EmpoweriNg (European) SME business model InnovatiON
Objective
Empowering SMEs to conduct BMI requires new approaches. By leveraging existing networks and communities, we will gather examples, best practices and insights into Business Models (BM) from case studies from each and every European region or industry, complemented with insights from other leading countries worldwide. The BM vortex will thus generate an enormous and rich library of business models patterns and managerial structures, provided on a platform, to support SMEs in these communities. We will also develop innovative tooling and provide them on the platform to makes it easy for SMEs to develop, evaluate and plan new business models.
The ENVISION consortium covers Northern, Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. In each region a top-ranked academic institution in the field of BMI is present as well as innovative businesses that deliver smart and tailored BMI tooling and reach out to SMEs. We build on over a decade of joint work on BMI and BM tooling. We will build and maintain regional and thematic communities. In the communities, support is delivered to help SMEs transform and improve their BMs.
The consortium also includes partners and associated partners that will realize our pan-European reach to SMEs: on a pan-European level (e.g., UAEPME and female entrepreneurs’ network), on a national and regional level (e.g., chambers of commerce, family business organizations and statistical offices). The consortium also has linkages to EIT/ICT Labs and the European Service Innovation Centre (ESIC).
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation action
Coordinator
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Address
Stevinweg 1
2628 Cn Delft
Netherlands
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
EU Contribution
€ 1 290 710,91
Participants (9)
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TURUN YLIOPISTO
Finland
EU Contribution
€ 366 250
INNOVALOR BV
Netherlands
EU Contribution
€ 352 500
EVOLARIS NEXT LEVEL GMBH
Austria
EU Contribution
€ 373 750
UNIVERZA V MARIBORU
Slovenia
EU Contribution
€ 108 750
UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA
Spain
EU Contribution
€ 121 875
ACROSSLIMITS LTD
Malta
EU Contribution
€ 127 500
BGATOR OY
Finland
EU Contribution
€ 155 603,15
KAUNO TECHNOLOGIJOS UNIVERSITETAS
Lithuania
EU Contribution
€ 122 500
LEF MARKETING & EVENTS BV
Netherlands
EU Contribution
€ 75 810,94
Project information
ENviSION
Grant agreement ID: 645791
Status
Closed project
-
Start date
1 February 2015
-
End date
31 January 2018
Funded under:
H2020-EU.3.6.
-
Overall budget:
€ 3 095 250
-
EU contribution
€ 3 095 250
Tools for SMEs to innovate their business models
DIGITAL ECONOMY
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES
BMI contributes to performance and innovativeness, but it is not yet common practice for SMEs. To help rectify the situation, the EU-funded project ENviSION developed a platform incorporating 29 easy-to-use tools for BMI. Accessible on a dedicated BMI platform, “the ENviSION platform is unique because it is the first to be specifically geared to the needs of SMEs and supports the whole process from initial business model idea to testing and implementation of the ideas,” explains Professor Harry Bouwman, project leader. From understanding to design to implementation ENviSION carried out quantitative research through a survey and also executed over 100 case studies. This approach and the data generated helped to examine BMI in specific types of SMEs, including family businesses, firms led by women and high-tech/ICT enterprises. More advanced statistical analyses helped to delve deeper and explore, for example, differences between female and non-female leadership and between different types of BMI drivers. The research showed the impact and utility of BMI tooling, and findings were used to inform design and development of the platform and tools. The result is a platform that offers advice on which tools an SME should use for its specific challenge and which innovation paths to follow. The tools employ a novel approach, responding to ‘I-want-to’ paths completed by SME users – e.g. ‘I want to grow my business’. Beyond ease of use, this renders the platform truly self-service in nature. These unique novel tools, Prof. Bouwman notes, “cover the phases from initial strategic orientation towards designing, testing and implementing new business models.” Empowering BMI for SMEs SMEs and SME helpers can help to define, evaluate and plan implementation of new business models. Project partners collected feedback in various ways: from users of the platform, users of the tools via online courseware and case study participants. Evaluation of the tooling confirmed that the developed tools are suitable for use and easy to handle by SMEs. BMI is not exclusive to start-ups or high-tech businesses. “Family firms, low-tech firms and micro-firms similarly benefit from rethinking their business models,” says the project leader. ENviSION’s tools are tailored to SMEs’ markets, industries and competences. “By starting from the intrinsic needs of an SME, the tools guide users to improving their business model step-by-step,” he adds. SMEs now in the know Since launching in 2016, “143 000 users (unique IP addresses on platform) have used the platform at least once over the runtime of the project,” Prof. Bouwman reports. Further, 47 000 have participated in massive open online courses featuring ENviSION and ENviSION tools to learn to use BMI and BMI tooling. Hundreds of participants have also taken part in live webinars featuring ENviSION tools. This online video offers an overview and more information on the BMI course. Project efforts have increased awareness of BMI and the use of business model tooling, reaching 20 million SMEs via dozens of multipliers such as SME organisations and chambers of commerce. Partners have produced a dozen journal publications, while another 15 are under review, and presented more than 30 conference papers. Notably, the project has published ‘Business model innovation. Hands-on tools for your business makeover’, a DIY book for SMEs as a target group. BMI for ENviSION too There is a non-profit foundation (Stichting Envision) in place to guarantee further use by SMEs of the platform, the professor says, adding: “of course we used our own tooling to develop the business model for further exploitation.” The project consortium will keep the platform alive and is actively looking for investors.
Keywords
ENviSION, business model innovation, business model, self-service platform
Project information
ENviSION
Grant agreement ID: 645791
Status
Closed project
-
Start date
1 February 2015
-
End date
31 January 2018
Funded under:
H2020-EU.3.6.
-
Overall budget:
€ 3 095 250
-
EU contribution
€ 3 095 250
Discover other articles in the same domain of application
Project information
ENviSION
Grant agreement ID: 645791
Status
Closed project
-
Start date
1 February 2015
-
End date
31 January 2018
Funded under:
H2020-EU.3.6.
-
Overall budget:
€ 3 095 250
-
EU contribution
€ 3 095 250
Deliverables
Publications
Project information
ENviSION
Grant agreement ID: 645791
Status
Closed project
-
Start date
1 February 2015
-
End date
31 January 2018
Funded under:
H2020-EU.3.6.
-
Overall budget:
€ 3 095 250
-
EU contribution
€ 3 095 250
Project information
ENviSION
Grant agreement ID: 645791
Status
Closed project
-
Start date
1 February 2015
-
End date
31 January 2018
Funded under:
H2020-EU.3.6.
-
Overall budget:
€ 3 095 250
-
EU contribution
€ 3 095 250
