Final Conference Programme

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CREATIVE Welcome The Cross Innovation project closes this year. Since 2012 we have started on a journey to break down silos in our cities. Companies have shared ideas and come together to cross innovate. City policies have been made to influence the ESIF process in the cities to link to Smart Specialisation. We have piloted participative techniques to develop policy through a Policy Clinic approach. Each city has set up a Local Implementation Group for cross innovation and has produced a Local Implementation Plan. “Heat maps” showing the hot spots for collaboration have been drawn up. A tool kit for cross innovation policy makers has been produced to help other cities not in the project to plan for cross innovation. Over 100 SMEs in the 11 cities have developed new ideas and met face to face in Berlin and on–line to collaborate. Cities have identified brokers to help break down barriers and connect up the growth sectors. Our website outlines our practices- • Matchmaker facility for SMEs • City matrices (heat maps) • Good practices on the four themes • Our Cross Innovation Manifesto to act as a call to action to policy makers. Finally, the importance of internationalisation has been highlighted. We have defined three approaches to cross innovation at the city level: • Place based • Manufacturing orientated • New Coalition approaches The New Coalition approach sees the city ecosystem working to broker linkages, with companies themselves acting as brokers with local stakeholders such as universities, public authorities and intermediaries and internationalised in all aspects. We have started on the journey for demand led innovation by showcasing our best practices. We have identified that societal “challenges” such as for better health, for environmental benefit and for new combinations in digital technology, are a key means to drive public investment in times of austerity. Our next steps therefore, will be to develop our partnerships and explore how we can better connect the “open innovation” potential of citizens through fab labs, coworking centres, smart finance and serendipity spaces. Steve Harding Speakers Day 1 Day 2 12:00 Registration and lunch Parkside Atrium 13:00 Welcome and introduction to Birmingham and Final Conference Alexa Hartwell, Birmingham City University Cross Innovation Broker (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre 13:05 Welcome to Birmingham City University and overview on the role of Cross Innovation in the region Joanna Birch, Director of Research, Innovation and Enterprise (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre 13.15 Cross Innovation. Who we worked with and what we found out Dr Steve Harding, Cross Innovation Project Director & Dr Tom Cahill-Jones, Cross Innovation Project Manager (UK). Parkside Lecture Theatre 13:25 Cross Innovation Keynote – perspectives on design Mikal Hallstrup, Chief Visionary Officer and Founder, Designit (DK) Parkside Lecture Theatre 13:55 Design for Europe – a platform for how design thinking can lead to innovations in enterprise, the public sector and policy Claire Fennelow, Programme Leader – Design For Europe (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre 14:05 Funding Cross Innovation Initiatives Johanna Bähn, Finance Officer, INTERREG IVC Joint Technical Secretariat (FR) Parkside Lecture Theatre 14:15 Tea and Coffee Outside Parkside Lecture Theatre 14:30 Panel discussion on Finance - Berlin, Amsterdam & Rome, followed by Q&A Thierry Baujard, Media Deals / peacefulfish (DE) Parkside Lecture Theatre 14:55 Panel discussion on Space - Warsaw, Pilsen, Vilnius & Lisbon, followed by Q&A Dr Bastian Lange, Multiplicities (DE) Parkside Lecture Theatre 15:20 Panel discussion on Brokerage - Stockholm, Linz, Tallinn Birmingham, followed by Q&A Lucia Seel, Creative Region Company (AT) Parkside Lecture Theatre 15:45 Summary and closing remarks Dr Steve Harding, Cross Innovation Project Director (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre 16:00 End 19:00 Dinner at Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5SE Location: The Parkside Building, Birmingham City University, 5 Cardigan Street, Birmingham B4 7BD Directions: http://bit.ly/1s7aT3c Date: Thursday 16th Oct 2014 Location: The Bond, 180-182 Fazeley Street, Birmingham B5 5SE Directions: http://bit.ly/1vKi9kJ Date: Friday 17th Oct 2014 09:30 Registration Opens 09:45 Welcome Dr Steve Harding with Moderators (Cross Innovation Team and Katie Day) 09:50 Blender Workshop Introduction Participants make one-minute pitches on topic of “What’s Next for Cross Innovation?” Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse 10:30 Blender Workshop, Session One Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Including first provocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Rosanna Capone (Province of Rome) 11:15 Tea and Coffee 11:30 Blender Workshop, Session Two Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Including second provocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Lucia Seel (ClusteriX) 12:15 Blender Workshop, Session Three Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Including third provocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Arthur Le Gall (KEA) 13:00 Lunch 13:45 Taking Our Thinking Forward Key points from blender sessions discussed (incl. funding, partnerships and future plans) Dr Steve Harding with Moderators (Cross Innovation Team and Katie Day) 14:45 Closing Remarks Dr Steve Harding 15:00 End of Blender Workshop 15:15 Informal networking at Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5SE Programme Final Conference + Blender Workshop 16 – 17 October 2014 Lucia Seel International Cluster Expert Lucia has a wealth of experience in international cluster policy, development & programme management. Participating in many flagship projects (European Cluster Excellence Initiative, The European Cluster Observatory, TACTICS & CLOE). From 2011-13 Lucia started her own consultancy, set up ClusterWene, became an ESCA Cluster Benchmarking Expert and a member of the EFCEI. She focuses on cross-innovation within creative industries, with involvement in CROSS INNOVATION, CREA.RE creative regions and VINCI amongst others. Mikal Hallstrup Chief Visionary Officer, Designit Mikal Hallstrup is founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Designit and works as a creative strategist in the junction between product, service, and digital experiences. Mikal helps businesses and industries reimagine their offerings and discover what’s next. Designit helps its clients to understand new business opportunities for the digital age. Designit specialises in translating user needs and technology into transformative products, services and experiences that create both user and business value. The company is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Claire Fennelow Programme Lead, Design Council Claire Fennelow is the Programme Lead for the European Design Innovation Platform at the Design Council. The platform specifically targets businesses and public services and aims to raise awareness and capabilities to undertake design-driven innovation across the European Union. Prior to joining the Design Council, Claire spent 7 years at D&AD as Director of Education and Development, creating programmes for design student, graduates and industry. More recently, she worked as a consultant in the events industry managing both content and logistics of large scale events. Jo Birch Director, Research Innovation & Enterprise for BCU Jo Birch is currently director for Research Innovation and Enterprise at Birmingham City University, working to develop partnerships primarily around areas associated with creativity, sustainability and health to facilitate growth and encourage cross innovation. Jo has worked extensively across the creative industries over the past ten years, most recently as an executive board member on Creative City Partnership, writing with the executive, the strategy for growth for the creative industries and building the case for reinvestment back into Birmingham with institutes like the BBC and BFI. Dr Bastian Lange Urban and & Economic Geographer Dr Bastian Lange is an urban and economic geographer specialising in the creative industries, questions of governance and regional development. He spearheads the research and strategic consultancy, Multiplicities-Berlin and was Guest Professor at the Humboldt University, Berlin between 2011- 12. He is particularly interested in socioeconomic transformation processes within the creative knowledge age, refining them into a useable form for the fields of politics, business and creative scenes. Digital Life Sciences - NHS Local City: Birmingham, United Kingdom Sectors: Digital design and health services Start date: Jan 2008 End date: Ongoing Organisation: Digital Life Sciences Ltd (www.nhslocal.nhs.uk) Digital Life Sciences Ltd design, develop and distribute digital solutions to health and life sciences challenges, providing evidence of how new technology is changing traditional modes of consumption. This trend is not limited to the health system, having occurred worldwide across diverse sectors such as the media and manufacturing. However, at present, the digital healthcare market is relatively underserved and ready for expansion. Digital Life Sciences Ltd work on a number of programmes for the UK’s National Health Service including personalised care planning, online services and local delivery. The company supports increased efficiency, improved quality and greater individualisation