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| September 17-20, 2007 in Yerevan, Armenia Marriott Hotel, Tigran Mets Hall |
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Today, the creation of effective innovation clusters is a key success factor for strengthening the competitiveness of the countries of the Eastern European and Central Asian region. Business incubators and technoparks can play a crucial role in this process by supporting innovation-driven enterprises and becoming an integral part of innovation promotion policies and infrastructure.
”Advancing Innovation in ECA 2007” Regional Conference of ECAbit is organized by ECAbit Network of Business Incubators and Technology Parks of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the infoDev Program of the World Bank jointly with Enterprise Incubator Foundation, Armenia
“Advancing Innovation in ECA 2007” Regional Workshop of ECAbit will create an excellent opportunity for discussion of:
- national innovation policies existing in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia,
- role of business incubators and technoparks as a key elements of innovation policies and drivers of countries’ efforts to promote innovation-driven entrepreneurship,
- innovation financing mechanism
- private sector, donor and the state programs facilitating innovation promotion,
- ICT-enabled mechanism to foster innovation and collaboration, as well as
- presentation of initiatives aimed to support networking and cooperation in the area of innovation and technology transfer.
The Conference will bring together around 70-80 international and local high-level policy makers and experts in business incubation and innovation promotion from more than 20 countries of Eastern European, CIS, EU and US as well as globally known international business players.
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| 9.30 – 10.00 |
Registration |
| Session I. Setting the Stage for Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
| 10.00 – 11.00 |
Forum Inauguration and Welcome
- H.E. Mr. Serge Sargsyan, Prime-Minister of the Republic of Armenia
- Mr. Vahram Nercissyantz, Chief Economic Adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia
- H.E. Mr. Nerses Yeristyan, Minister of Trade and Economic Development of the Republic of Armenia
- Mr. Fernando Montes-Negret, Director of Private and Financial Sector Development, ECA, the World Bank
- Ms. Valerie D’Costa, Program Manager, the infoDev
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| 11.00 – 11.20 |
The Role of innovation promotion for modern economies
Mr. Itzhak Goldberg, Advisor, Policy and Strategy, ECSPF, the World Bank |
| 11.20 - 11.40 |
The Role of Business Incubation in Economic Development: Lessons from Global Experience
Ms. Valerie D’Costa, Program Manager, the infoDev
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| 11.40 - 12.15 |
Coffee-break |
| 12.15 – 13.30 |
Session II. Public Sector Innovation Policies & Programs Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Itzhak Goldberg
- Mr. Nerses Yeristyan, Minister of Trade and Economic Development of the Republic of Armenia
- Mr. Radu Gheorhgiu, Deputy Manager, The National Agency for Financing of the Higher Education and Research, Romania
- Mr. Odikhuja Parpiev, Head, Innovation Department, Committee for Coordination of Science and Technology, Uzbekistan
- Innovation Policy in Russia
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| 13.30 – 14.00 |
Discussion and Q&A Session |
| 14.00 – 15:00 |
Lunch |
| 15.00 – 16:00 |
Session III. Public-Private Partnerships for Promoting InnovationPanel Discussion moderated by Mr. Radu Big
- Mr. Juan-Ramon Alegret, Education & Research Manager for South and East Europe, Middle East and Africa, SUN Microsystems
- Mr. Gunnar Due-Gundersen, Chief of Operations, SINTEF International Operations, Norway
- Ms. Veronika Prikrylova, Microsoft General Manager, Market Development Central and Eastern Europe
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| 16.00 – 16.30 |
Discussion and Q&A Session |
| 16.30 – 16.45 |
Coffee-break |
| 16.45 – 17.45 |
Session IV. Networks for Promoting Innovation Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Lev Frienkman
- The Innovation Network in the EU Mr. Guenter Clar, Director of Regional Strategies & Innovation, Steinbeis Innovation Relay Center, Germany
- The infoDev Network in the ECA Region Mr. Andriy Tarelin, Vice-President, Ukrainian Association of Business Incubators and Innovation Centers, Ukraine
- Leveraging the Diaspora Network: Case Armenia Mr. Aram Salatyan, Director, National Instruments Armenia Corporation Company
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| 17.45 – 18.00 |
Audience Q&A session |
| 18.30 |
Reception hosted by the World Bank |
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Session I. Business Incubation Models
Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Heinz Fidler |
| 9.30 – 10.00 |
- Business Incubation Models and Approaches
Mr. Heinz Fidler, President, SPICE Group, Germany |
| 10.00 – 11.00 |
- Rural Business Incubation
Mr. Zafar Mukhitdinov, Vice-Chairman, Association of Business Incubators and Technoparks, Uzbekistan
- Promoting Innovation through Business incubation
