Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NORIMS (INNOWAY Key Account Manager and Innovation Specialists Services - NORIMS)

Teaser

The two distinct types of services under the “Establishing services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs”, a) Key account management under the SME Instrument in Horizon 2020, and b) Services to enhance the innovation management capacity of SMEs were in...

Summary

The two distinct types of services under the “Establishing services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs”,

a) Key account management under the SME Instrument in Horizon 2020, and
b) Services to enhance the innovation management capacity of SMEs were in 2015-2016 offered as an integrated part of the general support services of the Enterprise Europe Network Business Cooperation Centre (BCC) in Norway. Innovation Norway was the only partner in the project and carried out both services.


The overall objective of the project in 2015-2016* was to enhance the innovation management capacity of Norwegian SMEs by reducing barriers to innovation and to ensure that more great ideas would reach the market.
The work plan for the project included two work packages:

• WP1 Implementation of Key Account Management (KAM) services for the beneficiaries of the SME instrument.
• WP2 Implementation of Innovation Management Capacity Building services.

WP1: The Key account management service under the SME Instrument in Horizon 2020 was delivered to beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020:

These beneficiaries was supported by a Key Account Manager (KAM) from Enterprise Europe Network Norway. The overall objective of this service/work package was to help the beneficiary SME:

• Identify weaknesses in their innovation capacity that hinders the SME’s realisation of growth opportunities and the full commercial potential of the participation in the SME Instrument.
• Identify a suitable coach (based on the above assessment) that could help the SME address the identified weaknesses and assist in the coach-client (SME) relationship.
• By assisting the beneficiary through the SME Instrument process.

WP2: The Services to enhance the innovation management capacity of SMEs (EIMC ).

This service was delivered to carefully selected SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation by extending the Network support services to SMEs in the area of innovation management, where these are unaffordable on the Norwegian market. The overall objective of this service/work package was to help the company:

• Make their innovation system more efficient and effective by carrying out a diagnostic audit, identify bottlenecks and develop and implement a tailored action plan.

*Please note: as a direct result of the delay of the publication of the call for non-COSME H2020 participants from 01.01.15 to 01.09.15 the project period was shortened from 24 to 15 months (01.10.2015-31.12.2016). 25 (twenty-five) of the 32 (thirty-two) SMEs that were successful in the SMEI instrument belonged to cut-off dates after 01.10.2015 when the Grant Agreement (GA) was signed. Still, all beneficiaries including the 7 (seven) SMEs successful in cut-offs before 10.01.2015 received KAM-services from Enterprise Europe Network Norway. Hours delivered before 10.01.2015 was funded nationally by Innovation Norway.

Work performed

Enterprise Europe Network Norway has, during the project period, delivered services to SMEs with close-to-market activities, with the aim to give a strong boost to breakthrough innovation. The target group under the project has been SME-Instrument beneficiaries (WP1) and highly innovative Norwegian SMEs with a clear commercial ambition and a potential for internationalisation and high growth (WP2). All services was delivered in 2015/2016, the first phase of operations in the new Enterprise Europe Network.

The project identified and targeted the two different groups of companies in two different ways:

1) The service Key account management under the SME Instrument in Horizon 2020 was only delivered to beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020. Hence, the targeted companies for this service was only SME beneficiaries. When the beneficiaries was announced and identified by EASME as Norwegian companies, the certified Key Account Managers of the Norwegian Enterprise Europe Network immediately contacted the companies and started the delivery of the Key Account Management services. The KAMs received information about the beneficiaries from the Norwegian Enterprise Europe Network Coordinator and the Norwegian H2020 SME-NCP- both working in close contact with EASME.

2) Two companies eligible for services to enhance the innovation management capacity of SMEs was carefully identified and selected based on their needs and potential. Both companies was already clients of the Network in Norway and the Host Organisation, Innovation Norway.

Aa a successful exploitation is closely related to a successful dissemination all Enterprise Europe Network Norway staff was both disseminators and promoters of the two services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs. The services was also promoted through both Enterprise Europe Network Norway\'s and Innovation Norway\'s general communication channels.

Final results

The project was established with a view to enhance the innovation management capacity of Norwegian SMEs. Better innovation management will contribute to both speeding up and to improving the economic performance of companies.

By focusing on innovation management the action was a contribution to sustainable growth, and not merely to one-off results or short term profits. The project has contributed to the expected impacts outlined in the DoA as the project has created an economic impact, not only in terms of turnover, but also in terms of increased competitiveness for companies and potential job creation for the SMEI beneficiaries and the EIMC beneficiaries.

During the project period, 32 Norwegian SMEI beneficiaries was supported (WP1), with 10 cases being finalized and closed during the 15. months of the project. Two (2) carefully selected SMEs received Innovation management services under the EIMC (WP2).

Website & more info

More info: http://www.een-norge.no.