New Strategy to Strengthen Innovation on Top of Europe

The strategy intends to strengthen the development of cross-border Innovation in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Poland, Northern Germany and North Western Russia with focus on life sciences and biotechnology.

The overarching aims are to enhance regional economic development, address significant issues within health, environment, energy, nutrition and agriculture and to promote cohesion between new and old EU member states as a cluster of people and ideas.

The strategy “Innovation on Top of Europe” focuses on three areas:
– Strengthen ScanBalt as an incubator for cross-border public-private project collaborations and promote excellence
– Develop shared services and common bench mark models for clusters and networks

– Optimize ScanBalt to meet needs and demands.

Hans-Robert Metelmann, chairman of ScanBalt says “With the new strategy we have taken another step to face the challenges of globalization. Our region has to compete on knowledge based production, take advantage of our differences and remove barriers for the mobility of human, industrial and financial resources. To work, live and invest on Top of Europe is attractive but we must constantly improve to stay with the best. We aim to be a frontrunner in creating the fifth freedom in the EU, the free movement of knowledge”.

Download the strategy “Innovation on Top of Europe” here: http://www.scanbalt.org/graphics/Creuna-Library/Design-Set/Newsletter/ScanBalt%20Strategy%202008-2011.pdf

For further information please contact General Secretary Peter Frank at +45 27141078 or pf@scanbalt.org

About ScanBalt BioRegion and ScanBalt
ScanBalt BioRegion is composed of Life Science and biotechnology actors in the Nordic countries, Balticum, Poland, Northern part of Germany and North Western Russia. The ScanBalt BioRegion has 11 countries and 85 million people, more than 60 universities and 2173 life science/biotech companies including 671 research based biotech SME´s. ScanBalt facilitates and co-ordinates regional and national efforts in ScanBalt BioRegion. It enhances visibility and attracts human, industrial and financial resources to the region and to the members. ScanBalt encompasses regional and national life science triple helix networks between companies, universities, hospitals, tech transfer organisations and public authorities.