Reports

The EU’s proposed Open Science Cloud is an ambitious effort to interlink data, results, labs and researchers across the EU. In this report, members of the Science|Business Cloud Consultation Group suggest how this initiative could be governed.

Report of the Science|Business Framework Programme Working Group

How much of EU's next budget should go to research and innovation?

The Commission’s cloud project could draw on Europe’s strengths in science to improve overall competitiveness – and change the way science is done in many disciplines. So concludes a special report from the Science|Business Network’s consultation group on the science cloud.

In this special reference report, commissioned by Huawei, Science|Business examines 10 tech clusters, which provide case studies on the integration of information and communications technologies (ICT) into an economy, and of a region into the wider world.

In October 2016, the Science|Network of universities, companies and innovation organisations gathered in Brussels to debate the future of EU R&D programmes. The result: A profusion of ideas, recommendations and warnings for the future of EU research and innovation.

In this report, for presentation to the Commissioner at the annual Science|Business Horizon 2020 conference on 16 February 2016 in Brussels, we suggest that an EIC focus on two fundamental problems: encouraging more breakthrough innovations, and scaling them up quickly within Europe and beyond. This requires tackling many sub-issues: market barriers, funding shortfalls, skills gaps, poor visibility, uncoordinated policies. But if we are to go through the political effort of creating a new agency – or deciding not to do so – there should be a clear, simple objective. In just four words: scale up breakthrough innovations.

Leading research universities around the world are becoming powerful engines of innovation. The most successful institutions generate tens or even hundreds of millions of euros in annual income from collaboration with industry, patents, licensing and spin-offs. Much of that income is channelled back to researchers, creating a virtuous circle for the university. At the same time, the universities that succeed at technology transfer contribute tangible benefits to society by stimulating innovation and economic growth.

This report explores the effectiveness of Finland’s high-growth entrepreneurship policy: whether or not this policy has helped mitigate money and skills gaps in the Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem, thereby helping new firms grow.