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8/9/2019 Economic and Technological Intelligence - (ETI) projects for SMEs 1
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Economic and Technological Intelligence(ETI) projects for SMEs 1
Contract number Project Acronym
CT-2004-508563 DETECT-IT Big companies are opening their doors
CT-2004-508533 ECTIST Integrating clusters with similar needs
CT-2004-508559 FASHION NET A dedicated follower of fashion
CT-2004-508519 FASTER Fast-track access to European transport research
CT-2004-508547 FISH Fishing for information on FP6
CT-2004-508564 ITE Human factor brings hope to ailing textiles
CT-2004-508476 LINK A unique web of public and private networks
CT-2004-508507 MISMEC Multifaceted mechatronics
CT-2004-508695 NANOMAT Big help for nanotech
CT-2004-508505 NAoMITEC Small scale but high tech
CT-2004-508583 NATIBS Getting off to a good start in biotech
CT-2004-508520 PATENT Towards the multimedia future
CT-2004-508566 PLASTEAM Moulding plastics SMEs into European research
CT-2004-508683 PRODESTS Wasting away
CT-2004-508513 PRO-KNOWLEDGE Promoting joined-up European research
CT-2004-508500 RURAL-ETINET Widening the horizons of rural SMEs
CT-2004-508562 SHOES5000 Finding a better fit for EU footwear
CT-2004-508589 SMESFORFOOD A feast of innovation
CT-2004-508527 SMES GO LIFESCIENCES Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match
CT-2004-508721 STIMULATE Harnessing the power of trade associations
CT-2004-508508 SYNERGY The power of SYNERGY
CT-2004-508510 TALENT SCOUT A helping hand for biotech innovators
CT-2004-508590 WOMEN2FP6 FP6 for the other half
CT-2004-508617 WOODISM Stronger links for better business
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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An ETI project is bringing together extensive
European networks of intermediaries for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and fostering transnational
links amongst all the parties. Under the leadership of EBN (European
Business and Innovation Centre Network), a network of business innovation
centres (BICs) across Europe is developing clusters of SMEs to prepare them for
participation in European research. Corporate leaders from mainstream industry are also taking
part to mentor the clusters.
The DETECT-it project encourages SMEs in specific sectors of indus-
try to participate in European research, especially the SixthFramework Programme (FP6). It targets technology-based SMEs in
three sectors IT, renewable energy, and food quality and safety.
It is mobilising a network of 30 BIC incubators in 15 EU countries
to foster SME participation in FP6, and especially in Integrated
Projects and Networks of Excellence, with the support of appropri-
ate National Contact Points (NCPs) and Innovation Relay Centres
(IRCs). They are developing clusters of SMEs with similar technol-
ogy profiles and innovation needs corresponding to the designat-
ed FP6 research areas, and identifying opportunities for participa-
tion in new and existing projects.
The project consortium consists of 42 partners from 17 different coun-
tries, including the 30 BICs, and is coordinated by the EBN. Duringthe course of the project, more than 1 000 SMEs will be screened
and assessed for clustering. SMEs with well-defined research and
technological innovation requirements and capabilities are preferred.
The BIC partners oversee the clusters, while corporate leaders
from the private sector in each of the industry sectors offer them men-
toring services. Since SMEs generally find it difficult to fund research
activities, a number of f inancial support organisations are commit-
ted to assisting the clusters. It is expected that these developed clus-
ters will eventually generate high-tech SME start-ups, building on
the foundation of results from FP6 research projects.
Forward propulsionA network of FP6 experts in each of the three industry sectors, includ-
ing NCPs and technology brokers, guides the clusters of SMEs
towards appropriate FP6 research projects. At the beginning, this
pool of experts concentrated on training and educating the BICs
on all aspects of the current Framework Programme. The empha-
sis now is on identifying appropriate Integrated Projects (IPs) and
Networks of Excellence (NoEs) for SME part icipation.
This is a large and ambitious project, bringing together two exten-
sive networks the leaders of IPs and NoEs, and the locally-based
innovative businesses organised by the BICs. The BICs core mis-
sion is to incubate small businesses and make them more innova-
tive. They have expanded over the last 20 years supporting inno-
vative businesses of all kinds. Many of their SME clients have
Big companies are opening their doors
The project puts SMEs in a clubwhere they can find qualified, on-the-spot intermediaries.
never been active in research. Therefore, as specialists in FP mech-
anisms, they can offer powerful insights into how these innovativesmall businesses that would otherwise stay off the radar screen might
join in FP6 research activities.
Perhaps the projects most innovative contribution lies in the inte-
gration of FP6 instruments, SME support bodies, and the SMEs them-
selves, and the way different organisations are being involved. This
applies in particular to sizeable corporations since the project
assumes that mentoring schemes from the large corporate partners
like British Telecom, Procter & Gamble, and Gaz de France can real-
ly provide the leverage to propel SMEs forward into research
activities. This makes sense, however, since most large corporations
whether technology-based or not are increasingly outsourcing
many of their research requirements. SMEs now have an opportu-nity to position themselves in the value chain of corporate outsourc-
ing mechanisms. This network networking effect also applies to
the clever way EC intermediaries are co-operating for the benefit
of SMEs and FP6 stakeholders.
Long-term effectsThe big company partners are opening up to all kinds of collabo-
rative ventures proposed by the SMEs. Many of the large corpo-
rations are already involved in advanced DG Research instru-
ments, such as technology platforms. It
appears that they do indeed
provide a link to even
the most recently
formed policy
instruments. For
example, the
presence of a
DETECT-itDETECT-it
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Project websitewww.detect-it.org
Participants1 European Business and Innovation Centre Network (BE)
2 Innovatie- en Technologiecentrum Kempen (BE)
3 Socit de Cration dActivits Nouvelles (BE)
4 BIC Brno spol. s.r.o. (CZ)
5 BIC Ostrava s.r.o. (CZ)
6 BIC Plzen (CZ)7 Hermia Business Development (FI)
8 CICOM Organisation (FR)
9 Thsame (FR)
10 BIC Business and Innovation Centre Frankfurt (DE)
11 WISTA-MANAGEMENT GMBH (DE)
12 Business and Innovation Centre of Attika (EL)
13 INNOSTART National Business and Innovation Centre (HU)
14 Dublin Business Innovation Centre (IE)
15 South East Business & Innovation Centre Ltd (IE)
16 BIC LAZIO spa (IT)
17 Eurobic Abruzzo e Molise scrl (IT)
18 Promofirenze Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce
of Florence (IT)19 Tecnopolis CSATA Scrl (IT)
20 Foundation Business Innovation Centre Twente (NL)
21 NET Novas Empresas e Tecnologias, S.A. (PT)
22 BIC Bratislava, spol. s.r.o. (SK)
23 CASSOVIA BIC s.r.o. (SK)
24 BIC EURONOVA, S.A. (ES)
25 Centro Europeo de Empresa e Innovacion de Ciudad Real (ES)
26 CENTRO EUROPEO DE EMPRESAS INNOVADORAS DE VALEN-
CIA (ES)
27 Cimtec Valais (CH)
28 Birmingham Technology Ltd (UK)
29 Technology Enterprise Kent (UK)
30 Pronovus Limited (UK)
31 Culminatum Ltd Oy (FI)
32 Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche (FR)
33 Ubifrance (FR)
34 The Brussels Enterprise Agency (BE)
35 ZUPA PAOLO (IT)
36 Ple Europen Agro alimentaire pour la Communication, la
Recherche, Linnovation et le Transfert de Technologies (FR)
37 Centro Sviluppo Spa (IT)
38 EuroScan Services ApS (DK)
39 INBIS Group PLC (LU)
40 British Telecom (UK)
41 Procter & Gamble Eurocor (BE)
42 Gaz de France (FR)
major multinational in the chemical industry has visibly cemented
the commitment to the project of BICs, companies and technology
platforms in that field.
