• Exchange of experiences between BICs to improve services to SMEs and to influence policy makers in this field should be a key objective e.g. best practice in regional/national programs such as ERDF projects implemented in other regions;

• Given that the current industry sector is not overly conducive to small start ups in this sector, it would be useful for BICs to have access to E&E sector specific tools and methodologies e.g. best practice in commercialising E&E technologies from an RTD environment, stimulating entrepreneurship in particular academic spinoffs, how to screen E&E companies, setting up a sector specific incubator in E&E sector etc;

• Channel to internationalization: Help identify key players in Europe in the sector : investors, RTD institutes, competitors & potential partners (consortium building);

Funding is a key issue : 

o    for BIC's activities (IIE projects, other),

o    for SMEs (FP7, investors, etc.)

• Food

• The first priority of this thematic group should be to serve the BICs and through them to benefit their client SMEs;

• Exchange of experience, know-how and best practice between BIC members in order to better serve BIC client companies in the food sector was generally agreed as the primary objective of such a network e.g. specialised agro-food incubators, stimulating SME involvement in food clusters etc;

• Funding is a major issue in the food sector – both for BICs and for their client companies so identifying funding opportunities should clearly be an objective;

• Facilitating international B2B activities to open new markets and opportunities for BIC clients was agreed as another objective.  Using each others offices as soft landings was one option suggested;

• This thematic group should help the connection with public actors, research networks and knowledge institues and push innovation through the tools developed by the BICs. 

• Maritime