Kreo tn2 Karlsruhe, Rhône Alpes, Emilia-Romagna and Oxfordshire Thematic Network for the Support of Innovative Companies

5.2Innovation support infrastructures

This section presents the main physical infrastructures of each area. It has been organised according to four sub-sections:

1. 
   Science parks;
   
2. 
   Technology transfer, service centres and networks;
   
3. 
   Incubating facilities;
   
4. 
   Industry-research platforms and joint research structures.
   

In general terms, it is evident the richness of facilities existing in each region, with very similar characteristics but also peculiarities highlighting the importance of such a policy intervention for the stimulation of spin-off creation and, even more important, the help provided in the early phases of the new enterprise life.

5.2.1Science parks

Science parks are present in all the four regions and have obviously different characteristics, coherently with the different typologies of structures one may find, both in Europe and elsewhere, falling within the definition of “science park”.

In general terms, all regions show the existence of parks with strong connections with local research bodies. This is the main characteristic of the French partner experience, as we find several and very large structures hosting a big number of high tech, innovative companies taking advantage of the presence of research centres and laboratories (with teachers, researchers and students operating in the area). Therefore, these parks represent the ideal place where research spin off companies may born and develop. Science parks gather enterprises (often big and world class), public and private research centres, support infrastructures such as incubators and higher education structures. In some cases the parks are sector oriented, thus concentrating knowledge and competencies and favouring the development of networking relations between industry, research and education within a kind of “virtual cycle”.

Also the experience of Oxfordshire goes, in many cases, in the same direction, with a clear connection between research and business. Along with more traditional “business parks”, we can find science parks founded by the joint initiatives of local universities or colleges. Actually science parks must be considered in conjunction with the other numerous infrastructures conceived as specialist accommodation for knowledge intensive and early stage ventures.

The German partner experience is similar to the English one, with a particular attention to high tech and service companies needs, and an example of a technology park in Karlsruhe that has been conceived as a platform for technology transfer and growth of high tech companies from all over the world, with connections with the local university and research centre.

As for the Emilia-Romagna region, the two existing parks have strong relations with the local universities and research bodies, being one located within a campus area, however, if compared to the other regions’ ones, they are smaller in terms of dimension and younger in term of both their existence and their activity of promotion of research spin offs. But the biggest difference lies on the fact that they fall within the category of “soft parks”, providing a wide range of services but premises for enterprises. The relations between these structures and the other initiatives supporting business creation and development have been the key point for operating in this direction.

Karlsruhe

Technologiepark Karlsruhe GmbH. The Technologiepark Karlsruhe was created in 1996 by the City of Kalrsruhe and the state-owned L-Bank. It has a total surface of 300,000 m² and 50,000 m² constructed. It is located in the heart of the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe, near to the City Centre as well as to the Universities and the Research Center Karlsruhe. Its aim is to provide a platform for technology transfer and growth for high-tech companies from all over the world. Some 50 tenants are already registered, among them companies from Australia, France, UK and USA. The Technologiepark provides not only offices but also conference rooms, entertainment (sport, casino), communication tools (fairs, internal newspaper, PR support).

The Siemens Industriepark Karlsruhe was created in 1997 on a location formerly dedicated to Siemens. The surface available for companies is of 210,000 m² (office and production facilities). The park aims at attracting high-tech or service companies. The park provides them with usual facility management services and outstanding equipment, conference rooms, restaurants etc. About 115 tenants are currently registered.

Technologie- und Ökologiedorf Bruchsal (TED): TED is a park located in Bruchsal, a small place close to Karlsruhe. It was developed with the aim of providing high-tech companies with outstanding offices but also as a place where employees can live near to the office, in a very green environment. Bruchsal is very well connected through railway and motorways to the main economic centres in Baden-Württemberg and even beyond. The technology environment is also outstanding with close connections to Karlsruhe, Heidelberg and Mannheim, as well as the world-leader SAP for management software.

Rhone-Alpes

Different initiatives have been undertaken to favour the development of networking relations between research, industry and education through the establishment of several science parks that gather enterprises, public and private research centres, support structures like incubators and higher education structures.

There is a wide number of science parks in the Lyon and Grenoble area:

Seven science parks are located in Lyon, gathering more than 9,000 researchers, 50 research and training centres, 450 laboratories and more than 2,000 high technology companies.

For instance, La Doua scientific park covers 100 hectares and counts 24,000 students, 2,800 researchers divided into 80 laboratories and 50 high technology companies. It is the first park in France for collaboration between research and industry (contracts in 1999: 30 Millions euros).

Lyon-Gerland is another scientific park dedicated to biotechnology with its high level research campus (ENS-Lyon, Lyon1-University, BSL4 Laboratory, etc.) and its world-leading companies (Aventis-Pasteur, Merial, etc.). It houses 150 companies (8,000 employees including 5,000 in the high technology field), 26 laboratories, 1,000 researchers and teachers (70% in Life Sciences) and 3,000 students.

