Innovations Sought in Four Areas
Munich – For the first time, the Network of Automotive Excellence (NoAE) has extended its Innovation Award to a non-European country: Canada. The NoAE Award, launched in cooperation with the European automotive industry, is in its fourth year and is held under the auspices of the German Federal Minister of Economics, Rainer Brüderle.
The Network of Automotive Excellence is an initiative of automotive OEMs, suppliers, engineering firms, and research organizations, to cooperatively respond to the challenges in the automotive sector, and to identify solutions. The Networked vehicle Association and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers are excited to be able to invite their member supplier companies to participate in this completion. It represents a great opportunity for Canadian suppliers who wish to grow and prosper in the European Automotive Industry.
New in 2010: strategic partnership with Canada.
New for the NoAE in 2010 is the strategic partnership with Canada. Canadian participation in the NoAE is led by the Federal Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT,) represented by the Embassy of Canada in Berlin, and the Canadian Consulate in Munich. The offices worked hard to engage all partners and to lead the program initiative, according to the project partners: the CATAAlliance (Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance), the Networked Vehicle Association NVA, and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association APMA.
’Canada believes in the power of partnership, and in that spirit, we are delighted to join you, and to become members of the NoAE Innovation Competition. We look forward to our new journey together’, says Barry Gander, Executive Director, Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, and Chair of the Networked Vehicle Association. Steve Rodgers, President of the APMA noted “For suppliers who wish to be recognized and grow in Europe, this is an outstanding opportunity.” Canada’s innovation potential is internationally recognized and offers exceptional opportunities for technology partnerships, for instance in the automotive and ICT sector.
Identifying new ideas
New ideas which have applications for the automobile – whether the ideas come from the automotive sector or from other industries – are welcome in this year’s competition. Four thematic areas of high importance for the automobile industry have been identified. The call for proposals is extended to companies and research organizations which can make contributions to the following thematic areas:
- The automobile, a special living environment
- Communications and the car (Information Technology)
- Eco Innovation - new approaches to CO2 reduction
- Efficient and flexible production
The Competition is open from now to September 30, 2010. The proposal submission process is easy, through the NoAE portal.
Award winners are being invited to present their innovations at the Würzburg Automotive Summit held in November 2010 in Germany. In addition, they receive for the duration of one year active support by NoAE members in commercializing their winning technologies – in order to turn innovative ideas into commercial projects. Some 30 winners have been selected in each of the previous years, coming from research organizations and SMEs.
The NoAE Innovation Competition is held under the auspices of the Federal German Minister of Economics, Rainer Brüderle.
The NoAE:
The NoAE (www.noae.com) is an inter company initiative aiming at strengthening the competitiveness of the European automotive industry. The NoAE is organized on the basis of project initiatives and was founded in 2002 by executive level representatives from the automotive industry and received support by the European Commission. NoAE is member of ’Kompetenznetze Deutschland’ , an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
The CATAAlliance:
The largest high-tech association in Canada, CATAAlliance grows its members’ revenues by matching businesses with opportunities across almost every sector. Reaching out from and across Canada, CATAAlliance members collaborate with each other, major global companies and governments. As 80% of its members are active exporters, CATA’s members are the arrow-head for global growth. Through its “Innovation Nation” program, CATA’s CEOs come together to catalyze the development of the Canadian business environment. CATA is the foundation for commercialization, market research, networking, events, access to other associations, and professional development. We embrace collaboration and our goal is nothing less than to make Canada the Number One Innovation Nation. For further information see: CATA
The Networked Vehicle Association (NVA):
The NVA is a not-for-profit organization which has become the premier workgroup for executives in the newly-emerging field of ICT-auto business opportunities. Executives in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector – from companies such as IBM, HP, CA, ITEL, Cisco and HP – use the NVA as their premier platform for exploring the business and technology sides of new internet-enabled services through high speed vehicle networks. This VIP networking work-group has been joined by the major firms from the auto makers and suppliers sectors. These leaders are ‘lighting up’ the last remaining dark spot in the ICT universe – the community of more than a billion communications-enabled vehicles! Today such networks are unleashing unprecedented opportunities for user convenience, safety, entertainment, information, advertising, service delivery, communications, and research. The NVA’s purpose is to play an active role in orchestrating different industries to obtain exploit the business opportunities in the full integration of all vehicles into the global communications network. For further information see: Networked Vehicle Association
The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA):
The APMA is Canada’s national association representing OEM producers of parts, equipment, tools, supplies and services for the worldwide motor vehicle industry. APMA’s members account for approximately 90 per cent of Canada’s $24-billion (2008) industry, employing 79,000 workers. APMA’s fundamental objective is to promote and support the moor vehicle original equipment and supply industry both domestically and internationally. The association creates and executes global marketing initiatives in order to develop international trade and marketing opportunities for the membership, and also provides important representation to both the federal and provincial governments. APMA is the voice of the motor vehicle suppliers in Canada. For further information see: APMA