BaSIC in brief

Baltic Sea Innovation Network Centres - BaSIC is project, part-financed by the EU in the framework of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013, aiming at building a “Baltic Sea Archipelago of Innovation”. Thus the objective is to create a seamless working environment for fast growth innovative small and medium enterprises (SME) all over the Baltic Sea Region, embedded in a reliable network of leading Science Parks and clusters.
Emphasis has been given to identify, select, train and coach SME-gazelles; to provide them harmonized access to markets by establishing a tool kit of market access points and to connect them for access to finances for internationalization and growth.

Composition
The project consortium consists of leading Science Parks, incubators and innovation facilitators, having a strong support by the 10 Baltic Sea Capital Regions (incl. Oslo and St. Petersburg).
The project has strong link to the sister project JOSEFIN, dealing with financing SME. A joint partner agreement was developed.

Main directions

• Entrepreneurship and Training
• Cluster Cooperation
• Improvement of innovation infrastructure
• Synchronized services and tools for internationalisation

Fields
The main focus to enhance cooperation of SMEs acting in following technology fields is given but not limited to:

• Photonics, Micro and Nano technologies
• IT and Communications
• Life Sciences and Biotechnologies

Project target groups

• SME from partner regions with internationalization potential – especially those that are focussed on the three pre-selected technology fields: Optics/Micro-Nano, IT-Media, BioTech-Life Sciences (selection done in BaltMetInno). But the project is not restricted to these fields.
• Network organisations and cluster organisations etc. from partner regions dealing with Optics/Micro-Nano, IT-Media, BioTech-Life Sciences (previously selected clusters/technology fields in BaltMetInno) as multipliers for the project.
• Science Parks and business incubators (also out of the BSR programme area) – one the one hand for exchanging experiences regarding innovation infrastructure and which are one the other hand supporting companies in internationalizing their business.
• Other EU-funded projects (Interreg IVC, Interreg IVB BSR, Interreg IVB Central, FP, etc.) with a similar approach in order to exchange experiences for supporting innovative companies within their internationalization activities and for enlarging the cooperation network of BaSIC. One project already identified for collaboration is JOSEFIN, which supports companies by accessing finances for internationalization.
• Regional policy/regional authorities including BaltMet Officials and city councils (Lord Mayors) from partner regions dealing with topics like innovation, regional development etc.

The project was implemented from October 25th 2009 to January 24th 2012.