The COVID-19 pandemic has affected both KAM and EIMC activities.
For KAM the number of cases dropped to 23 instead of the 56 planned. Besides the COVID-19 crisis there was another reason for this decline. Due to the new set-up of the EIC Accelerator the EIC beneficiaries and applicants have been using a new workflow to search and select their coaches themselves. This meant that the 3 cases of the 7 October 2020 cut-off date were the last ones to deal with by the consortium in 2021.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions all assessments have been done remotely by vídeo-calls using applications like Webex and ZOOM. Most companies however are very positive about the effect that coaching has had upon the development of their business strategy. Coaching has led to an evaluation of their business plans which in some cases have been revised or sharpened. And in some cases it has already led to new opportunities on the International market.
KVK started quite strong with 26 new cases in January and February 2020. Then came the Covid-19 pandemic and The Netherlands went into several lock downs. Measures were taken by the national government and support systems were quickly introduced. This meant that all EIMC activities practically were stopped in several periods in the past two years.
The EIMC team in 2020 rapidly changed to digital support and coaching of started cases using Skype, WhatsApp and later MS Teams. The only problem we faced in 2020 was finding new cases because all efforts were in the Covid desk answering entrepreneurial questions. The EIMC team adapted very well to the new situation and succeeded in 2021 to attract a good number of 117 new cases. As four cases were already started in 2019, it resulted in 121 cases in 2020 and 2021.
EIMC coaching services are appreciated by all beneficiaries. The evaluation of completed cases shows a client satisfactory of 8.6 (out of 10) where 8.0 was the target. Most of the beneficiaries say that the coaching and the innovation action plan changed the way to approach their challenges.
KAM and EIMC services have had a positive effect on the market improvement and innovation cycle. SMEs are able to improve their innovation project on topics as market acceptance, cost strategy, product strategy, technological innovativeness and business strategy. It is expected that SMEs will perform better in growth and continuity. This all will lead to an increase of private investment in innovation, notably leverage of private co-investor and/or follow-up investments. Eventually this will lead to an increase in turnover, jobs, opening new markets, developing new products and improvements on their competitor’s position.
Better equipped, trained, informed and experienced SMEs on the topic of innovation and innovation capacities will make better decisions on how to build their businesses and expand their activities in and outside Europe. It will lead to enhanced profitability and growth performance of SMEs by combining and transferring new and existing knowledge into innovative, disruptive and competitive solutions seizing European and global business opportunities.
