Action Plan Action Plan for strengthening for strengthening

Research, Research, Technological Technological

Development and Development and Innovation in GreeceInnovation in Greece

Katerina Georgoulikgeor@teiath.gr

I C T Forum 2010, 2 – 4 November 2010, Nis, Serbia

Common AssumptionsCommon Assumptions

knowledge is the main factor of economic growth in modern economies

a significant proportion of existing stock of knowledge is leaded to rapid obsolescence due to the accelerating pace of generating new scientific and technological knowledge

research, education and lifelong learning are of strategic importance

CentralCentral policypolicy choicechoice

creation of Consolidated Research Area

maximize synergies between research groups through systematic collaboration of researchers working on:

– government research centers,

– faculty members and researchers of higher educational institutions and

– the research potential of the private sector

The VisionThe Vision

Strengthening the linkage and harmonious development of all aspects of the "knowledge triangle",

– the production of knowledge (research),

– the transmission of knowledge (education and lifelong

learning)

– the wider diffusion of knowledge in society as a whole and its exploitation with economically beneficial way (innovation)

AmbitiousAmbitious goalgoal

tripling of spending on research over the next decade, reaching in 2020 the 2% of GDP

to fundamentally restructure the development model setting as priority Education, Research and Technological Development, the

to attract investment

Public consultation on Public consultation on proposals proposals

Towards a developmental model of knowledge, innovation and sustainable development

The role of private sector

The role of public sector

Towards a developmental Towards a developmental model model of of

knowledge, innovation and knowledge, innovation and sustainable developmentsustainable developmentmove rapidly to the necessary structural

reformations to change the orientation of the economy and society

to built the reforms on the ‘Green Sustainable Development ' based on knowledge, innovation and human resources, which will support the production of new competitive products, not based only on low cost but mainly on the increase of the embedded value

a precondition for the transition to this new development model is to enhance the research and its integration into the production process to provide new products and services

Towards a developmental model Towards a developmental model of of

knowledge, innovation and knowledge, innovation and sustainable developmentsustainable development

(cont.)(cont.)

Alternative DirectionsAlternative Directions

Stagnation and loss of competitiveness

Pursuit of international competitiveness based on low cost products and services

Both leading to the gradual deterioration of the quality of life of workers and

citizens of the country

The Government’s DecisionThe Government’s Decision

To provide an appropriate framework to make the country attractive for international research and technological development at

– individual level,

– companies and

– other research bodies level

TheThe rolerole ofof privateprivate sectorsector

Percentage of private sector’s involvement in research in Greece is 30%

Some reasons:

–most enterprises advance to their technological upgrading through the purchase of modern equipment, and not through synergies with other specialized agencies or other enterprises - lack of a base of knowledge

–lack of recognition by many bussinessmen in the value of research and technological development

TheThe rolerole ofof privateprivate sector sector (cont.)

More reasons…

– broader institutional weaknesses in the economic environment that often discourages the creation of innovative enterprises.

– comparatively small size of most enterprises – lack of human resources

The Government’s new The Government’s new measuresmeasures

Concerted measures at many levels:

– creating a new institutional framework

– providing specialized financial support through the new developmental law

– improving the business environment

The Government’s new The Government’s new measuresmeasures

In research level,

•priority to strengthening the essential link between research and business community

•active involvement of enterprises in frontier research projects

•stimulating innovative entrepreneurship

•diffusion and economic exploitation of research results

•support of researchers through patents in guarantee of the research results and their economic exploitation.

TheThe rolerole ofof publicpublic sectorsector

Public investment is a key issue for strengthening private investment

TheThe rolerole ofof publicpublic sector sector (cont.)(cont.)

The need for public intervention and resource allocation for research is based on two key assumptions:

– research and knowledge have different properties from a common good, leading companies to invest less in them

– there is difference between the expected social and private benefits from research

The public sector performs a very important role as a user of research and innovation for a large proportion of private resources devoted for research and technological development

TheThe rolerole ofof publicpublic sector sector (cont.)(cont.)

The public sector has a key role in strengthening basic research, that kind of research that has not shown an immediate usefulness in basic research fields like:

– Humanities

– Mathematics

– Theoretical physics

Nis, 8-9 April 2010 KNOWTS kick-off meeting 18

Existing system of research Existing system of research and technologyand technology

Operational level

Operational level

National Strategic Framework National Strategic Framework forfor

Research and InnovationResearch and Innovation(N.S.F.R.I)(N.S.F.R.I)

N.S.F.R.IN.S.F.R.I(21010-2015)(21010-2015)

1. Axis of documented research projects

2. Axis of direct support for innovation

3. Axis of unified research area

4. Axis of research infrastructures

5. Axis of Human Research Pontential

3. Axis of unified research area

4. Axis of research infrastructures

1. Axis of 1. Axis of documented research documented research projectsprojects

It will include funding for research projects to meet national research priorities.

The establishment of national research priorities will be done with the active participation of the research and business community. The focus will be to identify the technological requirements of the productive potential of the country and society in general.

Particular attention will be given to the manufacturing sectors and service sectors in health, environment and nutrition

The project funding will be made exclusively through competitive calls for proposals and evaluation will be based on the criterion of excellence

2. Axis of Axis of direct support for direct support for innovationinnovation

aimed at stimulating innovative entrepreneurship, economic exploitation and dissemination of research results and support researchers in making and using the results of their researches.

the state will contribute significantly to the recovery of the dangers of the high degree of risk and it will enhance the early steps of the creative and innovative entrepreneurship efforts (spin-offs, technological parks, regional innovation poles etc) as well as initiatives such as Jeremie and financing mechanisms like Venture Capital.

3. Axis of 3. Axis of unified research areaunified research area

support of the research potential restructuring in related research areas and funding through multi-annual framework agreements.

In addition to the long joint research projects, researchers’ exchanges and joint research graduate programs will be supported

4. Axis of 4. Axis of research research infrastructuresinfrastructures

goal is to create central (web-based) infrastructures, which will provide high quality services in modern technologies and technological platformes that will have a guaranteed continuation.

5. Axis of 5. Axis of Human Research Human Research PontentialPontential

will include projects in direct support of "frontier research" especially for young researchers.

support includes funding Phd and Msc scholarships, mobility of researchers, repatriation grants for Greek researchers working abroad

Nis, 8-9 April 2010 KNOWTS kick-off meeting 25

Thank you for your attention

The JEREMIE initiative developed in cooperation with the European Commission, offers EU Member States, through their national or regional Managing Authorities, the opportunity to use part of their EU Structural Funds to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by means of equity, loans or guarantees, through a revolving Holding Fund acting as an umbrella fund.

Venture capital (VC) is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, growth Startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as biotechnology, IT, Software etc. The typical venture capital investment occurs after the seed funding round as growth funding round (also referred as Series A round) in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event, such as an IPO or trade sale of the company.