During the 2nd project period, participating regions have pointed out the main needs and difficulties from their regional analysis done in first semester, and selected main good practices from the other partner regions. Both, regional analysis and GPs are being compared to find final conclusions, in order to initiate the 1 st Chapter of Action Plan in each region.
The status of the project in the good practices selection is explained at the article, made by the responsible project partner No.2 Aufbauwerk Leipzig:
Good Practice research RATIO - project
As first step in the RATIO project it was foreseen to carry out an analysis of the innovation potentials for SMEs in the rural partner regions. The analysis contains the policy framework for research and innovations, detection of relevant players and their interaction in the technology transfer and innovation process and also the available tools and services provided for enterprises to foster innovations. Further each partner searched for Good Practices for the exchange of experience process and they were presented during the partner meeting in Latvia at 25th October 2016.
The detected Good Practices reach from the establishment of a technology park in Walga; funding programme for the agrifood sector; programmes for the expansion of broadband access, technology transfer and logistic services to rural areas in Spain / agricultural service company of Precision Farming and cluster NEU e.V. for energy and environment in Leipzig Germany / Innovation Centre and Innovations Vouchers of Ùstí region in Czech Republic / Institute for Environmental Solutions and Healthy Food Cluster in Latvia / entrepreneurship programme of Alto Tâmega and forestry management programme of pine forest in Portugal / creative training programmes for human resources of the Vieterbo Chamber of Commerce and funding programme for entrepreneurs developed by “bottom-up” process in Lazio Italy / Enterprise Centres and Local Enterprise Offices of Cork in Ireland.
The first conclusion of the detected Good Practices was found in the case that they provide services and the right framework conditions during the start-up phase of entrepreneurship e.g. by networking, training and mentoring programmes or technology transfer. The second conclusion was that they face the problem of financing innovations. The developments of novel technological solutions for products or production process as well as innovative services often require high financial resources. The project partners decided to further discuss the Good Practices and a further selection process according to the main needs of each partner region will be carried out. In April 2017 an Exchange of experience event is planned in Leipzig, Germany to find the final conclusions.
