The Baltic Sea Knowledge Region project aims to create a strong Baltic Sea Region with scientific excellence, capital and innovation far beyond the potential of each individual region. As an initial pilot project it aims to inter-connect the knowledge clusters in Hamburg, Øresund and Helsinki and prepare for later expansion of the network to include other metropolitan regions in the Baltic Sea Region. The Baltic Sea Region taken as a whole has a population of 103 million covering 11 countries with a geographical area of 2.4 million m2, nearly three quarters the area of the EU.
The pilot action takes advantage of the fact that the participating regions have well established policies to support the development of the knowledge based economy. However, concerning the regions the success of these policies is critically dependent on strong interregional links. This pilot action intends to make the first steps towards sustainable crossregional clusters by applying the so called “triple-helix” model approach to integration of the business, public administration and research community drawing on already existing regional and local political initiatives.
The universities in each of the regions are the engines for future economic development providing proven ideas which can be spun out as commercial ventures and licensed; they provide an important source of R&D services for large companies and SMEs, and they can act as magnets for intellectual capital. Linking intellectual capital is the key to developing the knowledge-based economy. Øresund University is a prime example providing an umbrella organisation for some 14 universities. Baltic Sea-KR provides an opportunity to extend this partnership to over 35 research institutions.
The specific objectives of the project are:
• To improve the outreach of regionally based clusters and their achievements by making these more accessible to individuals in other regions and facilitating personal contacts. To achieve this Knowledge Tool has been set up to contain an advanced database of organisations, documents, individuals etc. relevant to cluster development and innovation; to provide facilities for the community to interact with one another.
• To improve access to early stage finance by facilitating personal links between financiers and business angels so that they can operate on an inter-regional basis.
• To establish a dialogue between policymakers responsible for innovation in the regions. Regional innovation initiatives have in the past been formed only at the local regional level. Baltic Sea-KR provides a tremendous opportunity to engage with regional institutions and also organisations such as the Baltic Sea Development Forum and the European Investment Bank.
• To expand the membership to other Baltic Sea countries. The ultimate goal is to have a well functioning inter-connected regional innovation support system linking the Baltic Sea region as a whole. Preparations will be made to include new members. |
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