Priscila Lena Farias / Anna Calvera Marcos da Costa ... - Blucher

The Italian public system supporting innovation: which role for design?
Figure 4. Chart: Aster service offer
These activities have been mapped in a chart to contrast services
for single companies and for networks on the y-axis, and basic
technical services as opposite to high added value services
on the x-axis.
The diagram highlights that the three service areas are growing
toward the right hand side of the chart. For example the area innovation
and technology transfer is totally included here, divided
in services for single companies (such as helping introduce
ICTs), and services for networks of companies (such as “Treviso
Design” that aims at creating a multi-expert collaboration around
design for companies’ growth). The area vocational and managerial
training is placed in the middle as it is changing slowly
through the collaboration with universities, whilst the area of
business services maintains its core in more traditional offers,
while also experimenting on new topics like user-centered innovation
and virtual prototyping.
Interview 2: CEII Trentino
CEII Trentino is a BIC (Business Innovation Center) established in
1998 by the Association of Craft and Small Companies of the Trento
Province. It aims at supporting the growth of innovative companies
and especially the local craft sector by offering three sets of services:
(a) Territory and system, that promotes synergies between
local craft and the wider territorial context; (b) Networks and value
chains, to support the establishment of new networks of companies;
(c) Business services, including services built around the demands
of local craft companies (e.g. Business Gardening).
CEII Trentino is strongly rooted in the local context of the Trento
Province, and its services are especially aimed at reinforcing
the local entrepreneurial culture. For example the centre invests
greatly in promoting the territory, that means supporting companies
both from a micro perspective (promotion of the single
company), and from a macro viewpoint (promotion of the entire
system of companies, natural, cultural and historical resources).
CEII Trentino supports the local entrepreneurial system at
360 degrees, from more basic services for start-up, up to creative
problem solving courses.
Mapping these activities emerges a strong concentration of services
in the right side of the diagram. It is interesting to notice the
attention to topics such as collaborative networks of companies,
and education of young graduates to the entrepreneurial culture
of craft businesses. In addition the three areas are largely overlapping
in the upper right quadrant, showing the intermediary role
of the center, as enabler of knowledge exchange for innovation.
Design, although initially introduced as a sperimental activity
(through projects like DeA - Design and Craft – started in 2010),
currently represents a permanent service that connects local
craft to young designers for generating virtuous collaborations
for product innovation. In addition, the service area Networks
and value chains is including a design approach for stimulating
collaboration between companies, institutions, and research.
Interview 3: InnovHub
InnovHub is one of 5 Special Agencies for Technological Innova-
Design Frontiers: Territiories, Concepts, Technologies 310