During January – October 2022, LUMINSPINO designed and conducted a complex and structured set of process consulting activities which led to the elaboration of the “Timisoara Innovation Ecosystem Investment Plan”. The undertaking was initiated and led by the City Hall of Timisoara, in its capacity of partner within the URBACT international project titled Bilbao AS-Fabrik Transfer Network – AS TRANSFER (https://urbact.eu/networks/as-transfer).
The principal aim of the investment plan is to setup unit, at the municipality level, dedicated to the animation of the local innovation ecosystem, consequently the final document provides for all the components of establishment and management of the future unit (i.e., organisational structure, portfolio of services, governance mechanism, monitoring indicators and methods, financing plan)
The LUMINSPINO team managed and implemented the following main activities conducive to the generation of the investment plan:
- Moderation of the sessions with the members of the URBACT local working group
- Deployment of the interactive sessions, implying brainstorming, innovative ideas generation, and creativity tools
- Management of the online consultations with the stakeholders
- Analysis of the local innovation ecosystem, from the perspective of the needs for innovation support services, as well as from the perspective of the specific focus on Industry 4.0
- Research and presentation of good practices from the global arena.
The value proposition of INNO-TM resides in empowering the inter-connectiveness within the quadruple helix made up of public institutions, business, universities, research bodies and civil society. Hence, companies will benefit from dedicated services to enhance public-private collaboration and boost Industry 4.0, universities will have the opportunity to partner with other players (companies and public bodies) to implement R&D projects, while the city will benefit in terms of increasing competitiveness and innovation capacity, raising GDP and the standard of living of the citizens.
Relying on a solid methodological framework (e.g., Startup Commons, I4MS), LUMINSPINO, together with the local working group, designed, validated, and refined the portfolio of services of the future innovation ecosystem animation unit, encompassing:
- Mapping of the local start-up and innovation ecosystem, as well as creating the mechanism for joint use of existing infrastructures (labs, testing facilities)
- Partnership building among the actors in the ecosystem, and facilitation of partnerships with international companies / ecosystems
- One-stop-shop for ecosystem actors and newcomers – on-premises, and via digital platform, communication, web and social media presence
- Proof of concept validation of innovative ideas, both in terms of technology and business readiness levels
- Hosting of events – e.g., an “own brand” event of the Timisoara ecosystem, targeted to entrepreneurs and innovators from all over the world
- Promotion of success stories from the local ecosystem.
More information about the progress of the INNO-TM Investment Plan can be found here.
