Partners for Life - The European Life Sciences Network for SMEs
The aim of PARTNERS FOR LIFE was to increase successful participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in the areas biotechnology, biomedicine and agroindustry in the European research and technology programmes. The project was focused on providing help and assistance to SMEs in view of their successful participation during the 5th and the beginning of the 6th Framework Programme. In order to fulfil this objective the consortium consisted of experts from 18 participating countries and their national networks. In addition, organisations from 10 more countries joined PARTNERS FOR LIFE, financed nationally by themselves. Starting with December 2000, services to SMEs were provided for a duration of 30 month and with a total budget of 4 Mio Euro, 50% contributed by EC. In the course of the project more than 90.000 SMEs were contacted and some 360 proposals assisted and submitted, a highly satisfying result. ,What was done for SMEs?,A range of activities was provided to SMEs by the PARTNERS FOR LIFE network. · More than 360 training seminars and workshops for SMEs ,· Individual helpdesk for proposers right from the beginning during the entire proposal preparation and project implementation,· Three international brokerage events (for the sectors biotechnology, biomedicine and agro-industry) to get in touch with future project partners ,· More than 410 individual project partner searches,· Preparation of a partner search catalogue for interested SMEs to register themselves and get in contact with potential partners,· Monthly Newsletter providing actual information on calls as well as national and international events What was achieved?,Over the lifetime of the PARTNERS FOR LIFE network, services to SMEs resulted in the following achievements:,· contacts to more than 90.000 SMEs in the 18 countries represented in the network,,· consortia of SMEs and research organisations were encouraged, assisted and coached, resulting in more than 435 proposals submitted to the Framework Programme. ,For further information, please contact the coordinator: Dr. Sabine Herlitschka (e-mail: herlitschka@bit.ac.at),BIT - Department Life Sciences,Donau-City-Strasse 1, ,1220 Vienna, Austria or visit our web site: http://www.bit.ac.at/PFL/partners_for_life.htm(opens in new window)