Year 3 - issue 7 - February 2012
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IN THIS ISSUE: Interview with Göran Lindqvist, European Cluster Observatory, Stockholm School Of Economics Page 2 | STORY IN FOCUS Inside stories about technological innovation from the European Cluster Observatory Page 3 | STORY IN FOCUS Interview with Isabelle Lebo, Project Manager of Tactics, and Marc Pattinson, from the European Cluster Alliance Page 4 | ANNUAL EVENT European Cluster Conference 2012 Page 5 | ON THE AGENDA TACTICS Handbooks Page 6 | NETWORK NEWS Learning from South Korea Page 7 | NETWORK NEWS Page 8 | NEWS AND EVENTS
Cluster Policy Developments GÖRAN LINDQVIST FROM THE EUROPEAN CLUSTER OBSERVATORY, STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, TALKS ABOUT BUILDING ON THE STRENGTH OF CLUSTERS WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN CLUSTER OBSERVATORY? The European Cluster Observatory is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in clusters and cluster policy in Europe. We provide data and analysis which are made available to the public. Our services have evolved over the years. Starting with the cluster mapping of new EU Member States and an analysis of cluster policies in 2005, the coverage was then extended to the EU-27 and other countries. The development of our research was later oriented towards cluster organisations, as we realised their importance for clusters. The outcome of this work was a mapping of cluster organisations. We also looked at data about regions and their competitiveness. Two years ago, we launched a completely new website, opening up the Observatory to allow interaction with users willing to contribute additional information, documents and event invitations. WHICH SECTORS BENEFIT THE MOST FROM CLUSTER POLICY DEVELOPMENT? Clearly, clusters in different sectors usually have different needs. In some sectors, it is essential to connect universities with companies, while other links are much more important in other sectors. Research on clusters suggests that it is more important to a region’s prosperity to have strong and dynamic clusters rather than clusters in particular sectors. In other words, the policy lesson is that it is a matter of developing the strengths you have rather than trying to build up strengths in areas where the region is weak from the outset. All clusters, in any sector, can contribute to a region’s prosperity. Cluster development should not be a matter of pursuing some particularly desirable set of clusters, equal for all regions, but should rather be the strengthening and evolution of what already exists in a region. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR EUROPEAN CLUSTER POLICY DEVELOPMENT?
Göran Lindqvist European Cluster Observatory, Stockholm School Of Economics
There has long been a strong emphasis in Europe on research as the basis for innovation and competitiveness. Research is indeed critically important for some sectors, such as biotech. But innovation in the form of new products, services, and business models can also grow out of ideas generated by companies and entrepreneurs, with very little input from academia. This means that research policy is not the only thing that matters for innovation – other significant elements include entrepreneurship policy, infrastructure investments, attracting foreign direct investment, taxation, public procurement, etc. Cluster policy is not a new separate policy tool; it is a perspective for co-ordinating and achieving the highest effect from existing policies. The realisation that innovation and competitiveness require a wider policy perspective than research alone is perhaps our most significant challenge going forward.
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STORY IN FOCUS
Inside stories about technological innovation from the European Cluster Observatory IN A WORLD OF INCREASING MOBILITY OF GOODS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS, DO ‘CLUSTERS OF COMPETENCIES’ IN CITIES AND REGIONS REALLY MATTER? YES, AND CLUSTERS COULD MATTER A LOT, SAYS JAN ANNERSTEDT, PROFESSOR AT THE COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOL AND ADVISOR TO BEARING CONSULTING (UK).
“The growing ‘mobility industry’ across Europe benefits from locally organised collaboration among business firms, universities and supporting institutions,” says Mr Annerstedt.
