TESLA PROJECT NEWSLETTER: April 2013

Project Newsletter - April 2013 to December 2013
THE TESLA PROJECT
TESLA is a transnational
innovation support project
involving eight partners from
six EU Member States. The
overall objective of the project
is to support the growth and
development of early stage
technology based companies in
Ireland,
Wales,
Germany,
France, Belgium and the
Netherlands
through
a
programme of transnational
pilot innovation and business
support initiatives.
Irish Minister for Research and
Innovation Launches Tesla Initiatives
Addressing the launch of the TESLA Pilot Innovation Initiatives at the Rubicon
Centre in Cork Institute of Technology in May Minister Sherlock welcomed the
support from the EU Interreg North West Europe Programme to help grow and
develop early stage technology based businesses and assist their export plans into
Europe and beyond. The Minister added that the potential of the firms engaging with
the third level sector is crucial to new job creation in Ireland. Representatives from
Enterprise support agencies, Industry and the higher education sector heard that: Encouraging, promoting and developing growth and export potential of our SMEs in
Expected Results
Ireland and Europe is crucial for our economic recovery and future growth at both a
612 engagements with firms in
the 10 initiatives
55 new products designed
and/or developed
45 HPSUs established
68 Support Workshops hosted
850 Expert days provided to
firms
national and European level.
BMW Regional Assembly Director, Mr Gerry Finn added that the TESLA project is
providing important supports for the development of high potential, high tech, early
stage business ventures throughout the EU. He continued: The strength of the TESLA brand is the Transnational aspect of the project. Each
Partner brings distinctive and extensive knowledge and expertise to the table across a
wide range of business areas such as Business Finance, EU Procurement and EU
Market intelligence for the benefit of small business growth. From a broader EU
perspective the project will contribute to the objectives of Europe 2020, especially
the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative.
www.teslaproject.eu
Project Newsletter - April 2013 to December 2013
Tesla Project Presented to High Level EU Conference
A high level EU Innovation conference attended by over 300 delegates in Cork in June heard how Interreg funding is being
used to support the export development and Internationalisation plans of small firms across Europe. Kieran Moylan, Assistant
Director of the BMW Regional Assembly gave an overview of the TESLA project and the constituent pilot initiatives which are
currently being delivered in the partner regions in Germany, Ireland, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. EU
Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn visited the Tesla stand following her keynote address.
A TESLA framework workshop entitled Mobilize
The Brainport Networking Financials Workshop took place
Networks to go International was held in Laval on the
during Dutch design Week on 24th October in Eindhoven,
17th September 2013 which was attended by 40 firms
one of the largest and most popular events for creative
from the Laval region. These companies were informed of
industries in Europe. A presentation on VC Supports was
the opportunities offered by the Tesla Project.
delivered by Prof Erik Vermeulen to 40 participants.
Partner Steering Committee
The fifth meeting of the Tesla Project
Partner Steering Committee was hosted
by Tilburg University and held in
Eindhoven over two days, 3rd and 4th
of July 2013.
www.teslaproject.eu
Project Newsletter - April 2013 to December 2013
Tesla Project Events
Entering the German Market a Tesla Workshop moderated
by Dr. Wolfgang Kniejski, Chairman INI-Novation GmbH
was hosted by Lionra and CIT on May 27th/28th May, 16
As part of the TESLA Initiative, a workshop entitled
Entering the Chinese Market was held in the Rubicon
Centre CIT, Cork on june 21st, 13 firms participated.
firms participated in total.
A TESLA Spin-In Event was held in Donegal and Galway
Tesla was promoted at the North West Europe Programme
on the 22nd and 23rd of October, 2013 with 12 large MNC
Annual Event in Roubaix, France on 14th November.
firms participating.
EBN Congress
The TESLA project was exhibited at the Annual EBN Congress in Derry in May. The event was attended by over 500
delegates from throughout the EU. The keynote speaker for the event was Apple co founder Steve Wozniak.
www.teslaproject.eu
Project Newsletter - April 2013 to December 2013
Tesla Project Actions Update
The Internationalisation Action began in earnest during
May. Dr. Wolfgang Kniejski delivered two workshops in
Ireland on Entering the German Market . The first
workshop was held in Cork on May 27th and was attended
by ten firms interested in obtaining key information on
German market entry. The second workshop was held in
Galway on May 28th attended by six Innovation centre
client firms. A further 13 firms participated in a workshop
on the Chinese market which took place in Cork on June
21st. An Internationalisation workshop also took place in
Laval on September 17th. One to One support with the
firms followed on from these workshops. Further SME
requirements will be identified throughout partner regions
in 2014 and workshops are planned in the participating
regions. During September, LMT hosted a large Networking
event for export focussed firms.
Project
Partners
The Mentor Plus Action
was launched
by Lionra in August
2013. 11 firms from the incubating environment within the
four constituent HEIs of Líonra, namely, NUI, Galway,
GMIT, IT Sligo and LyIT have been chosen to participate in
the scheme. Successful firms will now be matched with
International Mentors with Specialist Knowledge and
experience. The First Phase participants will complete the
programme by end of February 2014 with the second phase
beginning in March 2014 in three partner regions.
Following the launch of the scheme in May, the Soft
Landing Action has approved four German companies to
participate in the action. The German Lead Partner ININovation is working closely with these four firms to identify
specific market intelligence needs across the NWE Regions.
Six firms from the Laval Region of France will also
participate in the initiative in 2013/14.
Led by Cork Institute of Technology, the New Product
Design & Development action began in January 2013
following an Introductory workshop. The initiative is
providing both training and expert days to selected firms
from an NPD Expert. The scheme is also being
implemented in Laval, France and Bangor in Wales.
Recruitment is ongoing and one product is at launch stage.
Eight host centres and fifteen Staff Placements have been
approved to date under the Transnational Placements
initiative. Two of the Placements have been implemented to
date. Sandrine Trouillard from Laval Mayenne Technopole
spent one week in July in Galway Mayo Institute of
Technology. In August Valerie Moreau from LMT spent one
week in the Rubicon centre in Cork Institute of Technology.
The feedback from the Placements has been very positive .
Five placements are due to take place over the coming
months.
The Creative Industries Action leader; EBN has conducted
a needs assessment process with a cohort of 25 firms.
Workshops are planned in each of the participating regions
over the coming months as follows: Netherlands in
February, UK in March and France in April.
Action Leader, CIT launched the Spin Ins Initiative in
October 2013 following the engagement of Industry Expert,
Dr. John Cashell. Introductory workshops were held in
Cork, Galway and Donegal during October to introduce the
scheme to 12 large foreign owned firms. The next stage of
the process is to identify specific Industry needs which will
be used to design a bespoke programme for Large
enterprise. Recruitment for the scheme is also ongoing in
Laval and Tilburg.
The Entrepreneurial Finance Action kicked off in
Eindhoven in October. Over forty participants including
companies, Venture capitalists, Law firms and Incubators
attended the event on Venturing & Partnering. A major
follow on event is planned in May 2014 which will be
targeted at over 100 participants. One to One assistance
with Venture Capitalists will form part of this action.
External Agencies will also be involved in the recruitment
phase of the project.
Introductory Workshops on Public Procurement
Awareness Raising for HPSU firms are planned to take place
in Cardiff on March 18th and 19th 2014. These workshops
will be followed by Tender Surgeries and one to one expert
assistance on tendering.
Contact: [email protected]
Tesla Project, BMW Regional Assembly, The Square, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, Ireland
00 353 (0) 94 986 2970
www.teslaproject.eu

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