The aim of the YIC status project is to develop a common plan for realisation of Young Innovative Company status in four Nordic/Baltic countries and to disseminate the experience gained to biotech organisations in other parts of Europe. The duration is 24 months.The first step is to establish national Task forces in each of the four countries. They will consist of high level stake holders and representatives from the participating organisations. The groups will be established during the first three project months and they will then function as advisors and sounding boards to the project. Close contacts between the groups will be established. A benchmarking study will be performed, with data collected both through desk research and through interviews of international decision makers. The study will provide a foundation for a fact based discussion and will provide input to a high level seminar organised during month 16. This will be a one-day meeting with participation mainly by invitation. Based on the benchmarking study and the seminar, preparation of national implementation plans will be carried out. They will finally be collected in a common document. Dissemination of the project results is a key issue in the proposed cooperation. Briefings will be organised for journalists, meetings will be set up for targeted stake holders, a training manual and a handbook for policy makers will be developed. All information material will be made available from a public web site.