INcreasing the InNOVation Management Capacity of SMEs in ISTanbul 2.0

Project Information

INNOVIST 2.0

Grant agreement ID: 744211

DOI

10.3030/744211

Project closed

EC signature date 16 February 2017

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 December 2018

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 231 335,00

EU contribution

€ 231 334,00

Coordinated by

SABANCI UNIVERSITESI
Türkiye

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INNOVIST 2.0 (INcreasing the InNOVation Management Capacity of SMEs in ISTanbul 2.0)

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

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

"INNOVIST 2.0 project funded by Horizon 2020 program, H2020-Adhoc-2014-20 call, aims to provide Key Account Management (KAM) services to beneficiaries of Horizon 2020's SME Instrument and providing services for ""Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity"" (EIMC) to SMEs in the Istanbul region. The main objective of the project is to contribute to enhancing the competitiveness, growth and profitability of SMEs in the region by assessing their innovation management capacities, performing gap analyses, and developing and prioritizing actions to resolve problems and further improve their innovation outcomes. KAM services provided to make sure that the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument in the designated region would face no difficulties and constraints during execution and exploitation of their innovation project. The innovation management capacity and performance of a company will be assessed by using tools in compliance with the CEN/TS 16555-1 standard (such as IMP3rove or smE-MPOWER). A total of 115 SMEs will be provided this service, 105 of them targeted for EIMC services and 10 reserved for KAM services for the 2017-2018 period. Project had a successful period in the mean of reaching its goals."

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

1. WP1 Key Account Management services for the beneficiaries of the SMEs Instrument:

The INNOVIST team was introduced to a total of 7 SMEs (5 Phase I and 2 Phase II) and tried to carry out Key Account Management activities during the project period. (months 1-12)

A total of 5 SMEs from Istanbul received funding in 2017 – 2018 period for Phase I. A total of 1 SME from Istanbul received funding in 2018 period for Phase II. Also, the INNOVIST team provided support for Entekno, a company that received Phase II funding, from the neighboring city of Eskişehir.

KAM activities for Phase I and Phase II projects were carried out smoothly and companies received the kind of coaching support they were hoping for. In each of the 7 cases, an INNOVIST team member (or Key Account Manager) visited the company with either a junior colleague or another Key Account Manager, and tried to assess the current situation of the company in order to deploy their product/service and realize their business plan.

2. WP2 Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity for innovating SMEs

At the end of the project period, we have reached to 86 companies to deliver EIMC services. 2 EIMC cases were initiated but later cancelled due to the SMEs dropping out either before or after the preparation and presentation of the assessment report. The methodology of smE-MPOWER or AToMIC (Assessment Tool for Management of Innovation Capabilities) was used for EIMC analyses and individual reports were generated for the companies.

The methodology of smE-MPOWER or AToMIC (Assessment Tool for Management of Innovation Capabilities) was used for EIMC analyses and individual reports were generated for the companies.

The team focused their efforts more on the promotion of the project in 2017. A standalone website was launched, information days and workshops on innovation management were organized, and collaboration potential with public and private stakeholders were explored, such as coupling the EIMC service with the national mentorship programmes in order to signpost the SME to a relevant mentor.

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)

Because of the low application rate of Turkish companies to SME-I, in order to increase application rates, promoting the KAM services and achieving target KAM service numbers, we developed some strategies such as organizing specific information days about SME-I. We work in collaboration with specific target groups (i.e. clusters, technoparks) and try to increase application numbers of high technology companies.

The team focused their efforts more on the promotion of the EIMC services in 2017. A standalone website was launched, information days and workshops on innovation management were organized, and collaboration potential with public and private stakeholders were explored, such as coupling the EIMC service with the national mentorship programmes in order to signpost the SME to a relevant mentor.

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