THEME FTA IN A BUSINESS CONTEXT THE PROCESS AND EXPERIENCES WITH CREATING USER- DRIVEN INNOVATION PROGRAMMES IN THE NETHERLANDS AIMED AT ACHIEVING GLOBAL EXCELLENCE

The Netherlands has drafted in 2005 a new innovation policy, consisting of a basic package for all entrepreneurs and a programme-based package aimed at supporting the Dutch industry in achieving global excellence, in a limited number of (business) areas. The programme-based package is characterized by an integral approach, resulting in user-driven public-private innovation programmes, thereby creating focus and critical mass. A unique aspect of the new approach is that industrial foresight processes are integrated with actual policy implementation. The total annual budget for the innovation programmes is to be at least EUR 200 million. The process in the programme-based package for innovation starts bottom-up with industry and knowledge institutes indicating their willingness to work together on drafting a shared vision and strategic agenda in a certain focussed application area. A vision and strategic agenda is to include crucial factors for success of the envisaged programme broader than R&D, like vocational training, promoting start-ups, knowledge transfer and embedding in international initiatives. An external strategic advisory committee advises the Minister of Economic Affairs in selecting those vision/strategic agenda’s that are most promising. Selection criteria used include