SCALESCRAPERS - how to support the growth of scale-ups to only sky is the limit

Project Information

SCALESCRAPERS

Grant agreement ID: 776978

DOI

10.3030/776978

Project closed

EC signature date 12 September 2017

Start date 2 October 2017

End date 1 July 2018

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 50 000,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

TORUNSKA AGENCJA ROZWOJU REGIONALNEGO SPOLKA AKCYJNA
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCALESCRAPERS (SCALESCRAPERS - how to support the growth of scale-ups to only sky is the limit)

Reporting period: 2017-10-02 to 2018-07-01

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

SMEs play a significant role in achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy both by impact on the overall economic growth and by creating new and maintaining existing worksites. In this group we can find start-ups with the potential to become scale-ups.
EC being aware of the potential scaleups launched in 2016 new action called “Start-up and Scale-up Initiative” aiming to give Europe’s many innovative entrepreneurs opportunity to become world leaders. EC pointed that HG firms create many more new jobs compared to others. Start-ups scaling up into bigger firms form a large share of these businesses. They increase EU innovation and competitiveness, strengthening the economy. Such "scale-ups" can also provide social benefits, including offering more flexible and modern working arrangements. Moreover start-ups with he potential to grow (ergo to become scale-ups) not only are often tech based companies but also combine fast grow, high reliance on innovation of products and financing, utmost attention to new technological developments and extensive use of innovative business models, and also frequently collaborative platforms.
Apart from the fact that scale-ups have been in the eye of EC and state authorities still we cannot base on hard statistical data regarding scale-ups. That is the result of not disseminated system approach. On the one hand there are different programmes or projects supporting start-ups and then scale-ups (like those implemented by TPLJ, IRP or TARR) but at the same time the data are not being gained effectively. At the end even if the projects were successful and scale-ups reached their business goals we do not transfer it on system approach. Another issue is the influence of entrepreneurs (including scale-ups) on the labour market. In EY’s Global Job Creation Survey (2016) was said that more entrepreneurs than big business had been expected to create jobs. Some 59% of entrepreneurs globally expected to increase their workforce in the next 12 months. Once only 28% of large corporations planned to do so (EY’s Capital Confidence Barometer: April 2016). Considering this it is crucial to establish effective system supporting for scale-ups as those which may significantly contribute to the global growth of labour market and European economy in general.
Main goal of the project was to develope basing on the scale-ups analysis and the evaluation of current system tools recommendations for improvement of the scale-ups development support system for entrepreneurship policy makers and specialized business environment institutions operating as scale-ups supporters.

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

Month (M)1
1.1. Development of inventory questionaire
1.2. Start of the inventory
M2
2.1. Inventory - continuation
2.2. The Invetory Report - 30.11.2017
M3
3.1 Peer learning - Maribor/Slovenia - 12-13.12.2017:
- meeting with the scaleup company
- inventory polices services presentation
- meeting with Start:up Maribor
- workshop: Creating effective instruments for gaining information about the needs and expectations
3.2 Development of scale-up survey questionaire
3.3.Online consultations
M4
4.1. Providing study on scale-ups needs
M5
5.1. Study on scale-ups needs - continuation
5.2. Report summarizing the results of the study - 28.02.2018.
5.3. Draft of recommendation for BEIs regarding the usage of business tools for designing new tools and services
M6
6.1. Peer learning - Szekesfehervar/Hungary - 6-7.03.2018:
- Introduction to Hungarian scale-up ecosystem
- Summary of ST2 survey
- Preparatory discussion to ST3 (SWOT development)
- Site visit: Connector Community Office
- Workshop: In-depth studies – how to do it to achieve best results in order to provide effective support for scale-ups? with the participation of local external stakeholders, including scaleup companies.
6.2. Testing selected draft recommendation
M7
7.1. Delivery of the recommendations
7.2 In-depth studies
M8
8.1. Peer learning - Bydgoszcz/Torun - 21-22.05.2018:
- Torqway – meeting with the scaleup company
- presentation of recommendations for scale-ups development to regional stakeholders
- presentation of innovative SMEs from region and IoT Noth Poland HuB
- workshop „Agile project management methods as an instrument to effectively support the creation and development of BEI services for scale-up companies” with the participation of external stakeholders
- site visit to Bydgoszcz Industrial and Technological Park
8.1. DOP development - the final version of The DOP was send to SyGMa (30.05.2018)
8.3. Dissemination plan delivery
M9
9.1. DOP - dissemination:
- Partners' websites - 9
- 3rd Parties's websites - 12
- Newsletters - 5
- Mass media - 4
- Project and external events - 3 + 3
- Mailing: 158

Exploitation
Poland
In case of both Partners selected recommendations already have been integrated or will be integrated. I.e. in case of TRDA Lean Canvas methodology has been used to desing new way of cooperation with the companies interested in getting support in the field of internationalization. In case of both organizations one on one expert approach has been provided. Morover in a couple of months time both entites will provide financial and expert support for entrepreneurs interested in international expansion.
Further steps will be undertaken in the near future.
Hungary
Our newly developed non-profit services are closely related to scaleup and startup companies, with direct integration of Scalescraper results. Namely, the youth exchange, R&D validation and organizational development support is partly built ont he Scalescraper’s results. Additionally the recommendations are capitalized and started to be used in our Alba Accelerator Mentoring Programme, especially from the side of business planning, financial assistance and policy integration. Finally, the practical tests and survey done help us to offer flexible and tailor-made services for our scaleup customers.
Slovenia
Based on the experience and results of interviews with scaleup companies, we have designed a set of products and programs that will be provide support to this target group. Existing programs have been updated and upgraded, based on information’s received from the scaleup companies, so that key programs such as Go Global Slovenia are more adapted to the scaleups. At the same time, we have designed and launched a new program that will allow companies to access financial resources in the field of block-chain technologies or acquire funds from the ICO. In May, we started with a pilot project within which 10 Slovenian scaleup companies participate. The results from the Scalescrapers project were the basis for the implementation of the aforementioned upgrades and new programs.

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)

1. Cooperation among innovation support organizations is widening by using common approaches on supporting instruments and having joint interventions in many fields.
2. The involvement of scale-up companies is growing in regional innovation systems as they are better supported and connected to each other.
3. The project contributes to improvement of scale-up supporting innovation systems in regions and thus support the shift towards knowledge economy.
4. Project itself implements strict non-discrimination and equal opportunity approach. It practically means, that by nature, all project results are not creating any kind of discrimination and that there will be equal approach to any scale-up companies and servise providers using them.

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