Events

NEM at Discussion Forum “European Technology Platforms – Chances and Possibilities for Baden-Württemberg”- Stuttgart, Germany – 25 July 2006

Discussion Forum “European Technology Platforms – Chances and Possibilities for Baden-Württemberg” has been organised by the Government of German Federal State “Baden-Württemberg” on 26 July 2006 in Stuttgart, Germany. Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry for Science, Research, and Art, Ministry of Economics, and “Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum”, Innovation Relay Centre Stuttgart, invited more than 100 representatives from industry, research, education and governmental organisations to discuss possible impact of European Technology Platforms (ETP) for Baden-Württemberg’s economy. Particularly, the advantages and disadvantages from participation of various organisations from Baden-Württemberg in the ETP’s have been discussed. Thereby, the main focus of the discussion forum has been devoted to participation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the ETP’s.

During the event, Julie Sors from European Commission presented a view of the Commision about existing ETP’s in different areas and stressed their importance for definition and realisation of main research and development (R&D) targets to be addressed in the European Union in the next decade. An example of possible method for integration of SME’s in work of ETP’s has benn presented by EPISTEP EU project, particularly created to support participation of SME in ETP’s.

Halid Hrasnica, from Eurescon GmbH, presented NEM Initiative as an example for a possible direct involvement of the SME’s in an ETP. It is shown that NEM targets an integration of telecommunications, information technologies, broadcasting, content provider and producer, as well as manufacturer of electronic communications and media devices. For this purpose, more that 350 NEM participants recently joined the NEM Initiative, amongst others, a significant number of SME’s. To encourage the participation of SME’s, NEM Steering Board decided to involve SME’s in its work as full Steering Board members and to increase their influence in the NEM platform.

During an open discussion session (see picture above), Halid Hrasnica outlined again clear advantages from SME participation in the ETP’s., such as NEM Initiative. An ETP participation gives a cost-effective opportunity for SME’s to establish tide contacts with main industry players in a specific area, to be up-to-date with actual R&D targets defined by the industry, to be able to find appropriate partners for creation of successful R&D projects and to increase chances to get founding for realisation of the projects.

Several SME’s, working in NEM related areas presented on this event, expressed their interests to join the NEM Initiative and to take an active role in its work.