STRATINC

The proposed project follows various objectives in the framework of improving competitiveness and innovation of industrial clusters and SMEs through Information mastering and networking at an European level by: i) rising awareness in industrial (already existing or potential) clusters or in individual SMEs on the importance of information mastering; ii) identifying the strategic information needs of SMEs in different selected industrial sectors taking into account the regional differences depending on the differences of technological development, of position in the value chain or simply of cultural dimension; iii) benchmarking existing methods and tools from the Economic intelligence framework (technology watches, business or competitive intelligence, foresight scenarii.) and build practical templates to facilitate the choice of most adapted intelligence set ups; iv) producing a methodological guide book on the different software applications for collection, analysis, sorting out and diffusion of information implementable by clusters and SMEs; v) facilitating the investment in the different regions in different adapted tools and to test their implantation, implementation and use; vi) favouring the creation of business co-operation activities within the SMEs and clusters thanks to the different transregional exchanges, workshops, etc. between enterprises and clusters (including the participation to FP6). This project relies on the actual experience of Lorraine (Regional Council, lead partner) in implementing at a territorial level (5 M ? invested in 3 years – 1 out of them financed by the EC – Regional policy – Innovative actions) a comprehensive advanced set up on Strategic intelligence. This project also relies on the experience of Central Macedonia (URENIO) in networking for improving the Innovation management techniques (Thematic network Verite – DG Enterprises ), of Rheinland-Westphalen (IRC ZENIT) in bilateral innovating SMEs partnership. Murcia and Tenerife through their Consultant agency – IDETRA) has experience on co-operating in Economic intelligence (CETISME project – DG Research in which Lorraine took part – publication of a Guide book on Economic intelligence for Beginners and Practionners). Finally, Oslo Teknopol is eager to set-up strategic information services for companies, as a major result of the Oslo RITTS. The 5 different industrial sectors are as follow : wood (Lorraine), ICT (Central Macedonia), biotechnos for health (Oslo), agro-food (Murcia/Tenerife) and new materials (Nord-Rhein-Westphalen).