KAM Services and promotion of H2020 / EIC programs
During the project period, more than 1000 companies from Lower Saxony were informed about the funding opportunities of the SME-instrument via info mailings and information events. To highlight one activity to promote the SME Instrument: One of our yearly promotion activities is the regular “Annual Network Meeting”. In 2019, we had 15 Exhibitors, 20 Elevator pitches and more than 100 Participants. The response to the event was very positive.
About 70 companies received detailed information and individual advice about the SME Instrument. From these 70 companies receiving individual advice and information, 20 companies prepared and submitted a proposal for the SME-Instrument while receiving intensive support by the N-Supp Inno consortium. Out of the eight submitted proposals, four cases where selected for funding (Inscreenex GmbH, Naturstofftechnik GmbH, Trace Analytics GmbH, Energy &Meteo GmbH) which means that there is a deviation from the expected number of funded cases for the period of the NSupp_INNO-19 contract (eight were planned). The issue that is leading to the low number of beneficiaries in Lower Saxcony is the low success rate for the SME Instrument in general. Many companies step back from writing a proposal due to the low success rate.
EIMC services
In 2019 the consortium executed 21 EIMC services, six cases less than planned. This refers mainly to the withdrawal of Partner 3 (FHOS) and a minor underperformance at Partner 1 (NBANK). Another reason may be the short time period of this reporting period (one year instead of two). Some clients have agreed to participate in 2020.
Nonetheless, the Enterprise Europe Network Innovation Management service was noticed and recognised in our region and within the host organisations. Cooperations with regional networks and stakeholders were strengthened.
There is a smooth and well rehearsed signposting, respectively cooperation between staff working on EIMC and / or COSME activities. This counts for advisory, marketing during events, public relations, cooperation with regional stakeholders and so on.
Direct impact is documented in the Merlin system. To summarise main impacts, these are securing or creation of working places, improvements of the innovation management structure and processes in the companies, helping to define and develop strategies in terms of digitalisation and business model innovation. During the audits or as a follow-up of the audits and EIMC services, we cooperated with regional stakeholders: regional public bodies, innovation managers of the chambers of trade and industry, the Innovationszentrum Niedersachsen (
https://www.iz-nds.de/(öffnet in neuem Fenster)) with its networks and the federal initiative called www.mitunsdigital.de. Further impacts were the detection of new technologies and markets, integration of technology, marketing innovation.
