Poznan is an important scientific and research centre in Poland, where research is conducted not only by tertiary education centres, but also by almost 50 research institutions. The capital of Wielkopolska is also an important academic city, with 26 public and private universities and colleges, educating over 140,000 students. This goes to show that the city can and should focus on the development of knowledge-based economy.
However, it turns out that despite the institutional potential, the level of innovativeness is far from satisfactory. Fragmentation of institutions and the educational offer, which is often ill-adapted to market demand, prevent the local enterprises from being supported by scientific discoveries.
Taking these stumbling blocks into consideration, Poznan City Hall is currently involved in the Innovative Projects Support Programme - a tool that brings together all of the undertakings whose overarching goal is to create an innovation-friendly economic and scientific environment. One of the projects launched within the framework of the Support Programme is the Wielkopolska Innovation Platform (WIP).
The WIP dates back to 2005, when the authorities of the City of Poznan, realizing the untapped scientific potential of our region, and the opportunities it might create for boosting Wielkopolska's attractiveness, launched a project entitled "The Establishment of the Wielkopolska Innovation Platform". At that initial stage, the project was co-financed by the European Social Fund. The main idea of the undertaking is to run a website called the Wielkopolska Innovation Platform (WIP), which is to facilitate networking and cooperation between those who create innovation and those who are seeking it. In other words, the WIP is a platform enabling an exchange of knowledge and information between science and business.
Since 2008, the project has been fully funded by the City's budget. In its current form, the Wielkopolska Innovation Platform is a project of the Poznan City Hall, executed in cooperation with Poznan-based public universities. The main objective has not changed and the initiative includes projects aimed at creating a cooperation platform for the business sector and the world of science. Exchange of information is supposed to allow for the commercialization of the scientific accomplishments originating at the Universities.
How does the WIP work?
The basic tool of the WIP is a database of offers, which collects information on the work of scientific centres, which can be applied in various sectors of the economy. The database is available as an electronic tool on the project's website. The offers are divided into three categories: measurement services, research services and results of research. Depending on their needs, entrepreneurs can use the search engine provided to locate relevant offers.
The project brings together 7 public universities from Poznan. Each of them employs a city-funded Academic Entrepreneurship Promoter, i.e. a person responsible for liaising with scientists and collecting offers which might be of interest to entrepreneurs. The Promoter also accompanies entrepreneurs and scientists in the process of commercialization of a given product featured in an offer.
Currently, the following tertiary education centres participate in the project: the Adam Mickiewicz University, the Poznan University of Economics, the University of Life Sciences, the University of Medical Sciences, the Academy of Physical Education, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Poznan University of Technology. The list is not complete, though, as the network of institutions that form the projects is to be extended to incorporate research centres and private universities as well.
Throughout the project, great emphasis has been placed on substantive support for the people involved in the execution of the undertaking. Since the very beginning, the project has enjoyed the backing of experienced and competent patent attorneys, including Ms. Barbara Łuczak, Mr. Wojciech Lisiecki and Mr. Paweł Waszak, who have assisted the Academic Entrepreneurship Promoters in their work. Thanks to the involvement of specialists in technology transfer and the commercialization of research results, the Promoters can acquire up-to-date knowledge, enabling them to be effective in their contacts with entrepreneurs and scientists alike.
What can be found on the WIP website?
On the www.wpi.poznan.pl website, it is possible to access a database containing offers of research institutions participating in the project. In addition, each visitor can access an info service on innovation, technology transfer, sources of financing for innovative investments or the legal aspects of cooperation between research institutions and entrepreneurs. The website also features regularly updated information on themed training sessions and conferences.
The Wielkopolska Innovation Platform is a project well placed to promote not only the potential and accomplishments of Wielkopolska's scientists, but also the cooperation between the world of science and the business circles. Many entrepreneurs and scientists have already recognized the benefits of using the WIP.
(source:www.wpi.poznan.pl)