of health provision. SmartGate Cargo City: Amsterdam, Netherlands Sectors: Digital design (gaming) and transport (cargo by air) Start date: July 2011 End date: June 2013 Organisation: Ijsfontein (www.ijsfontein.nl) Estimated budget: EUR 500,000 SmartGate Cargo is a serious game showing how digital technology is increasingly being used by other sectors to simulate real-life situations. By playing, users gain an understanding of the chain of operation of the cargo trade, experience the consequences of transporting different types of freight, and develop increased awareness through learning in an innovative way. The combination of growing cargo volumes, mounting security requirements and ever-more-complicated government inspections, poses new challenges for the industry. Schiphol Airport, Dutch Customs, ACN and ATOS Consulting worked together in a public/private partnership to plan SmartGate Cargo and tackle these issues. Ijsfontein were selected as developers due to their proven record in delivering high-quality, user- driven interfaces. Target users are employees and interested parties of Schiphol Airport, but the game is open to anyone and can be played for free at www.smartgatethegame.nl. Officina dell’Innovazione/ Technological Promoters for Innovation City: Rome, Italy Sectors: Digital design, engineering and traditional businesses Start date: Jan 2009 End date: Ongoing Organisation: Officina dell’Innovazione (www.officinainnovazione.it) Officina Innovazione is a technical office of the Province of Rome consisting of engineers from different fields. Under the Technological Promoters for Innovation programme, it brokers relationships between local SMEs and research centres/universities in the region. Expertise, including digital design, is offered to the companies for free. The programme is considered a ground-breaking financial instrument because it incentivises placing new, highly-skilled personnel within organisations, thereby promoting direct learning, rather than funding costs, such as travel or equipment, more usually associated with project work. The process stimulates the innovation capacity of participating SMEs, many from traditional sectors, by embedding access to people with much sought-after technological and interdisciplinary competences. Design Transfer Bonus City: Berlin, Germany Sectors: Design, manufacturing, engineering, transport and logistics Start date: October 2011 End date: June 2016 Organisation: B.&S.U. Beratungs- und Service-Gesellschaft Umwelt mbH (www.designtransferbonus.de) Estimated budget: EUR 2,000,000 The Design Transfer Bonus is a programme that helps SMEs introduce innovation into their businesses. Its aim is to enable the transfer of know- how from design organisations to companies developing technology- oriented products and services. The programme actively brings together technological SMEs, e.g. those from manufacturing, engineering, transport or logistics, with design companies, agencies and/or universities. The technology developers are provided with the opportunity to involve design experts at an early stage of their production processes, leading to the creation of new and innovative solutions. Compared to common voucher schemes, which typically pair research institutions with SMEs, the Design Transfer Bonus focuses on the potential that lies within the creative economy. Individual SMEs can apply for up to 15,000 Euros of support, with 70% of eligible costs covered by the programme. Johanna Bähn Finance Officer, INTERREG IVC Johanna Bähn is finance officer for the INTERREG IVC Programme in Lille/ France. She joined the Programme in May 2011 and contributes to monitoring the financial aspects of running projects and is also involved in preparing the future programme, INTERREG EUROPE. Before joining the JTS, she held a position as project officer at the INTERREG IVB North West Europe Programme. Prior to this she worked for the Department of EU Affairs at the Chancellery of the Sejm in Poland and the German Embassy in Panama Alexa Hartwell Cross Innovation Broker, BCU Steve Harding Director, Cross Innovation Interreg IVC Project Simon Whitehouse Digital Consultant Katie Day Artistic Director, The Other Way Works Dr Tom Cahill-Jones Manager, Cross Innovation Tim Wilson ???? FINANCE www.cross-innovation.eu Thierry Baujard CEO peacefulfish Thierry is founder and CEO of peacefulfish. He has been involved in media financing for the last 20 years with Studio Canal/Vivendi in the UK, USA and Germany (Studio Babelsberg). He also worked for ARTE in Strasbourg, as well as for a variety of entertainment and telecom operators. He created peacefulfish in Berlin in 2000 to offer specialised financing consulting capabilities to European public and financial organisations willing to accompany the change in funding paradigm.

