December 22nd, 2008 by admin

by Editor-in-chief Irina Blomqvist:

DIGIBUSINESS Think Tank members met last week in Venice, Vega Park. The meeting was an extensive mixture of Finnish, Italians, English, Dutch, Northern Irish, Spanish and French digital content & services business support people. The idea in these meetings is to exchange information on what’s happening in our respective countries or regions and start working on concrete project ideas. We went through European funding opportunities and discussed vividly on the lack of funding for commercialization for example. We don’t think there are tools for that, so therefore is there something we should do as a group to help companies to get such funding? There is clearly an issue to be raised. As an European Think Tank we aim to find possibilities for our companies to meet and collaborate. Because of the nature of DIGIBUSINESS area the companies tend to be small in size and they could benefit a lot with this “collaborative entrepreneurship” idea, which is nothing new really. Companies could actually look at the markets together.

DIGIBUSINESS companies or ICT/Media Creative companies are very innovative by nature. But, being small and innovative doesn’t necessarily bring the business in. As a Think Tank, and also as a support group for these companies we need to get Europe working together. Europe can get a head start by setting up best practice initiatives for innovation across government, industry and education. Properly developed, funded and practised, it could help a powerful climate of innovation and a thriving intellectual infrastructure to develop in Europe. Such an integrated set of initiatives - public and private - would not only be timely, it would be a bold and innovative strategy in itself.

By adopting an innovative philosophy in business and applying a creative strategy across the enterprises, embedding it in the business mix, we will be in a much better position to map business successfully onto the turbulent but wonderfully challenging environment in which we all find ourselves.

Many Think Tank members will be in Lyon in ICT 2008 Conference and networking event on 25^th November if you want to find out more.

Irina Blomqvist
Programme Director
DIGIBUSINESS Finland, Digibusiness Cluster Programme
Culminatum Innovation
Editor-in-chief for http://www.digibusiness.eu
Mobile +358 40 5722 393
irina.blomqvist(a)culminatum.fi

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