Innovative Regional Growth Cores with Module GC Potential

This programme is aimed at regional cooperations with either a platform technology at their disposal or the potential to develop one and which show important features that make them unique in their field of competence.

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The programme "Innovative Regional Growth Cores" (German: Innovative regionale Wachstumskerne) started in 2001 with the aim of effectively using and developing existent competences and potentials in the New German Länder. It supports alliances of businesses, universities and research institutes, which either already possess a joint, specific platform technology in their region or have the potential to develop one.

A region's unique competence could for example be the command of certain technologies or applications or a specific way of processing materials. Often, these singular regional features are based on long regional traditions and are anchored in companies and research institutes or patented.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) demands a well-grounded market-oriented strategy from the initiatives that is aimed at developing innovative, economically successful products in the long run and thus increase regional value creation. Ideally, this would be the starting point for a "cluster process".

With the new funding principles of June 2007 the "Innovative Regional Growth Cores" programme was decisively expanded. It now consists of two different modules with distinct application procedures that aim at different target groups.

Module GC Potential (new):
There are many universities and research institutes in the New German Länder which have outstanding, up-to-date results with a high innovation potential at their disposal. However, regional companies often benefit little from this existing know-how as knowledge transfer from universities or research institutes to business is slow or even non-functioning. This is where GC Potential (German: WK Potenzial) comes into play: the new programme module is supposed to speed up the transfer of research results to the regional companies and to enable the development of a regional platform technology. With the new module the BMBF makes it easier for many applicants to access the Growth Cores programme.

Core Module Growth Cores:
Initiatives applying for this module must already possess outstanding technologies or processes with certain features that make them unique in their field of competence. This programme module already exists since 2001 and has been scientifically accompanied. The Malik Management Centre St. Gallen has evaluated the experiences and the progress of the supported Growth Cores and therewith enabled a well-grounded documentation and analysis of the Growth Cores programme. An article in the 3/2005 edition of the "Unternehmen Region" magazine summarizes the main results of the study (see document above right).

	Core Module Growth Cores	Module GC Potential
Aims	This module supports regional initiatives which act in a business-like manner and already possess a clear thematic focus (i.e. a platform technology) that enables synergy effects between separate activities. Based on this existing core competence, partners develop marketable innovations and corresponding strategies for important markets.	With the new programme module, the BMBF wants to achieve that the latest research results from universities and research institutes which show a high innovation and growth potential are used for innovations and the successful economic development of small and medium-sized enterprises as early as possible. GC Potential is supposed to motivate researchers and entrepreneurs of a region to analyse research results with regard to their potential for the development of a platform technology. This platform technology should then be established within the framework of an industrial alliance between universities and/or research institutes and businesses in the region as quickly as possible.
Applicants	Companies as well as universities, extra-university research and educational institutions in the New German Länder which are based in the same region are entitled to apply.	Universities and public research institutes as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in the New German Länder which are based in the same region are entitled to apply.
Development Area	New German Länder	New German Länder
Imprtance of the Region	Only initiatives from the New German Länder whose functional connection is apparent are eligible for funding. Within the context of this programme, Länder are not seen as regions.	Only initiatives from the New German Länder whose functional connection is apparent are eligible for funding. Within the context of this programme, Länder are not seen as regions.
Start	2001	2007
Application Process	Multi-level: Outline of ideas, interview, innovation concept, assessment centre Applicants are advised to contact the project management organisation before submitting their applications.	Single-level: cooperation concept, expert evaluation Funding within the framework of GC Potential does not automatically qualify an initiative for funding within the core module of the "Innovative Regional Growth Cores" programme later on. Applicants are advised to contact the project management organisation before submitting their applications.
Application Deadline	No deadline, continuous application process	No deadline, continuous application process
Duration of Funding	3 years	2 years at maximum
Kind of Funding	Contributions are granted as non-repayable subsidies.	Contributions are granted as non-repayable subsidies.
Funding / Support	The programme supports projects dealing with basic research, industrial research and pre-competitive development. Construction measures and large-scale investments are not funded. In addition, funding is available for Specific and general training and further education projects Innovation advice for SMEs and persons starting up a new business Applicants are provided with free counselling while developing their innovation concept.	The programme supports projects dealing with basic research, industrial research and pre-competitive development. Construction measures and large-scale investments are not funded. Within the cooperation alliance, scientists of a university or a research institute establish a platform technology together with up to five but a minimum of three small or medium-sized enterprises from their region. This platform technology is unique to the region, based on the latest research results of the university or the research institute and generated via a joint research or development project.
Project Management / Contact	Projektträger Jülich, Außenstelle Berlin	Projektträger Jülich, Außenstelle Berlin

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• Programme

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      Growth Cores  (selected page)
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• THE INITIATIVES
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