Innovation services and key account management support for Basque SMEs for 2020-2021

Project Information

BASKAM4

Grant agreement ID: 879943

DOI

10.3030/879943

Project closed

EC signature date 21 January 2020

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 171 097,50

EU contribution

€ 171 097,50

Coordinated by

SPRI- AGENCIA VASCA DE DESARROLLO EMPRESARIAL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BASKAM4 (Innovation services and key account management support for Basque SMEs for 2020-2021)

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

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The BASKAM4 project aims at providing the Basque SMEs with two Enterprise Europe Network services:
1) Key Account Management (KAM) for European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot beneficiaries.
2) Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity (EIMC) of innovating SMEs,
These services have been provided in an additional but integrated way to the usual COSME EEN activities related to the SME competitiveness and innovation.
The aim of the KAM services is to conduct an analysis and assessment of the innovation needs for each individual beneficiary and, based on them, an agreed programme of coaching is provided to support their project realisation, leveraging partnerships to connect them with relevant advice and funding support, including the provision of specialized coaches. The KAM also accompanies the beneficiary throughout the entire project, getting the full SME´s satisfaction.
The objective of the EIMC services is to define a consulting service that demonstrates a measurable positive impact on the capacities of promising SMEs to manage their innovation processes. The goal is to assess a subset of promising individuals SMEs and support them to develop their innovation management. In 2019, the partner Innobasque started a process to homologate its own designed tool, “Innovation Profiles”, with the characteristics and specifications of the EIMC service. This challenge required that during 2020 Innobasque had to face a process to redesign and improve of some parts of its own process and tool. Innobasque finally got the approval from EASME, who accepted “Innovation Profile” as a methodology and tool applicable in the Basque Country that meets the standards and objectives of the EIMC service to improve the innovation management capacity of SMEs.
The main motivations of these innovative SMEs are related with their need to make their way into the market: to make their product visible, to increase the product range, to enter new markets and to establish closer relationships with their customers, without forgetting an aspect as relevant as improving people's working conditions. The main barriers of the SMEs in addressing these challenges are the lack of qualified personnel and the need of financial resources.

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

For the period 2020-2021, the Basque Node (BASQUE-EEN-4SMES) partners participating in this action, SPRI and Innobasque, proposed to deliver 61 new “service packages” to SMEs in the Basque Country: 20 KAM services plus 51 EIMC services. In addition, there were some cases that continued from the previous periods.
Eventually, in 2020 and 2021 there were only 5 new cases who accepted the KAM services (3 SME I Phase 2, 1 FTI and 1 Seal of Excellence), a number much lower than expected. In total, during 2020 and 2021, the two Basque partners offered KAM services to 10 cases/SMEs and, although some projects continue in 2022, the KAM services were concluded at the end of the period.
Most of the projects are in line with the Basque RIS3 strategic priorities: Smart Industry, Clean Energy and Personalised Health.
Besides informing about the Coaching services, the KAM presents the COSME services and activities to the SME and as a result, some of the beneficiaries start an active collaboration with our Consortium. All the beneficiaries were duly informed about the initiatives related to the EIC Business Acceleration Services. They were also informed about the Innovation Radar.
During the period, the Basque KAMs participated in the Networking activities organised by EISMEA and in other initiatives relevant for the project.
Regarding the Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity services Innobasque launched the EIMC service using its own tool “Innovation Profiles” with a total of 82 companies to address different phases of the process in 2020 and 2021. At the end of the period, 48 companies have completed the whole process. However, the support service designed by Innobasque does not end when the four phases are completed, but it continues by reinitiating new cycles.

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)

All the beneficiaries were duly informed about the initiatives related to the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The participant SMEs highly appreciate the value of the BAS that helps them to attract clients and investors. The KAMs also informed beneficiaries about the Innovation Radar.
It is worth mentioning that two of the five new projects of 2020 and 2021 are Covid-19 related projects that aim to find solutions to the different problems caused by the pandemic.

Regarding the EIMC services, in general, the degree of satisfaction of the 82 clients (feedback is available from many of them through conversations, emails, etc.) is positive in most cases. In addition, the fact that more than 76% of the clients reached the implementation phase and 58% have reached the final phase, suggests a good reception of the service.

EIMC - Innovation Profiles