Specific activities in the context of innovation support (HORIZON 2020) in the Free State Saxony

Project Information

EEN SACHSEN

Grant agreement ID: 674825

DOI

10.3030/674825

Project closed

EC signature date 23 June 2015

Start date 1 January 2015

End date 31 December 2016

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 193 680,20

EU contribution

€ 193 680,20

Coordinated by

AGENTUR FUR INNOVATIONSFORDERUNG UND TECHNOLOGIETRANSFER GMBH LEIPZIG(AGIL GMBH LEIPZIG)
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EEN SACHSEN (Specific activities in the context of innovation support (HORIZON 2020) in the Free State Saxony)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2016-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The aim of the project was to contribute to the smart growth in the Free State of Saxony as an emerging region
in the European Union by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and
innovation and by contributing to a better and more efficient connection of actors along the innovation chain. To
achieve the above mentioned objectives the proposed project
a) Identified bottlenecks to the creation of economic
impact in companies benefitting from grants by Horizon2020's SMEinstrument and addressed these bottlenecks with
the help of capable coaches. This service to beneficiaries of the SMEinstrument in the context of a given project is
called “Key account management”' (KAM).
b) Increased the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation processes in small and medium sized enterprises with
significant innovation activities that could potentially become beneficiaries of
European support to research and innovation but would not have effective access to consulting services for innovation
management. This service, which has been provided independently from a specific innovation project and focusing
on a company's innovation management system, is called “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of
SMEs” (EIMC).

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

The project resulted in the completion of in total 53 service cases, 10 KAM and 43 EIMC
services, respectively, in the geographical area of the Free State of Saxony (Germany). Further 41 service packages have been delivered in part, but not yet completed.

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)

The specific challenge addressed by the project was the need of established and innovative SMEs with an ambition to develop, grow and have an international impact with respect to the improvement of their capacity in innovation management. Such enterprises have been identified and provided in-depth assessment services. Action plans derived from such a detailed analysis have been implemented and coaching was provided in order to fill the identified gaps. Thus, the successful implementation of the project has lowered the barrier for selected SMEs to quicker and better step into the international markets as well as to improve their competitiveness. In order to make the action sustainable, the Best Practice and the methodological know-how from the present project will be implemented into the everyday working practice of the future EEN activities under the HORIZON 2020 framework program.

Key Account Manager Tobias Espig performing an Innovation Management Audit with a Saxon SME