TECHNOFIT Ideenfabrik - Idea Factory (Technofit)

This regional innovation support project was delivered by the Technology Transfer Office (TT) of Graz University of Technology in co-operation with partners (University of Mining & Metallurgy Leoben, JOANNEUM RESEARCH). It addresses primarily small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Steiermarl Objective-2-region which had not had, so far, direct links to the academic world. Companies are identified using computer-aided marketing tools (company databases, research directories) and are offered brief audits "on the shop-floor" to identify problems which may be solved using academic expertise available in the region. At the same time company executives are informed about potential regional experts (university staff, experts from research centres and economic promotion agencies, as well as in other SMEs) and ways and costs of collaboration.