Enhancing the innovation management capacities of SMEs in East Poland

Project Information

KAM2EastPoland2020-2021

Grant agreement ID: 879433

DOI

10.3030/879433

Project closed

EC signature date 3 February 2020

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 77 420,00

EU contribution

€ 77 420,00

Coordinated by

LUBELSKA FUNDACJA ROZWOJU
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - KAM2EastPoland2020-2021 (Enhancing the innovation management capacities of SMEs in East Poland)

Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2021-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Innovation support has been one of the main EU policy issues in recent years. Special support was offered to SMEs. The most important problem indicated by enterprises was the lack of financial resources. The second one was the inability to efficiently and effectively manage innovation processes. Moreover, some key areas for Polish SMEs such as skills, innovativeness and exploiting the potential of the foreign markets, remained chronically underperformed. Those deficiencies are particularly visible in Eastern Poland. Some of these needs have been met by the biggest European Network – EEN through information and advisory services, trainings and internationalization services but innovation management support (mentoring and coaching services to develop the ideas from the concept to the market) still needed to be improved and this is why new services were established under H2020 programme. The services (complementary to EEN services) were very important for society, especially for the target group: SMEs with a high potential for innovation in Eastern Poland as they contributed to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of R&D and innovation investments, which is crucial for smart and sustainable growth in the EU and this concept was also the main objective of the project. The main objectives in Eastern Poland were implemented by five Partners: LDF, LUT, PRDF, UWM, WMRDA, by two specific objectives:
- Increase the economic potential of SME beneficiaries of the H2020 European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot by identifying bottlenecks and indicating problems solved by a capable coach. This objective was implemented by establishing a specially designed service “Key account management”;
- Increase of innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises without professional support in innovation management. This objective was implemented by a specially designed activity: “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs”. The consortium Partners declared to achieve 7 KAM services and 43 EIMC to achieve the objectives of the project in 2020-2021 (Clients mentored – 50).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

EENEP Partners focused on providing a high level of services to SMEs in Eastern Poland. Five Consortium Partners were involved in KAM2EastPoland2020-2021 project and implemented two groups of services: “Key account management” and “Enhancing SME innovation management capacity”. Each Partner employed staff with appropriate competences to cooperate with a client with high potential for innovation management. All staff dedicated to the project implementation was approved by PO. All KAM/EIMC experts participated in IMProve and Innovation Health Check trainings to be able to offer the highest level of services.
One of the most important activities, was the promotion of the services aimed at encouraging potential SMEs. All Partners provided information about KAM and EIMC for SMEs during e.g.: company meetings, events, etc. All benefits of KAM and EIMC services were presented in order to encourage SMEs to participate in KAM2EastPoland project.
The Consortium had 7 KAM services to implement during 2 years but due to little interest in H2020 in regions served by EENEP no service was implemented . The implementation of 43 EIMC services was planned for two years and 51 were implemented in 2020-2021. A very important achievement is the fact that the SMEs willing to use EIMC services see potential benefits for business development. This, in turn, gives reasons to believe that more companies will be interested in using the EIMC services in the future period of the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EENEP Partners supported a total of 51 SMEs for EIMC in 2020 0 2021. All services were provided in order to clearly show both - where the company is actually located and how to be growth – oriented. In order to maximise the impact on SMEs, all services provided were fully integrated in the wider service offer by Enterprise Europe Network East Poland Consortium. The partners followed a client-centric approach, focusing on supporting the client's needs throughout the client journey and paying attention to the client’s experience. In order to ensure integrated services for SMEs, cooperation with the Contact Points for SMEs and the financial instruments under Horizon 2020 was continued by all Partners. Direct impact declared by the clients:
- services lead to launching the following into the market: new products in 21 companies, new processes in 6 companies, new methods in 6 companies,
- 24 companies have introduced or plan to introduce innovations new to the company, as well 19 companies have introduced or plan to introduce innovations new to the market
- innovation processes in companies were conducted more efficiently and effectively,
- some clients confirmed that EIMC services allowed them to : improve the quality of the customer relationship; improve the client’s market position by the attracting foreign partners to cooperate in the technologies offered by the company; launch new investments and alternative sources; effectively develop innovative projects within the company through recommended changes,
- One company is working on the prototype – confidential information
- One of the company was advised to move its services online and to expand into other industries. The company successfully started business in a new branch – namely: business consulting , and started a very active online campaign (own website, blogs, etc.)
- the impact of services on job creation and financial benefits can be noted in the future as these services have been provided relatively recently and therefore the full potential of the services may not have been achieved yet.