Projects & Events

EU-funded projects

Over a 15 year period we have gained an extensive expertise in accessing, managing, implementing and monitoring EU funded projects, acting as partner and supporting companies in accessing EU-funded schemes for R&D.

We have actively participated in EU Research and Development Framework Programmes for R&D from the Fourth Framework Programme launched in 1994 and are to date involved in the Seventh Framework Programme.

Some of the major EU funded projects in which we are presently involved are described hereafter. These have been broken down into three thematic areas:

BIO-NANO technologies Projects

Acronym Project Title Abstract
MAGISTER Magnetic Scaffolds for in vivo Tissue Engineering

The main driving idea of the project is the creation of conceptually new type of scaffolds able to be manipulated in situ by means of magnetic forces. This approach is expected to generate scaffolds with such characteristics as multiple use and possibly multipurpose delivery in order to repair large bone defects and ostheocondral lesions in the articular surface of the skeletal system. The provision in vivo of the scaffold with staminal cells or /and growth factors in order to drive the tissue differentiation process and parallel angiogenesis represents nowadays one of most challenging requests. The Consortium aims to elaborate, investigate and fabricate new kind of scaffolds – magnetic scaffolds (MagS) - characterized by strongly enhanced control and efficiency of the tissue regeneration and angiogenic processes. Such a magnetic scaffold can be imagined as a fixed “station” that offers a long-living assistance to the tissue engineering, providing thus a unique possibility to adjust the scaffold activity to the personal needs of the patient.

INNOVA will contribute to the financial and administrative management, exploitation and dissemination plan development.
NAIMO

 Nanoscale integrated processing of self-organizing multifunctional organic materials The NAIMO project ambition is to create the technological environment to develop a new sustainable industry of organic electronics to improve the quality of life of European citizens. The scientific objective of NAIMO is to create cost and energy-effective processing and manufacturing methods for assembling nanomaterials onto flexible polymer films. The technological objective is the production of flexible organic electronic circuits for electronic labels, electronic paper, solar displays , etc.
INNOVA, as a partner of the consortium, is in charge of the environmental & socio-economic impact assessment of the technologies produced within the project (Life Cycle Assessment Methodology). Furthermore, INNOVA conducts project management activities and is responsible for training sessions on property rights and technology transfer addressed to young researchers and academics.
Active P53

 Manipulation tumour suppression: a key to improve cancer treatment Active P53 is an Integrated Project funded under FP6 aimed at research in the field of P53 protein for cancer applications.
INNOVA is in charge of activities related to IPR issues and supports the project management.

IST Projects

Acronym Project Title Abstract
BEinGRID

 Business experiments in grid BEinGRID, the largest integrated project ever funded under IST FP6, aims at fostering the adoption of grid technology in European business and society and thereby to catalyze the broad take-up of grid applications and services throughout the European Union. The results are to be achieved by a series of business experiments from key business sectors.
INNOVA is leader of one of the experiments of the project on Financial Portfoglio Management. In total 18 experiments will be led. INNOVA is also in charge of the development of new business models for the exploitation of the grid based solution and the resulting business plan.
HYDRA

 Middleware for networked embedded system HYDRA, funded under FP6, aims to research, develop, and validate middleware for networked embedded systems that allows developers to create cost-effective, high performance ambient intelligence applications for heterogeneous physical devices. System developers are thus provided with tools for easily and securely integrating heterogeneous physical devices into interoperable distributed systems.
In the project, INNOVA is the work package leader of user validation and business model analysis and contributes to the preparation of the Hydra user application in the agricultural field.
GREX

 Coordination and control of cooperating heterogeneous unmanned systems in un-certain environments GREX, funded under FP6, aims to create a conceptual framework and middleware systems to coordinate a swarm of diverse, heterogeneous physical objects (robotic vehicles) working in cooperation to achieve a well defined practical goal in an optimized manner. The project foresees the development of theoretical and practical tools for multiple system cooperation, bridging the gap between concept and practice.
INNOVA is in charge of conducting a market study on underwater robots applications and a technology exploitation plan to investigate the project’s potential applications.
MAP-IT!

 Knowledge mapping of IT competencies in the Mediterranean region and dialogue fostering Map-IT! Is co-funded under FP6. It aims to highlight the opportunities for research collaboration in ICT between Europe and the Mediterranean region. The project activities also include mapping and benchmarking exercises to identify key ICT players in the Mediterranean further creating an online database.
INNOVA is in charge of defining the mapping and benchmarking methodology, participate in the elaboration of the questionnaire addressed to target players, define work groups & expert panels and carry out workshops and reporting activities.
SOLAR-ICT

 Development of a knowledge platform to support Euro-latin American research partnerships in ICT SOLAR-ICT, funded under the FP6, aims at facilitating joint collaboration between Europe and the Latin American and Caribbean region. The project identifies common developmental goals and defines a framework for strategic cooperation. The project involves the countries of Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay in the LAC region and Italy and Belgium in Europe.
INNOVA acts as project coordinator, responsible for coordinating the project partners, as the mapping and workshop organizations in Latin America; in addition, INNOVA is responsible for the management of the project portal.

