Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
08TALLINN368 | 2008-10-24 14:40:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Tallinn |
VZCZCXYZ0009 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHTL #0368/01 2981440 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 241440Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0877 INFO RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 5299 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 2998 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 6744 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS |
UNCLAS TALLINN 000368 |
1. (U) Summary: Embassy Tallinn received USD 6,500 from the Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF) to bring three leading U.S. science and technology parks representatives to the international innovation conference "Baltic Dynamics 2008", held in Tartu, Estonia September 3-5, 2008. The U.S. speakers had two days of meetings in Tallinn with hi-tech start up firms, and addressed over 250 participants of the conference in Tartu. The event furthered post's MSP goal of promoting economic growth and prosperity, through encouraging bilateral cooperation on science and technology. Post used 4,754.85 USD for the project and returns 1,745.15 to BFIF. End Summary. 2. (U) In early 2008, Post had consultations with the Enterprise Estonia Silicon Valley office representative Andrus Viirg and Tallinn Technology Park (Tehnopol) representative Raivo Tamkivi about bringing U.S. experts to the 2008 Baltic Dynamics Conference (BDC). BDC is an annual conference of technology parks and business incubators which rotates among the three Baltic countries. Viirg and Tamkivi agreed to recruit senior representatives from the Silicon Valley Market Access Center, and Research Triangle Park, NC. As both organizations are well known and in high demand worldwide to speak at such conferences, Post applied for BFIF funds to cover some of the travel costs associated with attendance at the conference in Tartu by these U.S. experts. To maximize their visit to Estonia, we also worked with Enterprise Estonia and Tehnopol to schedule separate meetings with select Estonian hi-tech start-up companies located at the Tehnopol Technology Park in Tallinn. We arranged with the organizers of Baltic Dynamics 2008 to include the BFIF-funded guests as speakers, giving them the opportunity to address the more than 250 conference attendees. Following approval from EEB/CBA, we confirmed the participation of Mr. Weddle, CEO of Research Triangle Park, Chuck Erickson, CEO of the San Jose, CA Market Access Center (MAC) in Silicon Valley and Omar Mencin, Managing Director of the MAC. 3. (SBU) Breakdown of expenses: USD 2,239.57 Grant to Rick Weddle, CEO of Research Triangle Park, NC to cover the cost of his airfare USD 70.17 Rent of a meeting room in Radisson hotel on 09/03 USD 1,767.57 Lodging of the U.S. participants in Tallinn USD 431.81 Lodging of the U.S. participants in Tartu USD 245.73 Travel costs of Econ/Commercial/EU Assistant Reene Sepp to the conference in Tartu Total: USD 4,754.85 Post leveraged money with the Silicon Valley MAC representatives to cover their own airfare as they were already traveling to Helsinki, Finland prior to the conference. 4. (U) The 2008 Baltic Dynamics Conference attracted significant high-level participation. Estonian President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves gave the opening address. This year over 250 people registered from over 20 countries, including China, Mexico, and Russia. The conference focused upon the following main topics: - The Global Context for Innovation: Discussions on recent developments in major world markets; - Environment and Energy: Relevant approaches and case studies on how current developments, challenges and constraints in environment and energy sectors can stimulate innovation in a broad range of companies and public sector organizations; - Science and Technology Parks: Novel and innovative approaches on the changing role of science and technology parks; - Security, the Internet and Innovation: Relevant case studies on how the problems and challenges related to security and Internet can stimulate innovation and strengthen the competitiveness of companies. Rick Weddle spoke on the new generation of science and technology parks. Omar Mencin gave a presentation on the importance of marketing new products, and Mr. Chuck Erickson spoke on "The business incubator as a soft landing zone." All presentations are available online at: www.teaduspark.ee/?q=/eng/BD 5. (U) The organizers of Baltic Dynamics 2008 were very grateful to Post for our support of this year's conference. As Estonian companies are increasingly interested in the U.S. market, all lectures led by U.S. speakers were well attended. Our contributions to this event complimented well the spring 2008 visits by EEB/CIP DAS David Gross to Tallinn (Ref B) and by Estonian Minister of Economy Juhan Parts to Silicon Valley, which had focused on enhancing technology cooperation between Estonia and the United States, and business-to-business linkages. Our U.S. guests benefited from the company meetings in Tallinn and Tartu outside of the BDC framework, as they provided an overview of rising hi-tech stars in Estonia. (Ref C) Representatives of some of the companies are now considering opening offices at U.S. science parks. In some cases, the meetings helped to dispel notions of how easy it is to break into the world market, even with an innovative product, thereby helping to focus Estonian entrepreneurs' efforts where they will have the most impact. This event also furthered post's MSP goal of promoting economic growth and prosperity, through encouraging bilateral cooperation on science and technology. Post will continue contact with all U.S. participants for further cooperation. 6. Back-up documentation on expenditures will be faxed to Gale Gray, EEB/EX 7. Point of Contact at Post: Economic Officer Robert Hollister, ph: +372-668-8107, HollisterRM@state.gov. Post appreciates the support of EEB/CBA and EEB/EX for these projects. PHILLIPS |