The aim of the Project is “to foster the innovation capacity of Creative Industries (CI) in order to access new markets”. The creative sector is the most dynamic sector in the economy. It is a key driver of economic and social development and leads to innovation in various other industries and sectors. Turning creative ideas into businesses is the key aim of the project. It will focus on the exchange and transfer of expertise. knowledge and experience related to the cultural and creative industries at a regional level with a view to: - Helping to develop new markets for creative SMEs and micro enterprises across cities - Developing business. academic. artistic. scientific and policy expertise that will support the development of new products. services and processes - Supporting participating cities and regions to adapt to the new economic paradigm concerning creativity and innovation - Enabling participating cities to remain competitive in attracting talents or retaining them To achieve this aim and tackle the challenges previously identified regarding the sector. 4 objectives have been identified by the Partners: 1) Increase the number of business-to-business partnerships or linkages within and between creative and other industries (WP1). 2) Increase the involvement of creative SMEs in bids for public procurement and improve the use of public procurement to support creativity (WP2). 3) Increase public and private investment to encourage business entrepreneurship in the CI (WP3). 4) Develop and strengthen partnership opportunities between CI and R&D bodies active in the creative field (WP4). Achievements: Several Outputs and Reports of the European project “ECCE INNOVATION – Developing Economic Clusters of Cultural and Creative Enterprises in the Innovation Process have been prepared, such as: • Function of the Transfer Agent • Creative Industries in Northern Europe : mapping innovation opportunities • Report on New markets for cultural and creative industries in the field of public procurement • Report on « promoting investments in the cultural and creative sector: financing needs, trends and opportunities » • Study on the role of higher education in research and innovation : « A place to think : arts research and innovation » • Report outlining the development of a training programme between universities specifically focusing on Creative industries and Research : « Curriculum development in ECCE Innovation » • The European Creativity Voucher • ECCE Innovation response to the Green Paper « Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries » (July 2010)