Mr. Bagrat Yengibaryan, Director, Enterprise Incubator Foundation, Armenia
- Internationalization of High-Tech Start-ups through Business Incubation
Ms. Julia Fomina, Advisor, Technopolis PLC, Finland
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| 11.00 – 11.30 |
Open discussion and Q&A session |
| 11.30 – 11.45 |
Coffee-break |
| 11.45 – 12.30 |
Session II. Technology Transfer and High-Tech Entrepreneurship Development
Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Knut Gerber
- Technology Transfer Models and Mechanisms
Mr. Todor Yalamov, Coordinator, ARC Fund, Bulgaria
- University Support for Innovative start-ups
Mr. Oleg Movsisyan, Director, Moscow State University Science Park, Russia
- Technology Transfer Promotion System in China
Mr. Liu Zhengping, General Manager, Shanghai Co-way International Technology Transfer Center, China
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| 12.30 – 13.00 |
Open discussion and Q&A session |
| 13.00– 14.30 |
Lunch |
| 14.30 – 15.30 |
Session III. Financing innovation projects in Transition Economies
Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Khachatur Khachikyan
- Investing in Innovation in Transition Economies
Mr. Francis Skrobiszewski, Senior Executive Advisor to Monolith Capital Management LLC,USA/Consultant for USAID_CAPS Armenia
- Developing Financial Services to Innovative SMEs in Russia
Ms. Nadezhda Karisalova, Vice-President, VTB bank, Russia
- Investments in Business Incubation and Innovation Projects
Mr. Vahe Odabashian, Vice-President, H2Economy/Cafesjain Foundation, Armenia
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| 15.30 – 15.45 |
Open Discussion and Q&A Session |
15.45 – 17.30
Coffee served
into room |
Updates from ECA Members
Viasphere Technopark and Enterprises Innovation Foundation (Armenia), InfoTek (Azerbajian), ARC Foundation (Bulgaria), Civil Society Support Center Business Incubator Program (Georgia), SODBI Business Incubator (Kazakhstan), Union of Business Incubators and Innovation Centers (Kyrgyz Republic), CDIMM Maramures Foundation (Romania), Ankara Cyberpark and METUTECH Technopark (Turkey), Kharkov Business Incubator (Ukraine), Association of Business Incubators and TechnoParks (Uzbekistan) |
| 17.30– 21.30 |
Tour to Garni/Geghard and Reception hosted by Microsoft |
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| ECA Network Regional Workshop |
| 9.30 – 11.30 |
Session I. ECA bit 2007 Review
Moderated by Mr. Andriy Tarelin, ECA Incubator Network Coordinator and Mr. Stefan Schandera, infoDev Regional Coordinator for ECA
- Conference Conclusions
- Regional Action Plan status report
- ECA Innovation Clusters Mapping Results: status of research
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| 11.30 – 12.30 |
Session II. infoDev Updates
- Updates from other infoDev regions & Outlook on infoDev future development
Mr. Heinz Fiedler, Ms. Ellen Olafsen
- IDISC presentation and added value to ECAbit network
Ms. Heidi Humala
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| 12.30 – 16.00 |
Session III. Parallel Working Groups
Coffee & Lunch brought into working group rooms |
| Working group 1. Rural Innovation: Opportunities. Networking potentials. Projects. Action planning. |
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Working group 2. Young Innovation: Opportunities. Networking potentials. Projects. Action planning. |
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| Working group 3. SME Education in Transition: Situation in the project. Opportunities. Networking potentials. Projects. Action planning. |
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Working group 4. Incubation 2020: Project areas with high growth potentials (international technology transfer, green energies, women entrepreneurship, financing innovation, regional innovation clusters, ECAbit benchmarking, incubator management tools, etc.). Opportunities. Networking potentials. Projects. Action planning. |
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| 18.00 |
Departure for Study tour at Viasphere Technopark |
| ECA Regional Workshop |
| 9.30 – 11.30 |
Session I. Joint Innovation Projects: presentations of draft action plans by working group moderators (groups from previous day) |
| 9.30 – 9.50 |
Presentation 1. Incubation 2020 – setting the scene |
| 9.50 – 10.10 |
Presentation 2. Rural Innovation |
| 10.10 – 10.30 |
Presentation 3. Young Innovation |
| 10.30 – 10.50 |
Presentation 4. SME Education in Transition |
| 10.50 – 12.30 |
Discussion.
Coffee brought into room |
| 12.30 – 13.30 |
Lunch |
| 13.30 – 17.00 |
Session II. Objectives 2008: ECA Network Management Systems. Conclusions from the Conference
Moderated by Ms. Olga Lapteva
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| 13.30 – 15.00 |
ECAbit Network Objectives for 2008 and Action plan
Moderated by Ms. Olga Lapteva |
| 15.00 – 16.30 |
Three Parallel Sessions on:
- ECA network management system
- ECA virtual community and website development
- Advancing Innovation in ECA 2008
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| 16.30 – 17.00 |
Final Conference Conclusions and Closing Remarks |
| 17.00 – 19.00 |
Tour to Enterprise Incubator Foundation |
| September 21 |
Departure |
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