Lyon West is dedicated to information technology and entrepreneurship, counts 1,700 students (Lyon Graduate Business School, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, etc.) and 500 researchers and teachers. It houses international companies (Bull, Philips, Compaq, Alcatel, etc.) as well as headquarters (Infogrames, Cegid, Aventis Cropscience).
In Grenoble the following science parks must be mentioned:

Grenoble’s scientific Polygon covers 108 hectares and houses the CEA (3,000 researchers), the ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility with 500 researchers), the EBLM, the CNRS, 2 INPG engineering schools and the IBS (Institute of Structural Biology). The Atomic Energy Commission of Grenoble (CEA), in particular its laboratories for electronics, technology and instruments (CEA/LETI), has seen the creation of 80 spin-offs in the last 10 years, offering 1,200 jobs, and developing a global turnover of 100 Million Euro. The CEA/Leti in Grenoble gathers researchers, industries and laboratories through an open-platform initiative, in the field of micro and nano technologies. About 20 new companies were born from this process in 25 years.

The ZIRST (Innovation and Scientific and Technological Research Area) in Meylan, close to Grenoble, covers 110 hectares. It is home to 260 innovative companies employing 7,000 people.

The Software Technology Centre, located close to the Joseph Fourier University (17,200 students), gathers actors (more than 3,000 jobs) and tools in this sector, to confirm the strength and the potential of Grenoble in this field.

Emilia-Romagna

CENTURIA – Centuria Science Park is located in a territory, close to the Adriatic Coast, characterised by the presence of fertile flat land and green hills. The rapid development of the local productive sector, the growing awareness of the world competition and the presence of University scientific and technological know-how, stimulated entrepreneurs, public administrators and academics to conceive the idea of a Science Park as a tool to help the economic growth of the area and the competitiveness of the firms, through applied research and innovation transfer activities. This idea led to a project supported by the European Union and the creation of Centuria Srl, the company administering the Science Park. More than half of Centuria share capital is owned by twenty local firms, the rest by local public administrations and associations. The University is involved in the Board of Directors and in the Executive Board.

Centuria is considered the key of access for companies interested in taking advantage of the exceptional competences developed in the Cesena's territory and its resources, because of its characteristic of being a body participated by the main agro-industrial groups, connected to the local institutions, the University and the research centres, created specifically for the agro-industrial technological innovation and the promotion of the territory’s resources and competencies.

Centuria offers to SMEs the following services: fund raising, recruiting, development of business strategies, information on business opportunities, technology transfer, networking, quality certification.

PARMA TECNINNOVA – Located within the University Campus in Parma (an area of 738,000 sqm where the technical Departments and Faculties, the MASPEC research centre of CNR and other research centres are placed), Parma Tecninnova is a Consortium participated by the University of Parma, the Municipality of Parma, the Province of Parma, SOPRIP S.p.A, the local industrial association and Parma Chamber of Commerce with the aim of increasing the competitiveness of Parma area through two main activities:

• 
  the exploitation of the know-how available within the Campus
  
• 
  the management of the demand for innovation coming from companies.
  

In order to provide a link between the industries and the research centers, Parma Tecninnova promotes the creation of high-tech spin-offs aimed at valorising the research results. In the near future an incubating area will supply new start-up companies with spaces and logistic services.

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is home to a range of specialist accommodation for knowledge-intensive and early stage ventures, among which science parks, that are listed here-after. It must be noted that Oxfordshire has more science parks and incubators than any other County in the UK.

Abingdon Science Park is home to many established science and technology companies, including: Penlon (www.penlon.com), Sophos (www.sophos.co.uk), Oxford Glycoscience Celltech (www.celltechgroup.com), Vtech Electronics Europe plc (www.vtechuk.com).

Located on the border between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, Harwell International Business Centre is a rural site that offers an established infrastructure for large-scale new developments, in addition to the facilities that are offered for small and medium sized organisations.

Milton Park, one of Europe’s largest mixed use Business Parks and a major regional and national hub for knowledge-based industries as part of a mixed use community of businesses.

Monument Business Park in Oxfordshire opened in the late 1990’s when there was a growing demand for small business units. There are now 60 tenant companies on the park employing from one to forty-five people.

The Oxford Science Park, created in conjunction with the private sector, opened in 1991 and is a joint venture between Magdalen College and the Prudential Assurance Company. It is a growing and highly successful 75 acre development close to Oxford City Centre and currently home to over 50 science and technology based companies operating in computer hardware/software, bioscience and electronics. The Park has attracted international firms and houses some of the more successful of the university spin-out companies.

Oxford University Begbroke Science Park brings together industry-linked academic materials research with materials-based businesses and high tech spin-out companies. Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science, opened the Oxford University Begbroke Science Park in July 2000. The park houses the industrial arm of the Department of materials, and a number of companies have already established Technology centres on site, funded by (amongst others) the Toppan Printing Company of Japan, Luxfer and Infineum.

Grove Technology Park has attracted more than 70 new companies in the past two years, mostly in the high-tech and service sectors. Companies can either have a unit designed and built on the site, rent or lease accommodation in the Innovation Centre.