SMEs. The assisted R&D matchmaking forums use the validated Biotech and Finance Forum model. The 4 partnering events planned in 2 years will bring 135 research institutions together with at least 135 selected SMEs in more than 700 one-on one meetings.
We expect that as a result at least 80 collaborative research proposals involving SMEs be submitted to the EC's Research Programmes and that at least 40 collaborative research projects would be in discussion by the SMEs due to their participation in the project. The project will cover all main biotech sectors (i.e. red, green and white biotech), with a focus on green and white biotech.
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-INNOV-5
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Funding Scheme
SSA - Specific Support ActionCoordinator
BRUSSELS
Belgium