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The publication which accompanied the Cross Innovation Final Conference, including information about 12 good practices from across the partnership.

Transcript of Final Conference Programme

CREATIVE

WelcomeThe Cross Innovation project closes this year. Since 2012 we have started on a journey to break down silos in our cities. Companies have shared ideas and come together to cross innovate. City policies have been made to influence the ESIF process in the cities to link to Smart Specialisation.

We have piloted participative techniques to develop policy through a Policy Clinic approach. Each city has set up a Local Implementation Group for cross innovation and has produced a Local Implementation Plan. “Heat maps” showing the hot spots for collaboration have been drawn up.

A tool kit for cross innovation policy makers has been produced to help other cities not in the project to plan for cross innovation. Over 100 SMEs in the 11 cities have developed new ideas and met face to face in Berlin and on–line to collaborate. Cities have identified brokers to help break down barriers and connect up the growth sectors.

Our website outlines our practices-

• Matchmaker facility for SMEs• City matrices (heat maps) • Good practices on the four themes• Our Cross Innovation Manifesto to act as a call to action to policy makers.

Finally, the importance of internationalisation has been highlighted. We have defined three approaches to cross innovation at the city level:

• Place based• Manufacturing orientated • New Coalition approaches

The New Coalition approach sees the city ecosystem working to broker linkages, with companies themselves acting as brokers with local stakeholders such as universities, public authorities and intermediaries and internationalised in all aspects.

We have started on the journey for demand led innovation by showcasing

our best practices. We have identified that societal “challenges” such as for better health, for environmental benefit and for new combinations in digital technology, are a key means to drive public investment in times of austerity.

Our next steps therefore, will be to develop our partnerships and explore how we can better connect the “open innovation” potential of citizens through fab labs, coworking centres, smart finance and serendipity spaces.

Steve Harding

Speakers

Day 1

Day 2

12:00 Registration and lunch Parkside Atrium

13:00 Welcome and introduction to Birmingham and Final Conference Alexa Hartwell, Birmingham City University Cross Innovation Broker (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre

13:05 Welcome to Birmingham City University and overview on the role of Cross Innovation in the region Joanna Birch, Director of Research, Innovation and Enterprise (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre

13.15 Cross Innovation. Who we worked with and what we found out Dr Steve Harding, Cross Innovation Project Director & Dr Tom Cahill-Jones, Cross Innovation Project Manager (UK). Parkside Lecture Theatre

13:25 Cross Innovation Keynote – perspectives on design Mikal Hallstrup, Chief Visionary Officer and Founder, Designit (DK) Parkside Lecture Theatre

13:55 Design for Europe – a platform for how design thinking can lead to innovations in enterprise, the public sector and policy Claire Fennelow, Programme Leader – Design For Europe (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre

14:05 Funding Cross Innovation Initiatives Johanna Bähn, Finance Officer, INTERREG IVC Joint Technical Secretariat (FR) Parkside Lecture Theatre

14:15 Tea and Coffee Outside Parkside Lecture Theatre

14:30 Panel discussion on Finance - Berlin, Amsterdam & Rome, followed by Q&A Thierry Baujard, Media Deals / peacefulfish (DE) Parkside Lecture Theatre

14:55 Panel discussion on Space - Warsaw, Pilsen, Vilnius & Lisbon, followed by Q&A Dr Bastian Lange, Multiplicities (DE) Parkside Lecture Theatre

15:20 Panel discussion on Brokerage - Stockholm, Linz, Tallinn Birmingham, followed by Q&A Lucia Seel, Creative Region Company (AT) Parkside Lecture Theatre

15:45 Summary and closing remarks Dr Steve Harding, Cross Innovation Project Director (UK) Parkside Lecture Theatre

16:00 End

19:00 Dinner at Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5SE

Location: The Parkside Building, Birmingham City University, 5 Cardigan Street, Birmingham B4 7BD Directions: http://bit.ly/1s7aT3cDate: Thursday 16th Oct 2014

Location: The Bond, 180-182 Fazeley Street, Birmingham B5 5SEDirections: http://bit.ly/1vKi9kJDate: Friday 17th Oct 2014

