Transcript PRESENTATION NAME

SMEs relative Actions
Capacities: Research for SMEs
Valerio Abbadessa - ENEA
Workshop – IGLO
Bruxelles 08.02.2010
42% of SMEs: WP Leader
10% of the projects coordinated by an SME
Average company age of an SME:10 years
Capacities: SME support
Strengthen the innovation capacities of SME to develop
new products and markets by outsourcing of
research
Aim:
- Increase their research efforts
-Acquire technological know-how
-Extends their international
networks
-Improve the exploitation of
research results
Not an instruments to solve short-term technological problems
Objectives
Support innovative SMEs to solve common or complementary
technological problems in order to strengthen their
competitiveness by enhancing their investment in RTD-activities
and acquisition of intellectual property rights and knowledge.
Projects must be centred on the innovation needs of the SMEs
which outsource research to RTD performers and must
demonstrate a clear exploitation potential and economic
benefits for the SMEs concerned.
Projects are centred around the economic interest of the SME
participants who will take an active role by defining their specific
technological needs and will ensure that the research
performed complies with their requirements
Principle: Outsorcing scheme
“customer-seller” relationship
SME
SME Associations
Investments in research
(minimum 3 countries)
Results & IPR
Other enterprises,
End users
Duration
Participants
Budget
RTD
performers
(minimum 2 entities,
including research
performing SMEs)
SMEs with no / little R&D capacity
Bottom-up, any subject
Research for SMEs
Research for SME Assoc.
1- 2 years
5 -10
€ 0.5- 1.5 M
2- 3 years
10 - 15
€ 1.5- 4 M
Supported activities (1)
Research and technological development activities …
form the core of the project. The research and technological
development activities of the RTD performers should form the
bulk of the project. SMEs should focus on testing and validation
of project results and the preparatory stages for further use.
Knowledge management and IPR protection should support the
SMEs in protecting and using the research results to their best
advantage, leading to a clear economic impact.
Demonstration activities …
are designed to prove the viability of new technologies that
offer a potential economic advantage but which cannot be
commercialised directly (e.g. testing of product-like prototypes).
This is the last development stage before products or processes
enter production.
Supported activities (2)
Management activities …
are a regular part of the project and provide an appropriate
framework that brings together all project components and
maintains regular communications with the Commission.
Other activities, to facilitate the take-up of results by the SMEs, in
particular training and dissemination:
Training activities are performed in general by the RTD
performers and are aimed at technical and managerial staff from
the participating SMEs. Training should focus on
results/technologies generated by the projects. Training activities
should normally not exceed 10% of the total eligible project costs.
Dissemination activities may include conferences, publications,
workshops or web-based initiatives.
IPR – principle
The RTD performers offer a research service for which they must be
remunerated by the SME participants and/or other enterprises and
end-users. In return the SME participants receive rights to the
“foreground" (including intellectual property) generated in the
project.
All participants must agree on the appropriate conditions with
respect to remuneration of the RTD performers and rights
relinquished to the SME-participants, and in the best interest of the
SME participants, before submitting the proposal.
The default regime remains full ownership of all project results
("foreground") and IPR by the SME participants.
The consortium may however reach a different agreement in their
own best interests, as long as the SME participants are provided
with all the rights that are required for their intended use and
dissemination of the project results.
IPR - flexibility
In practice, this can, e.g., mean that:
 SME participants keep ownership but give access to the RTD
performers for further, clearly specified activities
or
 The RTD performers keep ownership of the entire foreground (or
parts of it) and the SME participants acquire licences only.
or
 …

The agreement must be done in the (economic) interest of
the SME participants

The remuneration to be paid by the SMEs for the research
services delivered should reflect the value of
the IPR, e.g. the
remuneration of licences should be lower than the price for
ownership of all results.
Evaluation criteria
1.
S/T QUALITY
 Sound concept, and quality of objectives
 Innovative character in relation to the state-of-the art
 Contribution to advancement of knowledge / technological progress
 Quality and effectiveness of S/T methodology and associated work.
2.
IMPLEMENTATION
 Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures
 Quality and relevant experience of the individual participants
 Quality of the consortium as a whole (including complementarity and balance)
 Appropriate allocation and justification of the resources to be committed
(budget, staff, equipment)
3.
IMPACT
 Contribution, at the European [and/or international level], to the expected
impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic/activity
 Appropriateness of measures envisaged for the dissemination and/or
exploitation of project results, and management of intellectual property.
1.
S/T QUALITY
 Sound concept, and quality of objectives
 Innovative character in relation to the state-of-the art
 Contribution to advancement of knowledge / technological progress
 Quality and effectiveness of S/T methodology and associated work.
Furthermore
• Specific scientific and/or technological problems or needs of
SME?
• Outsourcing research activities to RTD performers?
• Enabling SMEs to gain a competitive advantage?
• Innovative perspective of new PrPrSe? (not necessary to
develop cutting edge technology - Adoption of existing ones
to new applications in a concrete SME business case)
2.
IMPLEMENTATION
 Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures
 Quality and relevant experience of the individual participants
 Quality of the consortium as a whole (including complementarity and
balance)
 Appropriate allocation and justification of the resources to be committed
(budget, staff, equipment)
Furthermore
• Are IPR matters reflected in the decision making process?
• Are the SME participants the real driving force for the project?
Each having an active role in the consortium?
• Integration of other enterprises or end users to the benefit of
SMEs (e.g. testing of results or multiplier or image carrier)?
• Remuneration for RTD performers by SME participants?
• Demonstration that SME participants provide their own
resources for investment in the project?
3.
IMPACT
 Contribution, at the European [and/or international level], to the expected
impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic/activity
 Appropriateness of measures envisaged for the dissemination and/or
exploitation of project results, and management of intellectual property.
Furthermore
• Clear economic impact for SMEs? Economic growth, employment, market
strategy, distribution channel, expected patent applications or license
agreements….
• Improvement competitiveness of involved SMEs? Industrial competitiveness
in Europe?
• Cost-effectivenes of proposed research?
• Community societal objectives addressed?
• Transnational approach? Increased cooperation SMEs & RTD performers?
• Plans for knowledge and IPR management (protecting, sharing, managing,
exploiting…)?
• Estimate time-to-market?
Financial contribution
The financial support of the Community: not
exceeding 110% of subcontracting to RTD providers,
excluding VAT.

“Value” of the project is based on the
subcontracted R&D activities.

EC contribution: “Grant to the project” (and
not to individual participant) which covers only part
of the total investment
EC contribution
Research for SMEs: Coordinators in signed contracts
Research for SMEs: beneficiaries in signed contracts
• Research for SMEs: http://ec.europa.eu/research/smetechweb/index_en.cfm?pg=sme_indiv
• European portal for SMEs:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sme/index_en.htm
• Enterprise Euroep network:
http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
• SME definition:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/files/sme_definition/s
me_user_guide_en.pdf
• SME participation in FP7 Report:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/smetechweb/pdf/fp7_report_autumn_2009_full.pdf