MED4INNO Project proposal is an extension of the running MED2EUROPE Project financed under COSME Program for Enterprise Europe Network activity. The project covers the whole of the French Mediterranean area with 3 regions: Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur, Languedoc - Roussillon and Corsica (NUTS1 - FR7). The project is operated by 3 partners located in the 2 major regions (PACA and LR), Corsica being covered by signposting for this specific Action:
- Agence Régionale de l’Innovation et de l’Internationalisation des entreprises de la région PACA (ARII PACA) for Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur Region
- Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Région PACA (CCIR PACA) for Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur Region (and Corsica through Signposting)
- Transferts LR (TLR) for Languedoc-Roussillon Region
The main objective of the project is to support high potential SMEs to challenge, analyze and improve their (innovation) process in order to be more competitive.
All SMEs have their own innovation strategy, formally developed or not, and in fact they particularly need to challenge it and analyze how to improve some items. The aim is to reinforce support to innovative SMEs by providing them a dedicated service package. The project purpose has been to address 2 types of regional SMEs:
- SMEs which are benefiting from SME Instrument grants, with a service package named Key Account Management action (KAM)
- SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for international development, selected among our Clients database or signposted from partners, named Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity Action (EIMC)
Each partner has to deliver an average of 33 Service Packages during the project. Services provided by project partners are free of charge. Content of Service Package is adapted with the type of activities (EIMC or KAM), but we can sum up with this following generic process:
- 2 days – first contacts meetings, diagnosis with needs assessment analysis
- 1 day – Needs & gaps analysis, action plan and final report
- Up to 4 days – implementation of action plan and final report
Conclusion of the action : our companies need to be better and deeper supported on key support services such as HR & Organization, IP management, financial assessment, business model evaluation in order to accelerate their commercialization to first clients or early adopters of their new technologies.
