In order to create new innovations and thereby new employment opportunities and to improve the competitive position of northern (SME) companies, nine business development projects have been identified in consultation with the business community, and there is room to carry out a number of small-scale precompetitive cooperation projects. By means of so-called 'brokerage and switching' activities (initiating and helping to make a start in a precompetitive setting), an open innovation environment for applications of O&M innovations is created. Often these projects will be designed around the test facilities.
Each business development trajectory is 'adopted' by a key company with a 'name' (major companies) in the offshore wind industry, which itself has a great drive to make the trajectory successful. A number of participating SMEs are also active in the actual development of the new product or service. The whole process is supervised by the OWIC business development coordinator.
OWIC is an information, training and innovation centre for companies and institutions involved in generating offshore wind energy. A total of 19 parties - businesses, knowledge institutions and government bodies - have joined forces in OWIC to ensure that companies can innovate and develop in offshore wind energy more easily and quickly.