09:30 Registration Opens

09:45 Welcome Dr Steve Harding with Moderators (Cross Innovation Team and Katie Day)

09:50 Blender Workshop Introduction Participants make one-minute pitches on topic of “What’s Next for Cross Innovation?” Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse

10:30 Blender Workshop, Session One Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Includingfirstprovocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Rosanna Capone (Province of Rome)

11:15 Tea and Coffee

11:30 Blender Workshop, Session Two Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Including second provocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Lucia Seel (ClusteriX)

12:15 Blender Workshop, Session Three Four pitches selected and developed in interdisciplinary groups Including third provocation Facilitation led by Tim Wilson and Simon Whitehouse Arthur Le Gall (KEA)

13:00 Lunch

13:45 Taking Our Thinking Forward Key points from blender sessions discussed (incl. funding, partnerships and future plans) Dr Steve Harding with Moderators (Cross Innovation Team and Katie Day)

14:45 Closing Remarks Dr Steve Harding

15:00 End of Blender Workshop

15:15 Informal networking at Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5SE

Programme

Final Conference + Blender Workshop16 – 17 October 2014

Lucia SeelInternational Cluster Expert Lucia has a wealth of experience in international cluster policy, development & programme management. Participating in many flagship projects (European Cluster Excellence Initiative, The European Cluster Observatory, TACTICS & CLOE).

From 2011-13 Lucia started her own consultancy, set up ClusterWene, became an ESCA Cluster Benchmarking Expert and a member of the EFCEI. She focuses on cross-innovation within creative industries, with involvement in CROSS INNOVATION, CREA.RE creative regions and VINCI amongst others.

Mikal HallstrupChiefVisionaryOfficer,DesignitMikal Hallstrup is founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Designit and works as a creative strategist in the junction between product, service, and digital experiences. Mikal helps businesses and industries reimagine their offerings and discover what’s next.

Designit helps its clients to understand new business opportunities for the digital age. Designit specialises in translating user needs and technology into transformative products, services and experiences that create both user and business value. The company is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Claire FennelowProgramme Lead, Design Council Claire Fennelow is the Programme Lead for the European Design Innovation Platform at the Design Council. The platform specifically targets businesses and public services and aims to raise awareness and capabilities to undertake design-driven innovation across the European Union. Prior to joining the Design Council, Claire spent 7 years at D&AD as Director of Education and Development, creating programmes for design student, graduates and industry. More recently, she worked as a consultant in the events industry managing both content and logistics of large scale events.

Jo BirchDirector, Research Innovation & Enterprise for BCUJo Birch is currently director for Research Innovation and Enterprise at Birmingham City University, working to develop partnerships primarily around areas associated with creativity, sustainability and health to facilitate growth and encourage cross innovation. Jo has worked extensively across the creative industries over the past ten years, most recently as an executive board member on Creative City Partnership, writing with the executive, the strategy for growth for the creative industries and building the case for reinvestment back into Birmingham with institutes like the BBC and BFI.

Dr Bastian LangeUrban and & Economic GeographerDr Bastian Lange is an urban and economic geographer specialising in the creative industries, questions of governance and regional development. He spearheads the research and strategic consultancy, Multiplicities-Berlin and was Guest Professor at the Humboldt University, Berlin between 2011-12. He is particularly interested in socioeconomic transformation processes within the creative knowledge age, refining them into a useable form for the fields of politics, business and creative scenes.

Digital Life Sciences - NHS LocalCity: Birmingham, United KingdomSectors: Digital design and health servicesStart date: Jan 2008End date: OngoingOrganisation: Digital Life Sciences Ltd (www.nhslocal.nhs.uk)

Digital Life Sciences Ltd design, develop and distribute digital solutions to health and life sciences challenges, providing evidence of how new technology is changing traditional modes of consumption. This trend is not limited to the health system, having occurred worldwide across diverse sectors such as the media and manufacturing. However, at present, the digital healthcare market is relatively underserved and ready for expansion.

