Enterprise Europe Network NRW: NRW.Europa

Programme: Single Market Programme (SMP)-undefined

Topic: SMP-COSME-2021-EEN-01

Type of action: SMP COSME Enterprise Europe Network Actions

Project ID: 101052567

Objective

NRW.Europa is an Enterprise Europe Network node with two partners: ZENIT (co-ordinator, regional innovation agency) and NRW.BANK (regional state bank), working together with two additional Associated Partners NRW.Global Business (regional trade and investment agency) and IHK NRW e. V. (with its foreign trade center - AWZ) as well as a Stakeholder Network with 130 multipliers and regional economic development agencies. It covers the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The consortium offers SMEs basic and advanced services in the areas of innovation, internationalisation and competitiveness in the European Single Market. Topics include sustainability, digitalisation and resilience/ post CoV2 value chains. Lead principles in this context are:
(a) client-centric, integrated approach,
(b) no wrong door principle combined with selective mechanisms for in-depth services aimed at releasing clients’ potential to innovate and grow,
(c) capacity building to increase SMEs’ ability to learn and enhance their competitiveness,
(d) access to the EU innovation ecosystem,
(e) initiation of business, technology and research partnerships for SMEs within and beyond the ESM,
(f) gateways for access to finance and funding,
(g) provision of dedicated scale-up services,
(h creation of synergies in the RIS
(i) increased regional and European visibility and recognition,
(j) liaison with other EU networks and (k) communication and promotion of Network activities and success and
(l) hub-and-spoke activities. NRW.Europa actively contributes to the EU’s industrial ecosystems and especially the Green Deal and SME initiatives. NRW.Europa’s activities are endorsed by the partners’ host organisations and regional ministries. NRW.Europa is an integral part of NRW’s innovation/ research action plan and foreign trade promotion strategy.