Project description
Directing the blockchain spotlight on SMEs
Blockchain technology is a relatively new concept that could disrupt ordinary business practices. By providing companies the ability to access new alternative financing options, to offer secure data storing solutions, making processes more transparent, less risky and cheaper, it can streamline operations and reduce costs, while opening up new opportunities and markets. P2B is an EU initiative undertaken by the Andalusia Technology Park (Spain), in collaboration with the University of Algarve (Portugal) and Technoport SA (Luxembourg) to provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with professional expertise on the field. With collaborative partners across 12 different countries, it will study pilot projects and good practices at local level. They will also propose new methodologies to enhance SME innovation. Transferring know-how from other countries will significantly promote blockchain technology at the local level.
Objective
P2B is based on an initiative from the Technology Park of Andalucía and the International Association of Science Parks and Area, who have recently created a Blockchain Subnetwork of members actives in this field. The main objective of the project is indeed to provide SMEs with opportunities for international collaboration and to share professional expertise at European and international level.
Blockchain is a peer-to-peer system, as it is a network of interconnected computers that communicate with each other, which confirms the relevance for presenting this proposal to the current call.
According to Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society from the European Commission, “in the future, all public services will use blockchain technology. Blockchain is a great opportunity for Europe and Member States to rethink their information systems, to promote user trust and the protection of personal data, to help create new business opportunities and to establish new areas of leadership, benefiting citizens, public services and companies”.
With partners from Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and with associate partners initially from Bulgaria, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungria, Italy, Palestine and Rusia, the specific objectives of the P2B project will be to analyse the current state of art of this new technology, including pilot projects and good practices in the participating regions, to propose a series of methodologies and strategies to enhance the SME innovation with the support and implementation of Blockchain and to promote the development of an effective ecosystem of innovation support to SMEs in Europe related to blockchain technologies. In addition, we will play a great emphasis on transferring the good practices and the results obtained within the regional ecosystem of each partner.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
29590 Malaga
Spain