A long-term goal of the project is to set up a sustainable mecha-
nism to channel the BICs SME clients towards appropriate research
opportunities, with the help of the relevant NCPs as intermediaries.
In fact, improving NCP-BIC co-operation is seen as an important
outcome of the project that will fur ther benefit SMEs in the future.
Another important facet of DETECT-it is the development of region-
al networking models for research in the new accession countries.
The project aims to overcome many of the obstacles preventing SMEs
in the new EU Member States from participating in FP6. This will
be achieved by networking with FP6 experts, corporate players,
financial support instruments, and NCPs and other SME interme-
diaries. The consequent research results will help create high-techstart-ups in these countries.
Project titleA dedicated network of incubators to detect and favour SME par-
ticipation in FP6 (DETECT-it)
Contract numberCT-2004-508563
Duration30 months
Global project cost 1 985 000
EC contribution 1 286 250
Contact personMr Philippe Vanrie
European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN)
168 Avenue de Tervuren
1150 Bruxelles Belgium
Tel: +32 2 772 8900
Fax: +32 2 772 9574
www.ebn.be
ETI1
Big companies are betting onclusters as the best way for
small businesses to move
forward.
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A German-led group of seven Euro Info Centres
(EICs) is helping small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in the field of surface technology to become involved
in European research projects. It encourages compatible SMEs to work
in clusters, and networks incubators that can foster their progress. It also assists
large companies and research organisations in finding project partners among SMEs
in this field. The EICs provide an extensive range of services to SMEs, most notably a large
pool of potential project partners throughout Europe. Other services include company visits,
workshops, screening project material, and help with submission of a written project proposal.
Surface technology is a leading-edge approach with applications
in many industrial sectors and, as such, is a popular subject forresearch. It is fast becoming very important to the competitiveness
of SMEs in Europe. The major objective of the EcTIST (Economic and
Technological Intelligence in the field of Surface Technologies)
project is to help SMEs participate in European research projects.
Therefore, it targets businesses and research institutes that are
linked to surface technologies. Even very small SMEs can benefit,
for example, by working as testers and implementers of research
project results.
The submission of a successful research proposal involves working
through complex procedures, for which SMEs have neither sufficient
time nor resources. This ETI project can help them to become part-
ners in projects, by providing all the relevant information as itbecomes available and taking them, step by step, through the var-
ious search and application procedures. The smaller the SME, the
more this assistance is needed. EcTIST also aims to find SMEs that
have already been involved in previous Framework Programme (FP)
research projects to promote the current Sixth Framework Programme
(FP6) to other SMEs in their region.
Clustering togetherThe seven EcTIST consortium members are all EICs, a primary
European information and problem-solving network for SMEs. The
partners are from France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovenia
and Sweden. The host structures in which they are based are var-
ied Chambers of Commerce, research institutes, universities and
banks so they offer a variety experience and ways of dealing with
problems. They also operate simultaneously within other regional
and national networks, such as Innovation Relay Centres (IRCs).
The consortium aims to facilitate the creation of clusters of SMEs
with similar innovation needs. Therefore, EcTIST tries to identify suit-
able candidates for clusters as well as identifying and networking
incubators in various fields of surface technology. Expert groups will
study the national multipliers for SMEs in the appropriate industri-
al sectors. After this initial groundwork, the EcTIST team plans reg-
ular visits to SMEs to determine their needs, so that they can either
recommend appropriate instruments within FP6 or national and
regional programmes. Various events will be held in the participat-
Integrating clusters with similar needs
Competitiveness and business growthwill save jobs in the future.
ing countries that focus on successful research projects in surface
technology so as to provide SMEs with examples of best practice.This whole exercise should give a better understanding of the
need for innovation between researchers, businesses, policy-mak-
ers and society in general.
Extensive servicesThe broad experience of the EIC partners in helping SMEs of all
kinds allows them to take a many-sided view of a potential project.
They can help SMEs and research organisations build their consor-
tia in a balanced way, using the most suitable partners. The EIC
network ranges widely across Europe, so EICs in other countries
may be able to find likely partners amongst their contacts. Thus, the
project could suggest potential SME partners to project coordina-
tors of Specific Support Actions (SSA) and SME- led IntegratedProjects (IPs).
The EICs also help the research institutes often the best sources of
good ideas for projects by looking for SMEs to become partners
for projects. They take the profile of a company, which details its main
business areas and know-how, and work out ways in which it might
participate. The profiles are entered in a database which is then dis-
tributed through other SME-intermediary networks, such as the IRCs
and CORDIS. Widely advertised, the profiles have a better chance
of catching the attention of a
large company or
research institute
looking for proj-
ect partners.
EcTIST
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Contact personMs Antje Schmerwitz
NBank- Investitions- und Frderbank Niedersachsen GmbH
Gnther-Wagner-Allee 12-14
30177 Hanover
Germany
Tel: +495 113 0031-373
Fax: +495 113 0031 11-373
www.eic-hannover.de
Project websitewww.ectist.com
Participants1 Investitions- und Frderbank Niedersachsen GmbH (DE)
2 Azienda speciale CCIAA Milano Euro Info Centre IT 351 (IT)
3 Agderforskning, EIC Kristiansand (NO)
4 The Upper Silesian Regional Development Agency Co. (PL)
5 UP-SRC Koper (SI)
6 CRCI of Upper Normandy (FR)
7 Euro Info Centre Jnkpings ln AB (SE)
At the beginning of EcTIST, the EIC partners made an overview of
relevant research programmes in the field of surface technology.
They now monitor relevant calls for proposals and are trying to estab-lish a pool of potential project partners in Europe. They publish a
regular info-letter for SMEs giving the latest project developments,
and will hold workshops and information and partnering events to
consolidate the projects progress. Eventually, once an SME decides
to join a research project, they advise on how to write a success-
ful proposal.
SMEs will benefit immediately from participating in FP6 projects,
since the development costs and risks undertaken are shared
among all the partners. International links to companies and
research institutions with similar interests generally pay off.
