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Providing Key Account Management services for the SME Instrument beneficiaries and enhancing innovation management capacity services to Lithuanian SMEs in 2017-2018

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SME Coach LT 2017 (Providing Key Account Management services for the SME Instrument beneficiaries and enhancing innovation management capacity services to Lithuanian SMEs in 2017-2018)

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

The purpose of SME Coach LT 2017 was to increase effectiveness and efficiency of investment in R&D and Innovation by enhancing innovation management capacity of Lithuanian SMEs -beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020 programme, and SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation.
Specifically, for the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument, the objective was to help SMEs to identify the weakness in their innovation capacities that hinder realisation of growth opportunities and identify suitable coaches who would help to address these weaknesses. The “Key Account Management” service accompanies the beneficiary trough the SME instrument project, identifying and promoting other opportunities that would advance their innovation. Secondly, the objective was to support SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential internationalisation in enhancing their innovation management capacities for more effectiveness and efficiency – “Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity” service was offered to these clients.
During 2017-2018 twelve SMEs were receiving “Key Account Management” and coaching services.
Totally, 33 companies benefited from the “Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity” (EIMC) services which strengthened their ability to master complexity of innovation.
KAM and EIMC services showed good synergies and complement the regular Enterprise Europe Network Services. Fourteen companies receiving EIMC services were recommended by Enterprise Europe Network. Five SMEs receiving EIMC services that were not aware of the EEN offerings, were directed and benefited from their services. Six clients that received KAM services have become the clients of the EEN services.
The KAM/coaching service directly impacted the strategic resources development of the SMEI beneficiaries - it contributed to clarifying strategies, understanding the future partnership qualification and organisational change needs. Similarly, EIMC service improved innovation management system of the companies. The impact on growth and profitability will be clearer in the future, but the key drivers – clear innovation strategy, better portfolio of innovation projects and better execution, were addressed in the action plans. Some KAM and EIMC clients already show impressive growth in turnover and employment to which these services have contributed.
EIMC workshop: discussing assessment results