Luxinnovation grew in subsequent years. At the beginning, the main task for them was to promote and inform companies about the new financial facilities, and encourage them to invest in research. This occurred at the same time as the European Union policy for research and innovation, “and this allows us to consider the work of Luxinnovation in a wider context, where we could also promote international projects,” remarks Schlesser. Over time, the function of Luxinnovation has changed, as has the form. The initial three partners now number six, while in 1998 it adopted a known legal structure, becoming an Economic Interest Group (GIE). “Concerning our mission, we changed from an information provider and first port-of-call for queries to a genuine partner for companies, offering specific services, advice and consultancy. Over the past five years or so, we have also increased our activities with the research centres and the University of Luxembourg. We are partners and do conferences and seminars together, as well as helping them work closely with companies,” says Schlesser of the more recent past. The change in the governance of Luxinnovation, as well as the group’s functions, is also indicated by the signing of performance contracts with the government and several public research centres. “This shows how we have evolved,” adds Schlesser. “Before, we were more concerned with project management. Now, we have larger, national objectives. We are making innovation happen but also impacting on the national economy.”

 Implementing an action plan

“I think more and more companies are conscious of the importance of innovation. Now the next steps are how to manage it, how to implement an innovation culture, and how to support those companies involved,” states Schlesser. Furthermore, Luxinnovation can assist companies in deciding precisely which projects are interesting and which methodologies and management processes to apply. “We can help them go the last step, bringing their research and innovation to the market, and gain more revenues because of that.” There is still more work to be done. The new law of 5 June 2009, brought into place to promote research, development and innovation and create a specific fund for those purposes, is certainly a move in the right direction. “This will facilitate companies in carrying out research by providing funding. It is an important change: before the law only granted financial support to defined research projects, but not the process to enable these activities. Luxinnovation is now a central player in helping companies in this way, as well as affording to research centres the chance to promote their results on a socio-economic level.” There is something of a chain-reaction here, as Schlesser points out. Better promotion of results allows the research centres and companies to boost international cooperation, all of which boosts Luxembourg’s image abroad and will enable it not just to be seen as a financial centre.

Changing trends and emerging technologies will necessitate a change in focus in research and development, and Schlesser has ideas about the fields which will take centre-stage in the coming years. “There are certain priority domains for the next legislatory period, namely health-technologies and eco-technologies. Public investment in Biotech and an action plan for Eco-technologies will be implemented in the next five years. We need to establish which fields will be interesting: biomass, for example, and eco-design, could be of interest just as much for existing companies as start-ups, coming to Luxembourg to develop those activities.”

He also highlights the aerospace industry: “with SES Astra based here, we run innovation networks, where different players, private or public sector, are brought together to define an action plan.” This is not at the exclusion of what has served Luxembourg well, however: “We run such clusters in other domains too, like ICT. It is interesting what competencies are already present in this country in such fields, and what new services we can develop.” The aim for Luxinnovation is to facilitate the development of these niches for the overall well-being of the economy, and the diversification already experienced is testament to that. Here’s to the next quarter-century.