Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IBINNO (Illes Balears INNOvation Management Services)
Reporting period: 2019-01-01 to 2019-12-31
The project delivered in the 2019 period the Enterprise Europe Network H2020 “Services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs under the H2020 programmes for specific activities in the context of innovation support and the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot” in the Balearic Islands region.
The overall IBINNO (Illes Balears INNOvation Management Services) project objective is the establishment of a feasible and effective service for enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs in the Balearic Islands region. This will benefit the smart growth in the European Union by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation and by contributing to a better and more efficient connection of stakeholders in the innovation fabric.
In order to realise this objective, the core actions are broken down as follows:
• Help SMEs to sustainable high growth through innovation.
• Achieve tangible managerial transformation.
• Improve the commercial potential of SMEs.
IB INNO acts as an access point to the innovation and internationalization system in the Balearic Islands region, which will be in this new period covered by Balearic Islands Enterprise Network B2EN consortium, embedding the EEN innovation services in the regional innovation ecosystem.
FUNDACIÓ BIT (Fundació Balear d’Innovació i Tecnologia, Balearic Islands Innovation and Technology Foundation) has been the sole partner in IBINNO Consortium. The project has been executed from only one partner due to the small area (Balearic Islands) covered by the COSME Enterprise Europe Network Balearic Islands Consortium B2EN (Balearic Islands Enterprise Europe Network). Furthermore, FUNDACIÓ BIT has plenty of experience in this action since it has been executing the project since 2015, while promoting and helping the preparation to participate in the SME Instrument call for proposals and improving innovation capabilities since the beginning of the SME Instrument/ enhancing innovation services programme.
IBINNO identifies two different challenges, with the following scopes of action:
1. Horizon2020's EIC pilot project beneficiaries. Bottlenecks to the creation of economic impact in companies benefitting from grants by Horizon2020's EIC pilot within the Balearic Islands region have been identified. The blockages are been addressed with the help of a capable coach. This service to beneficiaries in the context of the project is called “Key account management”.
2. Enhancing generic SMEs innovation management capabilities. Efficiency and effectiveness of innovation processes in SMEs with significant innovation activities within the Balearic Islands region would be tackled. The beneficiaries of this European support to research and innovation action do not actually have access to consulting services for innovation management. This service, provided independently from a specific innovation project and focussing on a company's innovation management system, is called “Enhancing the Innovation Management Capacity of SMEs” (EIMC).
The project will design, develop and execute the two types of services/ scopes of action explained above based on the assessment of the current status of innovation management in a client company.
The innovation management system to be implemented will be fed by studying the next inputs, in order to design the innovation process that will be implemented. The innovation management system will be based on CEN TS16555-1 standard, assessing the results of innovation processes in the company:
• External environment
• Internal leadership and strategy
• Enablers
The overall IBINNO (Illes Balears INNOvation Management Services) project objective is the establishment of a feasible and effective service for enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs in the Balearic Islands region. This will benefit the smart growth in the European Union by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation and by contributing to a better and more efficient connection of stakeholders in the innovation fabric.
In order to realise this objective, the core actions are broken down as follows:
• Help SMEs to sustainable high growth through innovation.
• Achieve tangible managerial transformation.
• Improve the commercial potential of SMEs.
IB INNO acts as an access point to the innovation and internationalization system in the Balearic Islands region, which will be in this new period covered by Balearic Islands Enterprise Network B2EN consortium, embedding the EEN innovation services in the regional innovation ecosystem.
FUNDACIÓ BIT (Fundació Balear d’Innovació i Tecnologia, Balearic Islands Innovation and Technology Foundation) has been the sole partner in IBINNO Consortium. The project has been executed from only one partner due to the small area (Balearic Islands) covered by the COSME Enterprise Europe Network Balearic Islands Consortium B2EN (Balearic Islands Enterprise Europe Network). Furthermore, FUNDACIÓ BIT has plenty of experience in this action since it has been executing the project since 2015, while promoting and helping the preparation to participate in the SME Instrument call for proposals and improving innovation capabilities since the beginning of the SME Instrument/ enhancing innovation services programme.
IBINNO identifies two different challenges, with the following scopes of action:
1. Horizon2020's EIC pilot project beneficiaries. Bottlenecks to the creation of economic impact in companies benefitting from grants by Horizon2020's EIC pilot within the Balearic Islands region have been identified. The blockages are been addressed with the help of a capable coach. This service to beneficiaries in the context of the project is called “Key account management”.
