eTampere program - From eTampere forward
The eTampere programme runs to completion. Long live eTampere!
The themes, structures, cooperation networks and spirit of the eTampere programme are set to continue within Tampere’s own research community, business sector, third sector and government.
Some of the spearhead projects prepared within the programme will also have continuance beyond the knowledge society programme, and the lessons and experiences gained from eTampere will be transferred to Creative Tampere, the City of Tampere’s new business policy development programme. In addition, the multidisciplinary discussion and brainstorming launched by the programme will remain active in Voorumi, the eTampere forum.
The preparation of spearhead projects
The legacy of the sub-programmes
Infocity
Information Society Institute
Technology engine programmes
Research & Evaluation Laboratory RELab
eBusiness Research Center eBRC
eAccelerator
eTampere Voorumi
Creative Tampere programme
The preparation of spearhead projects
Human-centred, growth-enabling technology and business expertise
The aim of the spearhead project preparations – which are a join t venture by eTampere’s technology and business spearheads and encapsulated by the title “Ahead from eTampere” – is to reduce local over-organization, forward the evaluation of project-form (fixed-term) activity and also raise its profile, reduce reaction times and further increase intensity and commitment. The operational model is business-oriented: how to increase profitability and competitiveness with human-centred technology.
The legacy of the sub-programmes
Infocity’s activities continue as part of the normal development of the city’s services
Intensive support is still provided to enhance citizen’s online readiness. The City is to join the signatories of the Charter on Rights of Citizens in the Knowledge Society by the Eurocities organization.
Of the EU projects within the Infocity sub-programme, Cibernarium and eCitizen will continue. e-St Petersburg, the regional partnership project with the City of St Petersburg, will also continue under the coordination of the Baltic Institute of Finland.
Extensive cooperation linked to the challenges emerging from the next stage in the development of science and technology will continue
The activities of the Information Society Institute aren’t to continue in the same form. The continuation and further development of the research groups formed around key areas of knowledge society research will be secured, as will their research. The region’s universities will strive to offer their expertise for the purpose of building a national and European knowledge society.
New expertise in selected fields
eTampere’s technology engine programmes will carry on in dozens of networks and approximately one hundred research projects. The programmes have also supported the establishment of several innovative companies, e.g. FogScreen Inc.
Business-oriented service systems to continue development
The activities of RELab will continue as part of VTT’s normal activity. Some projects that are already underway will continue, and new projects prepared during the final stages are currently being launched. Activities in networks that emerged as a result of eTampere will also continue.
The most significant organizational change has been the establishment of the Service Systems research team in Tampere. The team’s primary focus will be the development of a business-oriented service system for the research and development of processes, methods and tools.
eBRC becomes Emergent Business Research Coalition
The eBusiness Research Center, eRBC, has drawn to a close both as a project and an eTampere sub-programme, but its best practices will be further strengthened. Planned forms of activity are characterized by the third task of universities (societal impact) in addition to both locally required and internationally feasible focal areas of research.
eBRC was by nature a joint venture between Tampere’s universities. Post-eTampere activities have led to sights being set more broadly on a Business-University-Government coalition. The working title is ‘Emergent Business Research Coalition’.
Development services for company growth stages continue
eAccelerator will continue its existence in a new form. The idea is to continue offering development services related to companies’ early growth stages in a market-oriented manner.
The Hermia Ventures fund can be perceived as one of eAccelerator’s results and it will also remain active. The fund invests in growth companies in their start-up or early growth stages, has a national focus and is not limited to any specific field of industry.
eTampere Voorumi is a cooperation forum that strives to raise and uphold discussion, evaluate issues that are significant from the perspective of a good future, generate innovations, relay information, strengthen cooperation and create new networks. eTampere Voorumi will continue the work of the eTampere Office in the fields of productive networking and generating new cooperation. eTampere Voorumi’s activities were launched in March 2006.
The ability to combine issues in a new way is a key driving force in the success of the Tampere Central Region
‘Creative Tampere’ is the City of Tampere’s new business policy programme under preparation to support the region’s strengths and the city’s strategy. The programme aims to create the necessary conditions for the Tampere Central Region to remain a vibrant, multi-industrial concentration of expertise which is attractive to businesses and highly skilled people. Compared to the eTampere programme, the emphasis will be more on application than research.
