Projects

Futurepreneurs is the first in Lithuania a three month long pre-accelerator programme for impact driven entrepreneurs. Participants of the pre-accelerator receive mentorship, education and skill development while developing their business solutions. This business development training package outlines 6 training sessions for developing a startup from an idea to a viable solution that can be presented to potential investors. Every session is be led by experienced business mentors. Young people aged 18-29 are invited to launch future startups and impact businesses in the fields of security and defense, logistics and transport, clean technologies, information and communication technologies, and financial technologies. 

Area Based Collaborative Entrepreneurship (ABCE) means entrepreneurs collaborate by co-investing in facilities and initiatives, market their urban district collectively, improve shared public space, etc. The value of such collectives is increasingly recognised by local governments and policy measures to stimulate these initiative.

Area based collaborative entrepreneurship fosters urban regeneration as the local business are most often strongly connected to their neighbourhood and committed to social goals. Neighbourhood liveability and social ties between local stakeholders are enforced. ABCE supports inclusive growth, cooperation and cohesion and helps to address the negative impacts of globalization such as economic restructuring, income inequality and the decline of urban areas.

Five European urban regions are involved in this project: Amsterdam, Athens, Manchester, Vilnius, and the conurbation Varazdin-Cakovic (Croatia). All regions currently experiment with ABCE and initiated this project to share experiences and gain deeper insights in order to develop more effective policy instruments.

Official project website: www.interregeurope.eu/abcities/

Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub (SV DIH) takes part in H2020 initiative „Smart factories in new EU member states“ which is providing training and mentoring needed to shift SV DIH into operational stage. Representatives of Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub took part in the Kick off workshop, which was held on 19-20 of February, 2018, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Presentations of good practices by Fraunhofer (Germany) and Innovalia (Spain) proved that digital innovation hubs bring added value to the industry, helping them to gain competitive advantage through digitalisation.

For more information please contact info@ssmtp.lt

The widest innovation consultant consortium in Lithuania is implementing the project „Innovation consultancy and support services for business“ (Inospurtas). The project foresees activities to provide innovation consultancy and support services which promote R&D&I and its effectiveness in business, technology transfer, innovative entrerpeneurship, participation of companies in international R&D&I programmes and pre-commercial purchases. Project activities are dedicated to companies which are implementing R&D&I activities or their future activity is attributed to R&D&I, also purchasing organisations aiming for expertise and methodological assistance in organising pre-commercial purchases. It is expected that the project will foster business investment in R&D&I activities and contribute to the economy growth. The project takes place til March 31, 2020. 

Project partners: Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA) (coordinator), Lithuanian Innovation Centre, Science and Technology Park of Institute of Physics, Visoriai Information Technology Park, Kaunas Science and Technology Park, Klaipėda Science and Technology Park, Northtown Technology Park, Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, Lithuanian Confederation of Employers, Lithuanian Business Confederation, Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park.

Project Inospurtas (Nr. 01.2.1-LVPA-V-842) is funded by EU Structural Funds measure INOGEB LT.

The aim of the HEI MAKERS project is to increase innovation and creativity through partnership of higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical spaces, leading to trans-disciplinary approaches and new teaching methods in HEI, availability of open resources for formal and non formal education, better entrepreneurial and creativity skills of graduates. Therefore the international HEI MAKERS consortium:

• Fosters collaboration of HEIs, university and private makerspaces, and other businesses;
• Amplifies technological entrepreneurship and technical creativity as key competences;
• Promotes innovative education methods;
• Increases open resources based learning opportunities;
• Recognises competencies gained through active learning at makerspace as per programmes developed;
• Tests the above-mentioned collaboration concept and ensure sustainability of results;
• Identifies and attracts new players who will join the next stages of the HEI MAKERS initiative.

HEI MAKERS will encourage more HEIs to initiate collaboration with makerspaces and re-think their study programmes, to employ innovative training methods and address the challenges of XXI century labour market. Project's outputs will open up new learning opportunities through practical application of entrepreneurial and prototyping skills, which can involve and lead to the commercialization of new services and products, to attracting potential investors, to creation of global start-ups and spin-offs and thus growing economy.

Poject partners: Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park (Lithuania) – project coordinator, LinkMenų fabrikas at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania), Association of Technical Spaces (Lithuania), Inventya Ltd (United Kingdom), SC Ludor Engineering SRL (Romania), University Politehnica of Bucharest (Romania), Riga Technical University (Latvia).

HEI MAKERS project (N^o 2017-1-LT01-KA203-035231) is co-funded by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership programme. The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park is expanding its network of international partners through the project „Search for partners in the field of modern technologies for entrepreneurial skills development in Enterprise Europe Network regions“. The project (Nr. S-01.2.1-LVPA-T-844-01-0008) is partly funded by EU Regional development funds. Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park will take part in networking and matchmaking events in Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Italy, Japan, etc. We will present the Science Park and our companies while looking for useful contacts and initiating Horizon2020 projects for the development of our services to business.

