REALISA social innovation ecosystem in the Languedoc-Roussillon region

25th april 2014

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The Languedoc-Roussillon region, key figures*

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• Population : 2 686 054 people

• GDP per person: 23 556 €

• Unemployment rate is 13,9% of the workforce (4 points higher than the national average)

• 98 % of the entreprises are micro or very small enterprises (less than 20 employees)

• Market (45,4%) and non-market services (35,7%) sector represent 81,1 % of employment

• Enterprise creation rate is 17% (2 points higher than the national average)

• Failure rate is 5,7% (national average : 3%)

• Social economy represents 12,5% of employment (associations, cooperatives, mutual societies, foundations)* Source : INSEE

Who are we ? The fruits of an alchemy

The Regional Union of cooperatives enterprises (URSCOP LR)

The Languedoc-Roussillon Regional Council (Languedoc-Roussillon Region )

The Regional Chamber of Social and Solidarity Economy (CRESS LR)

Avise, the French national body promoting social enterprises and innovation

Partnerships with research institutes (HSS) and technological innovation incubators 3

A team : « activists » in the social economy field

Regional and national actors involved in the promotion of

social economy

The challenge of social innovation on a territory

Developing (cooperative) economy by supporting social innovation

Developing potential for job creation

Thinking about tomorrow’s economy

Meeting unsatisfied needs

Building links between the research sector and collective interests of territories

Creating bridges between social and technological innovation

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A shared willingness and converging interests

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner and Christian

Bourquin,Chair of the Regional Council at Réalis Pole’s opening ceremony

A luck factor…and time 2005 / 2006 : The Equal Programme 2007 : Creation of Alter’Incub, 1st

regional incubator dedicated to social and innovative enterprises

2008 :• 1st edition of Coventis, the social

economy business convention and • Launch of Coeptis, 1st school of

cooperative management• Alter’Incub, 1st non-technological

incubator eligible for Feder funds 2009-2010 : Experimental work about the

opportunity to create a social innovation regional Pole (PRIS)

2011 : • Creation of a social innovation

department in Transferts LR, the regional development and innovation agency

• National working group to build a reference model of social innovation criterias (partnership with Avise)

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International Conference on Social Innovation in Pole REALIS

Sept. 2013 : Opening of the Pole REALIS

Dec. 2013 : First International Conference on Social Innovation in Montpellier

The regional social innovation ecosystem

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Multishareholder cooperative COEPTIS : the school of cooperative management

Alter’Incub: Regional incubator of social innovation and collective interest entrepreneurship – URSCOP LR

REALIS : Social economy entrepreneurship pole –

Languedoc-Roussillon region

COVENTIS : Social economy business convention – CRESS LR

Social Innovation Regional Pole : support to the development of regional entreprises’ projects – Transferts LR

Social innovation financing : trust fund (France Active), Innov’ESS – Airdie LR and soon the Social Innovation Fund (Bpifrance)

Before creation During creation After creation

2008

2008

2009

2013

2013

REALIS, an active network for social innovation

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Impacts

Social innovation as:

A strategic factor of growth and competitivity for the territory (SRI) The common thread of social economy politicsThe construction of the willingness to work together: a multi-stakeholder dynamicCreativity in territorial developmentREALIS rewarded by the REVES* Excellence award 2013

* European network of cities and region for the Social and Solidarity Economy

« Coup de Pousse » competition, rewarding young innovative entreprises in the Languedoc-Roussillon region

REALIS, an active network for social innovation

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Prospects

Stabilizing the facilities of the REALIS network (incubators, management school, business convention…)Keeping the lead in social innovation Spinning-off : Alter’Incub, Coventis, …Increasing our openness to european partners (as social innovation is included in the 2014-20 programmation)Pooling experience and good practices in social innovationStrengthening funding tools dedicated to social innovation (bpi fund…) and lobbying for social enterprises to benefit from the same financial support as technological ones

Assets to launch a social innovation ecosystem

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A strong political will

A long-run mobilisation of heterogeneous stakeholders at the local and national levels

The choice for participative dynamics led by a key actor (role played by the URSCOP LR)

An entrepreneurial approach without reducing social innovation to the social economy field

A built partnership between researchers and ground actors

The creation of specific programmes meant to stimulating, accompanying, training, financing.

How to provide a framework to support social innovation ?

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Thank you for your attention !Merci !

www.alterincub-lr.coopwww.scop-lr.coop

www.avise.org

www.coventis.orgwww.creslr.org

www.laregion-realis.fr

www.coeptis.coop

Aurélie Mexandeau : amexandeau@scop.coop