Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SMEntorEGE (SMEntorEGE)
Berichtszeitraum: 2015-01-01 bis 2016-12-31
The SMEntor project has started to lever its list of deliverables in the proposed project as of January 2015. During the first part of the two year new staff were recruited for the project.
Although the project has two Work Packages a) Key account management for SME Instrument beneficiaries and b) Enhancing SMEs’ innovation management capacity, there has not been any KAM-COACH services were provided under WP 1 due to no SME Instrument beneficiaries in the covered region. However, under the EEN project, EEN staff have been providing targeted services to the local companies both to inform them about SMEI as well as assisting them to write competitive proposal. Nevertheless, the Ege project Assessment Tool (EgePAT) which will be used for SMEI project has been developed and now it is ready to use. This tool has been tested and also improved in the first year of the reporting period.
Under WP2, some deliverables have completed and some of them at the final stage. The “Ege Innovation Assessment Tool” (EgeIAT) has been licensed to University- Industry Collaboration Centres’ Platform to nationalize the tool. EgeIAT has new brand name “USIMP Innovation Score Chart” (http://www.inovasyonkarnesi.org/) and will be used by all the stakeholders in Turkey. This tool is managed by EBILTEM staff and therefore there is no cost for the project. To provide innovation management services, a database was generated. The companies who have already developed an R&D and innovation project but not granted have been chosen as it proposed in the project. So far, 39 companies including their contact details were registered into the database. Implication of innovation assessment survey has been started by November 2015.
Although the project has two Work Packages a) Key account management for SME Instrument beneficiaries and b) Enhancing SMEs’ innovation management capacity, there has not been any KAM-COACH services were provided under WP 1 due to no SME Instrument beneficiaries in the covered region. However, under the EEN project, EEN staff have been providing targeted services to the local companies both to inform them about SMEI as well as assisting them to write competitive proposal. Nevertheless, the Ege project Assessment Tool (EgePAT) which will be used for SMEI project has been developed and now it is ready to use. This tool has been tested and also improved in the first year of the reporting period.
Under WP2, some deliverables have completed and some of them at the final stage. The “Ege Innovation Assessment Tool” (EgeIAT) has been licensed to University- Industry Collaboration Centres’ Platform to nationalize the tool. EgeIAT has new brand name “USIMP Innovation Score Chart” (http://www.inovasyonkarnesi.org/) and will be used by all the stakeholders in Turkey. This tool is managed by EBILTEM staff and therefore there is no cost for the project. To provide innovation management services, a database was generated. The companies who have already developed an R&D and innovation project but not granted have been chosen as it proposed in the project. So far, 39 companies including their contact details were registered into the database. Implication of innovation assessment survey has been started by November 2015.
Overall project has achieved its all proposed targets, but only failed to provide services under WP1 due to no SME Instrument beneficiaries in the region. In collaboration with EBIC-Ege consortium companies very well informed about SME Instrument program and its benefits and they encouraged to apply. Despite 29 applications in the region in the first period of the project, there is no beneficiaries. Thus, we could not be able to provide any KAM&COACH services under WP 1.
Despite no result in WP1, we have over achieved targets under WP2. Instead of 60 SMEs as it was targeted in the proposal under WP2, 70 SMEs were received services to enhance innovation management capacity of companies. Here is the list of performed work and main achieved results;
a) Two staff were recruited and their orientation to the project was realized. Successful communication and synergy realized between newly recruited staff and host organization’s senior staff in the project,
b) Despite no KAM&KOACH services were provided, EgeIAT tool has been modified, improved and tested with limited projects, and now it is ready to use in next period,
c) Very close collaboration and well coordination between the SMEntorEGE project and EBIC-Ege consortium has been realized and joint events were held to increase the awareness of SME Instrument program and the project. Under this collaboration 5 info days were organized in collaboration with NCP with participation of 175 SMEs in total,
d) The EgeIAT tool nationalized by licensing the tool a national initiative. This licensing increased the visibility of the tool as well as the project not in the region but also in Turkey,
e) A database consist of 90 companies were created,
f) EgeIAT has been used to 70 companies to define their needs and gaps in innovation management, 70-action plan proposed and implemented.
Despite no result in WP1, we have over achieved targets under WP2. Instead of 60 SMEs as it was targeted in the proposal under WP2, 70 SMEs were received services to enhance innovation management capacity of companies. Here is the list of performed work and main achieved results;
a) Two staff were recruited and their orientation to the project was realized. Successful communication and synergy realized between newly recruited staff and host organization’s senior staff in the project,
b) Despite no KAM&KOACH services were provided, EgeIAT tool has been modified, improved and tested with limited projects, and now it is ready to use in next period,
c) Very close collaboration and well coordination between the SMEntorEGE project and EBIC-Ege consortium has been realized and joint events were held to increase the awareness of SME Instrument program and the project. Under this collaboration 5 info days were organized in collaboration with NCP with participation of 175 SMEs in total,
d) The EgeIAT tool nationalized by licensing the tool a national initiative. This licensing increased the visibility of the tool as well as the project not in the region but also in Turkey,
e) A database consist of 90 companies were created,
f) EgeIAT has been used to 70 companies to define their needs and gaps in innovation management, 70-action plan proposed and implemented.
The project has two-fold impact. First impact is to increase the innovation level of companies by measuring their innovation level and providing services to enhance their management capacity. We are experiencing that the services under the project is helping companies to see their bottleneck and barriers in their innovation system. With the tool used in the project, SMEs are also able to compare their results with their competitors in the same sector, companies in the same region and with all companies who participated to this program. Furthermore, based on the innovation score chart, each company receive recommendation from experts to enhance their innovation management capacity, get rid of barriers and new advices for improvements. Furthermore, in the long run, services which have been provided will also help companies to access SMEI funds for their R&D and innovation projects. In brief, the project has a positive impact on improving the innovation management capacity of SMEs.
Second impact is on employment in the region. After the services under WP2, companies understood how important to manage innovation in the company. This first step help them to see their gaps and needs and let them willing to set up their R&D and Innovation department with experience staff. Therefore, this service helped companies to make them understood how important innovation for their competition and creating jobs for educated people in the region. Furthermore, the companies who receive financial support from SME Instrument program is bringing disruptive innovation in to the market. Also a way that accelerates companies’ economic growth, export performance as well as growth in employment.
Second impact is on employment in the region. After the services under WP2, companies understood how important to manage innovation in the company. This first step help them to see their gaps and needs and let them willing to set up their R&D and Innovation department with experience staff. Therefore, this service helped companies to make them understood how important innovation for their competition and creating jobs for educated people in the region. Furthermore, the companies who receive financial support from SME Instrument program is bringing disruptive innovation in to the market. Also a way that accelerates companies’ economic growth, export performance as well as growth in employment.