Friuli Innovazione
Friuli Innovazione was set up in 1999 by the University of Udine, the Udine Industrial Association, the Fiat Research Centre, Agemont, the Pordenone Industrial Association and the CRUP Foundation. Later on, we attracted support from other local partners who have endorsed and developed a shared strategy and objectives in innovation and technology transfer. In 2004, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Authority made a major contribution to the initiative by appointing Friuli Innovazione to launch and manage the Luigi Danieli Science and Technology Park at Udine. The ideal space for turning ideas into projects and research into products.
1999 - our efforts contributed to the launch of the Region's first academic spin-off company.
2001 - we took part in Sister, the regional project for the creation of a permanent system supporting technology transfer.
2002 - we joined the Campus One project for training recent graduates. In the same year, we collaborated with the University of Udine and Labiotest srl to launch LOD, the Laboratory of Dynamic Olfactometry, the first joint university-industry laboratory specialising in UNI EN 13725:2004-compliant odour measurement, characterisation and control; subsequently, we set up CRISP, the Centre for Process Pollution and Development specialising in environmental management and assessment.
2004 - the Science and Technology Park opened; we launched a new technology transfer project for Friulprint srl that would lead in 2006 to the completion of an innovative phytopurification plant.
2005 - a crucial year for Friuli Innovazione which saw the launch of Techno Seed, the Region's first enterprise incubator specialising in the creation of high-technology ICT (Information and Communication Technology) enterprises; we were the only Italian partner in the interregional Corinna (Cooperation of Regions for Innovation) project to promote the collaboration of the border regions of Slovenia, Austria and Hungary in technological innovation; we hosted the Park's first resident and launched the services of Spazio Impresa for businesses, public bodies, researchers and young graduates. We quickly became a new interlocutor for the propagation of technological innovation and enterprise culture in the Region.
2006 - the Institute of Applied Genomics was set up with the University of Udine and four researchers as partners; the Laboratory of Metallurgy, Surface Technologies and Advanced Materials is opened; we took part in the ICT Education Centre financed by the Regional Authority to develop and enhance technical higher education and training opportunities in ICT. We took part in the InnovarèImpresa project funded by the European Social Fund to promote innovation in SMEs by introducing research and innovation-oriented skills.
2007 - we received the Quality Award for our Techno Seed and Corinna projects within "Challenges - From Good Practice to Good Administration", the national territorial promotion and development initiative sponsored by Forum PA and the Department for the Development of Territorial Economies of the Prime Minister's Office. Friuli Innovazione and Techno Seed joined Achieve, the European umbrella network for more than twenty of the best ICT enterprise incubators. Also in 2007, we took part in Domotica FVG, a project that brings the Region's four science and technology parks together for the first time, promoting the collaboration of industry and research in the development of new models and prototypes for domotics. We set up Techno Growth, an enterprise accelerator serving small and micro hi-tech enterprises seeking to boost growth. The initiative generated a new project to develop a centre of excellence for virtual prototyping and testing technology. We started our activities in the wood sector by proposing European and Regional projects. We also took part in the European IMPROVE project, implemented to support SMEs in innovation management. We designed and completed this first presentation in addition to many other ambitious new initiatives.
Main field of activity
- Biotechnologies
- Metallurgy, Surface Technology and Advanced Materials
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Energy and Environment
- Wood
Laboratories
- Research Centre on Pollution and Process Development (CRISP)
- Laboratory for innovative metallurgy, surface technologies and advanced materials
- Applied Genomic Institute
OTHER TECHNOLOGY PARKS IN THE REGION
Among other technology/science parks operating in the region, beside the Science and Technology Park Luigi Danieli can be mentioned
http://www.sciencesystem.it/index_eng.php
Area Science Park AREA Science Park is a first-level National Research Body, depending on the Ministry of University and Research. Its mission includes the enhancement of research & development activities, the support of the competitiveness of enterprises, the assistance in the creation of new enterprises and of spin-offs, and the dissemination of Innovation.
Agemont S.p.A. The Technological Centre of Pordenone, with a series of services, activities, and laboratories, works together with those enterprises in the area which want to make innovation the core of their business and acts as reference point for the support and application of innovation.
