Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG VB Balkan-Mediterranean

Date of latest update: 2021-04-06

Description

Description (EN):

“Innovation Union” flagship initiative pursues a broad concept of innovation that encompasses not only new or improved products and processes, but also services, new business models, and new forms of organisation and collaborative arrangements. The initiative particularly favours SMEs innovation, recognised as the new driving force of growth and jobs in the Union. According to SME Performance Review (EC DG E&I), the Balkan MED region lags behind EU average when it comes to innovations in SMEs. The reasons are many, mainly related to the lack of knowledge and limited SME’s access to tailored support, tools and better use of information and communication technology (ITC). Developed by 6 partners from 5 countries, and 2 observers, InnoPlatform aims to address these challenges by facilitating innovation and supporting the commercialisation of innovation in SMEs. Its specific objectives are: • to assess the current national and regional environment and its challenges to innovation, growth and internationalization of business; • to advance existing knowledge and develop common understanding on business model innovation with a focus on internationalization; • to develop expertise, tools, and guidelines to strengthen SMEs capacity to introduce product and process innovations; • to establish a supporting network of Centres of Excellence in Innovations, foster transnational cooperation and provide support to SMEs in introducing innovations; and • to raise awareness on the importance of innovations for the survival, growth and internationalisation of SMEs. The project aims at improving the competitiveness of the region by advancing existing knowledge on business model innovations and developing a set of tools (InnoTools) and services (InnoScorecard and InnoRegion) for improving SMEs opportunities, capacities, and knowledge in introducing product and process innovations The main beneficiaries of the project are SMEs, BSOs, Research centres, Institutes and Universities, and Policy makers from the BM area. Project implementation is transnational as its main goal is to enable transfer of knowledge and experience between the actors of 5 nations, secure economies of scale and critical mass, and enhance mobilisation capacity and innovation potential. The state of the art is threefold: • Developing common knowledge and understanding on business model innovation with a focus on internationalization in the region ; • Developing a series of innovations tools, services and guidelines to strengthen the capacity of SMEs to introduce process and product innovations; • Establishment of an infrastructure of Centres of Excellence, located in 5 countries, for providing knowledge and expertise in innovations to SMEs. Information added on 2020-05-28, regarding the mitigation of the effects of COVID-19 (the coronavirus pandemic that started in 2019) (English language onlyThe Center for Knowledge Management has actively participated in the worldwide efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through its prototyping lab - a well-equipped prototyping studio which was created within the project Innoplatform in 2018, supported by the Interreg BalkanMed programme. First, CKM efforts were placed on developing a good protype for the visor holders. Two types of holders were printed, but after talking to the medical personnel, CKM team improved the first prototype model as the same provided better protection. At the same time, CKM has been working on printing and refining an already existing mask design which is a modified version of the N95. At the end, we got an interesting combination. The biggest advantage of this 3D printed kit is that it is not just for single use. The visor can be easily disinfected, the face mask also, while a cotton pad is used as a filter. It is changed on a daily basis and prevents the virus from reaching the user.

Website: http://www.interreg-balkanmed.eu/

Expected Results (EN):

The main project results are: • Knowledge about the national and regional context, limitations and opportunities for innovation, growth and internalization from one side, and common understanding on business model innovation focused on internationalization of the firm from another; • Improved access of SMEs to sources of knowledge and expertise through establishing regional support network of Centers of Excellence in Innovations to foster transnational cooperation and transfer of knowledge and best practice, provide external expertise and support to SMEs in introducing innovations and facilitate their cooperation with the research institutions; and • Improved access of SMEs, BSOs and Consultants to guidelines and tools (InnoTools) for strengthening the capacity of SMEs to innovate and/or adjust their business models to the changing economic, social and policy/regulatory context, through introducing product and process innovations. At the same time, the project will result into informed managers and owners of SMEs on the importance of innovations for the survival, growth and internationalisation of SMEs, and raised awareness about the positive impact of innovations coming from the cooperation between the business, research institutions and policy makers. These project results address the priority axis 1 of BMP :Entrepreneurship and Innovation, strategic objective 2: Innovative territories and Investment priority 3d – supporting the capacity of SMEs to grow in regional, national, and international markets, and to engage in innovation processes.

Expected Outputs (EN):

The main outputs of the project are: 1.1. National and regional assessments on the current environment for innovation, growth and internalization; and 1.2. Two specific web based services (1) InnoScorecard for assessing and ranking the nations/regions; and (2) InnoRegion, a collaborative and informative web based service focused on the dominant industry in the region of each partner. Both related to SO1. 2.1. Common knowledge and understanding on business model innovations for internationalization in a form of a Study and Guidelines developed though field research at SME level – related to SO2. 3.1. Set of innovations tools based on web 2.0 (InnoTools) to strengthen SMEs capacity to systematically and successfully introduce product and process innovations – related to SO3. 4.1.Establishment of 6 Centres of Excellence to provide outside expertise and support SMEs in introducing innovations and facilitating their cooperation with the research institutions – related to SO4. The developed knowledge, expertise, tools and guidelines along with the physical network of CoEs, aim at intensifying the cooperation of SMEs with the research institutions, and aim at directly supporting SMEs in the introduction of new product and process innovations. It constitutes the main output of the project, i.e. the Balkan Mediterranean Innovations platform (InnoPlatform); which will be pilot tested i.e. demonstrated through the following output indicators: • 5 SMEs cooperating with University/Research Inst; and • 3 SMEs, introducing new products at regional and international markets supported by the CoEs. The project as well envisions a series of outputs related to the awareness about the project. Its outputs are 2 Conferences, 36 Info-days and intensive online dissemination and communication activities – related to SO5.