EcoRIS3 project deals with seven European policy instruments, which will be reviewed in the context of today’s innovation and economy development. Partners will analyse innovative regions and identify elements, which determine successful launch and expansion of companies. Partners will also establish a mechanism to ensure more efficient business and science collaboration, foster relationship between actors of the innovation system.

Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park, a partner in EcoRIS3 project, intends to improve Lithuanian Innovation Development Programme for 2014-2020. This will be achieved through new projects and improved R&D support services to small and medium enterprises. Partners will use good practices from thematic business and science discussions, new projects involving all key actors in the regional innovation system and improving understanding and common communication goals through smart specialization. Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park will identify regional innovation support services, which would foster business investment to R&D, develop interconnections among enterprises, research and development centres, and higher education, f.e. to help companies make use of „Innovation Vouchers“ financial instrument. 

EcoRIS3 is implemented by the consortium of 8 partners and involvement of stakeholders and regional partners. Project Coordinator is Fomento de San Sebastián (Spain), partners: Cork Institute of Technology (Ireland), Intermunicipal Council of Ave Region (Portugal), Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park (Lithuania), Kainuun Etu ltd (Finland), Metropolitan City of Turin (Italy), Vidzeme Planning region (Latvia), Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities (France).

Project „Policies & Measures to Support Local & Regional Innovation Ecosystems“ (Nr. PGI02229) is funded by Interreg Europe programme. 

More about the project http://www.interregeurope.eu/ecoris3/

Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) is a national executor of ClimateLaunchpad 2015 – the Europe's largest cleantech business idea competition. During the project implementation, those participants of the project were trained and selected for participation in the final, whose effect of business idea on climatic changes was the most significant. Three teams 0 the national winners in the European final, presented their ideas to the representatives of Climate-KIC and competed for the invitation to participate in acceleration programme, intended for raising the cleantech business ideas and turning them into prosperous businesses. For more information on this project please refer to: http://climatelaunchpad.org

In 2015 - 2016, the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, together with the universities and science and technology parks operating within Lithuania (including the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) implemented the project INOVEKS, the total value of which was EUR 2,785,200.  The aim of this project was to increase the comparative part of business with high added-value, thus encouraging establishment and development of technological and innovative enterprises.  Within the scope of this project, the best ideas of students, PhD level students, and the young scientists and researchers were selected and on the basis of those ideas, the teams of their authors established the equivalents corresponding to the statute of small and medium-sized business entities. Expert consultancies for small and medium-sized business entities on scientific research commercialisation, technology transfer, prototype and/or dummy (model) development issues were conducted within the scope of this project.

In 2012 - 2015, the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, together with science and technology parks operating within Lithuania, including the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), implemented the project Technology and Science for Innovative Enterprises. The project activities were focused on promotion of business and science collaboration, technology transfer, science and research results commercialisation, and intellectual property protection. Also, it was aimed at activation of participation of Lithuania in international R&D and innovation activity programmes. Free consultancies related to different business-relative issues were provided within the scope of this project. Extensive personal experience of the employees and partners of the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) in establishment and management of businesses as well as wide network of contacts within and outside Lithuania, contributed to the starting of 5 new enterprises and allowed assisting of over 200 business enterprises in resolving issues and finding new opportunities for business development.

In 2011 - 2014, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) together with its partners implemented a project TP-Uni, the goal of which was to develop and implement training sessions focused on development of technology transfer and entrepreneurship skills in scientists, researchers, and other professionals engaged and operating in technology transfer area. The training sessions were held having employed the experience of foreign education (research) institution – University of Bremen (Germany). During the training sessions held within the framework of the project, 80 Master and PhD level students introduced the cases of technology transfer and commercialisation, performed the analysis of technology commercialisation models, quoted the examples of efficient of technological ideas portfolio and assessed the plans on student ideas commercialisation. Together with the partners from the University of Bremen, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) also implemented a 10-months training session cycle, which involved participation of over than 40 scientists and researchers from different areas.

The aim of AdVenture project, implemented over the period from 2011 to 2013, was to promote establishment of new enterprises in Lithuania while enhancing entrepreneurship skills of students. The principles of innovations management and functioning, establishment of new businesses, design and creativity were introduced to the participants of the project. The teams participated in a six-week practical trainings in the companies, after which they developed their own business plans, gained experience in innovative Danish enterprises and participated in business plan competition. Project participant teams were consulted by 12 mentors from successfully operating and well-known in Lithuania companies. Within the scope of this project, 15 training programme leaders and coordinators were trained under the methodology of the Imperial College of London Business School, 140 participants gained entrepreneurship skills, and 3 new enterprises were founded. The total project value amounted to almost EUR 64 thousand; the project was funded by the European Social Fund.

