TC CAS

The overall aim of the project is to introduce services “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SME's” by the Enterprise Europe Network in the Czech Republic to SMEs with significant innovation activities and in particular to the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument. The activities of the project are directed to deal with the lack of quality and affordable services for SMEs in the area of innovation management in the Czech Republic and the lack of innovation management capacity in Czech SMEs. In general, the project aims to achieve to set up and run the standardised system for enhancing the innovation management capacity of beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020, and of SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation. There are two parallel processes in place to fulfil the objectives: 1. All the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020 will be contacted by experienced Key Account Managers upon notification from EASME. Key Account Managers will meet in person with relevant representatives of the beneficiaries in order to describe the full scope of the support offered, and ask for confirmation to proceed with the identification of growth opportunities and setting up the coaching service process, which they will mediate. 2. Small and medium sized enterprises with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation will be identified by a well-defined selection process based on experiences of the staff involved in the project. Selected SMEs will be offered with comprehensive seven-day service packages enhancing their innovation management capacities as described in detailed in the project proposal. It is critically important to identify the right SMEs, which have the potential to benefit the most from the service to maximize the impact of the intervention on the company’s future growth.

BISONet PLUS4 ENH project aims at enhancing innovation capacities of Czech SMEs – the Czech SME beneficiaries of the EIC Pilot under H2020 and Czech SMEs with high potential for growth. Consortium implementing the project is composed of two EEN partner organisations – TC AV CR being the coordinator and JIC being a partner of the project. TC AV CR and JIC will deliver both type of services „Key Account Management services for SME Instrument beneficiaries“ and service „Enhancing innovation management capacities of SMEs“. The total number of service packages to be delivered within the BISONet PLUS4 ENH project is 84 – 76 service packages is dedicated for „Enhancing innovation management capacities of SMEs“ and 8 for delivering KAM services to of the EIC Pilot under H2020 (EIC Pathfinder Pilot, EIC Accelerator Pilot) beneficiaries. The tool to be used to identify needs of SMEs and gaps in innovation management will be „smE-MPOWER Business Innovation Roadmap methodology”.

The overall aim of the project is to elaborate on experience with the preceding project “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SME's” conducted by the Enterprise Europe Network in the Czech Republic in the second half of 2014 and to offer Czech SMEs with significant innovation activities, in particular to the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument, consecutive services in 2015-16. The activities of the project deal with the lack of quality and affordable services for SMEs in the area of innovation management in the Czech Republic and the lack of innovation management capacity in Czech SMEs. In particular, the project aims: 1) run the standardised support system for beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020, and 2) identify, through the analysis of innovation management capacity of SMEs with significant innovation activities, weaknesses of the innovation management system in the SME and offer measures to their elimination. In order to meet the objectives of item 1, all the beneficiaries of the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020 will be contacted by experienced Key Account Managers upon notification from EASME. Key Account Managers will meet in person with relevant representatives of the beneficiaries in order to describe the full scope of the support offered, and ask for confirmation to proceed with the identification of growth opportunities and setting up the coaching service process, which they will mediate. In the process fulfilling the item 2, small and medium sized enterprises with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation will be identified by consortium members and their EEN partners as well as external partners. Selected SMEs will be offered comprehensive seven-day service packages, including the innovation management capacity assessment, enhancing their innovation management capacities as described in the project.