LIFE SCIENCE
Competitiveness and innovativeness of a region can be supported first of all by: further investment in infrastructure (laboratories and their equipment, research equipment, software, etc.), human capital in the area of medical and life sciences, but also technical, international management, knowledge management, intellectual property rights, technology transfer and investment in R&D projects. Access to appropriate number of graduates from faculties related with life science has special importance, hence it is advisable to: promote such faculties, monitor educational paths (at least from the level of secondary school) and work with talented pupils, and promote entrepreneurship at the
academic level. In order to take the best advantage of the external environment opportunities, this smart specialization requires, among others, promotion of public funds and initiatives connected with involvement of the life science sector in counteracting threats and effects connected with COVID-19 pandemics and other potential epidemic threats, which can appear during implementation of RIS.
Desirable support directions will include stimulation of cooperation of entities from the sectors of IT, communication, information and cyber security with producers and service providers from life science sector and promotion of good practice. The definition „bioregion” should also refer to the possibility of creating value chains based on healthy foods, their purchase, processing and sale.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
The scope of this smart specialization includes operations in innovative chains, based on R&D, as well as based on competitiveness in many dimensions. Territorial scope of specialization should encourage intensive contacts and cooperation between stakeholders connected by close geographical location, including the area of promotion of distributed power engineering.
The actions in this area should support the goal of transformation into a more ecological and energy sustainable region, hence special importance should be attached to continuation of ecological education, preparation of social campaigns devoted to renewable energy, distributed and prosumer energy, networking events, especially within the scope of strengthening operations of knowledge clusters and centres (alike life science) and support in promoting operations of companies – suppliers of renewable energy products and services and widely understood energy efficiency. Considering more important technological challenges, one should design and moderate cooperation with pipeline
character with entities that influence demand for technological solutions and posses implementation potential. In the case of Lesser Poland, the above mentioned entities include especially: Tauron Group, MPEC S.A. in Krakow or PEC Geotermia Podhalanska S.A.