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.

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Evaluation kiwi research program New Zealand

Evaluation kiwi research program New Zealand

The kiwi research program is New Zealand’s largest public-private partnership (PPP). In this PPP, Zespri and the Crown Institute Plant & Food Research work closely together to develop new, robust kiwi varieties that are suitable for production, transport, and marketing worldwide. Stefan van der Heijden contributed as an expert to the review of this research program. This review was performed with an international team of experts in the field of phytopathology, plant physiology, and new breeding methods such as gene editing and genomic selection. The review has led to a set of recommendations to strengthen the breeding program and to better measure the results. As a result, the collaboration has expanded, both in the field of research and in the field of practical breeding, in a 50/50 joint venture.

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.

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TKI Meetup FutureCrops

TKI Meetup FutureCrops

The Horticulture & Propagation Materials Topsector organizes several annual network meetings for researchers and entrepreneurs in horticulture. The purpose of the meetings is to organize encounters between professionals from business and science around a specific theme. Moreover, the Topsector wants to initiate motion around the chosen theme. For example, in 2019 Innova Connect organized a meeting for the Topsector about groundbreaking new developments in the field of breeding technology. We were able to contract Prof. Avi Levy (Israel) as the keynote speaker. Levy, known for his breakthroughs in targeted recombination, presented his latest, partly unpublished research results, and participated in a panel discussion with the public along with other experts. The evaluation of the meeting showed that the meeting had succeeded in bringing together and inspiring a diverse audience from business and science.

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.

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