The consortium conducted 30 EIMC (Enhancement of Innovation Management capacities) services (NBank: 23, LUH: 7) and 3 KAM services (NBank).Originally we planned 28 EIMC cases and 4 KAM cases.
WP 1 - KAM Services and promotion of HEU / EIC programs
During the project period, more than 400 companies from Lower Saxony were informed about the funding opportunities of the EIC-Accelerator (Pilot) formerly SME Instrument via info mailings and information events. To highlight one activity to promote the SME Instrument: The network organized a Horizon Europe Campaign with 6 Online Events in June and July 2021. The campaign was in cooperation with the Innovation Network Niedersachsen, the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Science, the National Contact Point for the EIC Accelerator, the Regional Business Development Network and the EU Hochschulreferenten (university specialists) Network.
About 65 companies received detailed information and individual advice about the EIC Accelerator. From these 65 companies receiving individual advice and information, 4 companies prepared and submitted a proposal for the EIC Accelerator while receiving intensive support by the N-Supp Inno consortium. The reasons for the low number of submitters in Lower Saxony were identified as the following:
1. Low success rate for the EIC Accelerator in general. Many companies step back from writing a proposal due to the low success rate
2. The first calls for the EIC Accelerator started only in April 2021
3. The new application process without phase 1 of the SME instrument
4. Covid 19 related issues
To gain success the KAM and Horizon services follow a no wrong door policy. The respective EEN specialist is the main contact for the company that is interested in EU R&I Funding. Since every customer has different needs and problems, we work closely with other sources of information and support e.g. the EEN Network especially TG research, National Contact Points as well as other departments at the NBank with access to and knowledge about regional and federal funding sources. Our integrated approach means that our services reach beyond EU Programs and are tailor-made for every client.
WP2 Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity for innovating SMEs.
2020 and 2021 have been two extraordinary years because of the Covid 19 pandemic. The NBank EEN team spent seven months in 2020 and one month in 2021 working for the regional Covid 19 relief hotline. Therefore we helped our clients regarding the application of regional loan and funding programs and spent less time working on EIMC services.
Despite the pandemic, we were able to continue to offer EIMC services and carried out 7 services in 2020 and 16 services in 2021. The topics have evolved from crisis management to further digitalisation and networking (Industry 4.0) as well as product innovation. We have successfully conducted online audits, but continued to try to conduct at least the initial interview in person. The feedback talks and interim consultations have established themselves as an online standard.
There is a smooth and well-rehearsed signposting and cooperation between staff working on EIMC and / or COSME activities. Direct impact is documented in the Merlin system. The impacts are safeguarding or creation of jobs and 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, covid-19 response strategies. 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.
