Aalborg University Position Paper on the European Innovation Council
April 2016
April 2016
Aalborg University position paper on the European Innovation Council
Aalborg University supports a focused ambition for European innovation and hereby highlights our
views on the European Innovation Council.
As an entrepreneurial university, Aalborg University holds a strong profile as a dynamic and
innovative research and educational institution. With an orientation towards our surroundings,
Aalborg University is characterized by combining a keen commitment in local, regional, and
national issues with an active commitment to international collaboration. Universities constitute a
global, knowledge creating platform that drives development. As an example, by supporting and
contributing to the ecosystems at national and regional level - the knowledge communities of
governments, the private sector, civil society and universities - will spill over and grow on the larger
European and global markets. A strengthened European focus would add to the innovation
capacities of universities and businesses in close cooperation for tomorrow’s new opportunities.
Hence, Europe should further stimulate the supply of new opportunities and support the creation of
a highly networked system of actors sparking the initial reaction in a European network that will
then cause knowledge and market promises to spread.
Knowledge collaboration is an integrated element in both research and education and by
stimulating the entrepreneurial and innovative mindset from early start of studies, we increase the
innovation capacities and employability of students to perform and take lead on new opportunities.
Many of the globally leading new businesses have their roots in universities, often founded by
students with a great idea, who went ahead despite all odds and are today world leaders in their
field. A European Innovation Council should hence contribute to the nurturing of talents for
entrepreneurial activities and put emphasis on the stimulation of knowledge creating
environments for students.
A well-known problem is the lack of funding in early stages, which reduces the chances of bringing
ideas from university students and staff into a path of commercialization. Society is missing out on
many opportunities due to this lack of early-stage, proof-of-concept funding that enables
universities to more broadly test ideas and applications. European added value will be achieved by
pooling resources in order to achieve sufficient scale to have a significantly stronger impact than
instruments at national level, and hereby reaching out to a larger market. The current European
funding landscape is not fit-for-purpose for market-creating innovations: white spots between
instruments still exist, time-to-grant is often still too long and it is too hard for (often small) startups
and small enterprises to find the appropriate instruments.
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Agility and responsiveness is needed, to address the ever changing innovations and
environments that occur within shorter time frames. Access channels for entrepreneurs students, researchers, businesses, and those with great ideas - should be further
stimulated at European level.
Research careers are today primarily measured by the academic achievements and obtained by
the individual researcher. In Europe there is a need to address the lack of prestige and
acknowledgement for innovation activities. Knowledge creation and working in collaboration with
business and other communities for new solutions and opportunities for tomorrow should be further
nurtured at a European level in order to address the lack of merits for innovation and business
creation. Open science should be further stimulated in order to involve more actors in the
innovation process, from researchers, to entrepreneurs, to users, to governments, and to civil
society, in order to capitalise on the results of research and innovation. Aalborg University
argues that a European Innovation Council could be an instrument for recognising
innovation excellence and merits to invest time and resources in knowledge cooperation
and increasing investment in the knowledge economy.
An example of open science at Aalborg University:
Our newly introduced Open Innovation Licensing (OIL): an online platform that aims to support
innovators in in their quest for knowledge, by making new technological inventions easily and conveniently
accessible. Whether you are a company representative, researcher or student, OIL can provide you with the
necessary technology for your projects. We believe in risk-free technology licensing as a tool to develop
more business opportunities.
Further information: http://www.en.patent.aau.dk/open-innovation-licensing/
Curiosity-driven as well as use-inspired research has delivered many breakthrough technological
and social innovations. Excellent research activities lay the foundation for market-creating
innovation. Thus investment in research is essential in order to prepare the ground for disruptive
and competitive incremental innovation. Aalborg University argues for a bottom-up instrument
to support bottom-up science driven innovation. There is a role for a European Innovation
Council with the capacity to support game changing technologies and products to boost
the European market-creating capacities and take the risk in areas where the private sector
has been too risk-averse. Based on our proven long tradition for innovation building in close
cooperation among students, researchers and the private sector, Aalborg University argues that a
bottom-up approach for a European Innovation Council is crucial to stimulate true competition
among actors in attracting and supporting the best inventors, business founders and
entrepreneurs. A key component for success will be for a European Innovation Council to
strengthen collaboration among key actors and ensure a co-creating environment for
entrepreneurs to thrive and realise their ideas.
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Finally, we would argue that simplifying and harmonizing regulations and in particular reviewing
the state aid regulations may have a significant effect on the success rate of innovations in the
market place or their ability to contribute to resolving societal challenges. Disruptive innovations
require swift market approach to develop initial volume and broad attention. The lack of a true
single market in many domains is the next barrier that causes many innovators and investors to
take their activities elsewhere.
An example of a science based spin out at Aalborg University:
Serenergy is a leading developer and manufacturer of efficient, low emission methanol fuel cell solutions
for e-Mobility and stationary power generation. Founded in 2006 by two ph.d students, Serenergy employs
today 60 persons, primarily engineers, in developing new solutions for mobile and stationary power
generation. Serenergy is an example on how a strong collaboration between university and industry can
secure the development of companies in their early stage, with flexible IP policies, joint projects where the
university can take lead and withstand the often long time between money is spent and subsequently paid
by research programs, and where joint responsibility for doing research and supporting education brings out
new innovations.
Further information; www.serenergy.com
Aalborg University is committed and highly motivated to offer our expertise, to provide feedback
and input, and to share our best practices for the development of a successful European
Innovation Council.
Contact: Charlotte Pedersen, Head of AAU Brussels Office, cp@adm.aau.dk
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About Aalborg University
Aalborg University (AAU) has been providing students with academic excellence, cultural engagement and personal
development since its inception in 1974. It offers education and research within the fields of natural sciences, social
sciences, humanities, technical and health sciences.
The main teaching and study form at AAU is problem based and project organised learning (PBL). This “Aalborg PBL
Model" builds bridges between the various approaches to teaching, research and innovation, and it connects students
and researchers. The study programmes at Aalborg University are characterized by problem solving group work
centered on authentic projects, often solved in cooperation with the business world.
Aalborg University provides high-quality research within the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and
engineering and health sciences and focuses on strong national and international world class research groups
representing the academic areas of the University.
Aalborg University has a long history of working closely together with the surrounding society nationally and
internationally and is Denmark's leading university when it comes to knowledge transfer between the university and the
st
business world. Moreover, Aalborg University is ranked as 31 among Top 150 under 50 universities in the world and
third among Nordic universities under 50 years of age.
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