STARTS Innovation at the nexus of Science, Technology, and the ARTS It has long been an established fact that innovation is at the core of a competitive economy. Today, an increasing number of high tech companies, world-wide, assert that the critical skills needed for innovation to happen and to be of value for society are – in addition to scientific and technological skills –skills such as creativity and capacity to involve all of society in the process of innovation. In this context, the Arts are gaining prominence as a catalyst for an efficient conversion of S&T knowledge into novel products, services, and processes. Europe has historically focused its attention on R&D and standardization in hardware. “The reason that Apple is able to create This led to initial successes e.g. in mobile products like iPad is because we try to be at the intersection of technology and liberal arts, telephony (Nokia and the GSM standard). to be able to get the best of both.” Today, however, focusing only on technology is not sustainable. Apple is a case in point. "I think our major contribution [to computing] While the Iphone builds on the highest was in bringing a liberal arts point of view to technology, its competitive edge lies in a the use of computers." design that enhances intuitive human-centred Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple use and seamless integration of technology, interfaces, and various services (Itunes, Appstore). To achieve this, Apple is routinely integrating artists in engineering teams to create human-centred visions for technology and to ensure that technology serves human needs and preferences. Many other high-tech companies – Mercedes, Siemens, Cisco, Intel, or Samsung - embrace the Arts. For instance, Mercedes is envisioning the future of transport and the city jointly between its engineers and artists. In his European Parliament auguration hearings, commissioner Oettinger in charge of the Digital Single Market embraced the idea strongly: 'Artistic creativity and critical thinking are essential for innovation in today's digital world. Already, highly innovative Science companies thrive on a strong link between artists and their engineers; Daimler has set up a lab exploring futures of urban Innovation at confluence transport with artists; and eminent art Design Technology of knowledge centres like BOZAR [in Brussels] engage and creativity more and more with technology. The EU's digital funding programmes help support such multidisciplinary teams. …We are now Arts encouraging our EU-funded projects to [engage] with the Arts' The nexus of innovation: Creative questions from science and the Arts and creative solutions from technology and design. Only weaved together they achieve innovation serving human needs Innovation responding to the challenges of the 21st century needs inter/multi- disciplinary collaboration across all sectors. The Arts are capable of providing the conceptual glue that is necessary for widest collaboration to happen. Universities need to include in their S&T curricula joint programmes and projects of their engineering and science departments with the Arts in order to put forward a knowledgeable and creative workforce. A strong partnership between technology institutions, industry, academia and art institutions will be of the essence. This is why, EC is suggesting setting up of a board on creativity in industry that comprises representatives at the highest level from all these actors but is driven by industry needs for innovation at the nexus of science, technology and the Arts. What EU is doing: STARTS initiative and STARTS prize 'Creativity is a vertical goal under H2020, but is also emerging as a success factor in innovation. Working at the nexus between Innovation, Technology, Science, the Arts, and Design, we begin to see opportunities for piloting collaboration……’ Under H2020, EC will initiate STARTS – S&T&ARTS – to bring to bear creativity in the Arts and culture in general on innovation in Europe. STARTS is in line with a broader European innovation strategy to enhance creativity in industry and society. The current Latvian presidency of EU therefore emphasises links between the Arts and innovation in its presidency conclusion on 'cultural and creative cross-overs to stimulate innovation, economic sustainability and social inclusion'. It will be necessary to build a community of engineers, innovators, designers, entrepreneurs, and artists to facilitate integration of artists in H2020 innovation projects. H2020 will therefore fund, among others, short-term residencies/fellowships (e.g. artists in residence in H2020 projects or scientists in residence at art institutions) and small projects where artists and engineers will work together on concrete problems. EC will express its commitment to such silo-breaking collaborations via a new European Union Prize – the STARTS prize. The prize is to be seen in the broader context of European innovation activities. It will give visibility to the impact on innovation that the most forwardlooking collaborations between ICT and the Arts have achieved. Two prizes categories are suggested, one honouring artistic exploration where appropriation by the Arts has altered the use, deployment or perception of technology and one that honours collaborations of industry/technology with the Arts that open new pathways for innovation. To achieve visibility and sustainable impact the STARTS prize must be a long-term commitment and build on a strong partnership with industry. Following examples like the Mies van Rohe prize in architecture, the prize should be inspired by existing high profile prizes, like, for instance, the 'Prix Ars Electronica' awarded annually in Linz, Austria.