Experience in European projects often leads to long-term co-oper-
ation with the project partners. The research results should lead toinnovative improvements among SMEs, boosting their growth and
competitiveness.
Project titleEconomic and Technological Intelligence in the field of Surface
Technologies EcTIST
Contract numberCT-2004-508533
Duration36 months
Global project cost 1 133 131
EC contribution 906 504
ETI1
If a project is performed well, partnerstend to keep in touch afterwards.
The EcTIST project partners.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in
the European fashion industry face a growing threat
from global competition, and need to innovate rapidly to add
value to their businesses. The Economic and Technological Intelligence
(ETI) project, Fashion Net, with 16 partners in eight countries, aims to
consolidate and extend the existing networks of intermediaries. The extended
networks should greatly facilitate the participation of SMEs in FP6 research projects. Fashion
Net promotes the formation of clusters of intermediaries Europe-wide, and also supports clusters of
SMEs at a local level. There are already two other ETI projects Shoes5000 and ITE (Intelligent Textile
Environment) networking in synergy with Fashion Net.
The fashion industry contributes strongly to the European economy,
giving employment to about 3 million people. However, SMEsthroughout the industry need to undergo dramatic innovative
change if they are going to compete successfully on a global
scale. They already suffer from severe competition from Asian
companies, and will face a major challenge in 2005 when a new
WTO agreement comes into force. From January 1, all EU quotas
will be removed. This will mean that European trade protection in
the fashion industry will disappear completely, opening the way to
competition from international imports. This was a main motivation
for setting up the Fashion Net project.
Fashion Net aims to facilitate the access of SMEs in this sector to
Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) research projects. It ranges
greatly in scope, covering all types of business, from design to pro-duction of clothing materials of all kinds. It also addresses SMEs
involved in associated activities, such as supply-chain management
and business development. Its main targets are those SMEs which
are already innovative to some degree roughly half of the total
involved in the fashion business.
There are good reasons why SMEs need to participate and bene-
fit from this ETI project. First, they are generally short of personnel
who need to dedicate virtually all their time to coping with daily
activities. Secondly, it is difficult for them to obtain information about
potential research partnerships and how they might gain access to
them. Fortunately, intermediary organisations can help greatly by
taking their innovative ideas and formalising them in proposals for
specific transnational collaborative projects.
Effective networksThe idea behind Fashion Net was to promote the benefits of SME
involvement in FP6 projects right across Europe. This project is being
carried out by 16 partners in eight countries Czech Republic,
France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Spain and Turkey. The
tools used to analyse and disseminate information include a web-
based computer platform which contains four separate databases.
An information campaign is planned that will target 4 500 SMEs.
It will be implemented through two conferences, eight innovation
workshops and eight training sessions. In addition, 155 technolo-
gy audits and a number of best practice cases will be collected
A dedicated follower of fashion
We want to include all sectors of theindustry. Wider integration offers manypossibilities.
during the duration of the project. The actions of SMEs will also be
integrated and coordinated once they have joined up to an FP6project proposal.
One of Fashion Nets objectives is to promote transnational activ-
ities and relationships by creating an effective European network
of intermediaries. At the same time, the project will operate at local
level, organising events close to individual clusters of SMEs.
Shared opportunitiesIt is intended to strengthen the various networks for exchanging
expertise and best practice, which will help boost the competitive-
ness of small businesses. Therefore, networks are being linked
among all the different intermediaries industrial associations, incu-
bators, research organisations, and national contact points, as wellas between clusters of SMEs themselves. This network of SME-
intermediaries forms the core of Fashion Net. Its primary role is to
encourage transnational innovation and technology transfer among
European SMEs operating in the fashion business.
The wider the network, the greater number of activities will be car-
ried out resulting in more benefits for those SMEs involved. This is why
the networking activities in Fashion Net have focused on clustered
collaborations. There are already two other ETI projects networking
with SMEs in clusters from Fashion Net
Shoes5000 (in the footwear
industry) and ITE, both
within FP6. This exten-
sive co-operation
should net many
more SMEs
and intermedi-
FASHION NET
Luminex, a non-reflectivenew fabric. Luminex
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Contact personDr Silvia GrandiIstituto per la Promozione Industriale
Viale Maresciallo Pilsudski, 124
00197 Rome
Italy
Tel: +39 068 097 2215
Fax: +39 068 097 2443
www.ipi.it
Project websitewww.fashionnet.org
Participants1 Istituto per la Promozione Industriale (IT)
2 Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
and Handicraft (EL)
3 Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (IT)
4 Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche (FR)
5 ADEI Agencia de Desarrollo Econmico e Innovacin, S.L. (ES)
6 Small and Medium Industry Development Organisation (TR)
7 Initiative, Cit & Dveloppement (FR)
8 CITER-Centro Informazione Tessile dellEmilia Romagna (IT)
9 Tecnotessile-Societ Nazionale di Ricerca Tecnologica r.l. (IT)
10 Lithuanian Apparel and Textile Industry Association (LT)
11 INOTEX Ltd (CZ)
12 Institut Franais Textile Habillement (FR)
13 Clothing Textile and Fibre Technological Developments (EL)
14 Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si
Pielarie (RO)
15 Asociacin para la Incorporacin de las Nuevas Tecnologas
en la Empresa (ES)
16 Asociacin de Investigacin de la Industria Textil (ES)
ary organisations, even in countries not directly involved in the
Fashion Net project. In fact, altogether there are 40 partners from
18 different countries involved in the three projects.
The enhanced networking activities will involve the exchange and
sharing of information via each others websites, communication
materials, workshops and seminars, and promotional activities.
Intermediary organisations are in contact with many potential proj-
ect partners for SMEs for instance, this might be a relatively
unknown fashion department in a technical university in one of the
new Member States. The human element is emphasised in this net-
work-building exercise, since the mutual trust built up over time in
personal contacts between the respective parties and an interme-
diary greatly assists in welding a new partnership.
Project titleNetwork of intermediaries to foster transnational research andinnovation in SMEs in the fashion industry system (FASHION NET)
Contract numberCT-2004-508559
Duration24 months
Global project cost 930 466
EC contribution 697 589
ETI1
The first benefit is putting people intouch with each other.
Luminex integrates luminous fibres developed using knowledgegained in the field of sub-nuclear physics. Luminex
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Transportation is one of the pillars of
Europes internal trade, so it must remain competitive
through innovation and business growth. Europe supports
research in this area, but SMEs struggle to participate. The Faster project
aims to increase their involvement. Faster will inform SMEs of research and
technological development opportunities, assess their suitability for participation and
match their needs and skills to suitable projects and partners all for free. Greater SME
representation on projects should stimulate innovation and technology transfer throughout the
entire transport community, and ensure that it continues to play a key role in Europes economy.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the transport sector
and related business areas need to be at the forefront of innova-tion, yet they do not have the resources financial or human to
embark on risky research projects. They even find it hard to tap
into European research funding, and tend to be poorly represent-
ed in European Union Sixth Framework Projects (FP6) projects, espe-
cially the large-scale Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence.
