Policy Forum – Lessons Learned from Skills2Scale project

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by Jana Simanova & Ales Kocourek & Pavel Pelech,  Technical University of Liberec

On 17th May, the digital Policy Forum of the Skills2Scale project was held to discuss the project’s achievements and share the valuable lessons learned. Project partners representatives presented and discussed the project’s outcomes and best practices/good experiences among HEIs and KICs. 

After doing the self-evaluation at the start of the project, we asked the same questions again to show how the institutions had “moved on ” after one year. The greatest progress was noted in the areas of ‘understanding and expertise’, ‘collaboration with industry partners’, ‘access to necessary R&D equipment’, ‘courses, training/innovation and e-business support programmes’ – all related to Beyond 5G technology. 

Le’ts have a look what great things have been done so far:

The digital conference on 19th June:  𝘽𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙: 𝙐𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝟱𝙂, under the auspices of the Uzhhorod National University, is going to be „the icing on the S2S cake“ in the last month of the project!

The great news of the last few days is that the Czech startup OPMET Labs (powered by Skills2Scale DTAP)  has achieved great success in the national competition! OPMET Labs will receive financial support 392,000 €  from the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic in the next 3 years. Congratulations!

Food for Thought about Business Development

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by Tiina Mäki-Petäjä

A perfect picnic includes sandwiches, refreshments, good company and interesting discussions. This was the inspiration for the last local stakeholder event organized by the University of Lapland as part of the Skills2Scale project. The event “Business Picnic” served a tasting menu of business development, business growth and creating innovations. Companies, funders, business developers and Higher Education Institutions gathered to discuss and network at the event held at the Service Innovation Corner (SINCO) at the Faculty of Art and Design in University of Lapland, Finland. 

Businesses need support such as financial incentives, advice in internationalizing, networks and fruitful cooperation in order to grow their company and generate new ideas. All of these topics and many more were covered by speeches and lively discussions held at the event. Regional perspective to business development was brought by a representative from Lapland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) showcasing Team Finland research, development and innovation services and financing for companies. Followed by local business developer Business Rovaniemi presentation covering InnoCity Rovaniemi, which is a cooperation project with the state of Finland and university city Rovaniemi to boost development of a competitive local innovation ecosystem and impactful RDI activities. Last but not least University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences presented different types of cooperation with companies including research, development, projects, labs, theses and internships.

There were so many fresh ideas for business development that participants might have a hard time picking just one! The picnic event sparked connections between entrepreneurs and professionals, paving the way for future collaborations

More information about Service Innovation Corner (SINCO) can be found in the article in the Library

Sources: Networking event organized by Skills2Scale project: Business Picnic, 7th of June, 2024, University of Lapland, Finland. Service Innovation Corner (SINCO).

4th Peer Learning Event of the S2S project @ Thessaloniki

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by Christina Skoubridou, Michail Mandamadiotis

On the 22nd and 23rd May the 4th Peer Learning Event of the Skills2Scale project took place in Thessaloniki. Partners from University of Lapland, Uzhhorod National University, Technical University of Liberec and Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) had the chance to visit Walk _ AUTh Innovation Accelerator, I4byDesign I Competence Center, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH), Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI) and i4G PRO, some of the most innovative actors of the innovation ecosystem of Thessaloniki.

🎯The objective of the event was to:

– Exchange experiences and best practices in education, research, and innovation.

– Inspire higher education institution staff to discover new ways to promote student entrepreneurship and innovation.

– Encourage the growth of the innovation ecosystem in our region and motivate local, regional, and national stakeholders.

👉The highlights of our event was the visit in the newly established Accelerator of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where student startups make their first steps in their entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, we visited one of the many research labs of KEDEK, that focuses on 5G connectivity. Moreover, we had the chance to experience the SmartHome Project in CERTH, as well as the Innovation 4 Growth (I4G) Incubator of Thessaloniki, the earliest incubator of Greece, established in 2003. Our last station was I4byDesign, a competence center, directly linked with the market, that enhances the skillset of the manufacturing workforce in the 4.0 Industry

Tech Transfer Revolution

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The event was organized by Startup Valencia, co-organized by UPV as it integrates 4 out of its 6 committee members. It gathered relevant actors from innovation and tech transfer areas from the universities, local government and the private sector.

