Providing services under Horizon 2020 enhancing the innovation management capacity of Hungarian SME's within the framework of the Enterprise Europe Network - 2017-18

Project Information

INNO-HUN2017-18

Grant agreement ID: 743828

DOI

10.3030/743828

Project closed

EC signature date 20 February 2017

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 December 2018

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 139 117,64

EU contribution

€ 139 117,64

Coordinated by

HEPA MAGYAR EXPORTFEJLESZTESI UGYNOKSEG NONPROFIT ZARTKORUEN MUKODO RESZVENYTARSASAG
Hungary

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INNO-HUN2017-18 (Providing services under Horizon 2020 enhancing the innovation management capacity of HungarianSME's within the framework of the Enterprise Europe Network - 2017-18)

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

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The general and specific objectives of the call were partially, but satisfactory met.
Project partners are experienced in innovation and have promoted both KAM and EIMC services with different tools, e.g. flyer, own homepage, personally to COSME clients and at events.
One of the consortium members has quitted the project in 2015 already and all his related KAM and EIMC packages have been transferred to the co-ordinator organisation. Although the number of packages to be delivered were slightly reduced for the project period 2017-2018, the number of EIMC clients turned to be still too ambitious for the co-ordinator organisation. Especially, staff changes and shortage at the co-ordinator organisation hindered the progress and achievement of the planned EIMC packages.
The training of the newly involved experts took time, the consortium tried its best to reach the targeted numbers. To serve more SMEs of different size or innovation level all colleagues are trained for and work with Innovation Health Check and most of them for Imp3rove methodology.
The staff changes – mentioned above - did not hinder the Key Account Management service, all beneficiaries received the EEN support in time.
Most of the overall objectives, such as delivering clear impact by facilitating the exploitation of feasible research results and implement innovation and business plans; improving the overall innovation management and exploitation levels by actively supporting SMEs to innovate, actively engage in funding programmes and commercialise R&D; reducing the time from idea development to the marketing of innovative products, or services; facilitating access to Horizon2020 for suitable candidates and filtering potential applicants according to need, opportunity and capacity to engage for Horizon2020 schemes; directing SMEs to build innovation capacity; facilitating access to finance through successful innovation management; increasing SME engagement in Horizon2020 and associated programmes and instruments; preparing SMEs with Horizon2020 potential to participate; improving capabilities in innovative SMEs to thrive on new international business opportunities, create good value proposition, increase their customer base and expand their share of the market; sharing the best practice of SMEs, who have already received such services throughout the previous project period were accomplished though.

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

The Key Account Management for the SME Instrument beneficiaries was a very successful service within our portfolio. The innovation potential of these small or medium-sized enterprises is indisputable and mentoring them provided a comprehensive introspection into their operation. Most of them struggle with lack of staff, but employing more people would endanger the profitable operation of the company itself, which usually results in employees having multiple tasks at the same time. Other crucial challenge is the access-to-finance for these SMEs. The use of business coaches helped them to focus their existing resources and exploit them successfully. The global objective of the services delivered under this project was to effectively contribute to the innovation-driven competitiveness and sustainable growth of the European economy via improving the innovation management processes of SMEs enabling them to get their products, services successfully on the market. The SMEs were accompanied through the SME Instrument projects and will have constant follow-up from the experts of Enterprise Europe Network. We worked or still work together with 32 Phase1 beneficiaries and 16 Phase2 beneficiaries in Hungary. Unfortunately there is no considerable increase in the number of cases compared to the previous project period.
The previous project phase in 2015-2016 was closed down with 21 finished and 6 ongoing Phase1 cases and 1 closed and 11 ongoing Phase2 cases within the Key Account Management. The number of beneficiaries of Hungary is stabile; HCE closes the project period of 2017-2018 with 17 closed and 15 ongoing Phase1 and 8 closed and 8 ongoing Phase2 cases.

The Hungarian consortium aims to further increase these numbers. The EEN consultants disseminate the results every chance they have, during giving presentations, participating on workshops, or even during one-to-one consultations with new clients.

For an organisation, most importantly for SMEs, innovation means both risks and opportunities. The risks are obvious - the innovation may fail and the organisation's investment spent on it could be easily wasted. Measurement of the project impact has been and will be done with constant follow-up via email and telephone. According to the information received from our clients we could summarise the impact of the service packages, i.e.: providing management with the information required to support a successful innovation process; motivating all employees to embrace innovation broadly and handle it as a priority, because they support the overall contribution to the organisation and its customers. As an outcome of the service they cannot only identify “what” happened, but more importantly “why”, and which dimensions need more attention, improvement, and minor, or extreme change. This has direct impact on the decision-making process as well.
Within Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity work package, the innovation experts of the Hungarian consortium assessed a total of 70 SMEs, which is 28 cases higher than the number reached in the previous project period.

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)

The continuous promotion and the organisation of thematic workshops and events helped Hungarian SMEs to get to know the existing possibilities, which could further improve their operation and which services are on the Enterprise Europe Network portfolio. Within the 2-year work programme, the Hungarian consortium was entirely committed to empower SMEs in their efforts and challenges towards the successful commercialisation of their innovative products. Specific objectives were varying from providing useful knowledge for further financing, finding international business partners, or providing knowledge for IP and market strategies among many other services. It is crucial to provide all necessary information for the Hungarian enterprises, so they can compete with other international SMEs in the European and global markets. Both the Key Account Management and Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity services are unique and have high value-added for Hungarian SMEs. The EEN consultants participated at centralised and decentralised trainings (e.g.: KAM Networking Day, Introduction to the Action Development Plan with Imp3rove Academy, Advanced Action Plan Development Training with Imp3rove Academy and Innovation Health Check training with Enterprise Ireland), so to have the most up-to-date information on any hot topics. These information are disseminated via different platforms (e.g.: online, workshops, newspapers, presentation, etc.) aiming at Hungarian innovative enterprises.

Evolution - Number of SMEI Beneficiaries