Consequently, these SMEs risk losing a competitive edge or becom-
ing a weak link in the transportation value chain.
Fast forwardThe FASTER project intends to correct this situation and help
increase SME representation in projects towards the Commissions
target level of 15%. Faster brings together a variety of actors
involved in the transport sector. They include port authorities, trans-port industry associations with access to a large pool of target SMEs
from across Europe, and specialist consultancy organisations offer-
ing the small firms free, core advisory and coaching services. The
consortium also includes a number of agencies involved in support-
ing SME involvement in R&D, and a marketing and communications
company which is coordinating the projects entire communications
and dissemination strategy.
In order to help SMEs get actively involved in European RTD initia-
tives, the project will follow a step-by-step methodology which
aims to integrate leading SMEs into appropriate FP6 projects.
Initially, the partners intend to contact a large number of SMEs and
inform them about FASTER and the availability of its free services.
This should stimulate interest from a significant number of compa-
nies which the Faster experts will profile to get a clearer picture of
each companys RTD needs, capabilities and ideas. Such profiling
will highlight the SMEs with the greatest potential to part icipate in
FP6 projects often those companies with prior experience of
conducting research, or with strong university links. They will also
undergo a technology audit to assess whether they have the nec-
essary infrastructure and resources to participate in FP6 research.
Fast-track access to European transport research
Europe is keen for SMEs to get involved inresearch and technological development.Faster will really help them to access
the many opportunities.
The Faster consultants will analyse companies research ideas and
suggested topics and identify suitable themes for future Europeanprojects. Where projects appear viable, Faster can match compa-
nies to potential partners, give advice on the best FP6 instruments
for their proposals, and help SMEs develop their funding applica-
tions. This level of service could not be achieved without Faster which
gathers experts from across Europe who, by working together, are
able to see the big picture and identify links between SMEs in
different Member States.
SME ambassadorsFaster hopes to integrate appropriate companies into existing or
soon-to-launch FP6 research projects. The incorporation of SMEs into
up-and-running projects is a particular challenge, but the Faster
assessment methodology is designed to identify SMEs of excellencewhich have a lot to offer and will be able to meet their commitments.
These companies, at the forefront of innovation, stand to gain
tremendous competitive and business advantage and will consequent-
ly invigorate their local transport environment. Furthermore, by mix-
ing with complementary and competitive companies from around
Europe they may also find ways to expand their markets, form
alliances, and develop a vision beyond the immediate worries of
cash flow and survival.
But the impact of Faster will
go far beyond the select
few. For the majori-
ty of SMEs, Faster
will simply raise
awareness of
the impor-
FASTER
The Europeantransportation sectoris a pillar of internaltrade and must innovate
to remain competitive.
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Project websitewww.fasterproject.org
Participants1 Horama Marketing and Engineering Services (EL)2 Innova (IT)
3 Mediterranean Ports Community (ES)
4 The Alliance of Maritime Regional Interests in Europe (BE)
5 Central European Initiative (IT)
6 TUHH-Technologie GmbH (DE)
7 Agend bruxelloise pour lentreprise (BE)
8 AID Marketing and Communication (BE)
tance of innovation and the possibility of research participation.
Some of these companies will go away, refine their ideas, and come
back stronger, ready to face the challenge of FP6 collaboration.
In the meantime, those firms that do become FP6 project partners
through Faster will give a voice to all European SMEs in the trans-
port sector and related business areas. Their research needs will
be heard and projects will begin to take them into account. As a
result, SMEs will be strengthened, preserving employment for mil-
lions of employees and ensuring that European transportation
remains competitive for the future.
Project titleFostering Alliances for Sustainable Transport in European Research
(FASTER)
Contract numberCT-2004-508519
Duration30 Months
Global project cost
927 316
EC contribution702 846
Contact person
Mauro BianchiTechnical Support for European Organisations Sprl
8, Avenue Paul Vanden Thoren
1160 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 230 1090
Fax: +32 2 230 1377
ETI1
Thanks to our network and combinedexpertise, we are able to match SMEs to
European projects and to partners
with whom they mightcollaborate in
the future.
The transportation sector and related business areas involves many SMEs strugglingto access European research funding.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in
the fisheries and marine resources industries are
constantly looking for ways to be competitive. They search
internationally, visiting suppliers, business associates and trade fairs to
seek out new strategies and technologies. But what they rarely do is participate
in research projects which offer them sustainable innovative improvements to their
businesses. In the FISH project, a consortium of 12 SME intermediaries is raising awareness among
SMEs about EC-funded large-scale research projects. Partners promote examples of the successful
integration of SMEs from this industrial sector into FP6 proposals, which should encourage others to try.
The FISH project is targeting the majority of SMEs within the fish-
ing industry and its ancillary services, even those with minimal tech-nological development. The first objective is to increase their under-
standing and acceptance of applied research as a means of
improving their core business over the longer term. Such awareness-
raising is carried out in collaboration with national contact points
and national organisations for fisheries and marine resources.
Through national and European stimulation activities, project part-
ners inform as many SMEs as possible about Sixth Framework
Programme (FP6) research activities.
The project takes this informative stage a big step further, with per-
sonal visits to companies that express interest in order to identify
and analyse their technology needs. The aim is to visit a total of
480 SMEs, make detailed assessments of 125 of them, and even-tually to have a total of 24 participating in EU research projects.
The emphasis is on taking positive action to find the right SMEs and
the right project concepts. The pan-European dimension of FISH is
important because it means that the SMEs have a much better chance
of finding optimal research partners than if they had restricted their
search to domestic organisations.
Established networksFISH is linked to other national innovation programmes, and to the
EC-funded Innovation Relay Centres (IRCs) across Europe. The
idea was to collaborate in particular with the IRC network so that
a project can start from a base of considerable experience and good
contacts amongst SMEs in this industrial sector. In fact, nine of the
12 partners are IRCs the remaining three are consulting compa-
nies with their own contacts among SMEs. The consultancies offer
expertise in facilitating the entry of SMEs into project consortia.
The numerous face-to-face meetings between project partners and
SMEs are enabled by the extensive IRC networks. The SME profiles
developed at these meetings are entered into databases for analy-
sis and matching with possible partners. Personal contact with
potential project coordinators is also very important as it is an oppor-
tunity to actively promote those SME profiles and to foster mutual
trust. One FISH national stimulation action was held in Norway in
November 2004. Over 100 people attended the meeting, 72 of
whom came from SMEs. A FISH European stimulation action also
Fishing for information on FP6
Demonstration activities give SMEs ataste of what R&D is all about.
took place in November, in France, where FISH partners met with
representatives from approximately 20 companies, leading tointensive discussions among them to identify their needs and take
their profiles.
