The report was commissioned and funded by Innovate UK, and was aimed at understanding how the UK Catapults can generate value by strategically engaging in EU activities, reviewing the practices and experiences of similar technology and innovation centres in seven European countries.
The Big Innovation Centre study shows that Catapults can benefit from EU programmes in the following key ways:
Accessing new knowledge and capability, building strategic networks, new opportunities for market growth, alongside access to funding and infrastructure.
Providing unique and complimentary benefits when compared to national and industry funding – EU programmes and projects are generally larger, require a wider breadth of expertise and can now, under Horizon 2020 in particular, support a wider range of technology readiness levels spanning concept to market.
Professor Birgitte Andersen, CEO and Co-creator at the Big Innovation Centre said:
“Disruptive technologies change the world, but they have always needed a complex mix of foresighted funders prepared to share the risks, the right skills, an enabling state and above all firms with imagination and sense of purpose to succeed. The UK Catapults are becoming the catalysts for creating that complex mix today. But in order to enlarge their innovative capability and deliver their mission at world class level, it is essential that they do even more, promoting access to wider strategic networks and markets. Europe is an amazing opportunity for support that can’t be missed. The goal is sustainable growth, jobs, greater social mobility, and a better quality of life for all groups within society and our cities.
“Our international evidence shows that for the UK Catapults this means managing three things: 1) strategic alignment between EU engagement, national priorities and Catapult strategy, 2) strong international partnerships of joined up expertise, and 3) the complexities of EU funding calls and application procedures.”
Simon Edmonds, Director of the Catapult programme, said:
“This report clearly shows the huge benefits to be had from Catapults engaging actively with EU programmes, and the impact this can have on UK jobs and growth. Innovate UK is determined to make the most of these opportunities for UK businesses. This is why we have brought in-house the National Contact Point experts, bid for, and am pleased to say, successfully won the opportunity to deliver the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) network in England, Northern Ireland and Wales and established a permanent presence in Brussels.”
For a copy of the report please see http://www.biginnovationcentre.com/publications