Vinnväxtinitiativet Paper Province 2.0 har genomgått en utvärdering av ett internationellt team av experter som Vinnova anlitat. Paper Province 2.0 har minst sagt fått en bra start enligt utvärderarna. Läs själv det inledande stycket från rapporten.

Achievements and development needs. Mobilisation

Paper Province 2.0 (PP2.0) aims to become “the leading competence node for forest based bioeconomy”, and the core idea is to demonstrate bioeconomy in practice. As the other Vinnväxt initiatives also PP2.0 is based on mobilisation of collective action and pooling different competences to serve more or less collective purpose. PP2.0 has taken its role as a regional ‘dating agency’ and has successfully mobilised all the main players across the three institutional spheres of triple helix; universities, industries and government. It goes beyond any doubt that the leading firms, regional and local public actors as well as the Karlstad University have committed themselves to the overall goals of the initiative; striving for betterment of the region and better utilisation of its core assets. Commitment becomes visible, among other things, in a way the core ideas of the Paper Province 2.0 Initiative have been translated into a broader smart specialisation strategy of the Region Värmland. The key actors have not only reached a consensus on the main goals and activities but also share the enthusiasm for new ambitions. It seems PP2.0 has been able to generate inspiring development processes that attract highly skilled individuals, new knowledge and ideas contributing further to the initiative. Several interviewees also noted that the shared effort and receiving a ‘Vinnväxt winner’ label have boosted the self-confidence in the region.

The Paper Province 2.0 is well organised and positioned among an extensive network of actors without any obvious overlaps or tensions between the main actors. There also is a visible trust between the management team and the board, and consequently, the management team has freedom to act in the context of collectively agreed strategy. Successful mobilisation and organising are fundamental for the future efforts, and an excellent stepping stone for even more ambitious development projects.