“Clusters that meet new demands, involve lead user communities, and invent flexible business models seem to be the most successful.” Clusters are pan-European, exist in a multitude of sizes and shapes, and involve a wide range of stakeholders. By sharing necessary resources, inventive firms can lower their transaction costs by proximity and increased interaction. A resourceful cluster could help fuel a company to invent and innovate far beyond its own means. Furthermore, companies involved in a cluster collaborate, but also compete, with each other. We asked Mr Annerstedt to describe some of the work that he and two colleagues delivered to DG Enterprise and Industry and the European Cluster Observatory. 1 Ten years ago, the French Riviera was home to the first European cluster to apply ICT for creating mobile services for tourists, conference participants and business visitors. By engaging regional authorities, chambers of commerce, international travel agencies, hotels, event-organisers, IBM and other service companies, they developed mobile ICT applications and pioneered mTourism services for global travellers. Since then, competitive service innovations have developed similar dialogues with demanding customers in order that design efforts and technological development responds to their needs. With the ‘smartphone’, it is easy to find service solutions to meet new demands of highly mobile users, such as rescue workers, service technicians and urban commuters. Accordingly, local service companies have come to embrace mobility as a foundation for innovating and adapting their services. As the local mobility infrastructure becomes more of a low-cost utility, always available in the background, and when the quality of ‘smart’ mobile devices improves, these services become more adaptable and user-friendly.
New features on mobile devices such as RFID (radio frequency identification) have added further value. RFID chips (e.g. on goods in a delivery van) can be tracked and monitored constantly by satellite-enhanced information infrastructure. Regional transport authorities are therefore able to acquire vital real-time intelligence on routes most heavily trafficked, which in turn means flexibility and well-informed decision making for the individual traveller. Clusters that focus on combinations of transport equipment, logistics and related services have already embraced such ‘context-aware’ computing, based on continuous on-line mobile access to large databases. Here, satellite-enhanced services (such as Galileo, Europe’s emerging strategic global navigation satellite system) are perceived as a reliable utility at relatively low costs. Galileo could soon open up for new varieties of sophisticated services including 3D navigation. Demand is increasing for satellite-based, online services on request, related to earth observation, to mobile communications and to on-site information. This is also why cluster cooperation and business incubation across Europe are being encouraged to create, design and deliver new services facilitated by satellite-enhanced infrastructure. 2 1
“No waiting for Galileo: European satellite enabled services already on the move” (http://www.europe innova.eu/c/document_library/get_file ?folderId=255355&name=DLFE-9103.pdf), and "Clusters in the Mobility Industry: Automotive and Tourism Sectors - Priority Sector Report", Brussels: European Commission (available at www.clusterobservatory.eu). 2
ENCADRE (encadre.net), KIS4SAT and the European Space Incubators Network (ESINET, www.esinet.eu).
STORY IN FOCUS
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Contributing to the move towards internationalisation of Cluster Programmes INTERVIEW WITH ISABELLE LEBO, PROJECT MANAGER OF TACTICS, AND MARC PATTINSON, FROM THE EUROPEAN CLUSTER ALLIANCE
WHAT ARE THE MAIN COORDINATING TACTICS?
FINDINGS
FROM
Cluster initiatives are flourishing all over Europe in the fields of research and innovation, regional policy, and enterprise and industry. Clusters are increasingly considered to be useful tools for developing dynamic interlinked activities and projects as well as the best way to work on an open coordination basis. It has become clear that cluster policies need to be part of a region’s or country’s broader economic strategy, and the cluster policy maker should ensure that businesses and SMEs play a role in this process. Internationalisation, cluster excellence, marketing and branding, inter-clustering activities, common and/or cross-sectoral projects and emerging industries have all risen as important topics to be considered by clusters. The financing of clusters activities has also become one of the hottest topics in cluster organisations: creating new business models and integrating strong financial engineering are essential for the development of clusters and their members. The TACTICS partners have also supported the development of the European Cluster Alliance (ECA) network, providing a valuable interface with other networks and organisations.
WHAT ARE THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN CLUSTER ALLIANCE? Contributing to the move towards internationalisation of cluster programmes will be one of ECA’s key areas in 2012. ECA has grown from a loose network of 50 members into a 120-strong network of policy makers representing almost all EU countries and several others. The focus continues to be on activities aimed at supporting greater collaboration between the partners and with other EU cluster networks, notably the European Cluster Observatory and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform.
