The InnoRegio-program: a new way to promote regional innovation networks - empirical results of the complementary research -

Summary

The assumption that a link exists between the level of a network’s development and its ability
to develop projects capable of receiving financial support is prima facie not implausible. This
is, however, only partially supported by our findings, which could be due to the rough
indicators that had to be used. The networks would benefit from further studies devoting
more attention to the network characteristics covered here.

5. Conclusions and questions to be answered

Entering third phase the InnoRegio program was accompanied by difficulties. The complexity
and the length of the project approval process in particular were bemoaned by the network
actors. This problem was mainly caused by the complex support regulations to which all
participants had first to become acquainted with (InnoRegio is anything but a ready made).
Several measures, such as the intensive consultations with the applicants and the close
cooperation between everyone in the support management team led to an acceleration of the
process. By March of this year, almost 260 projects had obtained support of € 68 million.

The main results achieved within the starting period of InnoRegio are:

• The InnoRegio competition has mobilized both, a remarkable set of ideas and a great
number of participants.

• New regional innovation systems seem to be created, existing systems seem to be
strengthened.

• Quite a number of new jobs were already created.

• Some promising projects in the area of R&D and (advanced) vocational training were
initiated.

But, of course, one cannot say yet, how sustainable these results will be. And one should not
withhold some problems, e.g. that, as a result of the longlasting starting period, some
participants decided to withdraw, which in some cases weakened the network process. One
of the main problems left is how to finance the network management acoording to declining
governmental support in the future. There are many ideas dicussed, but in fact nobody really

19

<<   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   >>

More intriguing information