Project description
Support for Malta’s SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a big role in Malta. To support their smart growth, the EU-funded MELIITA 3 H2020 project aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation. Overall, the project aims to contribute to a better and more efficient connection of stakeholders and players along the innovation chain. It will also leverage the support being offered under the EU’s programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (COSME), which ran from 2014 to 2020. In this context, the project will target SME beneficiaries of the Horizon 2020 programme and find ways to ensure the innovation management capacity of Maltese SMEs is enhanced.
Objective
The objective behind the MELIITA 3 proposal is to support the smart growth of Maltese SMEs by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation and to contribute to a better and more efficient connection of stakeholders and players along the innovation chain. By combining the actions under this Horizon2020 programme with the support being offered under COSME, the Network will be best positioned to offer both business and innovation support along the entire value chain. Services are thus being provided to clients in the wider context of, and in line with, the Europe 2020 strategy. There are two specific objectives which the Malta consortium will aim to achieve by end 2019, namely:
● To ensure that key SME beneficiaries of the Horizon2020 programme are supported efficiently and effectively so that their full potential can be exploited; and
● To ensure that the innovation management capacity of Maltese micro and SME clients is enhanced.
In order to achieve the first objective, the consortium will commit to assisting beneficiaries of funding schemes like SME Instrument, Fast Track to Innovation, and Future and Emerging Technologies Open through Key Account Management [KAM] services. Specialised Network personnel will be deployed to facilitate coaching services to such clients following the assessment of coaching needs and identification of suitable coaches.
The second main objective will be attained through the deployment of Network services to assess the innovation management capacity of pre-identified clients. The activity under this work package is planned to help SMEs become aware of, and address, the main deficiencies in their innovation management systems since this is perceived as a potential barrier to the creation of economic impact from innovation activities.
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
MEC 0001 Pieta
Malta