Some SMEs in the fishing and allied industries, especially certain
more innovative firms, are already involved in FP6 Integrated
Projects (IPs). However, the majority of SMEs should at least be aware
of research projects. One FISH initiative is designed to convince
some firms to take part in the demonstration activities of IPs a rel-
atively easy first step. Many of them could qualify for these demon-
stration tasks, and thereby experience a first taste of what transna-
tional research projects really entail. This would set them off on a
learning curve leading them to a greater awareness of the possi-
bilities and eventually, it is hoped, to involvement in a full-scaleresearch project.
Imaginative innovationThere is a good deal of technical know-how required in the fisheries
and allied industries particularly in relation to exporting, logis-
tics, processing, filleting and freezing. The SMEs are generally aware
that they need to innovate to remain competitive. To do so, they are
forced to think internationally which means tapping into a reliable
network of contacts in the industry. An SME in fish processing, for
example, has a great deal of knowledge to
share with others. Through a
network of contacts, very
innovative solutions
can be found. For
instance, a fish
processor in
Norway has
FISH
A Norwegian salmon farm.
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Contact personMr John A. BjorgenSINTEF
S.P. Andersens vei 5
7465 Trondheim
Norway
Tel: +47 7359 6958
Fax: +47 7459 1299
www.sintef.no
Participants1 SINTEF (NO)
2 The Technological Institute of Iceland (IS)3 National Documentation Centre (EL)
4 Cyprus Institute of Technology (CY)
5 INNOVA S.p.A. (IT)
6 Inovamais SA (PT)
7 Innovacin, Desarrollo y Transferencia de Tecnologia, S.A.
(ES)
8 Bretagne Innovation (FR)
9 Osrodek Przetwarzania Informacji (PL)
10 ALMI Fretagspartner Uppsala AB (S)
11 SENTER (NL)
found it worthwhile to send freshly caught frozen cod to be fillet-
ed in China where labour costs are much lower than in the Europe.
The fish are then returned for distribution and sale in Europe.Naturally, this has meant introducing major logistical and techno-
logical innovative changes in the company to ensure that overall
costs remain low, and that the schedules between continents are
maintained.
The biggest area of potential innovation that remains largely unex-
plored is probably research. The problem is generally one of
access, which is why FISH aims to break down the barriers between
SMEs and research-led organisations. This will be done through var-
ious analyses and auditing schemes based on earlier EC-funded proj-
ects and national technology transfer programmes.
Project titleFacilitating Innovation for Sustainable Fisheries and MarineResources (FISH)
Contract numberCT-2004-508547
Duration24 months
Global project cost 688 384
EC contribution 516 291
ETI1
Personal contact is very important if youwant to sell company profiles to
prospective project partners.
Farming salmon in Norway.
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Fierce global competition and the recent
abolition of import quotas have left Europes textile
industry in a fragile state. Increasing its competitiveness calls
for continued innovation to improve efficiency, add value and access
markets. But limited awareness of new developments and a basic preoccupation
with the daily grind of earning a living are restricting the sectors willingness and ability
to innovate. The ITE (Intelligent Textile Environment) project combines expertise from 22 partners
across 16 countries to promote both innovation per se, and the opportunities offered to small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by the European Unions R&D programmes. The project hopes to reach
some 9 000 textiles enterprises across Europe.
Employing around 2 million people in some 177 000 enterprises
most of which are small and medium-sized enterprises Europestextile industry is a critical one. But, like any sector dominated by
SMEs, the business of facilitating informed management decisions
across a large number of small companies is a big one. Can we
improve quality without adding to costs? How do we deal with new
legislative demands? How can we increase market penetration?
Small businesses with limited capacity really need to know what
works elsewhere because reinventing the wheel is not a compet-
itive option.
SMEs need two things: better ways to address common concerns,
and greater access to the scientific, technical and commercial
intelligence that allows them to develop more successful business
strategies. The ITE project hopes to contribute to textile SMEs in bothrespects by improving information flows on the latest innovations,
and by engaging more enterprises in relevant research and devel-
opment initiatives.
The ITE consortium plans to build on the legacy of the earlier
BenTex project. Also funded by European Union Framework
Programmes, BenTex focused largely on benchmarking as a key deci-
sion-making tool. Addressing criteria such as size, production
processes, distribution channels, markets, management issues and
competitive tactics (including innovation, quality, service and cost),
BenTex attracted participation from around 300 European SMEs.
Managers exchanged their experiences and methodologies, iden-
tified and shared best practices, and many took on new innovations
to help improve production. The project also opened the way to
developing 18 co-operative research proposals to address key issues
identified by SMEs.
Human factor brings hope to ailing textiles
ITE is about breaking down the barriersthat limit innovation.
Shifting priorities
While BenTex proved a success in many ways, it also identified acritical barrier to its approach: the human factor. The ITE project
aims to capitalise on these findings to improve future project
achievements. Recognising that it is people who develop and
absorb knowledge, and people who adopt and adapt innovations,
the new project will target SME personnel. Through seminars and
workshops, as well as by visiting companies, the ITE consortium will
engage real people not just companies in the issue of innova-
tion. By raising awareness of relevant EU-funded projects, and by
training individuals to participate in such projects, the ITE group
hopes to increase awareness of and openness towards new
developments.
To do this, the ITE consortium is bringing together experts in areasranging from quality control and product certification to cross-bor-
der technology and knowledge transfer. Networking activities will
be used to attract SMEs and link them with researchers working on
the technological or business solutions that they need. They will also
help to improve dissemination of current benchmarking methods and
best practices. The hope is that by improving links between enter-
prise and research, European R&D can benefit from the SMEs expert-
ise, networks and perspectives, while the companies themselves can
become more receptive to taking up the new developments emerg-
ing from ongoing research.
ITE
The ITE consortiumbrings research andbusiness together to breakdown barriers to innovation.
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Contact personNena Malliou
Clothing Textile and Fibre Technological Developments SA
4 El. Venizelou
17676 Kallithea/Athens
Greece
Tel: +30 210 923 4932
Fax: +30 210 923 [email protected]
Project websitewww.etakei.gr/ite
Participants1 Business and Project Management (EL)
2 Tecnotessile Societ Nazionale di Ricerca Tecnologica r.l. (IT)
3 Centro dInformazione Tessile dellEmilia Romagna (IT)
4 Asociacin de Investigacin de la Industria Textil (ES)
5 The Research Development National Institute for Textile and
Leather (RO)
6 Institut fuer Textil und Verfahrenstechnik Denkendorf derDeutschen Institute fuer Textil und Faserforschung Stuttgart (DE)
7 Istituto per la Promozione Industriale (IT)
8 Lietuvos Inovaciju Centras (LT)
9 Inotex Ltd. (CZ)
10 Institute of textile Architecture (PL)
11 Innovatext Textile Engineering and Testing Institute (HU)
12 Applied Research and Communications Fund (BG)
13 Latvian Technological Centre (LV)
14.Firenze Tecnologia Azienda speciale della Camera di
Commercio di Firenze (IT)
15 Turkish Textile Employers Association (TR)
16 Cyprus Institute of Technology (CY)
17 Vutch-Chemitex (SK)
18 Integrated Resources Management Company Ltd. (MT)
19 Centro Tecnologico das Industrias Textil o do Vestuario de
Portugal (PT)
20.Steinbeis Europa Zentrum des Steinbeis Stiftung fr
Wirtschaftsforderung (DE)
21 Agencia de Inovao Inovao Empresarial e
Transferencia de Tecnologia (PT)
Building bridgesITE is basically about breaking down barriers to communication,
to the exchange of ideas and information, and to innovation. The pro-
jects organisers are certainly hoping to overcome these hurdles inthe textile sector, but they are also hoping to actually cross bound-
aries between sectors. One key goal is to stimulate the development
of a cross-sectoral network of experts able to act as advocates and
brokers for new ideas throughout Europes SME community.