The Innovation Express calls for proposals have enabled financial support to be given to transnational, international and inter-clustering activities for the benefit of SMEs, using clusters as a vehicle. There has been strong interest in the calls demonstrating the willingness of countries and regions to collaborate at EU and international levels. Additionally, a handbook on internationalisation will be launched in the 1st half of 2012, as well as a guide on marketing and branding aimed at increasing awareness of internationalisation strategies. A final report is being prepared for 2012 too, identifying key challenges for the future and highlighting new trends in cluster policies under the excellent lead of VINNOVA of Sweden. It is based on active exchanges with a European cluster experts’ reflection group.
WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THE RECENT TACTICS/ECA CLUSTER CONFERENCE ORGANISED IN POLAND IN OCTOBER 2011? Over 100 policy makers gathered in Warsaw for a high level Conference organised by our partners from Poland under the EU Polish Presidency, in order to exchange views on the progress of TACTICS’ work. It was agreed that internationalisation should be better addressed to let European clusters access foreign markets in and outside the EU. New financial instruments (loans, guarantees by the European Investment Bank) should be offered more broadly to cluster organisations, and changes in state aid rules are crucial to making public support for clusters more flexible and efficient. Although the business model should evolve towards a public-private partnership approach, supporting networks like ECA is seen as vital for the future of clusters.
More information on the PRO INNO Europe ® website: http://www.proinno-europe.eu/ecad
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ANNUAL EVENT
European Cluster Conference 2012
ON 18-20 APRIL 2012, THE PALAIS NIEDERÖSTERREICH IN VIENNA WILL HOST CLUSTER REPRESENTATIVES AND POLICY MAKERS WHO WILL DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAN CLUSTERS.
Clusters play a crucial role in making Europe more innovative and competitive. Today, breaking barriers and improving framework conditions for the evolution of world-class clusters in Europe seem to provide the most promising answers to the ongoing globalisation trends. 1 The European Cluster Conference 2012 aims to pave the way towards 2020 through cooperation and excellence. The event is organised by Clusterland Upper Austria, ecoplus – the business agency of Lower Austria, MFG – Innovation Agency for ICT and Media of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany and the Foundation Sophia Antipolis of France. The mix of key players in the innovation field makes the event itself innovative. Participants will discuss how cluster policies should evolve in order to contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Furthermore, a clear focus will be given on clustser excellence and supporting SME internationalisation through clusters.
“Promoting cluster cooperation within and beyond Europe is one of the most effective tools for boosting innovation and competitiveness. This approach is now being further intensified by DG-Enterprise & Industry that is fostering SME-internationalisation through clusters” says Christoph Reiss-Schmidt, Project Manager at Clusterland Upper Austria.
“Therefore, the European Cluster Conference 2012 is positioned in the context of Europe 2020 and the post 2014 financial framework. We want to give participants the opportunity to exchange views on the way forward for unlocking the potential of European clusters,” concludes Christoph Reiss-Schmidt.
The event will be structured around four main building blocks: - Promotion of world-class clusters and networks for competitiveness and regional specialisation; - Better use of world-class clusters and networks for creating new industrial value chains and competitive advantages in the EU; - Better use of world-class clusters and networks for assisting SMEs to access global value chains; - Cross-fertilisation of clusters through eco-innovation and creativity. The European Cluster Conference will be a joint conference of major European Cluster Projects, namely the European Cluster Observatory, the European Clusters Excellence Initiative and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. At the same time, the conference will host the European Cluster Managers’ Club Annual Event as well as the Award Ceremony for the ‘Cluster Manager of the Year 2012’. This conference will offer an excellent opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics and best practice cases e.g. in the field of green technologies and creative industries. Furthermore, representatives of the European Commission (DG ENTR, DG REGIO, DG RTD) will present challenges ahead and the role of world-class clusters and networks as drivers of smart specialisation and building blocks to foster regional development. The Danube strategy will be also in the spotlight as a way to foster cooperation across EU Member States in a given geographic area to tackle common problems. The European Cluster Conference 2012 is thus an excellent opportunity to contribute to the discussions on how clusters should evolve in the context of the enxt Eu programming period 2014-2020. The event will bring together some 300 cluster managers, policy makers, high-level experts, stakeholders and practitioners. Registration opens in February 2012 at www.clusterconference2012.eu 1