2. Enhancing generic SMEs innovation management capabilities. Efficiency and effectiveness of innovation processes in SMEs with significant innovation activities within the Balearic Islands region would be tackled. The beneficiaries of this European support to research and innovation action do not actually have access to consulting services for innovation management. This service, provided independently from a specific innovation project and focussing on a company's innovation management system, is called “Enhancing the Innovation Management Capacity of SMEs” (EIMC).
The project will design, develop and execute the two types of services/ scopes of action explained above based on the assessment of the current status of innovation management in a client company.
The innovation management system to be implemented will be fed by studying the next inputs, in order to design the innovation process that will be implemented. The innovation management system will be based on CEN TS16555-1 standard, assessing the results of innovation processes in the company:
• External environment
• Internal leadership and strategy
• Enablers
Under the work package WP1 “Key account management” for the beneficiaries of the EIC pilot, IBINNO project has delivered a service pack to the only one SME in Balearic Islands awarded with previous mentioned Enhanced European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot scheme, more concretely an SME Instrument in 2019 (phase I). IBINNO innovation experts provided the KAM service to the sole SME awarded. There have not been nor FET Open either FTI projects awarded in the Balearic Islands to be serviced for the 2019 period. The case started in 2019 will have prolongation in next period. At the end of the period (December 2019), the company was focussed in discussing the coaching plan with the selected coach, in order to start the development of the project as soon as possible.
Under the work package WP2 “Enhancing SME innovation management capacity” for innovating SME independently from a specific project, IBINNO project has started the delivery of service packs to 12 SMEs, with the ultimate objective of building a tailored development plan to enhance their capacity to better manage innovation. 3 Out of the 12 packages have been completed within the timespan of the project. The other packages will be continued in following programme period within the duration of the Implementation Strategy period, i.e. FPA 2015-2020 (ending 2021).
Under the work package WP2 “Enhancing SME innovation management capacity” for innovating SME independently from a specific project, IBINNO project has started the delivery of service packs to 12 SMEs, with the ultimate objective of building a tailored development plan to enhance their capacity to better manage innovation. 3 Out of the 12 packages have been completed within the timespan of the project. The other packages will be continued in following programme period within the duration of the Implementation Strategy period, i.e. FPA 2015-2020 (ending 2021).
In relation to the expected impact for the Key Account Management service, and after few emails exchanged with the company- coach, the coach has devised a coaching plan that would eventually focus on the marketing and product positioning, scaling the business model, refining the go to market strategy and funding options including public and private sources. The SME deems that this specific innovation and business strategy will boost growth and profitability of the company.
The expected potential impact of the results of the Enhancing generic SMEs innovation management capabilities action on the SMEs that have been serviced is estimated to be related to promoting growth and strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of this SMEs.
It will not be easy to measure the expected impact, as it will vary from one SME to another, and can involve one or multiple aspects, but these indicators can be used to have an approximation:
• Market improvement or results, such as an increase in market share or turnover.
• Cost savings, such as the cost of material, energy or labour inputs, linked to products or services from the SME.
• Organically job creation or maintenance.
• Quality improvement: quality of goods and services, the satisfaction of clients or business partners, or the improvement of the company's environmental record, working conditions, or health and safety standards.
• Innovation, such as embracing an innovation or an innovative technology or process, or by improving its innovation strategy or innovation (management) capacities.
In relation to COSME Enterprise Europe Network services, most of the SMEs are receiving in parallel COSME programme services, such as participating in regional events (training and workshops) organised and receiving individual advisory support (in most of the cases support to access to finance.
Concrete success stories with a visible impact on the company market improvement, costs savings job creation, quality improvement and innovation are being identified.
The expected potential impact of the results of the Enhancing generic SMEs innovation management capabilities action on the SMEs that have been serviced is estimated to be related to promoting growth and strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of this SMEs.
It will not be easy to measure the expected impact, as it will vary from one SME to another, and can involve one or multiple aspects, but these indicators can be used to have an approximation:
• Market improvement or results, such as an increase in market share or turnover.
• Cost savings, such as the cost of material, energy or labour inputs, linked to products or services from the SME.
• Organically job creation or maintenance.
• Quality improvement: quality of goods and services, the satisfaction of clients or business partners, or the improvement of the company's environmental record, working conditions, or health and safety standards.
• Innovation, such as embracing an innovation or an innovative technology or process, or by improving its innovation strategy or innovation (management) capacities.
In relation to COSME Enterprise Europe Network services, most of the SMEs are receiving in parallel COSME programme services, such as participating in regional events (training and workshops) organised and receiving individual advisory support (in most of the cases support to access to finance.
Concrete success stories with a visible impact on the company market improvement, costs savings job creation, quality improvement and innovation are being identified.