In Ljubljana on 3 October 2011, an international workshop entitled ‘Driving forces for R&D and innovative companies’ international mobility’ took place under the Ljubljana Technology Park umbrella.

More than 55 people from 7 countries attended the event to share their knowledge and experience with fellow Science Park professionals, including IASP Director General Luis Sanz and IASP Advisory Council President Jane Davies.

The themes of the international workshop, which was attended by representatives of European technology and science parks, Slovenian government ministries and the domestic supporting environment, were:

- What types of services and under what conditions can offers be made to foreign companies in partnership with science and technology parks?
- Networking programmes for selected groups of innovative businesses so that various ‘business-to-business’ platforms are enabled to them.
- How to establish working relationships with governmental institutions to support the globalisation of companies (business diplomacy, different governmental programmes for fostering the internationalisation of companies etc.

Iztok Lesjak, the CEO of Ljubljana Technology Park and President of the European section of the International Association of Science Parks (ISAP) initially outlined new Ljubljana Technology Park services with emphasis on Start: up Slovenia and followed this with the new service or trade mark GoGlobal Slovenia, which is run in strategic partnership with Tovarna Podjemov (‘the Venture Factory’), Maribor University’s business incubator. The programme comprises a comprehensive support system formed on the basis of the global partnership network of the science-technology parks that are in the IASP network. As part of the programme, entrepreneurs in global partnership locations are offered possibilities to affordably utilise business infrastructure (office, meeting and seminar rooms, administrative and IT support), benefit from the excellent partnership organisations to develop contacts, ensure admission to local programmes and events, the organisation of presentations to potential investors or strategic partners, personal counselling from local experts or coaching from experienced entrepreneurs and not least also linkage and negotiating with potential clients. Special emphasis was placed on co-operation with key global development regions: the USA, China, Brazil, India, Russia, EU innovative development regions and Israel.

Regarding this, Juan Antonio Bertolin, CEO of the Science and Technology Park of the University Jaume I of Castellon stressed: "Co-operation between technology parks and incubators opens new possibilities for international co-operation between resident businesses on the one hand and the exchange of knowledge and best practice between parks on the other".

The conclusions of the ‘Driving forces for R&D and innovative companies’ international mobility’ international workshop, which will serve as guidelines to technology parks and incubators to stimulate and develop services for support in internationalisation are:

• Technology parks and incubators should offer services with added value, while basic services should be offered by agencies and organisations for foreign investors. Companies must cofinance the services used.
• Businesses need integration and global orientation if they wish to succeed.
• It is necessary to have some good practices to stimulate other companies towards internationalisation.
• A role of technology parks and incubators is to acquire a thorough understanding of their member companies.
• When entering foreign markets it is necessary to consider the habits of local customers.
• For international business linkage it is necessary to have credibility and trust on both sides.

The International Association of Science Parks and its members promote business competitiveness and contribute to global economic development by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and the transfer of knowledge and technologies. Ljubljana Technology Park took on the two-year presidency of the European Section of the International Association of Science Parks in June 2010.

 

Ljubljana Technology Park