For public funders
Evaluation, impact assessment & reporting
Public organizations invest a lot of money into research and innovation. A valid question that governments, politicians, and citizens are asking is: what will these investments yield? What do we gain as a society? Precisely these questions are central to the evaluations, impact measurements and reports that Innova Connect prepares on research programs and projects. If desired, we can go a step deeper and not only account for the output, but also look at success factors that contribute to the impact.
>> Reference projects:
Identify useful research results for the horticultural practice
In the autumn of 2018, the Topsector Horticulture & Propagation Materials wanted to take stock of the results and insights from the recent top sector research which lent themselves to knowledge transfer to SMEs. From more than 350 research reports, Innova Connect identified a limited number of topics and associated research projects that met pre-determined criteria (such as: concrete new results or insights were obtained that horticultural entrepreneurs can apply directly to their own company). The results of this study gave the Topsector an up-to-date overview of the usefulness of the research for SMEs. Moreover, this study gave rise to follow-up activities in which knowledge transfer to SMEs was central.
For public funders
Networking events
Innovation rarely originates in ‘splendid isolation’. It is almost always necessary to collaborate with others: parties who bring in additional expertise, or insights from a different angle, or who can market the innovation. That is why networking events, where you make new contacts and meet old acquaintances, are essential for a well-functioning innovation ecosystem. Innova Connect organizes inspiring and attractive network meetings. We are not interested in obligatory meetings without impact. Our events set things in motion and are the starting point of something new.
>> Reference projects:
Networking event ‘Research, what’s in it for me?’
Plant breeding companies and other companies in the plant propagation industry are known for high investments in R&D and close collaboration with scientific research. However, there’s a lot of variation within the industry. Particularly among SMEs, there are many companies that have much less experience with participating in scientific research. To inform and inspire these companies, Innova Connect organized a networking event in 2017 for trade association Plantum. The plenary part of the program offered, among other things, an overview of new developments in plant science research and insight into the subsidy options for research and development. There was also a panel of several SMEs who had made the switch to collaboration with scientific research, and who shared their experiences in this regard. Central to the program were the breakout sessions. In these sessions, the participants discussed a topic relevant to them in small groups. These discussions were guided by a moderator and attended by a content expert. The breakout sessions were set up in such a way that possible obstacles to participating in research were discussed. There was also a knowledge market and many networking opportunities. With about 60 enthusiastic participants, mostly from SMEs, the day was a great success.
For public funders
Project review
Having research proposals assessed and ranked by independent, external reviewers is the core process of research funders. The review committee usually consists of (international) fellow scientists from the same field. It is often valuable to also use additional expertise in the review process. Experts from Innova Connect not only look at scientific innovation, but also at possibilities for practical application of the results.
>> Reference projects:
Review committees
Clemens Stolk and Stefan van der Heijden have contributed to reviews of publicly-privately funded scientific research for various research funders in the Netherlands and Belgium and the European Commission (Horizon2020) in recent years.