ITE hopes that focusing on the human element in innovation and
on best practices for maximising human potential in all aspects of
innovation can help to break down conventional cultural, sectoral
and geographic divides. It is looking to cross the boundaries
between industry and science; between old and new EU members,
and between one sector and another. It is planning to encourage
transnational and trans-sector learning. And it is hoping that break-
ing down these divisions can eventually contribute to widespreadeconomic success by stimulating more and better jobs and creat-
ing greater social cohesion. In a region of such great diversity in
culture and experience, this is an ambitious project but one that
could fundamentally change the way that European SMEs are
able to compete in an increasingly global market.
Project titleIntelligent Textile Environment (ITE)
Contract numberCT-2004-508564
Duration24 months
Global project cost1 154 558
EC contribution895 751
ETI1
Scientists learn from business and viceversa. Research becomes more
targeted and the uptake of
findings improves.
New textiles with novelproperties.
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A consortium of small and medium-sized
enterprise (SME) intermediaries from both the public and
private sectors is collaborating in the LINK project. It is offering
SMEs in the plastics and electronics industries a range of support
services to facilitate their access to the Sixth Framework Programmes
Integrated Projects and Specific Targeted Projects (IPs and STREPs). LINK identifies high
and medium technology SMEs then matches them with the right project. It also shows project
coordinators how these particular SMEs can fulfil project needs by bringing in additional expertise. Thus,
the SME and its project partners meet in a relationship based on their mutual best commercial interests.
LINK partners undertake to promote the benefits of IP and STREP
projects to SMEs, and the positive attributes of SMEs as potentialpartners to the project coordinators. There are 20 participants in
total in LINK, from 14 different Member States and one Associated
State. About two-thirds come from the public sector and one-third
from the private sector. They are all experienced and effective
European SME intermediaries National Contact Points, Innovation
Relay Centres, business and innovation centres, trade associa-
tions, registered trade organisations, as well as private consulting
firms.
The so-called broad-band support LINK offers is actually the
awareness-raising of mutual benefits SMEs and its project partners
can expect from co-operation. Narrow-band support refers to very
detailed, one-to-one assistance provided in the all-important match-ing and integration processes required to set up the project part-
nerships. Project proposals can be registered, together with SME
needs, on the LINK database and matched against profiles of all
LINK-registered SMEs to find the best fit. The next step is for a LINK
partner to help the SME identified as an optimal partner through
the required project participation procedures while, at the same time,
liaising with the project coordinator. The SME is thus integrated in
the project with a minimum of difficulty, and can function immedi-
ately as a direct participant in core research activities.
A successful startIt would normally be very difficult for SMEs to gain access to IPs
and to a lesser extent STREPs in FP6, since these are large proj-
ects with multinational companies as partners. SMEs generally
have very few contacts with major companies, which do not usu-
ally recognise them as potential project partners. In any case,
small businesses rarely have enough time or resources available to
search around and create their own projects. This is where LINK
comes in. To begin with, its website offers SMEs automatic profil-
ing and matching facilities that tap into the resources of this large
web of networks. Enterprises can either log on and feed in data them-
selves, or ask a project assistant to help them enter their data.
One of LINKs major initial achievements was to establish a com-
mon understanding of how project partners from both the public
and private sectors could work well together. For instance, it might
A unique web of public and private networks
Unitl now the European intermediarieshave tended to work in isolation.
be hard to understand how an SME-national contact point could
communicate freely with a private consulting firm, due to the pos-sible conflicts of interest. But consulting firms are important as they
have their own networks and are often in contact with large num-
bers of SMEs. Despite the difficulties, the organisation of LINK enables
a representative from each of the main networks to oversee vari-
ous smaller networks operating under its umbrella. Regular meet-
ings are held in small groups at first, then the agreements and under-
standings reached are disseminated to the other networks. This
scheme has been found to work very well so far, and it is hoped
that it will expand a lot further.
Bright futureSMEs are bombarded with information from all kinds of network
services, each offering something different but, by necessity, limit-ed in choice, scope and support. Now that this significant network
of networks has been set up, life is becoming much easier for the
SMEs. By using this Economic and Technological Intelligence (ETI)
project as a stepping stone into FP6, they will be able to develop
their own IPR-protected technology, enabling them to add value to
their products and services. It should help to make them more
competitive with their counterparts outside the European Union, in
countries with low labour costs.
LINK
Advanced injectionmoulding technology.
Pera
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Contact personMr Mick ParmarPera Innovation Limited
Pera Innovation Park, Nottingham Road
LE13 0PB Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 168 4501 501
Fax: +44 166 4501 589
www.pera.com
Project websitewww.link-eu.org
Participants1 Pera Innovation Ltd (UK)
2 Pro Support B.V. (NL)
3 Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche (FR)
4 The Brussels Enterprise Agency (BE)
5 European Business and Innovation Centre Network (BE)
6 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angerwandten
Forschung (DE)
7 AIMPLAS Instituto Tecnologico del Plastico (ES)
8 Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus (FI)
9 Innovages Fomento de la Innovacion (ES)
10 ALMA Consulting Group Ltd (IL)
11 HLP Developpement (FR)
12 Agncia de Inovaao S.A. Inovao Empresarial e
Transferencia de Tecnologa (PT)
13 Hungarian Science and Technology Foundation (HU)
14 Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (IT)
15 Latvian Technological Centre (LV)
16 Cracow University of Technology (PL)
17 CATT Innovation Management GmbH (AT)
18 DAppolonia S.p.A. (IT)
19 Fdration Plasturgie Activits (FR)
20 Fachverband Elektronik-Design e.V. (DE)
Another novelty, an intelligent data system which makes use of
dynamic profiling techniques, helps to implement the LINK objec-
tives. This network aims to generate a significant number of SMEparticipants in IPs/STREPs. The final target is to enable the partic-
ipation of at least 65 additional SMEs in IPs and STREPs for exam-
ple, 5% of additional SME participation in such projects, each with
a value typically around 20 million.
