Provision of services for enhancing innovation management capacity of the Cypriot SMEs by the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus - KAM2CY5

Programme(s): H2020-EU.2.3.2.2. - Enhancing the innovation capacity of SMEs

Topic: H2020-EEN-SGA4 - H2020 ENTREPRISE EUROPE NETWORK SGA4 2020-2021

Call for proposal: H2020-EEN-SGA4-2020-2021

Funding Scheme: H2020-EEN-SGA - Specific Grant Agreement Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)

Grant agreement ID: 879447

Project description:

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cyprus have benefited from high quality support services to strengthen their innovation management capacity since 2014. The EU-funded KAM2CY5 project aims to the continuation of the provision of services envisaging the increase of SMEs' competitiveness, smart growth and profitability. In addition, the project will support a better understanding of the basic principles of innovation management and their insertion in the local business value chain. The services will be delivered by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), the coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus (EEN-Cy), to two different groups of SMEs. Moreover, this institution will deliver key account management (KAM) services to five beneficiaries of the EIC Pilot and services for enhancing innovation management capacity (EIMC) to 12 companies with potential for development and innovation.

Objective:

The project envisages the continuation of the provision of high quality innovation management capacity assessment and support services to SMEs in Cyprus aiming at the enhancement of their competitiveness, smart growth and profitability. Moreover, the project aims at creating a better understanding of the fundamental principles of innovation management and their better integration in the value chain of local SMEs.

The services will be provided by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus (EEN-Cy) and will be integrated by EEN-Cy services. RIF provides relevant services since 2014 through preceding EU funded projects (KAM2CY1- ΚΑΜ2CΥ4).

The project targets two groups of SMEs with a separate services package provided to each group, as described below:

(a) Key Account Management (KAM) services to SME-beneficiaries of EIC pilot and its successor in Horizon Europe.
The procedure for the provision of KAM services includes the following steps:
- identification of weaknesses in innovation capacities of the SMEs;
- identification and selection of suitable coaches to address the identified weaknesses;
- moderation of the coach-client relationship;
- in the case of SME Instrument beneficiaries, accompany the SMEs throughout the implementation of their projects.

(b) Services for Enhancing Innovation Management Capacity (EIMC) to promising SMEs with potential for growth via innovation.
The EIMC service package includes:
- a diagnostic audit / assessment of the SME innovation management;
- a root/ cause analysis of the results;
- development of a tailor-made action plan;
- assistance of the SME in action plan implementation and monitoring.

The project foresees the provision of 5 KAM and 12 EIMC service packages. The average duration of each service package provision will be 7 days for KAM Services and 10 days for EIMC Services.