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Innovation Infrastructures: Albania FINAL VERSION
Submission Date: July 22, 2011
increase the competitiveness and capacity growth of Albanian enterprises and is
approved with DCM No. 104, dated 9.02.2011, a new policy in compliance with EU
policy. The strategy will be implemented by METE in cooperation with other
stakeholders and the main objectives of national strategic programme are to develop
innovation in key sectors; to initiate, import, modify and diffuse new technologies in
enterprises; to increase the capacity of business supporting organisations to assist in
the innovation of enterprises; to assist directly with technical information; to assist
enterprises to gain external funding for innovation activities; and to enable the
creation and survival of new innovative firms (METE 2011: 4). For this purpose, four
main programmes / projects will be implemented in the period 2011-2016:
• Innovation Fund:
Through the provision of direct financial support, this fund aims to support SMEs to
identify their innovation and technology needs as well as to develop the necessary
capacities to develop innovations. On one hand, the fund grants subsidies to enable
firms to audit their innovation needs and to identify new technologies and partners;
on the other hand, subsidies and loans are allocated for investment in new products,
process improvement through technology adoption, ICT strategic development and
internationalisation (METE 2011:8).
• Business Innovation Services:
This programme focuses on four priorities: the provision of information services to
SMEs concerning innovation and technology improvement; the integration of
business service providers (BSPs) into an information provision and advice network;
capacity building of BSPs in innovation/technology auditing and innovation
management; and the facilitation of SMEs’ access to finance (METE 2011:8).
• Business Incubator Programme:
The objective of this programme is to develop a supporting infrastructure helping
innovative start-ups. To this end, a pilot business incubator (BI) will be established in
Tirana in 2013.
• Albanian Cluster Programme (ACP):
ACP aims to enhance the Albanian economy by supporting Albanian clusters with the
largest development potential (METE 2011: 9). In the initial phase, the creation and
development of four clusters will be fostered. The establishment of two additional
clusters will follow from 2014 on.
Innovation Support
Dissemination level: Public
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