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VERITE (VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR INNOVATION MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES) is one of the 14 thematic networks of the Innovating Regions in Europe (IRE) Network supported financially by the European Commission (FP5, Innovation Programme). The network is composed of 20 institutions representing 18 regions and 13 European countries. There is a mixture of organisations ranging from technology agencies or institutes (TEKES, Institute Jozef Stefan, etc.), to regional or local authorities (Lorraine, Mantova), to regional development agencies (Centro Sviluppo), to university departments (Central Macedonia, Thessaly, Wales), to non-profit organisations supporting business interests (Nicosia Chamber of Commerce). Each of these organisations has a different baseline level of knowledge on IMTs and correspondingly different expectations on what the network can offer to their organisation and region.
- URENIO RESEARCH UNIT, ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY (GREECE)
- ARCHIMEDES FOUNDATION (ESTONIA)
- CENTRO SVILUPPO SPA (ITALY)
- FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY OF EXTREMANDURA (SPAIN)
- INSTITUTE �JOZEF STEFAN� (SLOVENIA)
- LEIA DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (SPAIN)
- MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, NRW (GERMANY)
- NICOSIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (CYPRUS)
- OBSERVATORY OF PUBLIC SCIENCES OF SOUTH EUROPE (FRANCE)
- PRO NOVUM INNOVATION ASSOCIATION (HUNGARY)
- PROVINCE OF MANTOVA (ITALY)
- REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY SOUTH WEST OLTENIA (ROMANIA)
- REGIONAL AUTHORITY OF LORRAINE (FRANCE)
- TEKES, TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (FINLAND)
- TECH TIROL TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (AUSTRIA)
- UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY (GREECE)
- UNIVERSITY OF WALES, CARDIFF (UK)
VERITE offers a platform to European regions to exchange experiences and get access to good practice on the management of innovation. Focus of the network is the common interest of its members about methods, techniques, tools, and technologies, which allow various organisations (companies, technology and consulting intermediaries, research institutes, universities) to create and manage effectively innovations. Working assumption is that this capacity to innovate is linked to the mastering of fundamental knowledge processes, such as:
Business and regional intelligence
- : Technology watch, economic intelligence, foresight
Evaluation and benchmarking
- at the business and regional levels
Technology transfer
- : Licensing, skills transfer, technology clinics
New product development
- : Creativity, product design, testing of prototypes, product life-cycle management
Co-ordination of processes
- : Material requirements planning, enterprise resource planning, improvement of supply-chains, stock management, and outsourcing.
The setting-up of the VERITE was made as a virtual community of practice. These are communities of people sharing a common interest or goal; a virtual environment supports the community�s activity, facilitating the communication and interaction among members and allowing the socialisation of knowledge and spread of technical know-how inside the community.
The people and organisations of the network and the participants to the activities of the network compose the community of VERITE. The network partners meet in major workshops and conferences to discuss the content and implementation of specific innovation management techniques. The community of VERITE has an interest to include also IMTs providers, as well as any region or institution wishing to contribute to the network aims and efforts.
A virtual space including a portal of European IMT providers, a database of articles and reports on IMTs, and an internet-based discussion group support the activities of the VERITE community. The network uses the Internet in order to support three functions: communication and discussion between members (discussion group), improvement of knowledge about IMTs (article�s database), and the application of IMTs (portal of IMTs providers).
More: www.e-innovation.org