Enhancing Innovation Management Capacities and Key Account Management (KAM) services for Greek SMEs

Project Information

Enhancement SGA4

Grant agreement ID: 880015

DOI

10.3030/880015

Project closed

EC signature date 26 February 2020

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 231 350,00

EU contribution

€ 231 350,00

Coordinated by

ETHNIKO KENTRO TEKMIRIOSIS KAI ILEKTRONIKOU PERIECHOMENOU
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Enhancement SGA4 (Enhancing Innovation Management Capacities and Key Account Management (KAM) services for Greek SMEs)

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

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

EEN-Hellas comprises a national infrastructure for the support of SME with potential to innovate and internationalise. Through the Enterprise Europe Network, SMEs receive advisory and partnering support from specialised consultants in order to grow successfully and achieve their full potential.
In this framework SMEs showing promising potential receive further two-fold support.
- EIC programmes beneficiaries receive the Key Account Management service which links them to appropriate coaches that will further guide the companies to successfully drive their innovation and business forward.
- Innovative companies with potential to develop new products and services receive the EIMC services (IMA, DIQ, IHC) in order to raise their capacity to manage successfully their innovation development process.
The project activities were driven forward by the same objectives, to identify suitable SMEs, assess their ability to innovate and grow and provide them with support and solutions to achieve their goals in the most efficient manner.

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

During the project period, innovation advisors provided bespoken KAM services to EIC beneficiaries, as well as EIMC services to innovative SMEs with high-growth potential. The type of beneficiaries has been extended to include also other entities who appear as beneficiaries from the Pathfinder programmes (FET Open, FET Proactive, FET Launchpad and FET Innovation Actions).
In all cases, the general format of the services included at least one visit or teleconference with Client management staff, a detailed recording of goals, processes, activities and problems, an assessment phase for diagnosing areas for further support, and final consulting in the form of Coaching suggestions or an Action Plan for implementation. Partners provided in total 41 EIMC and 7 KAM services.

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)

KAM services have been extended to all EIC beneficiaries including non-SMEs. Partners rendering the KAM services were prompt to examine and determine whether the entitled entities were standing to gain from the Coaching offered. The first results were very encouraging.
Adhering to the Client-centric approach, and in the framework of providing support throughout the Clients’ journey, consultants have crucially included the EIMC service as part of the overall SME support. In conjunction with all EEN-Hellas partners, companies were identified, contacted and directed SMEs to the EIMC consultants.
Moreover, clients who have been supported during the EIC programmes proposal preparation, but eventually received a Seal of Excellence distinction were promptly directed to the EIMC services.
Linkage with the National Contact Points continued in earnest. The project partners rendering the KAM service also host the relevant National Contact Points for the EIC programmes which facilitates the exchange of information and the promotion of the services.
The EIMC and KAM services continued to provide SMEs with valuable insight and assessment over their activities. The outcome of this were issues that needed to be addressed and can contribute significantly to their growth potential and resilience in the face of an extremely competitive environment.

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