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.
