Projects
ScanBalt attracts or assists to attract funding to the members in order to promote coordinated private-public cross-border project activities as a basic requisite to achieve the aims and goals of ScanBalt BioRegion.
The activities focus mainly on creating regional cross-border infrastructure where advantageous or to develop private-public cross-border collaboration within specific thematic areas. Some examples of project activities and their outcome are listed below. In the brackets are mentioned sources of co-funding. The return of investments in ScanBalt by the members is more than 10 to 1 since 2001.
Infrastructure
• ScanBalt BioRegion, Network of Networks - Initial development of the vision, the network and the communication platform. The project marked the beginning of ScanBalt BioRegion (Nordic Innovation Center).
• ScanBalt CompetenceRegion – The concept of ScanBalt BioRegion developed as a meta-regional added value chain. Competencies analyzed and the establishment of new regional triple helix networks and organisations promoted (ScanBalt CompetenceRegion, EU FP 6).
• Shared SME Services and Support - Shared modular SME services and support between clusters in order to make more effective use of regional competencies and strengthen SME development (Bridge-BSR, EU FP 7).
• Business Accelerators - Business Acceleration Support to support the development from ideas to high-growth SMEs by overcoming bottlenecks in the development process (Bridge-BSR, EU FP 7).
• The Nordic-Baltic Expats Forum - Infrastructure and marketing tools developed for attracting back expatriates and maintaining expatriates from abroad working within the region and thereby exploiting expatriates as a brain-bank (funded by companies, universities, regions and innovation agencies). See www.nordexpat.eu
• ScanBalt Academy - founded with members representing the highlight of research in ScanBalt BioRegion. Acts as an external advisory body and ambassador’s corpse and deliver high level knowledge and competencies (ScanBalt Campus, Interreg lllB).
• The ScanBalt Academy House - Opened March 2008 in Schwerin. Physical meeting place for the Academy which can host conferences and be a center for the activities (donated by Landesregierung of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern).
• ScanBalt Campus – Concept for education and research infrastructure developed able to attract financial and human resources. Four active networks operating. Shared curricula based on a common concept promoted (ScanBalt Campus, Interreg lllB).
• ScanBalt BioRegion Summer Schools - A concept developed for summer schools. International summer schools taking place each year within different subjects and in various locations throughout ScanBalt BioRegion attracting students from within the region and abroad.
• Communication in ScanBalt BioRegion – Communication tools and platforms further developed promoting collaboration, coordination and visibility (Nordic Innovation Center, Interreg lllB).
Thematic Networks and Training
• Thematic Networks – Various networks are initiated based on cross-border public-private collaboration within:
- Intellectual Property Management
- Agro biotech
- Clinical Research
- Marine Biotechnology
- Bioethics
- Stem Cell Research
(EU FP 6, NordForsk, Nordic Innovation Center, others)
• ScanBalt Campus Knowledge Networks – The following ScanBalt Campus Knowledge Networks are operating:
- Environmental biotechnology
- Agro biotech
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Intellectual Property Management
• Research and Project Management Training - Training offered to young life science researchers in order to enhance their management skills (Trays Prime, EU FP 6).
• EU framework programmes – Knowledge and competencies advanced for National Contact Points and their customers and their respective focus areas strengthened (Boosting Baltic FP 6, EU FP 6).
• Biosystems Technologies – Public/private collaboration promoted and the establishment of a globally competitive BioSystem Hub planned (Boost Biosystems, EU FP 6).