EUROPEAN REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FUND
Cleantech Incubation Europe:
Policy and Practice Event
Insights from the INTERREG IVC Thematic
Capitalisation exercise on Eco-Innovation
Laura Roman, Technopolis Group
19 June 2014 / Delft
What is eco-innovation?
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What is eco-innovation?
Eco-innovation is any innovation that reduces
the use of natural resources and decreases the
release of harmful substances across its whole
life-cycle.
impact on environment
(resources and
emissions)
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impact on economy
(turnover, profit,
sales, exports, jobs)
impact on society
(jobs, quality of life)
INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
ECOREGIONS
www.ecoregionsproject.eu
Focus: local and regional development
policies in the areas of eco-innovation
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
European clusters and
regions for eco-innovation
network plus (ECREIN+)
www.ecreinplus.eu
Focus: developing an effective regional policy
mix to support eco-innovation
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
Cleantech-incubation
Europe (CIE)
www.cleantechincubation.eu
Focus: regional policies for cleantech
incubation
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
Forwarding regional
environmental sustainable
hierarchies (FRESH)
www.freshproject.eu
Focuses on regional policies to support and
measure eco-innovation in the construction
sector
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
Regions using ecoManagement for ecoinnovation development
(RECOMMEND)
www.recommendproject.eu
Focuses on regional policies to promote ecomanagement as an instrument for corporate
eco-innovation
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
Developing sustainable
regions through
responsible SMEs (DESUR)
www.desur.eu
Focuses on improving regional policies to
promote responsible innovation in SMEs
through Corporate Social Responsibility
programmes
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INTERREG IVC Thematic Capitalization Eco-Innovation
Projects
Producer services for
European sustainability and
competitiveness (PROSESC)
www.prosesc.org
Focus: regional policies to promote green and
competitive transport (from two-wheelers to evehicles and fuel cell buses).
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Challenges addressed by INTERREG IVC projects
Common challenges:
 Environmental
 Economic
 Disparities among EU regions
More specific challenges:
 Capabilities in regional planning for eco-innovation
 Fostering eco-innovation among small and large companies
 Promoting innovation and dissemination of eco-innovations
 Strengthening and greening value chains
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Results of the exchanges of experiences
By mid 2014:
• A total of 136 good practices identified by the projects
• Four good practices have already been transferred
• 30 good practices are in a process of preparation for
transfer to a different region
• Some of them are being incorporated in the regional
development plans.
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Approaches to eco-innovation identified in the projects
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Types of good practices identified
Eco-Innovation
policy good
practices
Eco-Innovation
support tools
good practices
Eco-Innovation
technology
good practices
Benchmarking
instrument
Low Energy / Zero
emission building
Green technology
atlas
New model of biogas
plant
Genuine progress
towards sustainability
indicator for the region
E-car battery
recharging
infrastructure
Grants
Innovation vouchers
Green standards for
new buildings
Green public
procurement
RIS3 strategies
Networking initiatives
Incubators and
clusters
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Recommendations to regions promoting Eco-Innovation
Committed
leadership of
regional
authorities
• Attain political commitment
to sustainability goals
• Regional development /
innovation strategy should
include sustainability
targets
• Commitment to sustainability
targets provides stable
market signals for private
investments
• Work across multiple
levels of governance, and
where needed involve
national policy-makers
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Regional
authorities as
eco-innovation
change agents
• Assess local demand for
new practices and foster
bottom-up processes of
change
• Conduct robust analysis of
economic, regulatory,
technological, innovation,
and natural profile
• Make strategic choices in
regional planning based on
regions’ uniqueness: local
assets and resources
Foster
framework
conditions for
eco-innovation
• Link main stakeholders in
implementing EI actions
(businesses, R&D providers,
consumers)
• Develop local skills and
build local capabilities for the
green economy
• Raise awareness, improve
access to knowledge on
eco-innovation to all
stakeholders
Recommendations for clusters and incubators
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•
Foster triple helix cooperation, and capitalise on the incubator’s physical
proximity to R&D facilities incorporating opportunities for concrete projects
between the members of the incubators, the private sector, universities or public
sector.
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Clusters should work together with incubators and support the entrepreneurial
environment in the region.
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Design cleantech incubator facilities to cater to different phases of the
innovation process. Good practices include a range of types of incubators and
demonstrators. Some are offering a fast-track space for testing and adopting the lean
start-up concept in the case of early-stage business ideas. Other demonstrators offer
the opportunity of testing their prototypes in real life settings for start-ups that are
more advanced in the innovation chain.
Thank you!
Laura.roman@technopolis-group.com
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