‘Policy brief – Cluster policy in the context of EU strategy 2020’, available at: http://www.europe-innova.eu/c/document_library/ get_file?folderId=148898&name=DLFE-10363.pdf
NEW OUTLOOK
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TACTICS Handbooks INTERNATIONALISATION AND BRANDING – TWO KEY FACTORS DETERMINING THE SUCCESS OF CLUSTERS. TACTICS PROVIDES CLUSTER PRACTITIONERS WITH PRACTICAL HANDBOOKS ON HOW TO GO ABOUT IT. TACTICS CLUSTER INTERNATIONALISATION HANDBOOK Internationalisation is vital for businesses. European clusters and cluster organisations are increasingly seen as important catalysts for enabling businesses, especially SMEs, to access knowledge and markets in countries around the world and to attract investment. Cluster internationalisation is therefore one of the key themes of the TACTICS INNO-Net on cluster policies. Through workshops involving the TACTICS Reflection Group of cluster experts, the so called Cluster Internationalisation Journey has been defined. The Journey is a series of ten steps, which take cluster organisations and the policy makers supporting them from inwardly focussing on local issues to becoming outward-facing and truly global. TACTICS is preparing a Cluster Internationalisation Handbook as a guide to the Journey, complete with a set of tools and illustrated by case studies. The printed version will be available in early 2012 with additional information being available on-line. Reaction from cluster organisations and policy makers is very positive. Members of the European Cluster Alliance have contributed through comments and a questionnaire. Presentations and workshops have been held in Copenhagen, Tallinn, Warsaw and Sophia Antipolis, and testing programmes are under way in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. All of this will help to refine and enhance the content of the Handbook and to improve the practical understanding of the Cluster Internationalisation Journey by cluster organisations and policy makers for the benefit of SMEs. For further information, please go to: http://www.proinno-europe.eu/tactics
CLUSTER BRANDING AND MARKETING HANDBOOK Experts and practitioners are debating the future of cluster policies in Europe, in order to considerably raise the bar for cluster performance. Most of them share the view that a well-structured and consistent communication strategy definitely helps a cluster to perform better. This becomes even more evident if one thinks of the plethora of clusters in Europe. Clusters striving for excellence need to stand out and be a point of reference in their field. This is why they need to better brand and market themselves. The TACTICS INNO-net has fostered discussion among experts and collected significant case studies of cluster branding strategies which will be presented as a Handbook on Cluster Branding and Marketing. The whole process has been led by Veneto Innovazione, the Innovation Agency of the Veneto Region in Italy. The Handbook specifically targets policy makers, with a view to increasing their awareness of the importance of cluster branding and marketing and to providing recommendations for the drafting of future cluster policies. A five-step approach for structuring the cluster concept development phase is recommended, suggesting that a cluster’s goals, mission and values should be defined with a view to engaging key stakeholders in a participatory process. The Handbook will be released in the course of 2012. Comments, suggestions and case studies are welcome and they can be submitted to mariasole.dorazio@venetoinnovazione.it
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NETWORK NEWS
Learning from South Korea: service innovation and support measures for SME innovation A JOINT DELEGATION FROM TWO INNO-NETS – EUROPEAN POLICIES AND INSTRUMENTS TO SUPPORT INNOVATION IN SERVICES (EPISIS) AND THE INNO-PARTNERING FORUM (IPF) – VISITED SOUTH KOREA FROM 21ST TO 26TH NOVEMBER 2011. THE PURPOSE WAS TO LEARN ABOUT SOUTH KOREAN SERVICE INNOVATION POLICIES AND MEASURES IN SUPPORT OF SME INNOVATION. The range of development efforts related to service innovation is also extensive, ranging from policy development to conceptual analysis, institutional and human resources development.
