Participating Projects.

CAPINFOOD

CAPINFOOD aims at building the capacity of institutions supporting innovation in the food sector and promoting public awareness on benefits of innovation, making the sectoral innovation easier through transnational cooperation of the national food technology platforms and related institutions.

contact: szilvia.gergely@tetalap.hu; katalin.kalai@tetalap.hu

website: http://www.capinfood.eu/

Although food industry has specific importance in SEE economies, the level of innovation in the region is not satisfactory, partly due to the non-favourable environment and the lack of society´s support. Therefore,

• Barriers of innovation will be exploited by focus groups with institutions in 9 countries.
• Capacity building tools for improving governance (national innovation strategies, operating industry innovation panels, best practice guides, ICT solutions) and tools for increasing public awareness (communication campaigns, virtual forums) will be developed for the support institutions.
• Train the trainers courses on food chain management, using ICT based solutions in the food sector and knowledge transfer will be provided for the key staff and a service manual developed for innovation supporting services. Study tours will be organised mainly for non-EU participants.
• Tools will be implemented. A SEE forum will be established for transnational collaboration, which is intended to be maintained after the end of the project.
• Transnational collaboration will enhance innovation in SEE by exchange of experience, integration of knowledge.

Specific objectives of the project are as follows:

• to develop national innovation strategies following a common framework for improving the competitiveness of food sector, particularly SMEs, to help the economic growth of SEE, creation of jobs and ensure sustainable development;
• to improve coordination mechanism of efforts for enhancing innovation through new approach of collaboration of governance institutions and other stakeholders within the NFTPs, exploiting the potential in transnational collaboration of NFTPs;
• to develop skills of SEE institutions in using effective tools to foster innovation: food chain management, transdisciplinary collaboration with ICT sector, knowledge transfer and practices of using industry panels, based on collective learning and shared costs;
• to promote the use of ICT based tools for fostering innovation;
• to develop pilot systems for institutions for provision of collective innovation support services for food
  SMEs;
• to improve recognition of food innovation and entrepreneurship by the public through delivering a campaign and access to young people to encourage them to join the food sector and develop entrepreneurial spirit;
• to disseminate results to a wider community and also beyond the food sector;
• to integrate non-EU countries into the development of SEE;
• to establish an SEE regional forum for concerting efforts and sharing successful approaches of different types of food innovation supporting, research and education institutions and organisations.
  
  A list of all partners can be downloaded below.