Opera Task Force Presents Vision Paper

(Above, from left to right)Prof. Dr. Harri Kopola, Prof. Dr.Karl Leo (coordinator), Mr Thomas Reibe (European Commission),Mr Ed van den Kieboom (secretary), Prof.Dr. Sir Richard Friend, Dr.Thomas Geelhaar, Ir Jaap Lombaers (missing from photo)

Introduction

In a knowledge-based economy, the future of the emerging European organic and large area electronics sector will increasingly depend on the industry’s ability to innovate. To achieve such an innovation process, a close collaboration between universities, research institutes, industry and the funding bodies is most important.
The goal of this task force working within the OPERA project is to briefly outline the opportunities in OLAE and to make a set of specific recommendations to further strengthen the European position in this field.
This paper is the first draft of this initiative. It is our goal to continuously update and enhance this paper in discussion with the stakeholders in the OLAE field and that is why we urge you to read the full paper and give us your feedback and opinions.

Opportunities and Challenges
Europe has demonstrated to be the global region with the strongest ability to create fundamental innovations in organic and large-area electronics. The strong well organised basic research, the well organised funding schemes of the EC and the fact Europe already leads in many essential to OLAE fields make many big opportunities for Europe to take up. To also become the leading region in bringing these innovations to successful applications, a number of challenges must be addressed. The main challenges are:
• Overcoming fragmentation, duplication and discontinuity of research efforts by the many small partners involved
• Eliminating shortcomings in the ability to translate research results into product- and process-innovation,
• Improving coordination of international and national funding activities
• Installing regulatory frameworks at European level that enable and encourage commercialization of new OLAE product.

Executive Summary and Key Recommendations:

• Why Organic and Large Area (OLAE) business and why in Europe?
 OLAE will create a global market of more than 100 Billion € in the mid- to long-term future
 OLAE is a disruptive technology that will enable next-generation ICT, energy, healthcare, entertainment, and advertising industry solutions to meet large end-user markets demand in Europe in the future.
 OLAE provides significant societal benefits such as more effective usage of materials and energy and added functionality of products. It will enable new cost-effective products for healthcare and wellness, in particular for changing demographics.
 OLAE will change the way we live, consume, work, and play.
 Europe possesses a full set of excellent technical competences for realising these opportunities. If Europe maintains and further expands its present competitive edge, it can be the leading global region in this field.

• What position in OLAE can and should Europe have reached in 2015 - 2020?
 European players are global leaders in the OLAE markets with a combined market share of over 50%.
 A significant part of the value created along the value chain is generated in Europe, including materials, equipment, components, products, up to media and content.
 Europe is the leading R&D and innovation powerhouse in OLAE.
 Europe plays a major role in defining standards and visions in this field.

• What needs to be done to reach these visions?
 Establish a strong and focused European Platform on OLAE and actively link with EC programs that represent application areas for this technology.
 Develop a coherent strategic research agenda, including roadmaps, to coordinate EC and national research.
 Establish specific measures, e.g. pilot production centres, to close the gap between R&D and products.
 Nurture the emergence of a European OLAE industry, for example through new approaches to create lead markets, such as the Lead Market Initiatives (LMI).
 Increase the funding budget in proportion to the huge expected markets and establish new ways to access venture capital.
 Develop an “Era-Net Plus” approach for cooperation in and beyond Europe.
 Take measures to early establish standards for new products.
 Establish new training schemes which fit to the interdisciplinary nature of the OLAE field and which range from basic science through engineering and business planning.

To recive a copy of the vision paper, please email victoria.plompen@plastic-electronics.org and you will be sent it by email. If you would like to make comments or if you have suggestions on the vision paper please also email the above address. We would welcome any feedback!