The IPF Delegation with attendees at the Forum on Innovation Support Systems for SMEs held in Busan, South Korea on 25th November
The visit began with a joint briefing from the EU Delegation in Seoul about the Korean economy, industrial developments in the country over the past few decades and the role that innovation has played. This was followed by some more detailed perspectives on the Korean innovation system and approach, illustrated by concrete examples, from the EU Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK). Afterwards, the two INNO-Nets parted ways. The EPISIS delegation had the opportunity to visit the EU-Korea Industrial Cooperation. EU trade and investment have grown remarkably in South Korea and are benefiting from Korean economic growth. The EUCCK Korea-EU Awards 2011 ceremony demonstrated the significance of these industrial investments and trade between the EU and South Korea. The visit to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE), which presented its policies for knowledge-based service industries, highlighted the key channels of support for service innovation in South Korea, namely by extending the R&D concept, increasing investment in service R&D, promoting creativity and industry convergence, and through human resources development and regulatory reform. A lively discussion followed on how the different countries approach service innovation and implement their policies. During the visit to the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), it became clear how systematically South Korea is implementing its policy for service innovation which they prefer to refer to as service R&D. Service R&D topics are addressed throughout the political system from the highest-level policy actors to executive agencies, researchers and business support organisations.
IPF visited some of the main agencies responsible for funding innovation and R&D in SMEs. At the Korean Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), the delegation gained insight into their international cooperation programmes and had a good discussion around the operation of these schemes. A highlight of the visit for the IPF delegation was the discussion with the Korean Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC) which provides technology-based loan guarantees for high-tech SMEs. The provisions of the loan guarantee is based on a technology appraisal methodology which has been developed specifically by KOTEC to assess a company’s business prospects taking into account their technology. At the end of the visit the IPF delegation participated in the annual Forum on Support for High-Tech SMEs, organised by KOTEC and KEIT. It was an opportunity to exchange views on the Korean and European approaches to SME innovation support with a number of actors from the Korean SMEs support system. In addition to gaining an understanding of the Korean support system, the delegation agreed that several things stood out in terms of good practice, such as the extensive IT systems used to manage all aspects of R&D grants to SMEs, the credit-card type payment system used for payments to SMEs and the technology appraisal system developed by KOTEC, as was their recent adaptation of this system to cater for the cultural contents sector. In addition, the IPF delegation had a follow-on visit to Singapore where they had discussions with Spring Singapore and A*Star regarding their support to SMEs. Of particular interest was the Enterprise One portal and associated enterprise development centers which provide a one-stop shop, self-help portal to SMEs searching for business information and ties together information from over 30 agencies in one website.
A full report of the detailed learnings and outcomes from the visits are available at: http://www.proinno-europe.eu
NETWORK NEWS
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SAVE THE DATE: PRO INNO EUROPE® ANNUAL PARTNERING EVENT 2012
INNO-METRICS REPORTS ON “A TAXONOMY OF INNOVATION: HOW DO PUBLIC SECTOR AGENCIES INNOVATE?”
PRO INNO Europe® is pleased to announce that its 2012 Annual Partnering Event will take place on 9-11 May in Porto (Portugal).
The report, published in October 2011, is based on the results of the 2010 European Innobarometer survey of EU public agencies that identified three innovation strategies. The first, used by 30% of the responding agencies, consists of a policy-driven approach, responding to mandated changes in the agency budget, new laws, regulations and policy priorities, or the introduction of new services. The second strategy, used by 34%, is characterised by a ‘bottom-up’ approach to innovation – the opposite of the policy-driven approach. They have active management support for innovation and have implemented policies for the development of innovative ideas and tests of their efficacy. The third method, external knowledge innovation, is used by 35% of the agencies: these report high levels of barriers to developing innovation and so draw on external sources for assistance.
