URENIOURBAN AND REGIONAL

INNOVATIONResearch Unit

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Faculty of Engineering54 124 ThessalonikiTel: + 30 2310 99 55 81 and 489 304Fax: + 30 2310 99 55 83 and 472 240Url: www.urenio.org

Urban and Regional Innovation research unit is a University Lab for the promotion of applied research, and the supply of scientific and technological services.

URENIO is mainly involved in competitive projects of the European R&D framework programmes and the innovative actions of the ERDF.

Research collaboration UNIVERSITIES & RESEARCH INSTITUTES

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF LOUVAIN; DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY; FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY; PANTEION UNIVERSITY; RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE OF MAASTRICHT; TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF CRETE; TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MILAN; UNIVERSITY OF MONTPELLIER; UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF TOULOUSE; UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY; UNIVERSITY OF WALES, CARDIFF 

  TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS

ANDALUSIA TECHNOLOGY PARK ; ARCHIMEDES, ESTONIA; CENTRO SVILUPO, AOSTA; FUNDACION LABEIN; FUNDECYT, EXTREMADURA; JOSEF STEFAN INSTITUTE, SLOVENIA; INFYDE, BILBAO; INSTITUT JULES DESTRE; KENT TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTRE; LEIA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE, ALAVA; PRONOVUM, HUNGARY; SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK, CRETE; STEINBEIS FOUNDATION, STUTTGART; TAGUS TECHNOLOGY PARK; TALOS, CYPRUS; TECH TIROL, LOWER AUSTRIA; TECHNOLOGY PARK OULU; TEKES FINLAND; THESSALONIKI PARK THESSALONIKI; ZENIT, MULHEIM

  REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

BASQUE COUNTRY; CENTRAL MACEDONIA; IONIAN ISLANDS; NORTH RHIN WESTFALIA; LORRAINE; MANTOVA; SOUTHERN AEGEAN; SW OLTENIA, ROMANIA; THESSALY; WALES; W. MACEDONIA

URENIO's research focuses on cities and regions that base their development on R&D, innovation, knowledge-intensive companies, technology infrastructure, knowledge and information networks.

Central research theme is the cities, regions, and environments of innovation including (1) knowledge clusters, technopoles and science parks, (2) regional innovations systems and strategies, (3) digital innovation spaces, digital cities, and intelligent cities.

We are working on planning models for innovative areas (districts, technopoles, RIS-regions), on models of innovation processes (spin-offs, producer-supplier relations, technology co-operation, new product development), and digital spaces supporting innovation practices and policies.

Research

• Cities and regions of innovation

• Islands of innovation

• Knowledge clusters

• Science and technology parks

• Micro-cosmos of innovation • Digital cities

• Digital innovation spaces

• Online innovation tools

• Virtual communities

Physical components

• Regional systems of innovation• Regional innovation strategies• Learning networks• Technopolitan planning• Planning clusters and tech districts

Research Field 1:Cities, regions, and environments of innovation

Digital components

Institutional components

Research Field 2: Clusters, technopoles and science parks

This research topic covers projects dealing with the development and planning of clusters, technology poles, science and technology parks, innovation centres, incubators, and business networks and innovation.

Most of this research stands on ‘industrial district’, and ‘flexible specialization’, theories.

Technological valorisation of property Spin-offs Tech Transfer Attraction of firms Tech Transfer New round of investment

(A) R&D Units

(C) Innovative Firms

(B) Technology Transfer

Organisations

Technology diffusion

(D) Space, Property, infrastructure

Andalusia Technology ParkInnovation Centre Belice, ItalyScience Park, Technical Univ. CreteScience Park, Democritus Univ. ThraceIndustrial Districts and System-areas in Greece

Research Field 3: Regional innovations systems and strategiesThis research orientation focuses on the initiatives of European

regions to develop innovation strategies and systems, and the creation of regional competitive advantage based on knowledge and technological learning. Participation in 20 RIS/RITTS and ERDF Innovative Action Programs.

REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM

Innovation Financing Banks, Angels, Regional aids

Technology Information System Patents, Standards, Technical

Publications, New products and technologies, Emerging markets

Universities and Research

Institutes

Public R&D Laboratories

Private R&D and Training

Centres

Technology Transfer

Organisations Technology

parks Technology

networks Consultants,

brokers Associations,

Chambers

Companies

High-Tech Companies

Innovative SMEs

Clusters

Research Field 4:Virtual Innovation Environment/Intelligent cities and regions

This topic focuses on the use of information technology to create virtual / digital innovation spaces. We are working on the development of virtual islands of innovation, such as research centres, technology parks, industrial districts, and knowledge-based clusters.

Digital Tech Park

Digital Research Centre

CITIES, REGIONS, AND ENVIRONMENT OF INNOVATION

1. Surveys, analysis, modelling

2. Technology districts Planning, management, assessment 3. Science and technology parks Planning, management, assessment 4. Innovation centres Planning, management, assessment

INNOVATIVE CLUSTERS

5. Incubators Planning, management, assessment 6. Regional innovation strategies Design, assessment, implementation 7. Assessment of regional programmes 8. Regional innovation observatories Design and development 9. Foresight, market and technology trends analysis

10. Benchmarking Comparative assessment companies, communities, regions 11. Technology transfer Training to innovation, brokering, IPR

REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES

12. New product development Training, tools, implementation 13. Regional intelligence Design and development 14. Digital innovation tools: portals, expert tools, e-learning, roadmaps 15. Physico-virtual clusters, technology parks, and incubators: Design and development

VIRTUAL INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT AND INTELLIGENT CITIES & REGIONS 16. Digital cities and e-communities

Design and development

SERVICES

PeopleThe permanent staff of URENIO is 20

people and external contract research involves 15 to 50 people per year.

Qualifications of the permanent staff cover:

Urban and regional planning Electrical and electronic engineeringChemical engineeringInformation technologySociology and economics Applied mathematics and statistics

More….