Plastics and electronics are the two areas of industry selected as
prime targets for LINK because they complement each other in many
ways, including innovation potential. In fact, together they are
covered by five of the seven FP6 priority thematic areas. In future,
it is expected that LINK will become the foundation for an even more
widespread web of networks that will benefit SMEs across a wide
range of industries.
Project titleLeverage SME Intermediary NetworK Integrating Private and Public
Sector Intermediary Networks to More Effectively LINK SMEs into
Integrated Projects (LINK)
Contract numberCT-2004-508476
Duration24 months
Global project cost
877 890
EC contribution 845 402
ETI1
We have already agreed ways ofmaximising our effectiveness for our
SME customers.
Resin fibres being pushed, ratherthan pulled as in extrusion. Pera
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Innovation in mechatronics relies on bringing
together a wide range of skills in mechanics, electronics
and information technology. Some of the key requirements for
innovation can be found in a variety of small companies which may
be unaware that their expertise could be useful in mechatronics research. The
MISMEC project is locating SMEs that could make contributions to mechatronics
research and helping them to become involved in larger research projects funded by the Sixth
Framework Programme. As part of this work, MISMEC is developing some new working practices to
help widely dispersed SMEs to work together and maintain the networks that can drive innovation.
When mechanical engineering combines with electronics and
computing it forms the field of mechatronics, a diverse sector cov-ering a vast range of applications. Industrial and domestic appli-
ances, aircraft, motor vehicles and all those applications where com-
puter software controls moving parts can have elements of
mechatronics at their core. Therefore, it is considered as a central
aspect of modern technology, so research in mechatronics is cru-
cial for building the technology of the future.
The MISMEC project is helping European small and medium-sized
enterprise (SMEs) with expertise in this area to understand and take
advantage of research opportunities within the Sixth Framework pro-
gramme (FP6), especially those being offered by the new Integrated
Projects and Networks of Excellence. Such large collaborative
projects create high hurdles for SMEs wishing to join in, so the kindof help offered by MISMEC can be crucial. By their very nature,
many SMEs are isolated companies working in their own small geo-
graphical and technological niches. There is an important job to
be done in introducing them to the wider picture and adding their
needs and ideas for innovation to the work of European research
programmes.
The SMEs being targeted by the MISMEC project are largely those
that use mechatronics in their work, or can input expertise into the
mechatronics sector, rather than being pure mechatronics compa-
nies. The sector is so wide and varied that it depends on the skills
of many different types of enterprise. So the project is trying to bring
a range of companies involved in information technology and
electronics together into larger mechatronic research projects.
Mix and matchThe seven MISMEC partners are all designated European Innovation
Relay Centres. These are companies, associations or other institutes
that spend a great deal of their time trying to match up requirements
for innovation in their local region with innovative technologies across
Europe, while also helping to distribute innovations developed in
their own regions. Their time is devoted to matching technological
problems with solutions.
The process of identifying who is writing FP6 proposals and which
SMEs may be able to participate in them draws heavily on the
Multifaceted mechatronics
We can help SMEs seeking projects, orprojects that need SMEs it works bothways.
extensive network of research and commercial contacts the partners
have developed over the years.
SMEs that are candidates for assistance are being identified
through a series of awareness actions, including seminars, work-
shops and web-based promotions designed to instruct SMEs about
the services available and get them thinking about the possibilities
of becoming involved. The partners then conduct technology audits
to identify SMEs with clear potential to participate in FP6 research
programmes. This involves assessing their existing technological
capacities, as well as future needs. The partners are also working
directly with the coordinators of new and ongoing FP6 projects to
explore the opportunities for drawing SMEs into existing projects
or new project proposals.
Once MISMEC has identified an SME with good potential for get-
ting involved in a research programme, one of the partners will work
closely with the SME to explain how the Framework Programme
works and give them the help they need to become part of a well-
structured proposal. The SMEs have very different experiences
and needs, so the help the project provides must be carefully tai-
lored to each companys specific requirements.
The project goal is to assist at least 270 SMEs, leading to partici-
pation by some of them in at least 70 FP6 project proposals. They
can participate in research projects as coordinators and main driv-
ers, research partners, partners to influ-
ence long-term objectives within
a specific research theme,
and/or as partners for
take-up measures.
MISMEC
Simulation andvisualisation are among the
many cross-border areasinvolving mechatronics.
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Contact personMr Max Maupoix
IVF Industrial Research and Development Corporation
Argongatan 30
431 53 Mlndal
Sweden
Tel: +46 3170 66193
Fax: +46 3127 6130
www.mismec.nu
Participants1 IVF Industrial Research and Development Corporation (SE)
2 Steinbeis Stiftung fr Technologie Transfer (DE)
3 Welsh Development Agency (UK)
4 MATIMOP, Israeli Industry Center for R&D (IL)
5 MSI Institute of the Lithuanian Scientific Society (LT)
6 CECCP Centro Estero Camere Commercio Piemontesi (IT)
7 Help-Forward Network/Diktyo PRAXI (EL)
Best practiceA key part of the MISMEC project is to develop new working prac-
tices to assist in the general process of networking SMEs together
into collaborative groups. One of these comprises a new internalmanagement tool. This is a web application for following up proj-
ect results, activities, company and FP6 project profiles, and the sta-
tus of and interlinkage between these profiles. The tool is particu-
larly helpful for large consortia working with numerous clients who
are involved in many projects. Other practices involve the use of
wide-ranging web-based conferencing and events that enable
SMEs to meet and talk in ways that can throw up new ideas and
opportunities for collaboration.
The work of the project will assist the participating SMEs to become
more competitive and give them opportunities to develop and cre-
ate the jobs and new technologies Europe requires. By bringing var-
ious SMEs with different expertise together, these small players canbecome involved in larger research projects that they could never
manage alone.
Project titleNew Methods for Involving SMEs in Mechatronics sectors in FP6
(MISMEC)
Contract numberCT-2004-508507
Duration36 months
Global project cost 1 160 244
EC contribution 972 224
ETI1
For an SME new to research it is a bigstep thats why we are there to help
them.
Mechatronics is a union ofoverlapping sectors. IVF
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The Nanomat project provides training and
innovation services to help SMEs working with
nanotechnologies to become more innovative and involved in
EU-funded programmes. It is especially targeted at small companies
from the new Member States and associated candidate countries. The size
of EU projects and the administrative aspects can seem daunting to these SMEs. The
key role of Nanomat is to show them the potential advantages of collaborative EU research
and help them link into good projects that suit them. In addition to the direct benefits coming from
any research they get involved in, SMEs can gain commercial advantages by becoming part of networks that
were previously closed to them.
Nanotechnology is technology at the very small scale the scale
of atoms, molecules and tiny multi-molecular structures. The sectortakes its name from the nanometre which is one billionth of a
metre (10-9 m). This technology of the very small is predicted to have
a very big future, with potential applications across the full spec-
trum of technology from healthcare to manufacturing, and comput-
ing to cosmetics. However, as with any technology in its infancy,
it is hard to predict what the most useful applications will be and
where they may come from. It is important to draw small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the expanded European
Union into Europes nanotechnology research effort. The Nanomat
project is designed to help SMEs, especially from the new and can-
didate Member States, to become involved in collaborative research
programmes.
