Specific challenge: Innovation support agencies, i.e. the regional and national agencies that design and/or implement innovation support programmes for SMEs are important intermediaries for SME innovation. Focus, design and delivery mechanism of innovation support programmes determine to a large extent the economic impact from the supported actions and the satisfaction of the beneficiaries with the support provided. The European Union has in different programmes, including for example the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the Competiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and INTERREG, supported mutual policy learning and exchange of ‘good practices’. However, the transfer of good practices in SME innovation support, the enhancement of existing and the establishment of new innovation support programmes for SME remains slow; and SMEs benefitting from support the programmes still often remain dissatisfied with the services received.

Expected impact:

·         The number of innovation agencies engaged in peer learning activities significantly increases. The results of the peer learning are taken up by national and regional innovation support programmes, including those co-financed by European Structural and Investment Funds.

·         A broad range of new topics and approaches in innovation support to SMEs is investigated and developed by peer learning activities of national and regional innovation agencies. Pilot agencies design and implement programmes based on these new approaches.

·         The wider use of quality management in innovation agencies enhances efficiency of service delivery and customer satisfaction and accelerates the learning process.

Type of action: Coordination and support actions, lump sums for participating agencies (EUR 15.000 / 50.000)

[1]     See for example “Making public support for innovation in the EU more effective”, Commission staff working document SEC(2009)1197

[2]     See http://www.vinnova.se/PageFiles/604825187/The%20IPF%20synthesis%20report.pdf

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