The Innovation Policy Group (IPG), which is part of the JIIS began its work in 1984, in an effort to conceptualize and identify appropriate public policies for generating high levels of industrial/technological growth.

 

The group was involved in several major projects including an evaluation of the MAGNET program which centers on encouraging industrial pre-competitive collaborative R&D; a study on the operation and functions of the semi-public Technology Centers in Israel; and a study on the role of consultants and the innovation patterns of the SME sector.

 

In addition, the group took part in several EC funded research projects in the past. Under the 4th European Framework Program (FP4), the group participated in the IMT (Innovation Management Techniques) project: PRIISME and ACCESS. The results of these projects was the launching of a new SME support program funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade that helps SMEs improve innovation processes through IMT consultation; TSER (Targeted Socio-Economic Research); IFISE a project that analyzed Israeli financing schemes for innovation and incubation schemes and their applicability to Italy; and INCUPUB, which examined the role of technology policy in incubating European new technology based firms.

 

Under the 5th Framework Program the group initiated the Bio-link project, studying best incubation practices through a collaboration program between 5 bio-incubators in Europe and Israel.

 

The team was a member of the FP6 J-RIS project (2005-2008) to define a Regional Innovation Strategy for Jerusalem, and is a member of the TARGET program under the 7th Framework program.

 

In recent years the group has focused mostly on identifying Growth engines for the city of Jerusalem such as the Biotechnology and New-media fields and the academic sector and on preparing proposals for strengthening these growth engines.