EU project provides novel handbook on innovation process
An EU project has developed a novel handbook aimed at coaching young innovators and small businesses during all phases of the innovation process. The TECTRA project was funded under the pilot action of excellence on innovative start-ups (PAXIS), and brought together government agencies, institutes and businesses from Spain, Finland and France. The handbook encompasses six major steps in the innovation process, from the initial awareness of the business environment and own core competencies, to the final implementation and development of business activities. However, as TECTRA coordinator Itziar Alonso explained to CORDIS News, the idea of providing a one-stop innovation shop for businesses is not a new concept. 'There are lots of examples of public and private support systems for assisting business innovation, but these systems are often fragmented and tend to overlook the managers of smaller SMEs [small and medium sized enterprises] and researchers who have little or no experience in business innovation.' 'Our goal has been to focus on addressing this gap in the support system by providing tools adapted to smaller SMEs and young innovators, to help them better understand the innovation process and communicate their business strategies and planning to partners, investors, employees, customers and suppliers,' she added. To do so, the project focused not only on innovation in progress, but also on the initial steps leading to the process, and devised a number of accompanying tools to assist newcomers. These include a tool for defining and monitoring innovation projects in progress, as well as a tool for searching, detecting and analysing the business environment. 'For those unused to preparing business strategies, the tools help them continually analyse and monitor their progress,' explained Ms Alonso. 'Some even seek to generate new ideas or evaluate alternative ones.' Ms Alonso believes that developing action plans according to the strategy designed by TECTRA will not only help attenuate the risks of bankruptcy in the innovation process for smaller businesses, but will also improve company growth and help companies to cope with the changes in the market - technology and demand. 'By providing businesses with methods and tools to cope with globalisation and market changes, we think that TECTRA could be instrumental in increasing the competitiveness of European industries,' explained Ms Alonso. In recognition of the potential benefits, the Commission requested that the handbook be made available for free not only in hard copy, but also on CD and via the web site of a project partner. 'This ensures wider dissemination and a more user friendly method of accessing our guidelines,' said Ms Alonso. In terms of feedback from companies using the TECTRA system, Ms Alonso believes that it will take some time for companies to determine the impact and benefits of implementing the step by step guidelines. 'Innovation has to be seen within a cultural context - there is no single approach to innovation so companies have to adapt these guidelines to their own environment in their own time.'
Kraje
Spain, Finland, France