Provision of services for enhancing innovation management capacity of the Cypriot SMEs by the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus

Project Information

KAM2CY5

Grant agreement ID: 879447

DOI

10.3030/879447

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

€ 45 662,50

EU contribution

€ 45 662,00

Coordinated by

IDRYMA EREVNAS KAI KAINOTOMIAS
Cyprus

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - KAM2CY5 (Provision of services for enhancing innovation management capacity of the Cypriot SMEs by the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus)

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

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The objective of the project was the provision of high-quality innovation management capacity assessment and support services to SMEs in Cyprus aiming at the enhancement of their competitiveness, smart growth and profitability.

The services were provided by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), the Coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus (EEN-Cy). RIF has already provided relevant services through preceding projects funded by EC.

The project targeted two groups of SMEs, as described below:

(a) Key Account Management (KAM) services were provided to SME-beneficiaries of H2020 SME Instrument, FTI and FET Open aiming to:
• identify weaknesses in SMEs’ innovation capacity and bottlenecks in their innovation management approach hindering realisation of growth opportunities (using smE-MPOWER Tool);
• identify suitable coaches to address the identified weaknesses through tailor-made coaching activities;
• provide support and accompany the SME throughout the implementation of the / EIC project, facilitating SME needs for further funding, financing and support.

(b) Services for Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity (EIMC services) were provided to promising SMEs with potential for growth via innovation as follows:
• diagnostic audit / assessment of the innovation management capacity of each SME involved;
• root/ cause analysis of the audit results;
• development of a tailor-made action plan;
• assistance provision in action plan implementation and monitoring.

The project foresaw the provision of seventeen (17) service packages: twelve (12) EIMC service packages and five (5) KAM service packages, depending on the evaluation results of the H2020 SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator, FTI and FET-Open proposals.

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

The project was completed with the development of eight (8) service packages: three (3) KAM and five (5) EIMC Service Packages. One (1) EIMC case was continuing implementation from previous KAM contracts.
Within the duration of the project and the context of Work Package 2 (EIMC services), the innovation management capacity assessment was conducted with the support of the IMP3rove assessment methodology, the smE-MPOWER Tool and the Innvoation HealthCheck.

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)

The implementation of the project has helped the involved SMEs to improve and increase their innovation activities and better understand the potential benefits from the enhancement of their innovation management procedures. SME Instrument / EIC beneficiaries were provided with an analysis of the results obtained from the innovation assessment, action plans to target the main findings for the improvement of their innovation management performance and guidance for the implementation of the action plan. Companies report that they greatly benefit by understanding what good innovation management is based on the questionnaire’s structure and questions, receiving a report that compares their performance to best practices and other companies’ performance and tailored action plans for their improvement.
Moreover, synergies emerging from the rest of the services provided by the EEN-Cy were exploited in order to enhance impact on the SMEs. Clients receiving KAM and EIMC services as well as a number of SME Instrument participants receiving a “Seal of Excellence” were introduced and directed towards the wide range of services provided through the Enterprise Europe Network such as partnering activities (participation in brokerage events, profile creation and dissemination, etc), and provision of support in relation to their participation in ESIF programs and H2020.