Annual Report 2011

Annual Report 2011 Enhancing Life Science . Foto credits to: Hamilton, Qiagen, Integra, CTC, Xiril, Mettler, Tecan, Sias Toolpoint Annual Report page 2 Annual Report 2011 Contents 1. General information from the Management 2. Highlights of the Year 3. Information about Application Fields 3.1 Innovation and Technology 3.1.1 Whoch6 3.1.2 Roadmap Team 3.1.3 Current technology projects 3.1.4 Further activities 3.1.5 SiLA 3.1.6 T-TIP 3.1.7 Scientific Forum 3.1.8 After Work Talks 3.2 Networking 3.2.1 Participation of Toolpoint & SiLA at MipTec 3.2.2 Poster Awards sponsored by Toolpoint 3.2.3 CEO Event 3.2.4 Life Science Zürich 3.2.5 Further networking activities 3.3 Education/Human Resources 3.3.1 HR Expert Group 3.3.2 Apprenticeship promotion 3.4 Commercial Collaboration 3.4.1 IP Expert Group 3.4.2 Sample Handling Report 3.4.3 Common waste disposal solution 3.5 Policy Action 3.5.1 RA Expert Group 3.6 Cluster Expansion 3.6.1 Members 3.6.2 Business partners 4. Organisation 5. Communication 6. Financial Report 7. Outlook Toolpoint Annual Report page 3 1. Networks in Medical Technologies - an Imperative of today! „The Medtech branch built up to now not only a solid pillar for Switzerland but was also a success model of its export industry. However, the recent economic crisis brings also shortcomings to light“. The current situation in the Medtech branch, the liquid handling including, was presented in those terms in an introductory paragraph of the article that appeared on November 6. 2011 in the NZZ 1.With 2% the Medtech branch contributes to the GNP almost as much as is claimed by the pharmaceutical industry. The authors of the survey, „State of the Swiss Medical Technology Industry 2011“ 2 identify within their concern barometer the following factors: pressure on the price and cost levels, intensified competition as well as the availability of professional human resources especially those in the area of marketing and regulatory affairs. According to the authors the necessary change involves structural adjustments and concentration of resources. They point to the necessity of network building to com- pensate for the existing scale deficiencies whereby „many companies lack the critical scale of opera- tion to effect the required investment in R&D”. The liquid handling enterprises timely set the right course in that they together with Toolpoint built up the constantly expanding network. Notably, this year seven new members joined and two new partners, Credit Suisse and Cognizant accessed within the newly introduced partnership concept. It is, henceforth, expected of all members to actively contribute to the pressing issues of environment and energy to synergies, knowledge and technology transfer, securing talent and to collective interest representation in order to generate greatest benefits for all. Our prime objective is to serve the members with methods, information, tools, and contacts in accor- dance with their individual needs and requirements. Together we are stronger! We look forward to continuous, exciting, and mutually beneficial cooperation. The Toolpoint Team 1 NZZ Nr. 277, page 34, Erfolgsbranche Medtech in Gefahr (The Success Branch in Danger), Giorgio V. Müller (the copy of the article is available on demand in our offices). 2 The complete branch report by Beatus Hofrichter, Deloitte Consulting and Patrick Dümmler, CEO Export platform Medtech Switzerland, will be presented at the World Medtech Forum in September 2012 in Luzern. Toolpoint Annual Report page 4 The vertical cluster: value added chain Fig. The value added chain shows the target markets of Tool- point (lilac), the technological core competen- cies of the sup- pliers (green), the knowledge and technology carri- ers such as uni- versities (yellow- brown), as well as the core com- petencies of Toolpoint core members (red). Toolpoint is engaged in know- how, and technology transfer focused on Knowledge and Technology the demands of Fraunhofer Institut, Stuttgart the target Hochschule Rapperswil markets ZHAW, Wädenswil (indicated by the two Private / SMEs (KMUs): Start -Ups: arrows). awtec, Zürich ascomp, Zürich CSEM, Neuchâtel and Molecular Machines and Alpnach Industries, Glattbrugg Infoteam, Stäfa and Germany Insphero, Zürich Invetech, Zürich SuSoS, Volketswil Jossi, Islikon Xeronics, Hombrechtikon Noser Engineering Sensirion, Stäfa Surface Contacts, Germany Fig. Toolpoint Xavo, Basel and Germany members ac- Weidmann Plastics, Rapperswil cording to their core compe- tencies analo- gously to the value Needs Stock exchange listed: Private / SMEs (KMUs): added chain Mettler Toledo, Greifensee Büchi Labortechnik, Flawil Qiagen, Hombrechtikon CTC, Zwingen Stratec Biomedical Systems, Ditabis, Pforzheim Birkenfeld, Neuhausen Gilson, Paris Tecan, Männedorf Hamilton, Bonaduz Integra Biosciences, Zizers Leister Axetris, Kägiswil Rainin (Mettler Toledo), Prat- teln Seyonic, Neuchâtel Sias, Hombrechtikon Xiril, Hombrechtikon Toolpoint Annual Report page 5 2. Highlights of the Year New partners joint the Toolpoint Network: This year we have successfully implemented the Toolpoint Partner Concept with the consequence