In the round table of this event, panelists analyzed the current state of technology transfer activities and knowledge-based entrepreneurship from the various perspectives of the ecosystem’s stakeholders, considering also Skils2Scale concerns from previous events. It was highlighted that our country stands as a leader in research and innovation. However, it was also agreed as imperative to align governmental policies and support mechanisms to effectively facilitate the transfer of research outcomes to the business sector. The consensus among participants emphasized the necessity of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset within the research community. And also, that the research projects should be a focus on the practical application of knowledge and incentivizing entrepreneurship among academic staff.

The event benefited from the insights of several international experts who were invited to share their experiences and best practices. This inclusion of global perspectives aimed to enhance the local ecosystem with proven international strategies in technology transfer. The discussion underscored that technology transfer is not merely a driver of innovation and competitiveness but also a crucial contributor to job creation, sustainable economic growth, and the overall improvement of citizens’ quality of life. Participants agreed that a robust strategy in this area is essential for economic development.

One of the primary objectives of this meeting was to disseminate the Government of Spain’s comprehensive strategy on technology transfer. The government representative (from the Ministry of sciences, innovation and universities) highlighted the significant progress and successful initiatives in Valencia, showcasing it as a model region for science and technology transfer. The meeting stressed the importance of continuing to support and enhance these initiatives to maintain momentum and ensure ongoing improvements.

All in all, the event called for a coordinated effort to align research policies with business needs, promote entrepreneurial thinking within academia, and leverage international best practices to drive technology transfer. These steps are seen as vital to fostering innovation, economic growth, and societal well-being.

3rd Peer Learning Event took place in Liberec, Czech Republic

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by Jana Šimanová, Aleš Kocourek, Ondřej Michal and Pavel Pelech

On the 23rd and 24th of April 2024, the Technical University of Liberec hosted our partners from the Skills2Scale project. We were thrilled to share our experience in innovations and education for entrepreneurship with our esteemed guests from Universitat Politècnica de València (🇪🇸), Uzhorod National University (🇺🇦), University of Lapland (🇫🇮), NCSRD Demokritos, Fogus Innovations and Services and Envolve (🇬🇷)

The objective of the event was:

👉 to share experience and the best practices in the fields of education, research, and innovation,

👉 to ignite inspiration among Higher Education Institution staff to explore new pathways and opportunities to foster students’ entrepreneurship and innovation,

👉 to stimulate the development of the innovation ecosystem in our home region and inspire the local, regional, and national stakeholders.

We had the fantastic opportunity to learn more about the upcoming activities of the European Innovation Community 🇪🇺 under EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Health in the region. We shared our experience and inspired our partners with the best practices in 5G use cases (automated guided vehicles, augmented reality enabling human-robot collaboration) and the latest innovations in additive 3D printing technology. The TUL’s best practices in educating for entrepreneurship and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit are undoubtedly the 🏎️Formula Student TUL Racing project, the 🏆Student Business Club or the creative workshop 🧪TULab. On the second day, we used the incredible opportunity to visit the creative community centre Kontakt in Liebieg’s Palace and the regional business incubator LipoInk. There, we met with startups and young companies from the region, including Flapper Drones, Hardwario and NullSpaces.

And what comes next? 🤩 We are passionate about supporting students’ entrepreneurship and have many exciting opportunities at hand for them to get involved in. We are holding our 10th annual competition for the best TUL startup (more here) and i-Days at the TUL for our inventive and entrepreneurial students in cooperation with EIT Health. The best team will represent the Czech Republic at the European finals in Budapest (🇭🇺)!

Innovation picnic: Regional delicacies from LipoInk

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2nd Local Event at TUL by Jana Šimanová

The second local event took place on 24th April at the regional incubator LipoInk, which is owned and financed by the Liberec Regional Authority. More than 10 deep-tech companies are currently located in LipoInk. 18 representatives of the regional incubator management, Hardwario, Flapper Drones, NullSpaces and TUL presented and discussed topics related to entrepreneurship education, business start-ups, funding opportunities and support from public and private institutions. LipoInk representatives presented the main support programmes for start-ups – Ambulance, Kick Off & Gym for Startups and Full Fat for Scaleups. The cooperation between LipoInk and the Technical University of Liberec takes place within the framework of entrepreneurship education and the Student Business Club, especially the TUL Start-up Competition, in which the entrepreneurial mentors from LipoInk participate. Some student start-ups are included in the incubation programme – currently, for example, the project of a student from the Faculty of Textile Engineering – EcoHaus, which deals with ecological laundry.

