Innovation services and key account management support for Basque SMEs during 2017-2018

Project Information

BASKAM2

Grant agreement ID: 740105

DOI

10.3030/740105

Project closed

EC signature date 2 May 2017

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 December 2018

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 85 070,00

EU contribution

€ 85 070,00

Coordinated by

SPRI- AGENCIA VASCA DE DESARROLLO EMPRESARIAL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BASKAM2 (Innovation services and key account management support for Basque SMEs during 2017-2018)

Reporting period: 2017-01-01 to 2018-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The BASKAM proposal aims at providing the Basque SMEs with two Enterprise Europe Network services:
1) Key Account Management (KAM) for SME Instrument, FET Open and Fast Track to Innovation beneficiaries.
2) Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity (EIMC) of innovating SMEs,
These services are provided in an additional but integrated way to the usual COSME EEN activities related to the SME competitiveness and innovation.
The aim of the KAM services is to conduct an analysis and assessment of the innovation needs for each individual beneficiary and, based on them, an agreed programme of coaching is provided to support their project realisation, leveraging partnerships to connect them with relevant advice and funding support, including the provision of specialized coaches. The KAM also accompanies the beneficiary throughout the entire project, getting the full SME´s satisfaction.
The objective of the EIMC services is to define a consulting service that demonstrates a measurable positive impact on the capacities of promising SMEs to manage their innovation processes. The goal is to assess a subset of promising individuals SMEs and support them to develop their innovation management. When the EEN expert identifies a promising SME capable of growth and successful internationalisation, an assessment of the current status of innovation management capacity of the SME is carried out, highlighting their main weaknesses and needs in order to develop and implement a jointly agreed action plan to improve the SME’s capacity to manage innovation processes.

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

For the period 2017-2018, SPRI and Innobasque proposed to deliver 38 “service packages” to SMEs in the Basque Country: 34 KAM services plus 4 EIMC services. Eventually, the two Basque partners completed 26 KAM services and started 19 more cases that will end in the following period. Also, 3 EIMC services were provided and 2 more cases started.

Most of the projects are in line with the Basque RIS3 strategic priorities: Advanced manufacturing, Energy and Biosciences-health.
The tool used for the need analysis is the smE-POWER. All the companies accepted to work with a business coach. For Phase 1, all the companies decided to work only with one coach, due to the limited number of Coaching days. In Phase 2, some of the companies (Farsens, Nesplora, Satlantis, Graphenea, Likuid and Gogoa), decided to work with two or more coaches.

Concerning the EIMC services offered by the Basque Node, SPRI has accomplished three services. It is important to remark that one of these companies stands out for the inclusion of some of the improvements proposed by SPRI in its Strategic Plan for 2018. The tool used for these services was IMP3rove.
Two companies started the process and even received their action plan, but declined to finish and implement the innovation roadmap, due to lack of time and resources.
Although having focused efforts in presenting the methodology to different specific companies (over 60), no other SMEs have shown interest in the service. SME’s general feedback is positive after the completion of the service, but it is very difficult to find companies interested in it, as there is regional support for more advanced innovation management tools.

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)

All the beneficiaries were duly informed about the initiatives related to the EIC Business Acceleration Services and the Overseas Trade Fairs. Some SMEs participated in these events with excellent results.
During the period, the Basque KAMs participated in the Networking activities organised by EASME and in other initiatives relevant for the project. It is worth mentioning that the Basque Node led the elaboration of the “Joint Spanish Enterprise Europe Network Position Paper on the European Innovation Council (EIC) in Horizon Europe” that was presented during the Enterprise Europe Network Conference 2018 in Vienna.

Iberdrola & SME Instrument Day, 9th May 2018, Iberdrola Tower, Bilbao