that for every single of intended areas: Finance, Risk, Marketing & Consulting and ICT, a qualified partner was integrated into the Toolpoint network. See 3.6.2. Project SiLA as of end of 2011 successfully completed The Project SiLA (Standardisation in Lab Automation) initiated, developed and built up by Toolpoint operates since 2012 as an independent organisation with the objective to establish SiLA as a world- wide standard. See 3.1.5 and 3.2.1. New Members During this business year Toolpoint expanded its membership by four new supplier companies: ascomp gmbh, awtec, Jossi and Noser Engineering. Furthermore, Academia as a new membership category was created with the following members joining: Fraunhofer Institut (Germany), HSR, Rap- perswil and ZHAW, Wädenswil. See 3.6.1. Apprenticeship Promotion Programme - continuous success Also this year we were in a position to create eighteen new apprenticeship positions within the Per- formance Service Agreement with eight communities from the Meilen district. See 3.3.2. New Event Sequence: After Work Talks ICT The growing importance of Information Technology within Life Sciences was acknowledged by Tool- point in the new event sequence, After Work Talks ICT. The events take place three to four times a year and are open to all members and employees. See 3.1.8. The New Homepage Following careful conceptual work we finally launched in spring our homepage. With its clear lay out the visitors are guided through comprehensive information items with references to the current events on the front page. See 5. Improved External Communication Cooperation with the PR and Communication Agency - Communicators, resulted for Toolpoint in new quality and dynamics of our PR and communication undertakings. We expect, thus, substan- tial increase in information penetration and improved perception of our branch in the relevant community. See 5. Toolpoint Annual Report page 6 3. Information about Application Fields Toolpoint’s activities and services can be divided into six so called application fields. This corresponds to the structure used in the cluster theory: • 3.1 Innovation and Technology • 3.2 Networking • 3.3 Education/Human Resources • 3.4 Commercial Collaboration • 3.5 Policy Action • 3.6 Cluster Expansion Fig. The Cluster Initiative Target Board by Örjan Sölvell, Göran Lindqvist and Christian Ketels, extract of The Cluster Initiative Greenbook (Stockholm: Bromma tryck AB, 2003) 27, supplemented by Toolpoint specific services. 3.1 Innovation and Technology Our well validated Technology Assessment Process provided also this year basis for the members’ needs survey. The process relying on 1:1 feedback dialogues, conducted twice a year, aims at the identification of common interests through gathering information about individual companies’ future requirements. The results of the feedback dialogues and the findings of the Roadmap Team (RMT) were then consolidated and presented to the member companies without name references. In the course of this procedure, common denominators emerge providing indication as to whether there is sufficient support for new projects and proposals in the members’ community. To secure necessary expertise, academic institutions and external companies were involved in the assessment process. Based on this, potentially interested member companies decide whether they wish to participate in the evaluation stage, to determine precise goals, as well as the budget, and finally whether or not to take part in the final project Toolpoint Annual Report page 7 The process is shown schematically in the diagram below: Fig. The Toolpoint Technology Assessment Process 3.1.1 Whoch6 W6 (www.whoch6.ch ) is a consortium found as an initiative of the Swiss government (BBT und KTI/CTI). Toolpoint is an industry partner in the division Life Sciences / MedTech / Biology and re- ports to the w6 coordinator D. Alexakis (www.bridgeplus.ch). The aim of w6 is to reinforce the Technology Transfer between academia and industry, and to stimulate the existing activities in order to improve the exchange among the network’s members. For Toolpoint the main tasks are performed by the Technology Assessor (Antonio de Agostini), the most important being assessment and evaluation of the members’ needs according to the Tool- point Process. Further, activities include organisation of events, eminently the Scientific Forum (see there), the Af- ter Work Talks ICT and the T-TIP Seminars (T-TIP stands for Toolpoint Technology Information Platform). While Toolpoint concentrates on technology transfer and on guiding and stimulating networking between industry and academia, its aims perfectly coincide with those of the consortium w6, thus al- lowing for this part of Toolpoint’s activities to be partly funded by w6. 3.1.2 Roadmap Team The Roadmap Team (RMT) constitutes Toolpoint’s “Think Tank”. On one hand, it updates periodi- cally the existing Toolpoint Roadmap, on the other, it considers topics that are of a more general nature or, in terms of time horizon, would transgress subjects discussed at other expert committee meetings.

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