"The general objectives of this action are to provide services that strengthen the innovation management capacity of SMEs through the Enterprise Europe TOPIC network (Paris Ile de France, Loire Valley Center, New Caledonia and French Polynesia). For the two organizations involved, the Paris Region Enterprises (PRE) and the Center-Val de Loire Region (DEVUP), it is a question of supporting the SMEs that reside in the territory covered by the TOPIC consortium. Caledonia and Polynesia will be mainly provided remotely, using the latest information and communications technologies).
During the period 2017-2018, the partners set up dedicated resources and processes to enable SMEs to develop their innovation capacity and improve their performance in the participation and coordination of European projects.
The processes are based on the following two programs: KAM and EIMC.
- KAM (Key Account Manager): Provide regional support to beneficiaries of European instruments for SMEs.
- EIMC (""Innovation Management Capacity Building Advisers""): Provide support to a selection of growing SMEs with international ambitions. Help them structure all their processes with an assessment of their innovation capabilities and an action plan to address identified bottlenecks.
For the companies awarded the SME Instrument Program or the SMEs selected in the EIMC program, these accompaniments allowed them to grasp their growth and internationalization more serenely and by avoiding pitfalls.
The importance of these actions for society in general is to provide information and methods to SMEs so that they can create value in a constantly changing technical and economic environment.
The support provided to SMEs in this program consisted of a global approach combining the different facets of business development and innovation, taking into account in particular technology, design stages, international cooperation, digital resources, CSR, ethics and responsible innovation as well as the Global Strategy (growth, financing, ...). All these facets are taken into account when evaluating SMEs as part of the EIMC and KAM services. The tools used: SME-MPOWER for the KAM action and Check'Innov for the EIMC action. This Check'Innov evaluation tool dedicated to innovation refers to the CEN / TS 16555-1 standard. The team involved in these programs has proven itself in this type of support, through regional and national mechanisms, and is able to assess and advise companies on all these aspects.
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