The power of international networking for innovation in SMEs

The International Network for SMEs (INSME) aims to promote the internationalisation of the national innovation systems and to encourage and facilitate transnational cooperation among innovation stakeholders worldwide, with a view to fostering SMEs' access to existing knowledge.

The Annual Meeting is the right place to take stock of the main Network achievements, to increase knowledge sharing among the INSME Members, learning from other Members’ experiences and from their case studies, also with a view to encouraging and accelerating cross border cooperation activities on a voluntary basis among them. But it is much more than this: for all innovation stakeholders and practitioners, including policymakers, international organisations, academic experts, business intermediaries, and knowledge networks, it represents the ideal venue to meet the right players, to discuss the right topics and potentially to identify the right talents, partners, clients, sponsors, investors for their activity. It is a remarkable worldwide window for Members and innovation actors to market their projects and ideas, reaching the appropriate professional audience. It is about a meeting of minds with a "brain cross-fertilization" effect.

Why the 7th INSME Annual Meeting in Finland?
Finland is globally recognized to be among the most innovative countries, already investing 3.7% of its GDP in R&D. Its performance in terms of R&D and innovation indicators is outstanding, not just within the EU but on a worldwide scale. We are eager to learn about the reasons behind the successful country economic model put in place in this relatively small EU country. We will have a chance to understand if the “Finnish secret” and the virtuous investments made by both the public and private sectors to turn Finland into an innovation champion can be replicated elsewhere and inspire others. For us, Finland is also the best link to reach the Baltic region and the Nordic Council at the same time as well as to more easily attract in our Community the neighbour Russian stakeholders. Meeting some of the main Finnish and Nordic innovation stakeholders will enrich our vision and our portfolio of good practices.

Finland reminds at once hi-tech, ICT large companies and big private research centers, performing VC investments in knowledge-based start-ups, and the open innovation model. But Finland is much more than this, when it comes to doing business. It is also about design, creativeness, clusters, innovative thinking, intellectual capital, social innovation.

The INSME Annual Meeting in the 2012 World Design Capital will provide us with a comprehensive insight into the Finnish national innovation system and into its own way to make innovation happen in SMEs. The Conference will also be an occasion for stimulating an open international debate on the innovation economy, involving many lecturers and experts from outside the European scenario. Don’t miss this opportunity!

We look forward to welcoming you all to Helsinki and to joining forces to create a more SME -friendly and innovative environment.

Ms. Simona Marzetti
INSME Secretary General
www.insme.org
secretariat@insme.it