Digital Life Sciences Ltd work on a number of programmes for the UK’s National Health Service including personalised care planning, online services and local delivery. The company supports increased efficiency, improved quality and greater individualisation of health provision.

SmartGate CargoCity: Amsterdam, NetherlandsSectors: Digital design (gaming) and transport (cargo by air)Start date: July 2011End date: June 2013Organisation: Ijsfontein (www.ijsfontein.nl)Estimated budget: EUR 500,000

SmartGate Cargo is a serious game showing how digital technology is increasingly being used by other sectors to simulate real-life situations. By playing, users gain an understanding of the chain of operation of the cargo trade, experience the consequences of transporting different types of freight, and develop increased awareness through learning in an innovative way.

The combination of growing cargo volumes, mounting security requirements and ever-more-complicated government inspections, poses new challenges for the industry. Schiphol Airport, Dutch Customs, ACN and ATOS Consulting worked together in a public/private partnership to plan SmartGate Cargo and tackle these issues. Ijsfontein were selected as developers due to their proven record in delivering high-quality, user-driven interfaces.

Target users are employees and interested parties of Schiphol Airport, but the game is open to anyone and can be played for free at www.smartgatethegame.nl.

Officina dell’Innovazione/Technological Promoters for InnovationCity: Rome, ItalySectors: Digital design, engineering and traditional businessesStart date: Jan 2009End date: OngoingOrganisation: Officina dell’Innovazione (www.officinainnovazione.it) Officina Innovazione is a technical office of the Province of Rome consisting of engineers from different fields. Under the Technological Promoters for Innovation programme, it brokers relationships between local SMEs and research centres/universities in the region.

Expertise, including digital design, is offered to the companies for free. The programme is considered a ground-breaking financial instrument because it incentivises placing new, highly-skilled personnel within organisations, thereby promoting direct learning, rather than funding costs, such as travel or equipment, more usually associated with project work. The process stimulates the innovation capacity of participating SMEs, many from traditional sectors, by embedding access to people with much sought-after technological and interdisciplinary competences.

Design Transfer BonusCity: Berlin, GermanySectors: Design, manufacturing, engineering, transport and logisticsStart date: October 2011End date: June 2016Organisation: B.&S.U. Beratungs- und Service-Gesellschaft Umwelt mbH (www.designtransferbonus.de)Estimated budget: EUR 2,000,000

The Design Transfer Bonus is a programme that helps SMEs introduce innovation into their businesses. Its aim is to enable the transfer of know-how from design organisations to companies developing technology-oriented products and services.

The programme actively brings together technological SMEs, e.g. those from manufacturing, engineering, transport or logistics, with design companies, agencies and/or universities. The technology developers are provided with the opportunity to involve design experts at an early stage of their production processes, leading to the creation of new and innovative solutions.

Compared to common voucher schemes, which typically pair research institutions with SMEs, the Design Transfer Bonus focuses on the potential that lies within the creative economy. Individual SMEs can apply for up to 15,000 Euros of support, with 70% of eligible costs covered by the programme.

Johanna BähnFinanceOfficer,INTERREG IVCJohanna Bähn is finance officer for the INTERREG IVC Programme in Lille/France. She joined the Programme in May 2011 and contributes to monitoring the financial aspects of running projects and is also involved in preparing the future programme, INTERREG EUROPE. Before joining the JTS, she held a position as project officer at the INTERREG IVB North West Europe Programme. Prior to this she worked for the Department of EU Affairs at the Chancellery of the Sejm in Poland and the German Embassy in Panama

Alexa HartwellCross Innovation Broker, BCU

Steve HardingDirector, Cross Innovation Interreg IVC Project

Simon WhitehouseDigital Consultant

Katie DayArtistic Director,The Other Way Works

Dr Tom Cahill-JonesManager, Cross Innovation

Tim Wilson????