Innovation Policy Projects

Acronym Project Title Abstract
ECO-INNO2SME

 Support SMEs in Disseminating and Exploiting Research Results of Eco-Innovation

The overall aim of the project, funded under the FP7, is to reinforce the dissemination and exploitation of project results of small and medium sized companies (SMEs) in the areas ECO-Innovation in such a way that they are supported to bridge the gap between research and exploitation, hence expand their businesses and, accordingly, raise their competitiveness in the world markets. The project will evaluate finished projects of 5th and 6th Framework Programme of the EU with the involvement of SMEs. By defining sub-clusters of ECO-Innovation (within biotechnology, food, energy and environment) the project will follow an interdisciplinary approach in order to support exploitation and dissemination of results in these clusters.
Through different type of activities such as interdisciplinary platform meetings at regional and EU levels as well as through specific road shows in partner countries, SMEs will be able to exchange good practices and to meet strategic exploitation partners. The results will represent important inputs for EC to reach the outmost impact and reinforce the exploitation activities of SMEs in Europe and to contribute positively to the creation of a lead market for Eco-Innovation in Europe.

INNOVA is responsible for the assessment and the clustering of SMEs in Eco-innovation.
STARNET-REGIO

 Starring a trans-national network of regional research-driven marine clusters

The STARNETregio project has been conceived to increase the overall capacity of regional players in the regions Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), Slovenia and the County of Rijeka (Croatia) to invest in RTD and carry out research activities in the marine industry, strengthening and developing the sector’s scientific and technological basis and ultimately the economic growth of the regions. This endeavour will be achieved by encouraging and supporting within the regions the performance of “regional research-driven marine clusters”, based on the triple helix model, associating universities and research centres (RTD), enterprises (industry cluster) and public regional authorities (PA).
The project focus lies specifically on shipbuilding, being an essential part of the regions’ industrial structure.
The project will contribute to reinforcing and improving the connections among multi-sector clusters of companies and research centres - mainly located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, in Slovenia and in the County of Rijeka - to favour the development of innovation and competitiveness in the industry and service sectors of shipbuilding, yachting, marine appliances and related logistics.

INNOVA is a technical expert within the project and will take care of the cross-regional analysis and the setting up of the Regional Research Agendas for each region regarding their RTD activities and industry needs, fundamental to the subsequent elaboration of the Shared Research Agenda and the joint Action Plan. Furthermore, INNOVA will set up guidelines and templates for the methodological tools to be used within the project (e.g. elaboration of the questionnaire template for gathering comparable and efficient information from the research and industrial communities; structure of the final Action Plan).
RAF-REGIONS Bringing the Benefits of Research to AgroFood SMEs in the regions of Central Macedonia, Puglia and Pazardjik

RAF- REGIONS is a European project funded by the Regions of Knowledge Programme of the 7th Research Framework Programme. The objective of RAF- REGIONS is to increase the overall capacity of the Regions of Central Macedonia (Greece), Puglia (Italy) and Pazardjik (Bulgaria) in enhancing science and technology based economic development, focusing on the AgroFood Sector. The project partners comprise regional research-driven-clusters made up of Regional Authorities, SME Associations, Research Entities and Technology Consultants, all of them having the necessary experience and the institutional role to intervene and have a direct impact on research policies for the AgroFood sector.

INNOVA represents one of the three technology consultants in the project, taking care of the project activities to be conducted for the Puglia region. Main responsibilities include the performing of technology audits for the AgroFood SMEs as well as the mentoring of SME associations, regional authorities and R&D entities with regard to the state of research and technological development of the AgroFood sector in the region, including available funding mechanisms for supporting R&D efforts and possibilities for cooperation between R&D entities and the AgroFood sector. Furthermore, INNOVA is responsible for the development of the Joint Action Plan to be implemented following the end of the project. The Plan will support the sustainable economical development of the three participating regions by enhancing and exploiting their regional AgroFood R&D potential and the ability of regional SMEs to adopt research results.
WE-Mentor

 Mentoring for the transfer of good practices in supporting women entrepreneurs WE-Mentor supports women active in R&D who plan to increase their participation in European research projects and trans-national cooperation. The mentee regions (India, Romania, Israel and Turkey) are trained on good practices in how to approach, motivate and facilitate woman entrepreneurs’ participation in EU RTD initiatives.
INNOVA supports the implementation process and the training activities.
TRANSFER-EAST

 Transferring government to business IST good practices to East European member states TRANSFER-EAST aims at favouring the exchange and transfer of e-government good practices and contributes to enhance the quality of e-government initiatives across Europe. The objective is to accelerate the transition phase to information economy and society and improve the efficiency of the Public Administration– Business relationship.
INNOVA is responsible for the implementation of the knowledge transfer methodology and of the implementation of the activities in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia.
 
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