01/2017-12/2019

Key objective: To assist in unlocking the economic benefits of research conducted in universities and research centres in the Western Balkans by transforming research output into actual services and products leading to the creation of new companies and employment opportunities and to an increase in economic growth.

Stakeholder groups: Technology transfer offices of universities and public research organisations, high technology start-ups and SMEs, science parks and incubators, the Regional Cooperation Council and ministries in the Western Balkans responsible for research and innovation policies, local and international financial intermediaries such as business angels, venture capital firms and the private equity sector.

Project summary: The project focuses on 15 public research organisations in the Western Balkans with capacity and potential for developing effective technology transfer systems and supporting commercialisation of research results. The project activities include

• thematic workshops and trainings in the region,
• the exploration of new regional financial instruments to support innovation,
• targeted and ad-hoc support to science and technology parks.

Project outcome:

• Delivery of training and exchanges of best practices related services.
• Identification of potential tools to accelerate contract research and development of a related roadmap.
• Identification of the challenges to the growth of the science parks and incubators in the Western Balkans and development of a forward-looking strategy and roadmap to accelerate the expansion of the sector.
• Roadmap for the rollout in the region of technology transfer focused financial instruments.
• Training in investor readiness for start-up companies or promising research projects, and organisation of two large investment fora.

Contact: Eva Baltar, Competence Centre for Technology Transfer, JRC