Lithuania mainly invests in research (hereinafter referred to as “MT”), infrastructure for the development of R & D, significantly less in experimental development (hereinafter referred to as EP) (e.g. Intelectas LT) and EP infrastructure (measures: Inoklaster LT, Intelektas LT) — it is invested in developing the potential of research and experimental development (R & D) with insufficient emphasis on transforming that potential into innovation and income. Part of the potential created by R & D is used, but most often it takes place locally — in the territory of Lithuania. It is a business (together with scientific and research institutions that generate commercial revenues for R & D services and clusters) oriented to the Lithuanian market, so the effect of sandbox is manifested. Exports of high value-added products (R & D performance-based innovation and R & D services) are low. Lithuania’s exports of high-tech products range between 5-8 % of total exports (one of the lowest in the EU). Participation of Lithuanian entities in EU R & D and I programmes is sluggish and passive. In more than 90 % of cases, Lithuanian business entities participate in projects as partners with small budgets and only in exceptional cases are project coordinators. The problem is that individual Lithuanian economic operators (with rare exceptions in biotechnology, lasers and photonics, information technology sectors) do not have the potential to independently integrate into the international EP and I value-creation chains (snowledge in R & D in the “sandbox” trap). The aim of the project is to create a network of Lithuanian representatives of experimental development and innovation (“ambassadors”) to promote the potential of the Lithuanian EP and I abroad: increasing the funds attracted by LT entities from international R & D & I programmes; attracting investment to innovative projects for the global market, and increasing exports of high value-added products and services (innovations) (helping companies to get out of R & D & I “sand boxes” in Lithuania to the global market).
