Growing Innovative Companies

Incorporating The Proton Europe Third Annual Conference and The Gate2Growth Summit
Aldershof Convention Centre Berlin, Germany

This two-day conference will address the challenge of helping innovative companies grow – both through knowledge transfer from the research base as well as through effective funding mechanisms, strategic alliances and internationalisation. Day 1 on “Knowledge Transfer with SMEs” is being organised by ProTon Europe, Gate2Growth’s thematic network linking transfer offices of universities and public research centres, and will focus on successful examples of collaboration between research organisations and SMEs. Sub-themes include policies for bridging the gap between academia and industry, mechanisms for doing business with SMEs, networks for science-SME collaboration and knowledge transfer from universities to the regional economy. The programme concludes with the issuing of the Berlin Statement on Innovation and Knowledge Transfer to SMEs.

Day 2, the Gate2Growth Summit, is being organised by Europe Unlimited on behalf of the European Commission services. It will bring together the key actors in the field of stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship and financing growth. The programme will look at crucial issues, such as widening the technology base and second round financing, with a view to fostering entrepreneurship and growing more and better high-tech companies. Through focused presentations and discussions between policy makers and financial/ technology intermediaries supporting the growth process, the conference’s objectives are to share pragmatic solutions, assess existing tools and services and offer hands-on advice.

Registration under www.proton-europe.org