At the end of March 2012 three Head Innovation Mentors were selected by the KTT Support funding area and confirmed by the CTI Board. The three figures have an outstanding track record and a great deal of experience in SMEs. All three have acted as bridge builders between industry and research institutions for many years and are well connected in this area. They are Mr André Droux, Dr. Markus Ehrat and Mr Felix Kunz. They will work as part of the KTT Support group and will answer directly to the head of the funding area, Dr. Myriam Meyer.
From 2013 the Head Innovation Mentors will advise SMEs while at the same time leading a team of innovation mentors. Over the coming months they will prepare a detailed concept covering all aspects of innovation mentoring in cooperation with the KTT Support funding area and the involvement of members of the R&D projects funding area. This entails drawing up the job specification for the innovation mentors, linking up with the national thematic networks, but also coordination with other knowledge and technology transfer organisations. The innovation mentors are expected to take up their work at the beginning of 2013. Further details will be released in late summer 2012.
The CTI considers itself to be extremely fortunate to have such experienced figures on board for this demanding task and to have already signed them up to actively implement the tasks.
This allows us to take a further step in our new KTT strategy towards strengthening innovation in Switzerland.