The French ministry of higher education and research is about to launch a series of meetings around specific research topics to provide a forum for stakeholders active in innovation such as researchers, investors, industry representatives and business incubators.
The German Government has appointed the members for the second term of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation – EFI). The Commission was set up in 2007, for an initial term of four years. Consisting of six experts, it provides guidance and advice to the Government and publishes status report about research and innovation in Germany.
The forest industry has been the traditional backbone of the Finnish economy. To explore opportunities for innovation and growth in this industry, Finland launched in 2007 the “Provisions for Growth” research programme. It explored the conditions for growth and productivity in the forest-based industries, focusing on small and medium-sized companies. The programme was mainly financed my Metsämiesten Säätiö, a foundation focusing on the forest industry (http://www.mmsaatio.fi). It was completed in 2010. The final report summarises the activities, lessons learned and conclusions for industrial policy.
Paris, June 2010. In a new flagship publication on “SMEs, entrepreneurship and innovation”, the OECD states that new and small firms have gained importance in the innovation process due to increasing income, more “niched” market demand and changing technologies.
