Small businesses throughout the Highlands and Islands will soon be able to gain exclusive access to leading edge technology-based research following the establishment of a unique alliance.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has been invited to join forces with Media Lab Europe, the European research partner of the internationally renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory (MITML) and Business Lab (BL), the Scottish IT-related research group, in an exclusive strategic partnership.

The collaboration - the first of its kind in Europe involving Dublin-based Media Lab Europe and a public agency - will accelerate the commercial application of 'blue-sky' research emerging from the laboratory and MITML for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and microbusinesses in the Highlands and Islands.

Harnessing the potential of new technologies will help improve businesses' competitiveness at local, national and international levels. HIE will also be assisted in formulation of policies for intervention in ICT for businesses through detailed insight into research findings as part of the partnership agreement with Media Lab Europe and Business Lab.

The partnership has been formally announced following a meeting in Dublin between representatives of HIE, Media Lab Europe and BL. Under the agreement, the collaboration will be managed by BL, with HIE fine-tuning the partnership's output to match the current and anticipated future needs of businesses throughout the Highlands and Islands.

The key activities of the partnership will be:

• Enabling SMEs, microbusinesses, representatives of government agencies and academia within the Highlands and Islands to access leading-edge research.
• Developing a dissemination programme of Media Lab outputs within the Highlands and Islands.
• Developing a framework within the Highlands and Islands for academic collaboration between businesses and the academic research communities working with the HIE network and its stakeholders.

HIE chairman Dr Jim Hunter said: "Environmentally and in every other way, the Highlands and Islands are a great place to live. Combine this with the fact that new communications and other technologies are making it possible to establish high-quality businesses here and you begin to appreciate why this will be the place to be economically in the years ahead.

"That is why our partnership with Media Lab Europe is so important. This partnership will connect us with some of the most innovative thinking in the world. It will help the Highlands and Islands realise their full potential - a potential we have scarcely begun to appreciate."

Calum Davidson, head of HIE's knowledge economy team, said the alliance would bring significant benefits to businesses in the Highlands and Islands.

He said: "One of our key ambitions is to build on our research base so we can grow more science and technology companies. This deal with Media Lab Europe plugs us into an internationally renowned research centre with global expertise.

"Through this exciting new alliance the three partners believe that communities, individuals and businesses will have direct access to new ideas, technologies and know-how that will deliver huge opportunities for the Highlands and Islands."

Ronan Smith, director of corporate communications at Media Lab Europe, said the agreement marked an evolution in the development of the organisation's partnership model.

He added: "In the past we have mainly partnered with organisations in the private sector as well as educational bodies. The laboratory is now working with regional development authorities across Europe, together driving innovation in the public sector."

Gregor Rae, chairman of Business Lab, said: "Having experienced the Media Lab model over many years in the United States, we saw the advantage to large companies in being able to access its research. Our goal with Media Lab Europe, however, was to develop something that would benefit small businesses, who have less time and money to invest in research.

"We spent a year developing this partnership model for economic development agencies. Highlands and Islands Enterprise are the first to recognise the potential and we are delighted to be working with them."

An advisory group, comprising representatives of HIE, BL and Media Lab Europe has been set up to review the work of the partnership and create opportunities for further research ideas.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory was founded by MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte and the late Jerome Wiesner (former president of MIT and science adviser to President John F Kennedy) who foresaw the convergence of computing, publishing and broadcasting, fuelled by changes in the communications industry. Since opening in 1985, MITML has been instrumental in the creation of now widely used technology such as digital video and multimedia. MITML continues to focus on invention aimed at the enhancing the ways that people think, express and communicate ideas and explore new scientific frontiers.

Media Lab Europe was founded in July 2000 as a direct result of a 10-year joint venture between the Irish government and MIT. Around 100 people work across eight different research and supporting area in a 10,000sq m facility at the heart of Dublin's 'digital hub.'

Business Lab is a leading Scottish IT-related research group, specialising in the creation of research consortia to develop tools and processes for application by SMEs to improve their competitiveness. The company focuses on the application of technology in the areas of business strategy, learning environments and socio-economic inclusion. Over the last five years, BusinessLab's research has resulted in a number of innovative e-business and e-learning programmes for businesses in the UK, India, Australia, Scandinavia and North America.