Viewpoints

Incremental innovation won’t do, experts say. At stake is leadership in life sciences, transportation, infrastructure and communications technologies

The interdisciplinary vision of the future that inspired the formation of Aalto University has arrived. This has profound implications for undergraduate education, says the university’s President, Tuula Teeri. Students must be equipped to re-invent themselves, she tells Science|Business

Regrets, she has a few, but the real fault lies with politicians that remain tied to an analogue mind-set. The result is a two-speed Europe, says Neelie Kroes as she retires as Digital Commissioner – to be replaced by three men

Forget the theory: students are inspired by problem-solving and turning know-how into entrepreneurship. Even dissent is a focus for innovation, says John Einar Hustad of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Europe’s SMEs are starved of cash. Crowdfunding represents a potential way to overcome some of the fragmentation of Europe’s capital markets and improve access to financing for start-ups, says Karen Wilson of the policy thinktank Bruegel

Jan Reichelt, co-founder of Mendeley, reflects on how his start-up brought relief to academics and shook up science publishing. The secret was in making a common cause with fellow researchers, he says

The Czechs are accelerating to catch up in the electric car world. However, more government support is needed to help green innovation displace incumbent technologies, saysTomáš Chmelík, project manager for the country’s E-mobility programmme

The lack of innovation portfolios at the top of the new European Commission has a simple solution: name science and innovation advisors to each Vice President

Spinning out technology used in space missions is a high-risk game. Frank Salzgeber, head of technology transfer at the European Space Agency and space tech’s “friendly uncle”, tells Science|Business how he can help

Independence will leave Scotland better-placed to support its universities and enable the country to attract more private R&D funding, says Professor Bryan MacGregor, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Physical Sciences at Aberdeen University

As the 18 September referendum looms closer, Jim Gallacher, emeritus professor at Glasgow Caledonian University, calls for a ‘No’ vote against Scottish independence, saying universities and research will be stronger if Scotland remains part of the UK

Investment from angels is on the rise, but they need help to invest wisely. It’s time to professionalise angel investing, says Herwig Rollett, co-founder of the Business Angel Institute in Vienna

Cell therapies hold the promise of more effective treatments for a range of diseases, but they face a long and expensive route to market. The key is to reduce risk and attract investors, says Keith Thompson, head of the UK Cell Therapy Catapult

The uncertainty sparked by the US ruling that the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes are not patentable is holding back the development of diagnostics and therapies, says patent lawyer Arian Tombling

Pharmaceutical R&D functions at its best in small, agile and innovative SMEs. Replacing state subsidies and grant funding for research with start-up and development capital, would bring productivity improvements, says Mark Bloomfield, CEO of French biotech Polyplus Transfection