Dr. Lars Pleth Nielsen

Lars Pleth Nielsen has a PhD in surface science from Aarhus University and a managerial degree in Organization Management and Innovation from Copenhagen Business School (CBS). He has been employed as a research scientist at Haldor Topsøe and in the photonic group at NKT Research and Innovation A/S.

Currently he is leading the Tribology Centre at Danish Technological Institute combining state-of-the-art Research and Development of novel coatings with production hereof, meeting the industrial demands. He is involved in the EUREKA umbrella ENIWEP and E-SURF as president.

Within recent years, the Tribology Centre has been involved in several cross-national R&D projects bridging R&D with industrial application funded by national funding agencies (several advanced High Technology foundation, innovation consortium, FTP-projects) or transnational mechanisms such as NMT-ERANET, FP7, Nordic Innovation Centre (NICe), EUROSTARS, COST actions, Research for the benefit of SME’s, NORDFORSK, etc.

Presentation

Using the European platform to boost projects and network for the benefit of SME’s

The presentation will illustrate how e.g. the EUREKA umbrellas, COST actions, FP7 projects, fairs, matchmaking events, conferences, etc. can be used to facilitate project generation. Combining national and international funding will enable your own company, business unit or research group to develop new knowledge and enable solid organic growth taking the onset in your own core competences. Combining own innovation power with supplementary competences and ideas across borders may very well boost new business areas.

Different possibilities will be illustrated and it will become apparent how you, with the help of network-sharing combined with open idea generation and project generation, can make both good and solid projects built on valid core competences, fulfill milestones, generate unique results, create new business cases, publish results and file patents. – All for the benefit of the European competitiveness.

Special emphasis will be put on the European EUREKA Umbrella E!-SURF, with the primary goal of creating network activities focusing on:

- Industry demands - technology offering and matchmaking
- Monitoring and assistance in research funding opportunities
- Website, e-bulletins and promotion material
- Partnering/networking
- Training tailored to industry demands

 Using the European platform to boost projects and network for the benefit of SME’s