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 Wageningen Plant Research 2017

Evaluation Wageningen Plant Research 2017

Stefan van der Heijden contributed to an extensive evaluation of the research program of Wageningen Plant Research (WPR) in 2017. The following elements were discussed: Vision, mission and strategy; demographic structure of the organization; knowledge base; investment strategy; WPR in One-Wageningen; and valorization. Finally, the quality and viability of the organization were assessed, as well as the social and economic impact. The same has been done for the individual operating units, nine in total.

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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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Live Online Event Root Zone Breeding

Live Online Event Root Zone Breeding

The Horticulture & Propagation Materials Topsector organizes several annual network meetings for researchers and entrepreneurs in horticulture. The purpose of the meetings is to organize meetings between relevant professionals from business and science around a specific theme. Moreover, the Topsector wants to initiate a motion around the chosen theme. In this context, Innova Connect organized a network meeting for the Top Sector in May 2020 on the subject of breeding the belowground parts of plants. When all preparations for the day were in full swing, the Covid-19 pandemic struck. In consultation with the Topsector, it was decided not to cancel the meeting but to convert it into a Live Online Event. The interaction with the public and the networking element has been simulated as closely as possible. For example, the participants took part in an online lunch discussion about the theme of the day in small groups, led by a moderator. Thanks to the online nature of the day and an authoritative keynote speaker, the meeting ultimately attracted more than 150 participants from 13 different countries. The mission of putting an underexposed topic on the agenda was thus amply accomplished.

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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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