The event will be organised under the title ‘Better practice is not enough – New innovation challenges require new approaches’. As it will be the final PRO INNO Europe® event, focus will be placed on summing up project achievements and defining recommendations for the future. All partner in the INNO-Nets and INNO-Actions are invited to participate. More information on the arrangements and the programme as well as a registration module will be published soon at: www.proinno-europe.eu
OPEN CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORK OF ECOPOL ON INTERNATIONALISATION OF ECO-INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES In order to increase the understanding of eco-innovation dynamics and the role of public policies in strengthening national or regional approaches, ECOPOL is identifying and collecting best practices at national and regional levels to distil the most effective and efficient approaches to supporting eco-innovation. The project invites the PRO INNO Europe® community to provide examples of successful eco-innovation policy practices and to comment on those already collected. ECOPOL also encourages PRO INNO Europe® stakeholders to contribute to the general activities of ECOPOL by providing information on their pilot actions and tools they have developed and to give feedback on ECOPOL activities by sharing the experience gained so far. Specific contributions on the internationalisation of eco-innovative products and services can be sent to: Rita Silva, Agência de Inovação S.A. / Direcção de Relações Internacionais, Portugal, rita.silva@adi.pt
PRO INNO EUROPE
INNO METRICS
For policy-driven innovators, the benefits of service innovations and process/organisational innovations are significantly lower than for the other two methods. Among all the benefits of innovation, there is greatest room for performance improvement in the areas of agency size, geographic area of responsibility, and national per capita income. In terms of improved user satisfaction from innovative services, there is no significant difference between the three innovation methods. More information is available at: www.proinno-europe.eu/sites/default/files/page/11/12/IU S2010_A_taxonomy_of_innovation_How_do_public_sect or_agencies_innovate.pdf
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NEWS & EVENTS
er of ® w slett
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PRO INNO Europe® is an initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate General Enterprise and Industry. It aims to become the focal point for innovation policy analysis and policy cooperation in Europe, with the view to learning from the best and contributing to the development of new and better innovation policies in Europe. The newsletter of the PRO INNO Europe® initiative © European Commission. Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged. EDITORIAL CONTACT AND TO SUBSCRIBE: newsletter@proinno-europe.eu PUBLISHED BY: INNOVATION PIE and all other elements of the Promotion of PRO INNO Europe® Results project are performed by a consortium of companies headed by INNOVA Europe sàrl (Luxembourg). LEGAL NOTICE: This publication has been produced as part of the PRO INNO Europe® initiative. The views expressed in this report, as well as the information included in it, do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the European Commission and in no way commit the institution. This newsletter is financed under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) which aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. Printed on responsible forest management paper with vegetable-based ink.
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INNOVATION FESTIVAL MILAN 2012: FOSTERING DESIGN AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AS INNOVATION DRIVERS After the Milan Innovation Week 2010 held in the framework of the Innovation Festival (IF...), additional activities are taking place in Milan: a series of exciting events on design, creativity and innovation during spring-fall 2011 with closing events in 2012. In order to improve and better exploit the results of the project, Milan partners are implementing a new approach in a way more suitable to reach the public: instead of a single week-event once a year concentrated in a single place, a series of events spread around the City and during several months, with different formats on the themes of Design, Creativity and Innovation. For IF Milan 2012, Milan and DG Enterprise are preparing a big final IF event involving more actors and the new initiatives of the European Commission in the field of design and creative industries, notably the European Design Leadership Board and the European Creative Industries Alliance. A series of events will be organised that celebrate and highlight the achievements of the project, showcasing successful actions and practices with emphasis on those that could be adapted and transferred to the new European initiatives. The events will include an exhibition of main results of the different European IFs as well as workshops and seminars for the actors involved in the new European initiatives. These conclusive event will take place in Milan during the fashion week Feb-2012. More information available at: www.innovationfestival.it and at the European IF website: www.innovationfestival.eu
POSITIVE IMPACTS OF SERVICE INNOVATION - FROM INTANGIBLE INVESTMENTS TO EMERGING INDUSTRIES AND ECOSYSTEMS The third and final conference of the EPISIS INNO-Net targeted at policy makers will be held in Helsinki, Finland, on 4–5 of June 2012. It will take place at the prestigious Finlandia Hall designed by Alvar Aalto. The overall purpose of the conference is to showcase the wide spectrum of forerunner policies and activities in place in different EU Member States. It is also intended for discussion on how to make the most of the potential of service innovation and how to speed up the uptake of service innovations in the market. The key question will be how to get tangible results from intangible service innovation? The main target audience of the conference includes high-level policy-makers from European regions and Member States as well as other stakeholders interested in service innovation. This final EPISIS conference will be part of the official programme of both the Danish EU Presidency and the World Design Capital – a status attributed to Helsinki for 2012. The World Design Capital is an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design - an international non-governmental organisation that aims to promote innovative design. Registration and more information will be available in the near future on http://www.proinno-europe.eu/episis