The idea to submit a project to INTERREG IVC emerged in 2008 when several European entities decided to make a joint effort to contribute to a more collaborative and aligned environment capable of harmonizing Knowledge Transfer (KT) mechanisms and boosting innovation at European level. In fact, KT was recognized by the EU as a key tool for boosting innovation and competitiveness in Europe. In line with this strategy, KTForce aims to benchmark both innovation policies and Knowledge Transfer practices in the partner regions, so that a set of strategic recommendations for future design of innovation policies and implementation of KT practices can be applied, towards more dynamic and competitive European regions. The proposal involves 11 partners, in 6 regions, some from Modest and Moderate innovator regions (Lithuania, Portugal and Romania) and others from Innovation follower and leader regions (France, Germany and Ireland), according to the 2010 Innovation Scoreboard. This willenable less advanced regions to benefit from the experience of more advanced ones, and each region to improve the policy context in the KT field. Moreover, entities from a political nature as well as others with an operational mission have been involved in all regions concerned, as a strategy for having both top-down and bottom-up discussions regarding how to increase the efficiency of KT policies and practices and reach a high beneficial level in terms of future policy design. To achieve its objectives, KTForce will focus on 3 KT areas: Technology Licensing, Spin-off creation & Entrepreneurship and University-Industry relations. In practice, a Focus Group (FG), gathering one representative of each partner will be created and will work at the implementation level, guiding the 3 Task Force Groups (TFG) that in turn will operate in each KT area set in the project. Both Groups will meet regularly to discuss and exchange experience on KT practices and innovation policies, via the partici-pation in study visits, workshops and joint thematic seminars. In practice, KTForce proposes to:- map existing policies and practices for KT;- define the actual needs of the regions by creating present Where are we? and future scenarios Where we want to be;- Benchmark and measure the impact innovation policies have on KT practices and the type of policies that would need to be developed to meet the challenges and needs of the regions;- Define a roadmap and implementation plan for future policy design and practices development.The main expected result is the improvement of local and regional innovation policies focusing KT, as well as the transfer of best practices, both at operational and political levels. Completed by the development of an implementation plan of selected policies in each partner region and presented via an interactive database webtool, the results planned by KTForce will have a strong impact on the definition of innovation policies focusing KT in Europe. Achievements: The KTForce project aims at benchmarking both innovation policies and Knowledge Transfer (KT) practices in the partner regions, so that a set of strategic recommendations for future design of innovation policies and implementation of KT practices can be applied, towards more dynamic and competitive European regions. The first meeting of the partnership took place at the early beginning of March, where the partners met at the kick-off meeting in Porto, Portugal and discussed the operational implementation of the project along its lifetime, and got to know each other. At the same time, the first study visit was organized, including a visit to the North region authority, and various technology and innovation structures of the University of Porto and the region. A first mapping of KT practices and innovation policies that support Knowledge Transfer in partner regions was collected via a questionnaire available on-line and reachable by all the partners. At the management level, 5 skype calls were organized (January, April, May, twice in June), the partnership agreement was validated and signed by all the partners and the communication guidelines were drafted as a first version. The monitoring of indicators and financial data was done by all the partners along the first semester of the project, and partners who follow a decentralized control system followed their national procedures regarding the First Level Control. The LP also participated in 4 seminars organized by the Joint Technical Secretariat, namely the LP seminar in January, the Financial seminar, the exchange of experience seminar and the on-line reporting seminar both in June. Regarding the communication and dissemination activities, the first version of the communication plan was drafted and submitted to the partners for comments, and the corporate image of the project was developed, namely with the definition of the project logo and the validation of the graphical identity manual of the logo, as well as part of the communication materials (poster, roll-up, flag, for the Launch conference). In addition, the newsletter layout was developed, the 1st newsletter finalized and the website was started to be developed, being available to any interested party at www.ktforce.eu. The KTForce partners also started to organize the Launch conference of the project, which is planned to take place at the beginning of July. The facebook and twitter KTForce social pages were also created.