In December 2011, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) completed implementation of the UnInova project. The primary goal of this project was to develop the competences of the scientists of Vilnius University and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, expand the thematic and partnership network of experts in different scientific areas and professional agents and moderators (technology brokers) aimed to contribute to successful transfer of technology and establishment of the demand of outsourced scientific research (including open access laboratories services). Within the scope of this project, 35 experts, able to provide versatile qualified advice in the area of technology transfer, were trained under the programme developed by the experts of the Danish Technological Institute.

The aim of TPC2 project was to contribute to the improvement of the conditions of Lithuanian business enterprise innovativeness, compatibility and ability to develop the R&D activity. In the course of the project (2009 - 2011), the non-refundable advices on business development, legal, innovations management and project management issues were given, cognitive visits to university establishments engaged in scientific research were organised and innovation partnership and youth entrepreneurship development events were held. A technology database, which includes the data on the scientists offering to business enterprises the developed technologies, as well as the information on business entities looking for partners in scientific institutions, was created within the scope of this project.

The project InoTinklas (Innonetwork), implemented over the period from 2009 to 2011, was the sole initiative linking the science and technology parks of all five 'Valleys' that are being established in Lithuania. This initiative was aimed at concentrating the potential of the parks when resolving business enterprise issues, activating the business-demand oriented R&D and otherwise developing and expanding innovations within the ranges of "Valleys".

In 2008 – 2010,  during the implementation of the Ready for Equity! 2 (RfE!2) project, the trainings of business angels, entrepreneurs and business support organisations run in the developing markets of risk capital, were conducted. Within the scope of this project, the start-up companies were assisted in attracting risk capital investments, and the partners from the countries where risk capital markets are significantly advanced (Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Germany) shared their experience with the newly established business angel networks in Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, and Spain. Business network angels personnel education sessions were held, the sets of training material and methodology for business angels and entrepreneurs were developed, and the Ready for Equity academy, which includes development of competences necessary for operation in risk capital market, was established within the scope of this project.

During the implementation of the first stage of this project, in September 2008, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) finished construction and installation/equipment works of the Science and Technology Park. The Science and Technology Park, which occupies a 6 300 sq. m. area, is designed for establishment of innovative technology enterprises. The 900 sq. m. area of the Park is allocated for business incubator, where the beginning entrepreneurs can rent the premises on preferential terms.  The overall value of the Science and Technology Park project was over EUR 8.10 million.

The primary goal of this project was to set up a permanent innovations support system designed for development of science and business collaboration networks and innovation activity and promotion of transfer of technology from Vilnius University, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and related Vilnius scientific research institutes to Lithuanian businesses. This project aimed to improve the abilities of innovative high technology enterprises in implementing innovations, enhance public awareness on scientific researches, conducted at Vilnius University, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and Vilnius scientific research institutes and on the possibilities to implement the outcomes of such researches in practice, set up a system of transfer and propagation of the technologies of the above mentioned scientific institutions, provide business enterprises single-purpose high quality consultancies related to innovation implementation issues. The EU Structural Funds support amounting to almost EUR 376 thousand was granted to the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) for project implementation.

In 2006 - 2008, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), together with its partners had successfully implemented the project Sunrise [Valley] School of Entrepreneurship, which was granted a EUR 327 thousand. aid. The aim of this project was to develop a practical training and consultancy framework designed to educate entrepreneurship skills of students, scientists and other participants of the programme. Over 60 Master and PhD level students and scientists of Vilnius University and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University as well as over 50 representatives of incubated enterprises were trained within the framework of this project. The Project was acknowledged by the Ministry of Education and Science as one of the top 15 education and science projects.

In 2004 – 2005, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), together with Tartu Biotechnology Park, Ekspla and Vilnius University participated in the BRIDGE project, which aimed to invite Lithuanian high technology enterprises and scientific research institutes to join the current network of the partners of the EU EUROPRACTICE initiative. Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) was a project partner in Lithuania responsible for involvement of enterprises, organising of workshops, and selection and introduction (presentation) of products and articles related to new technologies.

In 2004 - 2005, the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Studies (Great Britain) implemented the project on the development of  Sunrise Valley knowledge economy nucleus strategy and business plan funded by the EU Phare programme (EUR 195 thousand) Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) acted as the project coordinator. The outcomes of this project were as follows: a feasibility study of knowledge economy nucleus, project and design proposals, investment and development plan and a management model.

In 2003 – 2004, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) participated in the project Support to the Innovation Structure (SINO) as business support / consultancy agency. Within the scope of this project, a training programme for small and medium-sized business enterprises was developed and 35 experts in innovations area trained as well as 10 innovations projects implemented in Lithuanian companies. SINO project partners: Danish Government, Danish Technological Institute, Lithuanian Innovation Center, Knowledge Economy Forum, Northtown Technology Park, Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Kaunas University of Technology and Klaipėda Economic Development Agency.