Supporting collaborative health initiatives
The project FIT FOR HEALTH (Promoting participation of high-tech research-intensive SMEs in health) strongly encouraged and provided extensive support for SMEs and academics to work together for joint research projects. The initiative utilised a user-friendly database with a sophisticating matchmaking tool, collecting expertise profiles of more than 1 200 SMEs and 2 000 academic teams. The goal was to support the development of health-related technologies in research projects using the expertise of both business people and academics. Project members provided support for the entire innovation cycle of projects. By providing assistance on topics such as how develop an idea, how to improve the quality of proposals, how to negotiate and manage grants, and how to increase the value and appeal of an idea, both SMEs and academics were armed with information they needed to develop successful projects. The project's goals were largely met. Relationships between academia and SMEs were enhanced, and interest in EU-funded projects has grown. More experts are joining the SMEs and using the Fit for Health database for identifying them. Attendance at strategic meetings and partnering days continued to rise, and communications about the project reached almost 100 countries. Almost 950 SMEs and researchers were trained in on-site trainings and more than 760 SMEs and academia supported in Partnering Days. Project results suggest a strong interest in a platform for collaboration like the Fit for Health database. FIT FOR HEALTH has the potential to be a successful tool for SMEs to use in developing strategies for projects as it can both enhance the quality of a new idea and support a company's visibility.
Keywords
Collaboration, SMEs, FIT FOR HEALTH, health-related technologies, common platform
