EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Knowledge Pearl

Knowledge Pearl - Leuven, Belgium

Introduction

At the Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center, IMEC, and Leuven University, companies find a partner for innovative research and development. These centres of excellence are delivering spin-offs that benefit the whole Leuven region.

Problem

How can the Leuven (Louvain) region of Belgium grow into a leading European knowledge economy and thus generate jobs in the region?

Description

To underpin the interaction between knowledge creation and innovation, the university, the city of Leuven and a number of companies have joined forces. The region's knowledge institutions, business, the city and the regional development corporation meet regularly in a standing forum called Charter Leuven 2010. The Charter is a think tank for thinking in an open and dynamic environment about the future of the Leuven region. Its specific mission is to promote and support the transfer of knowledge and technology between university and industry. In order to do this, a separate entity within the university, Leuven University Research & Development, offers professional advice on legal, technical and business-related issues. In close cooperation with the City of Leuven, Leuven University Research & Development has created a favourable business climate for high-tech entrepreneurship.

Approach

Activities include:

Contract research - professional advice provided to determine opportunities and to negotiate and elaborate research agreements.
Intellectual Property Rights management - an active patent and licensing policy is pursued with respect to university research results. This allows for generating additional funds for further scientific research.
Establishment of new research-oriented and innovative spin-off companies - support is provided to entrepreneurs who want to set up a new, research-oriented business that makes use of university's knowledge or technology.
Promotion of high-tech entrepreneurship and innovation by stimulating networking initiatives.

Results

Leuven is growing into a knowledge region with European allure. The region is attracting talent and entrepreneurs like a magnet and by 2010 it will be marked on the map of Europe as a knowledge region. K.U. Leuven and IMEC are together good for over eighty spin-off businesses, many of them plants operated by larger companies. Leuven is part of the Eindhoven - Leuven - Aachen Triangle transborder network (ELAT).

Contact info

Leuven Knowledge Pearl project
contact@leuvenknowledgepearl.com

Project start date

24/11/2004

Links

City of Leuven Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leuven Knowledge Pearl

Leuven High Tech Region (PDF, Eng 1.2 MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Competitiveness, Specific sectors