FINANCE

www.cross-innovation.eu

Thierry BaujardCEOpeacefulfishThierry is founder and CEO of peacefulfish. He has been involved in media financing for the last 20 years with Studio Canal/Vivendi in the UK, USA and Germany (Studio Babelsberg). He also worked for ARTE in Strasbourg, as well as for a variety of entertainment and telecom operators. He created peacefulfish in Berlin in 2000 to offer specialised financing consulting capabilities to European public and financial organisations willing to accompany the change in funding paradigm.

BROKERAGE

Space

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How to run a Cross Innovation Challenge Event

Design 2+City: Pilsen, Czech RepublicSectors: Design, engineering and healthStart date: Sept 2006End date: OngoingOrganisation: University of West Bohemia (www.fst.zcu.cz)Estimated budget: EUR 20,000 per semester

Design 2+ is an interdisciplinary project of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Design and Art, including the participation of students from the Faculty of Health Care Studies.

Tasks are assigned by industrial partners to student teams. These require development through a highly independent and responsible approach, in preparation for the competitive environment outside of academia. Through cooperating on projects, the teams have the opportunity to surpass the conventional boundaries of their study programmes. Typically, four teams will be established each semester, mutually competing and working together, with members consisting of three/four engineers and one/two designers.

Design 2+ can be considered as a pilot of the Creative Incubator project, which helps students to learn to communicate and collaborate in teams, increasing confidence and reducing the likelihood of work-based frictions.

Interactivos?City: Birmingham, United KingdomSectors: Digital design, ICT, technology and manufacturingStart date: June 2014End date: July 2014Organisations: Birmingham City University and Sampad (www.interactivosbham.co.uk)Estimated budget: EUR 90,000

Interactivos? Birmingham is a UK-based, two-week, international seminar and open innovation prototyping workshop. The model, conceived by Medialab-Prado as a hybrid between a production/learning space and exhibition showcase, provides an opportunity for reflection, research, cooperation and creation.

Proposals on a theme are selected through an international open call. They are then developed by interdisciplinary teams, completed and displayed. The process is open to the public from beginning to end.

Interactivos? is widely regarded as an international model of best practice, and in bringing the project to Birmingham in 2014, it was the first time it had been hosted in the UK. In doing so, regional and national individuals made connections to a global network of creative and digital professionals, centred around collaboration and technological production. The project was hosted by Birmingham City University with support from Medialab-Prado, Sampad South Asian Arts, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) and BBC Birmingham.

Garage48City: Tallinn, EstoniaSectors: Various, through brokerageStart date: Jan 2010End date: OngoingOrganisation: Garage 48 Foundation (www.garage48.org)Estimated budget: EUR 30,000 per event

Garage48 is a series of international, intensive, 48-hour, bootcamp events for startups. It brings together people with entrepreneurial mindsets and different skillsets: developers, designers, marketers, project managers and visionaries. The participants share expertise and knowledge with the aim of working collaboratively to develop innovative ideas.

Garage48 provides mentors for the project teams, who work on real-life problems. At the end of each two-day event, the participants pitch their prototype solutions, with the best selected for further development. The programme applies lean and entrepreneurial thinking, helping people to flourish through cooperation and providing insights into business techniques.

BlindMapsCity: Linz, AustriaSectors: Design and mobilityStart date: Jul 2012End date: Dec 2013Organisation: Smeidu (www.blindmaps.org)Estimated budget: EUR 10,000

BlindMaps is a device which enables visually handicapped people to become mobile and independent in an unknown urban environment. Through a voice-controlled interface, the user enters their desired destination, the route to which is then relayed via their mobility cane, through a combination of sonic and haptic feedback.

The initial concept was developed in 2012 at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design by Andrew Spitz (FR), Ruben van der Vleuten (NL) and Markus Schmeiduch (AT). With the support of Creative Region Linz & Upper Austria and the Cross Innovation project, Schmeiduch was able to further investigate the idea in 2013. After a selection process, he received funding to participate in a 6-week networking and research residency across Berlin and Amsterdam. In Germany he tested the product with visually handicapped potential users, whilst in the Netherlands he integrated his findings into a new 3D physical prototype, produced in cooperation with FROLIC.

