The mission of Innovation Relay Centers (IRCs) is to facilitate innovation all around Europe with specialized business services which support the cross-border transfer of new technologies. These services are primarily targeted at technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but they are also available to larger firms, research institutes, universities and technology centers.

The first IRCs were established in 1995 with the support of the European Commission, as members of an integrated pan-European platform to stimulate Transnational Technology Transfer (TTT) and promote innovation services. Within the context of EU’s Framework Programme 6, IRC Network is an important tool for the achievement of the goals of the programme. Today, more than 70 IRCs cover a wider geographical area than any other technology transfer network in the world. Their success in stimulating transnational technology transfer-based on brand recognition, close links with enterprises and universities, and the effectiveness of the tools and procedures developed by the network- is unique. These IRCs are connected by an intranet which allows rapid diffusion of technology profiles across Europe, from a searchable database.

In today’s highly competitive global markets, SMEs frequently need to acquire technology from abroad, to sell or license technology outside their own country, or to enter into joint development arrangements with foreign firms which have complementary know-how.

Over the past five years the IRCs - working together in close co-operation - have been of assistance in over 12,500 technology transfer negotiations, and have helped more than 55,000 client companies to meet their technology needs and to exploit their research results.

Today, more than 70 regional IRCs span over 30 countries - all the EU Member States, the newly associated countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey), Iceland, Israel, Norway and Switzerland.

IRC staff (a total of nearly 1,000) are experienced specialists with backgrounds in business, industry and research. To date, they have facilitated more than 1000 transnational transfers of technology - signed agreements for the sale, licensing, distribution or joint development of new technologies.

Most IRCs are operated by a consortia of qualified regional organisations such as Chambers of Commerce, Regional Development Agencies and university Technology Centres. Altogether, almost 220 partner organisations are involved, ensuring wide geographic coverage.

At regional level, IRCs do assist to entrepreneurs by offering a single point of access to the entire range of expert support they need–both that supplied by their own staff and systems, and through links to other regional and European resources.

For more information please visit : www.innovationrelay.net