Periodic Reporting for period 1 - We4SMESLO_4 (Enhancing the Innovation Management Capacity of SMEs (by EEN), Slovenia)
Berichtszeitraum: 2019-01-01 bis 2019-12-31
The objective of this project in Slovenia was to enable SMEs to bridge the knowledge gap in innovation management, get aware of shortages and improve their internal innovation management system and/or focus on achieving market value with their inventions. The consortium proposed to achieve these objectives through: 1.) Enhancing the Innovation Management Capacity of SMEs. The beneficiaries received diagnostic of their innovation system based on the SME-Mpower tool. This lead to the formation of tailored action plan to improve the SME’s capacity to better manage innovation.2.) Key Account Managers – Facilitators for the H2020 SME Instrument. Key Account Managers role was to identify and source appropriate lead coaches (from predefined pool of coaches), facilitate linking the SMEs to innovation support services and to support the lead coach in delivering services to the SME. The SME Instrument participants received the most appropriate services and support to enhance the probability of successful exploitation of the innovation project and to leave a footprint for their future sustainable growth.
In the project We4SMESLO_4 preparation phase the hardest thing was to predict the correct number of successful Slovenian SMEs applying for SME Instrument projects. The main reason for lower number of KAM services concluded is the lower number of successful SME Instrument applications from Slovenian SMEs.
In the project proposal we envisaged a very lean and flexible management system – knowing that the outcome of the SME instrument is unpredictable – correctly allowing us to effectively distribute KAM services to the specific KAM and also to manage number of KAM cases versus EIMC services after each (SME Instrument) cut-off dates. In this respect we successfully served all SME Instrument beneficiaries coming from Slovenia and used the rest of resources for provision of EMIC services (28 EIMC services provided).
Overall consortium achieved 39 KAM and EIMC services provided.
On the basis of the SME_mPower tool Enterprise Europe Network’s services have been offered to SMEs. Mainly companies expressed interest for inclusion in the Enterprise Europe Network database particularly for international business cooperation, AMT subscriptions, participation at brokerage events and other advice and information support services (i.e. IP support services).
However there are many good projects and SMEs applying from Slovenia, since every fourth project proposal to SMEi receives Seal of Excellence. Therefore a national SoE scheme was designed by SPIRIT Slovenian in cooperation with the Ministry of economic development and technology, which enables SoE holders to receive funding for their projects.