The residency scheme provides a good example of a process which enables cross innovation products to be developed, via financial support and SME networking. Following the residency, Schmeiduch was awarded a further EUR 7,500 through the Prix Arts Electronica, to continue his work with the support of Futurelab.

Creative Hub TargowaCity: Warsaw, PolandSectors: Graphic design, ICT, mass-media and business servicesStart date: Jan 2009End date: OngoingOrganisation: Creative Hub (www.creativehub.pl)

Creative Hub Targowa is the first co-working space in Poland dedicated to the creative industries. It was opened in 2009 to stimulate creative flexibility and promote a variety of strategic services across communication, art, marketing and new media. In 2011, the Creative Hub Group was established – an innovative collective formed from a merger with MillionYou – with the aim of connecting the talents of the creative communities with leading brands.

The Hub offers open lectures designed to inspire and provides flexible desks, varied office space, a conference room, a chill-out zone and a guest-space for hosting members’ clients.

Currently, the Group is developing ideas for businesses around open innovation and co-creation, promoting co-working as way of making corporate structures less rigid. One particular project involves liaising with architects to convert spaces at clients’ premises into places where employees, independent creative professionals and startups can collaborate and spark off each other. Leading brands such as Coca-Cola, Google, Accenture and Yahoo have already benefitted from the concept.

Open LabCity: Stockholm, SwedenSectors: Various, through interdisciplinary collaborationsStart date: Jan 2013End date: OngoingOrganisation: Open Lab (www.openlab.se)Estimated budget: EUR 110,00

OpenLab is a centre where students, teachers and researchers from Karolinska Institutet, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm University and Södertörn University, work together on the challenges faced by the City of Stockholm, Stockholm County Council and the County Administrative Board of Stockholm.

The aim is to contribute with proposals for solutions to complex social issues, growing the region through new interdisciplinary collaborations between traditionally separate fields of knowledge - for example, medicine, engineering, science, social sciences, humanities and the arts.

Complicated problems often require new thinking to be resolved. What’s more, innovating can be difficult within large organisations and companies with well-established methods and thought patterns. Openness, empathy, creativity and acceptance of the unexpected are some of the guiding principles that drive the work of OpenLab, which involves tackling such challenges as the aging population, health care and sustainable urban development.

BeepartCity: Vilnius, LithuaniaSectors: Various but with a cultural/social biasStart date: Jan 2010End date: OngoingOrganisation: Creative Workshop Beepart (www.beepart.lt)Estimated budget: EUR 1,500 for individual cooperation programmes

Creative Workshop Beepart is a platform for cultural and social innovations in Pilaitė District, one of the peripheral suburbs of Vilnius. It fosters cross innovation by serving as a meeting point for community members, guest artists and experts of different qualification and background.

Beepart provides space for communal initiatives, including those focused on education and business, as well as encouraging active participation in civic and artistic projects. The Workshop is open to all members of the community, the skills of which are employed for the good of the cultural integration of Pilaitė. It functions as a lab for experimental ideas with the potential to improve society, taking advantage of the power of shared expertise and joint working.

FabLab LisboaCity: Lisbon, PortugalSectors: Fine arts, architecture, design, business services, manufacturing and the civic economyStart date: July 2013End date: OngoingOrganisation: FabLab LX – Mercado do Forno do Tijolo (www.fablablisboa.pt)Estimated budget: EUR 150,000

FabLab Lisboa is a fabrication-laboratory located in central Lisbon at Forno do Tijolo Market, providing a new rapid-prototyping facility, serving businesses and giving the city an important innovation tool.

The FabLab functions as a think-tank where designers, developers, students and other stakeholders gather to work on projects for the local community. The projects are initiated by the FabLab itself, in accordance with local social and civic needs. It aims to provide citizens with access to knowledge, networking and technical facilities which would otherwise be unattainable.

FabLab Lisboa is directly connected with the local business incubator, Start-up Lisbon, and Lisbon’s creative universities, such as those specialising in Fine Arts, Architecture and Design. The partners of the FabLab are Iberomoldes, CENTIMFE, AIP-CCI and Corticeira Amorim.