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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INNOWWIDE (Viability assessment of collaborative and INNOvative business solutions in WorldWIDE markets)

Teaser

Summary

INNOWWIDE aims to bring European highly innovative SMEs to the forefront of international markets by prototyping and shaping a new and unique financial scheme -Viability Assessment Projects (VAPs)-, targeted to design and assess the technical, financial and commercial viability of new business models or new business units (product-country packages) based on co-creation and international open innovation. VAPs will be ideally implemented in a target pilot third country (pilot & landing market) in close cooperation with local stakeholders and potential partners in future RTDI colaborative projects. Two calls will be implemented with a total budget of 7,2Mâ‚¬, allowing to fund 120 VAPs (60kâ‚¬/VAP), and targeting in an evenly distributed way three basic country groups: developing countries, large emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, Mexico etc.) and developed countries.

The global picture in research and innovation is rapidly shifting. Emerging powers in science, technology and innovation, in particular BRIC countries, are challenging the USA, the European Union (EU) and Japan. The EU will need to access this knowledge to remain a major global player and to promote itself as an attractive location for carrying out research and innovation. These are the main drivers of the EU international R&I cooperation strategy, with different objectives depending on the region (European neighbourhood policy countries, industrialised countries and emerging economies, developing countries).

In this context, the potential of H2020, the world biggest R&I international programme is clearly underexploited.This is especially important for highly innovative SMEs with clear internationalization and international technology cooperation potential which, despite creating more jobs and being more innovative (47% versus 20%) than â€œnationalâ€ ones are still a minority (just a 7%) and declare having lack of targeted instruments for this sake. Close to market, SMEs led, market creating innovations instruments in an international context are therefore necessary to reverse this trend and pave the way for taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the globalisation of markets.

The main objective of INNOWWIDE is prototyping and validating an open to the world, innovative SME targeted, EC funding scheme to support:

1. The viability assessment (practical, technological, commercial) of worldwide aimed, SMEs led, innovative business solutions in close collaboration with third countries local stakeholders, to ensure local acceptance.

2. The preparatory work to facilitate further joint R&I actions, including co-creation and open innovation, and market technology uptake

3. The establishment of synergies, leverages and complementarities with current and future related national and international funding schemes

Work performed

The first reporting period (M1-M9) comprises:

1. The fine-tuning of the proposed instrument, in particular its scope, main features and eligibility and admissibility conditions

2. The preparation and rolling out of the procedural framework for the launch and implementation of the first call, including the call and internal processes supporting documentation and workflows, the proposal submission platform and the allocation of human resources, in particular external experts selection and recruitment, in close alignment with H2020 specific rules and guidelines on financial support to third parties.

3. The preparation and launch of the dissemination and communication campaign for the first call including webinars, infodays, keynote speeches in congresses, trade fairs and symposia, workshops, social media contributions, project webpage launching, posters and brochures etc.

4. The design and implementation of an ex-ante counterfactual impact assessment at call closing date to allow for a comprehensive sutdy on both selected proposals and rejected ones (control group), and basic design of the overall impact assessment conceptual framework.

5. The final design of the External Expert Advisory Board (EEAB) mandate and Terms of Reference and the selection and recruitment of high level potential candidates.

6. The monitoring of critical risks occurence and implementation of appropriate contingency plans and the innovation management within the consortium, with specific brainstormng sessions for the conceptual optimization of the VAP instrument, the design of the impact assessment framework and streamlined call management procedures.

Main result achieved so far include (explained in detail in the report):

1. The successful implementation of the first call with nearly 380 applicants coming from all over the EU and Associated States and evenly targeting the aforementioned three country groups, and the signature of nearly all the first expected 50 contracts with beneficiary SMEs.

2. An intensive D&C with relevant impacts in social media, project webpage and webinars and events attendance (see specific section on D&C statistics)

3. Relevant preliminary conclusions of the interest and usefulness of the VAP instrument and basic profile of the call response through the impact analysis survey carried out at call closing date, wherein the importance paid to co-creation and future RTDI preparatory work featured on top

Final results

The INNOWWIDE consortium has conducted a preliminary search to detect previous similar schemes and best practices inn Europe and overseas, amongst which are the USA SBIR and UK and SE SBRI schemes, EXPLORE projects (FFG, BF), the German 2+2 scheme, the Innternacionaliza and Interempresas Internacional (CDTI), the University of Cambridge Technology Commercialization Programme, the SME Instrument Phase I and the Exploratory Awards (EC). The proposed VAP design builds on the previous experience and detected gaps and shortcomings to come up with a brand new comprehensive solution that includes in a balanced and flexible way (different options in every section with a mÃnimum number of tasks to accomplish in each one) Technology uptake facilitation (innovation and TT services) and Marketing and practical prospection activities.

Expected impacts, which will be ex ante and ex post VAP implementation qualitative and quantitatively measured include:

- Economic growth and job creation, both in Europe and in the target countries, as well as additional societal and environmental benefits through the preemption of environmental and social criteria at proposal evaluation stage

-Increased European economic and industrial competitiveness and excellence and participation in international value chains

-Inclusion of locally developed and accepted technology and business models, including through co-creation with innovation players in the target countries

-Greater availability, uptake and use of innovative solutions responding to the specific local needs and circumstances of the target countries and markets

-R&I policy conclusions based on better connections and larger insights into market conditions outside Europe