Polo Tecnologico di Pordenone The "Polo Tecnologico di Pordenone" is a public limited consortium company that supports competitiveness of local enterprises by supplying advanced assistance services for research and technological innovation. To this aim, it aggregates companies that develop research programmes and offer performances with a high content of technology and knowledge.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
http://www.regione.fvg.it/inglese/pagine_interne/business_research.asp)
In Friuli Venezia Giulia there are 8.8 researchers for every 1,000 inhabitants, compared with 2.8/1,000 nationally, 5.4/1,000 in the European Union, and 8.1/1,000 in the United States. These figures reflect a deep-rooted vocation throughout the entire region for study, research and innovation.
Currently the research and development system in the region is particularly rich and includes three universities:
Trieste and Udine (which have also decentralised their teaching activities to Pordenone, Gorizia and Monfalcone, with an overall teaching body of almost 2,000 teachers, 22 faculties, approximately 130 degree courses, about 100 specialist degree courses, 60 specialisation schools and more than 42,000 students enrolled) and SISSA - International School for Advanced Studies (for postgraduate training and leading-edge research in various areas of Physics, Mathematics and Neurosciences).
Regional Research System
http://www.sciencesystem.it/index_eng.php)
The high concentration of public and private research bodies in Friuli Venezia Giulia has led to the creation of a regional "research-system" in order to define synergies between the know-how and activities of the various bodies.
This system was set up in 2004 under the name Coordination of Research Bodies with the objective of creating a Network of national and international research bodies with headquarters or operational structures based in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The task of coordinator has been assigned to AREA which coordinates 43 public and private research centres in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
INCUBATOR FACILITIES
Area Science Park The two campuses in Padriciano and Basovizza (Trieste) accommodate 84 centres, companies and institutes with over 1700 people involved in research and development, technology transfer, training activities and qualified services.
http://www.area.trieste.it/opencms/opencms/area/en/area_e_en/parco_scientifico/
ICT incubator located in the Science and Technology Park of Udine addresses to researchers and lecture-researchers, graduates, students, university employees, secondary school teachers, companies or company executives and employees wishing to develop an innovative project by setting up a new legal entity (by expansion or spin off). The aim of this activity is to support start-up businesses during the crucial early stages also by helping entrepreneurs to access finance.
http://www.friulinnovazione.it/services/enterprise-development
The Azienda Agraria Universitaria "Antonio Servadei" (University Farm), founded in 1987, was created with the aim of allowing students from the Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary medicine to acquire direct experience of cultivation practice, the activities of animal breeding and care and company administration as well as of guaranteeing researchers the possibility to carry out experimental activities.
http://aziendagraria.uniud.it/english/presentation
CIT - Centro di Innovazione Tecnologica (Technological Innovation Centre)
The "Centro di Innovazione Tecnologica" of Amaro is headed by Agemont (Agency for the Economic Development of the Mountain Region). The enterprises presently settled operate in the sectors of industrial automation, electrical, electronic and optical components and products, and innovative material processing.
http://www.agemont.it/age_en/agemont.htm
BIC Friuli-Venezia Giulia S.p.A.established in Trieste in 1989 by SPI - Promozione e Sviluppo Imprenditoriale SpA (IRI Group), represents one of the most significant experiences in enterprise creation and innovation, both at national and international levels. BIC Friuli-Venezia Giulia operates through the Centre of Trieste and its satellite Centre located in Gorizia and Spilimbergo.
http://www.en.sviluppoitalia.it/
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Friuli Innovazione's partners involved in education and training:
- University of Udine
- AREA Science Park
- I.T.I. "A. Malignani", High School, Udine
- IRES FVG Udine
- (Institute for Social and Economic Research)
Some of the main education and training regional projects and entities engaged:
Techno Seed Project is financed by the Ministry of Productive Activities in Italy (the only in the North East) with the aim of selecting innovative ideas based on ICT and Telecommunication for the setting up of new enterprises.
It provides:
1. Training for potential entrepreneurs in business administration;
2. Business planning support services through two so called virtual Laboratories: Technology development Laboratory; Strategic and Planning Laboratory.