LipoInk, which is run by the Regional Development Agency, a company that is 100% owned by the Liberec Regional Authority, is a beacon for budding entrepreneurs in the Liberec Region. The problem in the future may be the financing of the incubator, which is mostly provided from the public budget of the Liberec Regional Authority, and in this context the political risk was often mentioned. The incubated companies largely benefit from the Czech Republic’s “Technological Incubation” grant programme, under which they can receive financial support for up to 5 years, including for the services provided by LipoInk.

Bizzare Business Ideas in Lapland

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by Tiina Mäki-Petäjä

“What does it take to start your own business?”
” How can a washing machine and a deck of cards can help you solve your (business) problems?!”

These questions were answered in the Bizarre Business Event English track hosted by Skills2Scale project. The event encouraged and inspired students from University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences to become future entrepreneurs. The event encouraged and inspired students from University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences to become future entrepreneurs

The event started with a motivating speech by Anthony Okuogume “From Idea to innovation and kickstarting the entrepreneurial journey”. Then followed by Skills2Scale and the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Lapland workshop on creating futuristic business ideas. The workshop utilized ideating washing machine method and a card game for imagining preferred futures (Alhonsuo, 2022 & Sitra, 2023).

Bizarre elements such as a rumbling washing machine in the background, a deck of cards, Post-its and LEGO blocks were brought to the table to ignite inspiration among students to start thinking about unusual business concepts. Ideas such as milk on Mars as well as data usage and learning experiences after encountering extraterrestrial life were discussed. The workshop was a success. There are not many chances we get to play with LEGO these days!

Sources:

Alhonsuo, M. (2022). Ideating washing machine. In B. Smit, M. Alhonsuo, E. Björn & F. Melissen (Eds.), The SmartCulTour Toolkit (pp. 48-51). Deliverable 7.3 of the Horizon 2020 project SmartCulTour (GA number 870708). Published on the project web site on (30-11-2022): http://www.smartcultour.eu/deliverables/

The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. (2023). Cards of Hope. Game for imagining preferred futures. Helsinki: Sitra. 

Networking event organized by Skills2Scale project: Bizarre Business event, 11th of April, 2024, University of Lapland, Finland.

Lapland Robotics – Best practice at Lapland University

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Lapland Robotics is a cooperative project between the Lapland University of Applied Sciences and the University of Lapland. The project’s goal is to integrate robots, artificial intelligence, and digital twins into Lapland’s low-carbon society while also greatly increasing the region’s innovative capability in the creation of low-carbon and energy-efficient processes, goods, and services. The project’s overall cost is 583,000 euros, with the Federation of Lapland providing 466,401 euros in financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the state

The objective of the project is to link diverse players, implement experiments with robots, artificial intelligence, and digital twins that are tailored to the demands of SMEs, and determine the operational models and scaling potential required by these solutions. The project will provide Lapland’s SMEs with novel information on how to promote responsibility, new business, material efficiency, and energy efficiency using robots, artificial intelligence, and digital twins. This makes Lapland’s higher education institutions even more competitive in R&D activities in the subject area, both nationally and globally, allowing for the long-term internationalization of firms.

The project investigates the viability of robots, artificial intelligence, and digital twins as a cooperation platform by bringing together various actors from technology firms as users of solutions. The project investigates the present state of technology and service models and develops a strategy for deploying diverse technologies in various industries. The project will put robots, artificial intelligence, and digital twins to the test in the field, laboratories, small-scale proof-of-concept settings, and 5G environments. The project produces open information about unmanned robot prototypes, which are tested in field situations in collaboration with corporations and users.

One of the robot prototypes developed within the project was the “mini ATV robot, which was designed and built during the Lapland Robotics project. Its construction included 3D modeling and an automated driving test, which guarantees its functionality and safety.

