CORDIS Archive

Technology Transfer and Innovation

While research is the search for new technologies, Innovation is how we transfer these ideas into products. Under the Innovation Programme, the European Union offers several support actions designed to foster technology transfer and innovation among SMEs.

Technology Transfer and Validation projects

The Innovation Programme funds projects which cover two key parts of the innovation process: downstream validation of research results and the transfer of technology to a new area of application. The primary goal of the Programme's projects funding activity is to increase the absorption of technologies by companies in Europe, and to encourage the exchange of information between companies. Today there are many examples of how the Innovation Programme and its predecessors have enabled the transfer of a technology created in one company or European region for use in another sector or geographic area. For many small companies, the cost and complexity of evaluating exactly how a technology can be adapted for use on the market is the main barrier between a good idea and its commercialisation as a new product. The INNOVATION Programme helps by supporting trans-national consortia for projects such as: creation of a product prototype, upscaling a laboratory prototype, or validating of production for a new design idea.

How SMEs can participate

The implementation of the projects action line is via calls for proposals. There has been one call in 1995, and a second call was published on 17 September 1996, with a deadline for proposals to arrive on 16 December 1996. The priority target of this call are enterprises and, in particular, SMEs. Priority attention will be given to SMEs in the industrial, craft and service sector, which depend on access to new technology for the preservation of their competitiveness, but do not have sufficient resources to participate in Community research activities or the direct exploitation of Community research results.

Participation can only be as part of a trans-national consortium, and SMEs are welcome to function as co-ordinators of such consortia, or as "normal" partners in the projects. Community support will be in the form of cost-shared contracts, with a 30% to 50 % subvention of the eligible project costs. Further information is available in the InfoPack for the current call.

Supportive measures for project participants: QUICK SCAN

Apart from cost-shared funding, project partners benefit from a wide range of supportive measures, including moderated project planning workshops, guidebooks, tools for project management and reporting, a brochure and disc on intercultural management, videos etc. One particularly valuable supportive measure is QUICK SCAN, a systematic search for novelty of the project by the European Patent Office, and wholly financed by the Commission. This has in many cases lead to convincing insights for consortia into their competitive situation and opened up many new channels for the protection, licensing and exploitation of technologies, as well as for potential new partners.

Promotion of Innovation Management Techniques (IMTs)

The objective of this activity is to:

• Stimulate co-ordinated actions in Member States (and regions) to promote the effective use of key innovation stimulation techniques and management methods by SMEs who are not familiar with them
• Harmonise methodologies and disseminate good practices among SMEs
• Strengthen the professionalism of public or private consultants in this field

IMTs are aimed at supporting efforts of national and regional organisations, both in the public and private sectors, in promoting structured innovation management techniques to SMEs. This programme builds on previous Community projects, e.g. MINT (Managing the Integration of New Technology) of the former SPRINT programme. IMT Projects are aimed at:

• Developing experience and raising awareness in the design and monitoring of support schemes promoting IMTs
• Creating a body of experience by the implementation of innovation consultancy assignments in SMEs
• Disseminating results to provide added value to regional and national schemes and their operations, public or private.

Innovation Consultancy Assignments of SMEs

As far as participation of SMEs is concerned, more than 1,000 SMEs will be the subject of innovation consultancy assignments under the IMT projects selected. At the end of these assignments, the businesses will draw up action plans intended to help them integrate the appropriate innovation management techniques into their overall strategies. Apart from these SMEs, the projects and accompanying measures provide for specific activities to disseminate their results, particularly to SMEs and consultancies.

The European Design Prize for SMEs

A specific IMT project was created to promote innovative design through the European Design Prize (EDP) Competition for SMEs which is currently underway. The EDP is structured to demonstrate the vital role that design plays in the innovation process, the economy benefits it brings, and the important contribution it makes to industrial success. This award is presented at two levels: national selections lead to 5 nominations per country which go on to compete at a European level, where a limited number of SMEs are selected as the grand prize winners.

Innovation Relay Centres

Operating under the Innovation Programme, the network of 52 Innovation Relay Centres advise organisations - especially small businesses - on technology and innovation. It also helps them identify technology needs, identify suitable technologies to match these needs, give assistance on exploitation and advice on the EU Research and Technology programmes.