Enhancing the innovation management capacities of SMEs in West Poland

Project Information

KAM2WestPL

Grant agreement ID: 643282

DOI

10.3030/643282

Project closed

EC signature date 12 November 2014

Start date 1 June 2014

End date 31 December 2014

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 29 750,00

EU contribution

€ 23 800,00

Coordinated by

POLITECHNIKA WROCLAWSKA
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - KAM2WestPL (Enhancing the innovation management capacities of SMEs in West Poland)

Reporting period: 2014-06-01 to 2014-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The general objective of the project was to contribute to and enhance the innovation potential and innovation management skills within the SMEs in the West Poland area. The project was focused to help the regional businesses to increase their innovation capacity and to innovate profitably.
The specific objectives for reaching the general one were as follows:

1. Increase the innovation potential of small and medium enterprises lacking professional support in the field of innovation management.
This objective was implemented by specially designed activity: “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs", addressed to SMEs which are the potential beneficiaries of the European support to research and innovation.

2. Increase the economic potential among enterprises benefiting from the SME Instrument of Horizon 2020 by identification of bottlenecks and indicated problems solving with the help of capable coach.
This objective was implemented by tailor made service of “The Key Account Management”.

During the project's very short implementation period the partners managed only to start some of the foreseen activities .

Partner 1 - WCTT - started the IMP3rove analysis with a very innovative company in order to provide later on (possibly in the next project period) the mentoring service. The services in this project period were delivered on the volountary basis since due to the very late signature of the contract the partner was not able to conlclude the proper work contract with its staff. Partner 1 didn’t provide any services within WP1, because no company was a beneficiary of SME Instrument programme in the partner’s region of activity.

Partner 2 - PSTP managed to begin one case with one client within the WP2 (IMP3rove analysis). Partner 2 didn’t provide any service within WP1, because no company was beneficiary of SME Instrument programme in the partner’s region of activity.

Partner 3 - RCIiTT - managed to start the implementation of "Key Account Management" service. From the whole Poland in the first round of the SME Instrument only one company was awarded in the Phase I. This company was from Western Pomerania region and therefore the KAM service was provided by RCIiTT. Also this partner provided the services on the volountary basis since due to very late signature of the contract the partner was not able to conlclude the proper work contract with its staff. Partner 3 didn’t provide any services within WP2.

Partner 4 - DARR contacted some companies which can become the beneficiaries of WP 2 in the next project's period. Besides that, this partner didn't perform any activities in this project period due to the late signature of the contract with EASME.

The companies contacted so far and offered the WP 1 and WP 2 services were interested in the option to receive such services. It is difficult to assess any potential benefits they may gain thanks to these services since the services have not yet been finalised. Such assessment may be possible only after the 2nd impelentation period (2015 - 2016) since the consortium plans to continue the work with these companies to provide them with the full scheme.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the reporting period the partners managed only to start the implementation of some of the services foreseen.

Partner 1 - WCTT managed to begin one case with one client within the WP2 – “Enhancing SME innovation management capacity”. Following steps were undertaken within this case: 1) Identification of a beneficiary; 2) assessment of the beneficiary; 3) Innovation Management Analysis using the IMP3rove tool. The services were provided on the "free of chargé" basis.

Partner 2 – PSTP managed to begin one case with one client within the WP2 – “Enhancing SME innovation management capacity”. Following steps were undertaken within this case: 1) Identification of a beneficiary; 2) assessment of the beneficiary; 3) Innovation Management Analysis using the IMP3rove tool.

Both partners didn't implement any services in WP 1 since there were no successful companies in the SME Instrument from their regions.

Partner 3 - RCIiTT managed to start 1 service-pack in WP 1 "Key Account Management". Such situation resulted from the following circumstances:
a) there was no other SME Instrument beneficiary in the West Pomeranian region during the reporting period,
b) there was not enough time to start the “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs" services, between signing the contract with the EASME and the end of the project. During the reporting period, RCIiTT managed to: 1) contact the SME Instrument beneficiary, company Pixel Legend, 2) provide the first contact and the gaps and needs assessment, 3) conduct the coach selection proces and 4) start the coaching of the beneficiary. At the moment RCIiTT is waiting for necessary information to perform the mid-term assessment of the coach-company relations.

Partner 4 - DARR contacted some potential clients to deliver the WP 2 services. These clients may / will be delivered the "Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs" schemes in the next project implementation period (2015 - 2016).

This situation results from the very late contract signature with the EASME and from the difficulties to understand and arrange the proper contracts with the staff responsible for the project implementation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Expected final result at the moment can be only linked to the WP 1 beneficiary regarding the further development of the Pixel Legend's prototype as well as finding and exploring the new markets where private money can be acquired for this solution.

Furthermore, it has to be stated that because of the delay in the delivery of the project services (due to late contract signature), its objectives could not be met so it is hard to describe the impact of the action on the capacities of the SMEs which were so far beneficiaries of the services.

casetracker.jpg