Importance of Technology Parks and Innovative Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development was Discussed in HTP

The significance of technology parks and support for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) was the focus of an international conference on inclusive and sustainable industrial development in middle-income countries (MICs) in Europe and Central Asia. The conference was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and held in the Hi-Tech Park on April 24.

"This event will serve as a platform for fruitful discussions on how MICs in Europe and Central Asia can foster inclusive and sustainable development in an age of intensified globalization and inter-dependencies, rapid technical progress, climate and demographic changes, and on identifying which instruments can be most effective in addressing MICs` specific challenges," said LI Yong, the Director General of UNIDO.

Valery Tsepkalo, HTP Director, Jeongwon Yoon, Executive Director at the National Information Society Agency of the Republic of Korea, and Hector Rodriguez, Director General of the City of Knowledge Yachay, Ecuador were among the participants of the conference.

 Representatives of Skolkovo (Russian Federation), Technology Park Ljubljana (Slovenia), Adlershof (Germany), among others, shared their experience in establishment of high tech parks. The following issues were addressed during the panel discussions: the role of IT for sustainable development, lessons for MICs in transition to the new technological setup and prospects to forge cooperation between high technology parks in MICs; challenges facing innovative start-ups, strategies and policies to support innovative SMEs and other issues of science, technology and innovation enhancement. A special exhibition was conducted within the conference to present products of innovative enterprises in MICs.

During the conference, Valery Tsepkalo met with LI Yong, the Director General of UNIDO.