VBN InnoReg has included several pilot projects on innovation promotion tools and methods. Manuals and reports of pilot projects of the partner regions are available below. 

Hermia Ventures Ltd. (Finland)
Private pre-seed and seed fund that combines strong business development know-how, seed funding know-how and business services for technology based start-ups. The fund invests in technology companies that have growth potential at pre-seed and seed phase.

Pilot Manual - Hermia Ventures Ltd.

Pilot Report - Hermia Ventures Ltd.


Creation of Innovation Spirit among Young Generation (Latvia)
Competition of creative works "My Idea!" for Latvian schools. The competition raises awareness of young generation regarding innovation and promotes youth's interest and understanding of innovation and science.

Pilot Guidelines - Competition of creative works "My idea!"


Innovation Promotion Session (IPS) for local SMEs (Finland)
Innovativeness in local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are promoted by creating a systematic method for matching up different fields of knowledge and renewing the business activities in local SMEs. The purpose is to create new business opportunities into the region.

Pilot Manual - the basics of the Innovation Promotion Session (IPS)

Pilot Manual - the basics of the Innovation Promotion Session (IPS) (in German)

Pilot Report - Innovation Promoting Session for Local SMEs

Teams of success / ITC working group : connecting geographic information systems with economic targets (Germany)
The cooperation of the SMEs in the technological center and the creation of networks as a basis of a long-term strategic cooperation for the processing of new projects and customer orders are supported by regular meetings and events, common Internet platform, and information and further education offers.

Pilot Report - Teams of success / ITC working group. connecting geographic information systems with economic targets

IbM – Innovationen brauchen Mut (Technology Coaching Service for start-ups) - Evaluation (Germany)
IbM offers professional consulting and coaching for innovative technology-based start-ups in the Federal State of Brandenburg. The target is to test innovative and technology oriented labour market policy and evaluate the approach. Broader idea is the enhancement of knowledge-transfer between science and industry.

Pilot Report - IbM Innovationen brauchen Mut - Technology Coaching Service for start-ups

Knowledge Transfer between Companies and Academia - Automotive Transfer Workshops (Germany)
The project aims at stimulating the innovation process in small and medium size enterprises. Brandenburg Economic Development Board (ZAB) helps to set up teams of research staff and practitioners in the automotive industry. Innovation projects will be developed and discussed in specific workshop series with four sessions. The aim is to set the projects developed in these workshops into practice.

Pilot Report - Knowledge Transfer between Companies and Academia - Automotive Transfer Workshops(Transferwerkstatt Brandenburg Kompetenzfeld Automotive - TWB)

Supporting tools for RIS (Sweden)
Tools and/or methods found most effective in the work with SME & Research and growth in the region are evaluated by using SWOTs to identify strengths and opportunities. The aim is to create growth and welfare in the society with the aid of "R&D in the companies" development processes.

Pilot Report - Supporting Tools for RIS

Evaluation of how ideas in the region are utilized (Sweden)
The study is a survey of how new ideas in the region of Västerbotten, Sweden, are taken care of. How this process could be more effective is also analysed. The study is based on interviews with four partners all active in one or several phases of the regional innovation system. Another “innovation process” has been used as a comparison.

Evaluation - How ideas in the region are taken care of

Research Cheque (Sweden)
Research Cheque is a model for financing development projects within SMEs in the County of Västerbotten, Sweden. The objective is to stimulate companies to take part of the research competence at the University for development initiatives within the companies. Umeå University brings companies and researchers together in joint development projects.

Pilot Manual - Research Cheque

Developing a concept of Inter-university Research Centre (Poland)
Establishment of Inter-university Research Centre provides common platform for science and business activities where cooperation between universities is supported and initiated. Research development potential of universities is used to benefit regional development.

Pilot Report - Developing a concept of inter-university research centre

"Potential deal flow for Tartu Regional Pre-Seed Capital Fund" - Study (Estonia)
The potential deal flow for Tartu Regional Pre-seed and Seed Capital Fund during the first 5 years of operational period of the fund is studied. The fund is expected to start operating within 2008.

Pilot Report - Study "Potential deal flow of Tartu regional pre-seed capital fund"