Thematic information

Innovation capacity and awareness-raising SME and entrepreneurship

Specific Objective: Innovative territories: unleashing territorial potential to improve the transnational innovation capacity of the business sector

Thematic Objective: (03) enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs by:

Investment Priority: (03d) supporting the capacity of SMEs to grow in regional, national and international markets, and to engage in innovation processes

Partners (6)

Lead Partner: Здружение на граѓани Центар за Управување со Знаење Скопје

Address: 11 Oktomvri 25Skopje, North Macedonia

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.knowledge-center.org/index.php/en/

Total budget: EUR 176 104.23

ERDF budget: EUR 149 688.60

IPA2 budget: EUR 26 415.63

Association of Information Technology companies of Northern Greece

Name: Association of Information Technology companies of Northern Greece

Address: Technopolis Thessaloniki Business Park, Building C2, 55535, Pylaia, Greece, 55535 Pylaia, Greece

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.sepve.org/web/guest/home

Total budget: EUR 103 117.46

ERDF budget: EUR 87 649.84

IPA2 budget: EUR 15 467.62

Ινστιτούτο Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών και Εκδόσεων <Διόφαντος>

Name: Ινστιτούτο Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών και Εκδόσεων <Διόφαντος>

Address: Nikou Katzantzaki str, University of Patras CampusPatra, Greece

Legal status: public

Website: https://www.cti.gr/el/

Total budget: EUR 130 600.00

ERDF budget: EUR 111 010.00

IPA2 budget: EUR 19 590.00

UET Centre

Name: UET Centre

Address: Blv. "Gjergj Fishta" \, Nd 70, H1, Tirana, AlbaniaTirana, Albania

Legal status: private

Website: http://uetcentre.org/

Total budget: EUR 75 653.56

ERDF budget: EUR 64 305.53

IPA2 budget: EUR 11 348.03

Бугарски свободен университет

Name: Бугарски свободен университет

Address: Burgas, 62 San Stefano Str.Burgas, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Website: https://www.bfu.bg/bg

Total budget: EUR 112 896.00

ERDF budget: EUR 95 961.60

IPA2 budget: EUR 16 934.40

Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Name: Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Address: Franklin Roosevelt 170, Limassol 3781, 3781 Lemesos, Cyprus

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.limassolchamber.eu/

Total budget: EUR 117 115.40

ERDF budget: EUR 99 548.09

IPA2 budget: EUR 17 567.31

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Center for Knowledge Management

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Partners and Projects info

ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΩΝ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΚΗΣ ΒΟΡΕΙΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Partners and Projects info

Computer Technology Institute and Press "Diophantus"

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Partners and Projects info

Qendra UET

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Partners and Projects info

Burgas Free University

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Partners and Projects info

Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Project acronym: InnoPlatform

Project start date: 2017-08-01

Project end date: 2019-09-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 715 486.65

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 608 163.65

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 394 169.53.
IPA/IPA II/IPA III: Amount, EUR 213 994.12.

Documents

Documents on this project are listed below, and organised by category. Please note field "Data source", attached to each document. Keep.eu users are free to use these documents as long as they mention the data source and keep.eu.

Catalogues

INNOSTRATEGY BOARD TEMPLATE

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Catalogue

Data source: http://innoplatform.eu/

Publication date: 2020-01-27

Document date: 2019-09-30

Attachment file: Download

INNOMODEL - BUSINESS CANVAS

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Catalogue

Data source: http://innoplatform.eu/

Publication date: 2020-01-27

Document date: 2019-09-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Reports

INNOSTRATEGY Innovative strategic web-tool

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: http://innoplatform.eu/

Publication date: 2020-01-27

Document date: 2019-09-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Maps

MAPPING AND EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MAPS

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Map

Data source: http://innoplatform.eu/

Publication date: 2020-01-27

Document date: 2019-09-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 INTERREG VB Balkan-Mediterranean

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2022-12-09

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

44 / 44 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

282 / 282 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme. Achievements were retrieved by Interact from the Programme website (http://www.interreg-balkanmed.eu/), or a website directly linked from it, on 2021-09-20.

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Innovations Platform and Tools for increasing the innovation capacity of SMEs in the Balkan Mediterenean Area

Description

Thematic information

Partners (6)

Partners map

Summary

Documents

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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