Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ELSE - SIM (Enterprise Lazio and Sardegna for Europe – Smes Innovation Management)
Período documentado: 2015-01-01 hasta 2016-12-31
The overall objective of the action is contributing to smart growth in the European Union by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation and to a better and more efficient connection of actors along the innovation chain. The action had 2 challenges; (1) to better manage the services provided to SME Instrument beneficiaries, and (2) to recruit SMEs with high potential of innovation and internationalization to provide them an Innovation Management assessment. (1) had 2 different issues: the coach database didn't perfectly work, the beneficiaries management model wasn't well defined. The issue has been overcame thanks to an EASME communication (2016/01/14) which changed the coordinator's mind - we must provide the coaching plan within 60 days (grid 1) after the date of entry in the casetracker" - and made the service onset correspondent to entry in the casetracker and not to the contract signing. ELSE SIM reacted to the communication, taking a new measure to make the service more effective and the awarded companies more aware of the additional service at their disposal: the coordinator has the very first contact with the awarded company and communicate the company the first basic information. This measure aimed at facilitating the successive job of the KAM and create, a fully SMEs awareness of an EU additional added service. To strengthen the network skills the consortium organized and hosted of a Decentralised Training Session Coach KAM, the participation of the partners P01, P02, P05 at the Centralised Training Pump Up The KAM. Furthermore it facilitated action towards the companies by organization of meetings with Alberto Di Minin, national SMEInstr delegate.The second challenge present a main issue at the beginning of the action: the main issue encountered by the Consortium has been to create the conditions to attract as many clients as possible. To achieve the goal, the consortium effort has been oriented to a broad communication which target was improving visibility and reputation of the Network in Lazio and Sardegna regions. This communication model didn't allow to well individuate SMEs with higher innovation and internazionalization potential. The consortium solved the problem on the basis of an EASME suggestion: the consortium should aim to a perfect organizational integration between COSME and H2020 actions (in this case between ELSE and ELSE SIM projects). The consortium has thought to EIMC not only as a way to provide to SMEs higher quality innovation support services, but as an innovative tool to drive SMEs into EEN ecosystem (see figure 1), creating of an ecosystem of loyal SMEs with clear commercial ambition and a potential for high growth, willing to improve their European and International dimension. EIMC services and tools has been used by the consortium as ad hoc mean to evaluate SMEs Innovation level and to drive them to unlock their potential by better managing the innovation process, accessing the suitable form of financing and facing global market competition. This ambition has being carried on through an active recruitment campaign, (Something Else - Check up aziendale - http://www.eenelse.it/else/avviso-something-else-check-aziendale/ ). The new model allowed to recruit and to asses Innovation Management of SMEs which actually are a loyal partner of the EEN Network, receiving EEN services, particularly matchmaking ones, and supported to apply for proposal SME Instrument.n ELSE and ELSE SIM projects). The consortium has thought to EIMC not only as a way to provide to SMEs higher quality innovation support services, but as an innovative tool to drive SMEs into EEN ecosystem (see figure 1), creating of an ecosystem of loyal SMEs with clear commercial ambition and a potential for high growth, willing to improve their European and International dimension. EIMC services and tools has been used by the consortium as ad hoc mean to evaluate SMEs Innovation level and to drive them to unlock their potential by better managing the innovation process, accessing the suitable form of financing and facing global market competition. This ambition has being carried on through an active recruitment campaign, (see “Something Else - Check up aziendale” http://www.eenelse.it/else/avviso-something-else-check-aziendale/ ). The new model allowed to recruit and to asses Innovation Management of SMEs which actually are a loyal partner of the EEN Network, receiving EEN services, particularly matchmaking ones, and supported to apply for proposal SME Instrument.
The consortium has provided services for 38 KAM cases in the two Regions Lazio and Sardegna in the years 2015-2016 for 34 beneficiaries of phase 1 and 4 of phase 2. It has been constantly ensured and monitored the activities' performance, through: a. the participation at the National Working Group KAM/EIMC, b. the coordination team monitoring of the correct implementation of the process. ELSE SIM consortium have also provided services or 42 EIMC cases in the two Regions Lazio and Sardegna in the years 2015-2016. The consortium has ensured and monitored the activities' performance, through: a.the participation at the National Working Group KAM/EIMC to share practices and discuss criticism on the ongoing activities. b.the coordination team support. The team has supported the partners in all the procedures concerned with the steps to follow to contact the companies and with the correct interpretation of the innovation tools, in order to guarantee quality of the service and improve performances. c.the organisation of a Training Session with the partner Enterprise Ireland on the Innovation Health Check tool and Imp3rove This work has been coordinated at Italian level and has been managed at consortium level by the partner P04 – SR. The dissemination of the result worked with the same mechanism of Social Network Influencer. No particular promotional activity needed. The single entrepreneurs, satisfied by the network services and personnel, has been by far the best dissemination channel. In fact, the same entrepreneurs has became the best exploitation driver for creating an ecosystem of SMEs loyal to EEN Network through the almost daily providing of services.
ELSE SIM, by fostering the business and innovation environment of SMEs, helping them to enhance their profitability and growth, has driven the companies totake advantage of cross-border activities. It assisted innovative SMEs to shape new markets, create growth, and achieve return on investment. Expected impacts will be achieved in terms of cost savings, job creation or maintenance, quality improvement and innovation, in particular by means of embracing an innovation or an innovative technology or process, or by improving the company’s innovation strategy or innovation (management) capacity. These impacts are the final point of ELSE SIM business innovation management mission: to empower SMEs in their efforts toward successful commercialisation of their innovation. This goes hand in hand with strengthening the company’s capability to deal with the challenges of each stage of its life cycle including aspects such as strategy, organisation, management, financing and resource development. Through EIMC and above all thanks to the action plan/coaching plan built along with entrepreneurs, corrective measures has been arranged to improve the SME innovation management capacity.