One of the robot prototypes developed within the project was the “mini ATV robot, which was designed and built during the Lapland Robotics project. Its construction included 3D modeling and an automated driving test, which guarantees its functionality and safety.

Mini ATV allows you to work both indoors and outdoors and is suitable for use in both summer and winter conditions. In addition, it is possible to connect a Stiga snow thrower to the front of the mini ATV, which makes it an excellent option for winter use”

Due to the success of the project, the robotic work continue within the new project AI.R- Arctic AI & Robotics where the project teams intends to develop various service and application concepts, robotics and artificial intelligence demos implemented at the proof-of-concept level, and prototypes to be piloted by users in the following subject areas: thermal camera applications and usability development, autonomous platforms and their development in Lapland conditions, and robots and artificial intelligence as part of society.

Webinar – Intersecting Horizons: Physics, Internet of Things (IoT), and 5GWebinar @ Uzhhorod National University

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On Tuesday, March 26, as part of the international scientific project “Deep Tech Empowerment for Higher Education Institutions” Skills2Scale, a webinar titled “Intersection of Horizons: Physics, Internet of Things (IoT), and 5G” took place. The event was initiated by representatives from the Faculty of Physics, involving collaboration from five faculties of the Uzhhorod National University.

The webinar was conducted in a hybrid format, combining both online and offline participation. The participants included academic and scientific staff, as well as students from the Faculty of Physics, totaling approximately 50 attendees. The speaker of the event was Alexander Homonnai, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Associate Professor at the Department of Optics, Faculty of Physics, Uzhhorod National University.

During the webinar, participants had the opportunity to gain insights into the capabilities of 5G technologies, including their features, advantages, and drawbacks, as well as a comparison with other contemporary data transmission systems, including Wi-Fi 7 and Starlink. Oleksandr Homonnai also briefed attendees on the Internet of Things (IoT) and the impact of 5G networks and satellite communication on its operations. The event speaker elucidated the disparity between cloud and fog computing, along with their relationship with the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G.

A significant piece of information for physicists and researchers is the review of materials with low losses for 5G devices and the comparison of their efficiency based on key factors. Given that most scientific disciplines within the physics department are linked to materials science, this provided an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with materials currently under active research and promising for the functional electronics of mobile communication for 5th and 6th generations.

Also featured in the webinar was Dr. Tetiana Babuka, PhD, Chair of the Council of Young Scientists at the Faculty of Physics, and Coordinator of the Scientific Grant Activities Department. She elaborated on the opportunities provided by the implementation of the international project “Deep Tech Empowerment for Higher Education Institutions” Skills2Scale at the Faculty of Physics for students and young scientists. Ms. Tetiana highlighted the significant impact of modern technologies on the educational and scientific components of Uzhhorod National University. She emphasized that any innovative invention begins with an idea, followed by scientific research, modeling, or design. Thus, students and young scientists were urged not to hesitate to present their innovative ideas at the annual “Startup-UzhNU” competition and to participate in the startup project or innovative ideas competition under the DeepTech Accelerator program

Open SDK for the development of (B)5G Network Applications

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Author: Regel Gonzalez Usach, UPV

A Network Application or Network App is a software piece that interacts with the control plane of a (B)5G network by consuming exposed APIs in a standardized and trusted way, to compose and offer services built upon network functionality to authorized applications. This way, Network Apps can allow application and services to be network-aware, benefiting from real-time network information and taking advantage of network functionality. 

A Network App can be considered as a vertical application with the additional capability to consume northbound APIs of a mobile network in a trusted way compliant to the exposure policies of the mobile operator. The introduction of a Network App ecosystem is something beyond the introduction of a new type of vertical applications; it refers to the request for a separated middleware layer between applications and the 5G Network control plane; this middleware will simplify the implementation and deployment of vertical systems at large scale.  

https://wiki.evolved-5g.eu/netapp-apis2.png

An open Software Development Kit for facilitating the creation of Network App has been provided by the H2020 EVOLVED-5G project, and it is available through this link. This SDK provides a Network App template and a set of libraries for facilitating the programming of the services to be offered through the Network App exposed APIs.