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Cross-border
economic
development
Project factsheets
MinnovARC and InnovARC
What do the two projects
consist of?
Minnovarc (2010-2013):
MinnovARC (Microtechniques INNOVation ARC jurassien) was set
up in order to stimulate innovation in the microtechnologies sector
in the French-Swiss Jura Arc.
Launched in 2010 for a three-year period and supported by the Interreg
IV A France-Switzerland programme, the project was born out of a
partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the
Doubs Department (France) and
arc
jurassien.ch, an association under
Swiss private law bringing together the Cantons of Bern, Jura, Neuchâtel
and Vaud that is active in regional development. This initiative was
spurred by the awareness realisation of the lack of connection between
the cutting-edge expertise and skills in microtechnology on either side of
the border, which were underexploited as a result. The aim in particular
was to give greater visibility to the Jura Arc’s microtechnologies sector
internationally.
The project consisted of four main areas for action:
Ì
Ì
A think-tank
, coordinated by a joint presidency and secretariat
and bringing together manufacturers from the sector, scientists
and institutional players, set about reflecting on the promotion
of local technological and entrepreneurial skills and the future of
microtechnologies in the region and in the economy in general.
Day work sessions were held alternately in France and Switzerland,
with the last two opened up to a wider public. Forward-looking and
strategic reflections were set out in a policy document aimed at
political and economic players (available on the project’s website
www.minnovarc.fr).