PEM CONSULT contributed to the conference and workshops: Advancing Innovation in ECA 2008 - Role of Business Incubators in Innovation Development in Small and Medium Sized Towns and Rural Areas.

The Conference brought together more than 200 international and local high-level policy makers and experts in business incubation and innovation promotion from more than 20 countries of Eastern Europe, CIS, US and EU as well as business players.

The conference created an excellent platform for discussing:

• Policies fostering commercial and social innovation in small and medium sized towns and rural areas existing in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia;
• The role of business incubators and technoparks as drivers of such innovation development policies;
• Financing mechanisms for innovation in small and medium sized towns and rural areas;
• ICT-enabled mechanisms to foster innovation and collaboration in small and medium sized towns and rural areas.