SEZ becomes partner in Indian-European “European Business and Technology Center”
The European Business and Technology Center (EBTC) promotes research and business ties between Europe and India and is partly funded by the European Commission. Its focus is on environmentally friendly technologies used in the fields of energy, environment, transportation and biotechnology. The services of the center are provided by 17 partners from ten European countries offering a rich pool of expertise. An office in Delhi acts as a local contact point in India. The Steinbeis- Europa-Zentrum (SEZ) is also a partner in the network.
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with annual growth rates of somewhere between eight and ten per cent. If the forecasts are anything to go by, India will have grown to become the world’s third largest economy by 2032. It is already an important trading partner to the EU: European products already account for 20 per cent of the Indian market. With more than one billion inhabitants, India is an attractive location for European companies and research bodies.
Despite this, the country poses a variety of difficulties to companies, especially small and medium-sized ones: from the quagmire of bureaucracy to the difficulty of finding suitable local partners. This is where the newly founded center steps in, acting as the main port of call for companies from Europe – especially SMEs – and research institutes looking to start operating in India.
With the help of its office in Delhi, the EBTC is promoting European partnerships in India. The Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum is involved in setting up the center and running services based on years of experience in international technology transfer and the results of its work in the ‘Enterprise Europe Network’. According to Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum’s Heike Fischer, “Especially for Baden-Württemberg’s small and medium-sized companies and research bodies, the EBTC provides an avenue for forging initial contacts with potential partners in India and benefiting from local support. The Steinbeis-Europa- Zentrum provides practical support in entering new markets, even beyond the borders of Europe.” Over recent years, the Steinbeis- Europa-Zentrum has already run a number of partnership projects with India.
The center places a particular emphasis on environmental issues: as the Indian economy has boomed, the countryside and people have been subjected to severe pollution. The country is a long way off using environmentally friendly technology. This is an opening for companies; for India, it is an opportunity to counteract climate change with the use of new technology.