FIRM - Business training for SMEs in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region
Business Plan Competition - http://startcup.uniud.it/startcup/
MIB - School of management that offers post-graduate courses and actions for life-long education, by developing programmes for cooperation and exchange with the most qualified research and training experiences carried out at an international level. MIB is a member of the main European business school networks. The School is strongly rooted in the territory and the course contents are structured according to enterprise needs. Enterprises also benefit from an advisory service for the planning of management development activities.
D4 Project is a long-term scheme promoted and funded by the Central Office for Work, Training, Universities and Research in the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, within the Regional Operational Programme, Objective 3, 2000-2006, Priority D, Measure D4, dedicated to "improving human resources in the sectors of research and technological development".
"Innovation Campus" is an initiative with the objective of offering continuous training and a meeting and support workshop for national and international operators and agencies in the sector. It provides higher education courses, specialist studies, shadowing and consultancy on technology transfer themes and projects.
http://www.area.trieste.it/opencms/opencms/area/en/attivita_en/progetti_az_en/D4_en.html
SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS START-UPs
Here below some of the main regional initiatives for business start-up:
FARE IMPRESA is Friuli Innovazione's integrated proposal for enterprises, research and new business ideas. It offers customised services to develop strategies, processes, technologies and human resources for the promotion and support of innovation at every stage from the generation of entrepreneurial ideas to the creation of new enterprises, incubating, mentoring, funding, seeking partners, networking and setting up at the Luigi Danieli Science and Technology Park in Udine.
IMPRENDERÒ' is a project managed by a consortium of 19 partners, promoted and funded by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia through the European Social Fund within the framework of the Operational Programme, Objective 3, 2000-2006. Imprenderò sets out to disseminate and promote the enterprise culture, enhancing it as an indispensable element for collective social and economic development. The project is aimed at researchers, doctorate students and graduates interested in setting up a business or at collaborators and employees of businesses interested in furthering spin-offs.
INNOVATION FACTORY is an AREA Science Park initiative designed to provide support and assistance in the creation of new, innovative businesses.
The ITI (International Technology Incubators) project aims to promote and manage the hosting of innovative hi-tech Italian SSIs willing to set up their business abroad. It is based on a joint organization supporting SSIs in locating specialized technology incubators.
http://www.area.trieste.it/opencms/opencms/area/en/projects_en/
MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS AND FAIR TRADES
Here below some of the most important events in FVG region:
INNOVACTION www.innovactionfair.com
The Udine International Fair called InnovAction presents itself as the ideal place in which, in an advanced environment, the key figures of national and international innovation, the most brilliant minds in different fields and a large and heterogeneous audience have the opportunity to meet.
FEST http://www.festrieste.it/eng_fiera.html
The Trieste International Science Media Fair is a laboratory of ideas which experiments new forms of dialogue between science and the general public, a science media festival which features books, periodicals, radio, tv, web and blog in a vast multimedia bookshop.
PROMOSEDIA International Chair Exhibition
http://www.promosedia.it/index.php?pag=salone&l=eng
For further information:
MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES
- Global Growth Network essential
- Personal business advisor
- Training services
To favour the link between University and enterprises Friuli Innovazione provides assistance in the following:
- Technology transfer
Assistance to enterprises finding research partners, defining collaboration agreements for research projects and assistance in the main processes of technological transfer.
- Enterprise Funding
Information, assistance and training on research, development and technological innovation programmes at Regional, National and European level.
- Enterprise Development
Training, evaluation and assessment of the business idea, assistance on business planning and fund raising, business matching.
- Hosting
Equipped area, outsourcing of technical services; networking with other enterprises and institutions; outsourcing of technical and logistic services; internal networking services between enterprises and already settled companies; external networking services for institutions, research centres and potential partners.
LINKS TO MOST IMPORTANT WEBSITES
Friuli Venezia Giulia Region:
http://www.regione.fvg.it
Chambers of Commerce:
en.uaf.ithttp://www.ts.camcom.it/english/home.htm
Regional Industrial Associations: