What is it about?
SMEs need help to generate, take up and better capitalise on all forms of knowledge, creativity, craftsmanship and innovation – including for the application of existing crosscutting or emerging technologies, advanced manufacturing, ICT, eco-innovative and resource- efficient solutions, new business models, service innovation and design. The potential of clusters – that represent favourable ecosystems for innovation and entrepreneurship – need to be better exploited in this respect.
Scope:
Proposals shall outline a strategic vision for building new industrial value chains across the EU Member States and Associated Countries. They shall specifically focus on integrating and supporting groups of SMEs in collaboration with other innovation actors in addressing specific problems and challenges. Each proposal should demonstrate the capacity to:
- validate ideas for structured innovation projects driven by SMEs from different sectors and countries in collaboration with other innovation actors and facilitate the coordination towards new industrial value chains through this collaboration space.
- support innovation activities and/or channel a mix of different targeted entrepreneurial and innovation support measures directly to the innovation actors of the validated innovation projects to further support their development, integration and large-scale demonstration in a strategic manner.
Expected Impact:
- Strengthen industrial leadership in the EU Member States and Associated Countries
- Stimulate the creation of new globally competitive industrial value chains across the EU Member States and Associated Countries
- Further leverage and complement support for innovation in SMEs and other funding, which may be provided by national or regional authorities and/or by private investors
- Contribute to the implementation of regional and national research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation strategies (RIS3), modern cluster policies as well as of strategic inter-regional collaboration under thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms and cluster partnerships
- Provide a clear and measurable contribution to the innovation performance of the supported SMEs in the short-term
- Improve the business environment of the supported SMEs
Deadline: 03 April 2019
2nd stage Deadline: 12 September 2019
Available call budget in EUR: 22,850,000
In the same framework, iED has already implemented several innovative projects which included innovative practices. If you are interested in applying for this call you could contact us and further discuss the available options.
