Enhancing project collaboration for health
The 'Supporting SME-academia collaboration in the area of biomedical research in FP7 through efficient matching facilities and tailor-made information' (SMEs go health) project set up the means for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academic researchers active in the 'Health' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Project objectives included training SMEs and researchers with a view to establishing joint research projects and taking advantage of funding opportunities for innovative biomedical research. Supporting activities aimed to facilitate partnering by making it easier to identify suitable research partners. In this direction, SMES go health improved high-quality SMEs' visibility, know-how and researcher expertise by offering a pan-European pool of profiles on an online database. A network bringing together 29 institutions from 27 countries helped to realise planned activities that also addressed low SME participation in FP7 projects. Support was provided to SMEs interested in joining research projects as well as to researchers searching for qualified SME partners. As such, the SMES go health project focused on providing information and training, building awareness, helping in consortium building, and matchmaking researchers and SMEs in the 'Health' area. The consortium prepared and distributed first aid packages offering information on funding opportunities, finding project partners, legal and financial issues and preparation of project proposals. The project website was designed to be interactive and offered a user-friendly database, which was regularly updated. Project partners established an electronic matchmaking tool and arranged for the training of all partners with regard to virtual matchmaking. Accessible through the public database, the tool enabled immediate matching of all new and existing validated profiles/partner searches. The SMEs go health approach succeeded in setting the foundation for enhanced involvement and increased numbers of SMEs and SME groupings in FP7 'Health'-related projects.