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Special GuestTHEY ARE 121 IN ACTIVITYSpin-offsspearheadWallooninnovation© belpress.comSINCE 1980, 179 SPIN-OFFS HAVE BEEN CREATEDThe Walloon economysuffered deeply fromindustry restructurationduring the 1980s and90s. The developmentof high value-addedactivities has thereforebecome a majorchallenge for the region.Spin-offs –newcompanies formed froma university researchgroup or a businessincubator – have a keyrole to play in thisperspective.by Elliott HEUCHONWalloon achievement built onbusiness-universitycollaborationAnyone who has visited a theme park ormuseum from Santa Cruz, California toChristchurch, New Zealand, and passingthrough France, Germany, Thailand and more,may very well have taken part in an interactiveattraction designed by Alterface, probablywithout knowing it.Alterface, a spin off from the Catholic Universityof Louvain-la-Neuve, develops interactivemultimedia systems. These innovative, life-like,recreational and educational attractionsdraw visitors to museums, science centresand amusement parks. While Alterface(see page 25) has only been in businesssince 2001, it can now proudly claim to supplycustomers all around the world.For those with an interest in a completelydifferent area –specifically, unpleasant smells—closer attention should be given to Odometric(see page 31) , a spin-off from the University ofLiège. This enterprising company recentlydeveloped a solution for analysing andmanaging levels of olfactory pollution in anarea. Odometric’s expertise is geared towardsindustry as well as research facilities, publicauthorities and resident associations.These are just two examples of the wide anddiversified range of spin-offs in Wallonia.Currently, there are 121 such spin-offsoperating in the region. Biotechnology-healthand information technology account for 26% and25% of this number, respectively, making themthe two most prolific sectors in terms ofcompany creation. These are followed bymaterials (17%), biotechnology-food (11%) andinstrumentation (11%). The final 10% isdistributed between energy, electronicsand others.Wallonia’s renowned university system has hadan enormous impact on the success of thiseconomic activity. The three main universities ofULB (Brussels), UCL (Louvain-La-Neuve) andULG (Liège) are responsible for the creation ofmost of these spin-offs. However, many of thesmaller universities are also closely involved.More and more, these facilities are becomingaware that business - university collaboration isnecessary in the current economic climate.Supporting innovation leads tohigh-growth opportunitiesSince 1980, 179 spin-offs have been created inWallonia. About 80% of them are still in activity.Thanks to the launch of Wallonia’s FIRSTProgramme, 1999 became a key year for spinoffpolicy in the region. This subsidy initiativehas two goals: to orient university researchtowards activities profitable for the Wallooneconomy; and to encourage the creation ofcompanies by researchers. The programmesupports the European Union’s objective ofimproving the transferability of universityresearch results to economic applications, aslaid out in the Lisbon and Barcelona EuropeanCouncils.Since 2005, the FIRST programme has been runalongside policies dedicated to creatingcompetitive clusters, and as an integral part of alarger economic plan for Wallonia. The regionhas dedicated investments of EUR 270M toresearch and innovation, EUR 90M of which isear-marked for the spin-off programme. Thegoal of this investment is to stimulate thedevelopment of high value-added industry andthe renewal of the Walloon economic landscape,through the creation and growth of innovativespin-offs.Public investment companies also have a role toplay in this programme, in order to facilitateaccess to the risk capital needed to create newcompanies. According to a December 31, 2007review, these investment companies haveprovided a total of EUR 11.8M in funding for56 spin-off projects in Wallonia.Spin-offs have also benefited from other10. Dynamisme December 2008