Innovation without invention SMEs and Research

1
Innovation without invention SMEs and Research
Innovation

• AWT, Advisory Council for Science Technology
  Policy,
• The Netherlands

2
Focus presentation

• ...on SMEs and Research Innovation
• But there is much more going on .
• Investments in Knowledge KIQ
• business university collaboration is a long
  time interest in NL
• LTIs Leading Technology Institutes
• Consortia forming, additional funding
• Intermediary institutes, co-financing
• Valorisation of knowledge as task

3
SMEs and knowledge utilisation

• Advice AWT to minister of Economic Affairs (on
  request)
• Focus advisory report on SMEs that innovate
  without invention
• broad middle category of SMEs that innovate by
  using and applying existing knowledge
• Largely overlooked in policies
• but with considerable innovation potential

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Categories of SMEs
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Features of the innovation practice of appliers

• Pragmatic, goal oriented, moving fast
• Market driven, spotting chances
• Using existing knowledge
• smart combinations to find solutions
• dependent on external knowledge partners
• direct use of knowledge
• knowledge transfer using knowledge
• In short practice driven (DUI) instead of
  knowledge driven innovation (STI)

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Points for improvement

• Low absorption capacity due to low level of
  education
• Shortcomings in knowledge diffusion
• structural facilities (instead of incidental)
• intranspararency of initiatives
• Accessibility of PROs
• Not so much universities, but higher vocational
  colleges, TNO etc.

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Strengthening the innovation practice of SMEs

• More policy attention for appliers
• Suiting their practice of innovation without
  invention
• Facilitating and enhancing innovation capacities
  (not stimulating specific innovations)
• Building on existing policies, but sharpened for
  appliers

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Recommendations

• Increase level of knowledge in companies
  (absorption capacity)
• Solid infrastructure for knowledge diffusion
• Support obtaining advice for innovation (Up
  scaling knowledge vouchers)
• Improve accessibility and alignment with higher
  vocational colleges and TNO
• Involve appliers in government calls for tenders