Season's Greetings: Preparing for the future

2010 has indeed been a year with a great amount of new challenges, but also a year where Øresund IT has continued to expand and work with our existing network in order to support the ICT sector in our region to increase in size, importance, and turnover. In collaboration with members and partners we have come to focus on internationalization – an area we will continue to enhance in the year to come.

Looking back, I can conclude that our network is bigger than ever and that the number of activities has increased compared to previous years; and we should be proud to spread these messages. That is why Øresund IT during 2010 strategically has increased the competences within commercialization of ideas as well as of projects.

Our mission is still to create growth in our region by using ICT as the driving force. We do this through networking, funding and matchmaking. In this way of working we do not differ from other ICT clusters in Europe. But in other aspects we certainly do, e.g. in our amount of tangible activities. Øresund IT has always been a very pragmatic and flexible organization with our feet solidly planted on the ground despite our high-flying ideas and ambitions. This has resulted in the following activities during 2010:

• + 400 meetings with relevant national and international contacts
• + 10 million DKK in return-on-investment to the regions, companies, universities and public sector (in cash from various project sources)
• + 150 matchmaking initiatives for companies and international partners
• + 50 matchmakings between researchers and companies
• + 50 prospects handled over to the inward invest organizations
• + 30 performances at the universities in the region
• Involvement in 5 larger EU funded projects, one of them as Lead Partner
• 10 events in- and outside the Øresund Region
• Participation in 20 international conferences

All of this is directly aimed to help the existing industry grow; attract new investments to the region; and increase the amount of research that goes to market. This is my point when I say that Øresund IT will focus more and more on commercialization of ideas and projects – because this is a purpose that we take seriously and believe will increase the knowledge of our region’s ICT market.

As most of you surely realize this could not be done without the fantastic crew that I have the privilege to work with. Without Karina, Doris, Camilla, Helena, Signe, Alfred, Niklas and Philip, Øresund IT would not have been where we are today. Sometimes it is long hours and tight deadlines, but still there is laughter and a warm feeling at the office. With employees like these it is really easy to be manager.

We are all looking forward to a new year full of new challenges. As usual the unexpected will probably happen, and as usual we will cope with situations in a pragmatic way, which is why we are excited to collaborate with you in 2011 and take the ICT cluster in the Øresund Region a step further into international areas of operations. So to our board of directors, all our members, our financiers and friends; we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Micael Gustafsson
Managing Director, Øresund IT