This ambitious and unprecedented project in Luxembourg aims to promote innovation and research in the Grand Duchy and across the Greater Region. As part of this project, the aforementioned partners shall seek to combine initiatives and support innovative, entrepreneurial projects resulting from the overall economic and academic framework in Luxembourg and its bordering countries. These partners shall also seek to generate interest in Luxembourg among international companies thanks to the support of their respective networks, while also helping to foster a culture of innovation in Luxembourg companies.

Highlight of the initiative: the first ‘Mind & Market’ Forum

Via an annual forum, regular meetings and its online platform at www.mindandmarket.lu, ‘Mind & Market’ will promote the bringing together of creators of innovative projects and potential partners, as well as encourage market contact. ‘Mind & Market’ will therefore connect people from the world of academia and research centres with individual entrepreneurs, while also providing a link to local and international companies of all sizes and across all business sectors (healthcare, ICT, engineering, chemicals, food processing, marketing, management, sustainable development, etc.),  keen to partner with and/or invest in these innovative projects.

The ‘Mind & Market’ Luxembourg concept will be officially unveiled to professionals and universities at the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (Mudam) on 24 March. On this occasion, Deloitte Luxembourg will also reveal the results of its survey on innovation to local companies.

Following the initial presentation, the first ‘Mind & Market’ Forum will be held at the Maison du Savoir in Belval on 30 June 2015. Conferences and round-table discussions dedicated to innovation and project creators will be organised during this event. Furthermore, creators of innovative projects will have the opportunity to pitch their business model in front of an audience comprising, among others, specialists and experts in the fields of marketing, finance, human resources, communication, services and product design throughout the Forum.
Through contact points and meetings during and following the event, project creators will be able to draw on the skills, experience and market knowledge of entrepreneurs, experts, coaches, companies and support organisations, which could act as a catalyst for realising their ideas, speeding up the development of projects and supporting the early stages of a start-up.

“The launch of ‘Mind & Market’ in Luxembourg is a genuine opportunity to actively support the goal of innovation growth in Luxembourg.” stated Yves Francis, Managing Partner of Deloitte Luxembourg. “Although it no longer needs to be demonstrated that innovation is essential for the growth of major international groups, as well as for companies and institutions, supporting creators of ideas and research centres in order to see innovative ideas transformed into products and services continues to be of high importance.” he concluded.

Additionally, the FNR has expressed its confidence in the ‘Mind & Market’ project as a real opportunity for research in Luxembourg and in the Greater Region:
“According to the government programme, the economic impact of public research in Luxembourg is a priority. Consequently, one of the FNR’s strategic objectives is to contribute to the economic exploitation of the results obtained in public research projects.
The ‘Mind & Market’ project is an effective way to achieve this, as it enables researchers to exchange their ideas with potential partners and benefit from immediate feedback from the industry.” stated Marc Schiltz, Secretary-General of the FNR.

As a national agency for the promotion and innovation of research, Luxinnovation regards the support offered to innovative start-ups as a pillar of its activity. It is against this backdrop, and out of a constant concern for improving its range of support services, that Luxinnovation has decided to become involved in the ‘Mind & Market’ initiative in Luxembourg.
“Luxinnovation is keen to actively invest in this initiative in order to play its role of ‘catalyst’ to the full among creators of innovative projects. Indeed, it is at the beginning that these actors need the most guidance in finding an essential resource: partners.” explains Jean-Paul Schuler, Managing Director of Luxinnovation GIE.
“This initiative will enable the agency to strengthen its presence among entrepreneurs throughout the development cycle of their start-up: from raising awareness of the development of an idea and honing a business model to searching for partners.”

Moreover, the University of Luxembourg wishes to encourage individual and voluntary participation of university students and researchers in the Mind & Market project in Luxembourg.
"The University of Luxembourg is pleased to participate in this partnership. It will give our students and our researchers a great opportunity to be able to take the first step towards a future development of their research. We will do our best to make this splendid idea a success." said Professor Ludwig Neyses, Vice-President for Research at the University of Luxembourg.

All project creators, companies and those passionate about innovation are invited to join the ‘Mind & Market’ Luxembourg community by posting their projects on the ‘Mind & Market’ website: www.mindandmarket.lu