The ten project partners comprise five institutions from new Member
States and associated candidate countries, and five from Western
European Member States. This allows the Western partners with con-
siderable experience of EU research programmes to transfer their
knowledge to the other five. SMEs from countries without a long tra-
dition of involvement in the EU can thus begin to gain the benefits
on offer and also contribute their own specialist expertise. The knowl-
edge transfer is two-way, with the new Member States and asso-
ciated candidate countries helping the Western partners to learn
about the expertise and opportunities available outside their usual
sphere of operation.
Inside informationThe partners include a broad range of specialised companies, train-
ing institutions, consultancies, universities and enterprise promotion
specialists. Each has an extensive database of SMEs in their local-
ity that might benefit f rom participation in EU-funded research pro-
grammes, and may have specific skills to bring to new projects. The
partners use this inside knowledge to identify a range of SMEs to
offer the projects services to. The incentive for the SMEs, in addi-
tion to the eventual benefits of any research, is that the EU offers
many potential business partners with whom they might never
make contact without Nanomat or similar initiatives. Joining EU-wide
networks can be the first and most important stage of significant-
ly broadening the range of such SMEs commercial opportunities.
Big help for nanotech
We are putting western know-how andexperience at the service of the easterncountries.
The Nanomat project has three main areas of activity, which can
be described as training, technology-watch and Sixth FrameworkProgramme (FP6) participation.
The first of these is providing tailor-made training in economic
and technological intelligence activities to selected SMEs. More
specifically, the training covers three topics: technology watch and
business intelligence; innovation management and benchmarking;
and technology exploitation and technology marketing. The train-
ing sessions are being held in each of the five Eastern European
countries in the partnership. The local partner hosts these events which
are usually spread over two days. Overall, this training is helping
to make SMEs from NMS and the ACC more aware of the oppor-
tunities for funding, collaborative research and commercial activ-
ity in the EU at large.
A careful watchThe second activity is to provide technology watch services and tech-
nology audits to selected SMEs. This involves assessing the specif-
ic needs and abilities of each company and providing ongoing
research to identify opportunities for collaboration with other com-
panies and institutions across the EU. In assessing the current sta-
tus of each company, the project can also give advice on how to
develop best practices and respond to future development needs.
The third activity is to pro-
mote the participation
of SMEs directly,
especially from
the new
Member States
NANOMAT
Nanotechnologymanipulates matter atthe scale of individual
atoms. IBM
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Contact personMrs Paula Galvo
Inova Europe Sarl
15 Rue de la Chapelle
1325 Luxembourg City
Luxembourg
Tel: +352 269 23755
Fax: +352 269 23762
www.innova-europe.lu
Project website
www.innova-europe.lu/nanomat
Participants1 Innova Europe Sarl (LU)
2 Steinbeis Europa Zentrum (DE)
3 EUROQUALITY (FR)
4 BIC Bratislava Ltd (SK)
5 Puskas Tivadar Alipitvany Institute of International Technology
(HU)
6 Politechnika Wroclawska Centre for Technology Transfer (PL)
7 Inova Pro, s.r.o. (CZ)
8 Politehnica University of Bucharest Centre for Advanced
Technologies (RO)
9 Fundacin para el Conocimiento Madrimasd (ES)
10 SENTER/EG-Liaison (NL)
and the associated candidate countries, in FP6 research and tech-
nological development activities. SMEs with particularly good
ideas are offered a consultation service guiding them on how toparticipate in a wide range of RTD projects, including Cooperative
Research Projects, Collective Research Projects, Specific Targeted
Research Projects, Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence.
The partnership can offer support from the stage of having a gen-
eral idea, right through the process of finding appropriate partners
and drawing up a finished project proposal.
During the project, which lasts for 30 months, the partners plan to
disseminate information to 500 SMEs, train a selected 300, pro-
vide 200 of these with customised technological intelligence serv-
ices, perform 120 company technology audits, and help up to 100
SMEs become part of new project proposals for EU RTD funding.
Project titleA targeted action to encourage the participation of SMEs in FP6,
in the nanotechnologies and nanomaterials fields (NANOMAT)
Contract numberCT-2004-508695
Duration30 months
Global project cost 1 116 710
EC contribution 911 321
ETI1
FP6 offers SMEs in the new MemberStates great opportunities for putting
their good ideas into practice.
Silicon fabrication technology is alreadyapproaching the nano-scale. CEA-LETI
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The NAoMITEC project is working with small and
medium-sized enterprises in the micro- and
nanotechnology arena in 12 countries to identify those most
suitable to participate in Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence.
The ETI partners can give selected SMEs the advice and support required to
join in these large transnational projects. This opens up new opportunities for
collaboration and commercialisation that SMEs would otherwise find it difficult to break into
if left to do it alone. The project team is keeping track of developments in a very fast-moving field,
gaining vital expertise to help promote European innovation in the future.
The NAoMITEC Project is focusing on SMEs working in micro- and
nanotechnologies which exploit the properties of materials on verysmall scales. The partners are addressing five sectors: aerospace,
automotive technology, the environment, health, and information
and communication technologies (ICT). Expertise in micro- and
nanotechnologies in these sectors is one of Europes key strengths,
and is crucial for European competitiveness.
The basic objective of the NAoMITEC project is to promote the par-
ticipation of SMEs in the new instruments of the Sixth Framework
Programme (FP6). These are primarily the large Integrated Projects
(IP) and Networks of Excellence (NoE).
Five-point plan
The partners are tackling their work through a five-point plan. Thefirst stage is to review the current situation in the partnership coun-
tries, as it affects SMEs in the targeted sectors. The partners then
go on to identify the most active and best qualified SMEs and assess
both their technological needs and their existing development
plans.
Stage three is a matching-up process identifying existing or planned
IPs and NoEs which fit with the needs and plans of the selected SMEs.
Next, the NAoMITEC partners establish the necessary contacts that
allow national and transnational networks to develop in a way that
can help the SMEs to become incorporated into IPs and NoEs.
Finally, all the necessary assistance is given to actually allow the
selected SMEs to join IPs and NoEs that have been identified as
appropriate to their needs. Overall, the small companies gain sig-
nificant benefits from becoming part of large-scale transnational
research and development projects, while the larger partners in these
projects are able to draw on the very specialised expertise found
in European SMEs.
Small scale but high tech
Networking is the key to the success ofNAoMITEC.
By the end of the projects 30 month duration, the partners intend
to have identified 385 candidate SMEs, and to have activelyassisted 95 of these to consider the options for participating in select-
ed IPs and NoEs. The final target is to facilitate the entry of 48 SMEs
into these two kinds of FP6 projects.
A wealth of experienceThe project brings together 16 partners from Austria, Belgium,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Poland, Switzerland,
The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. They comprise a mix-
ture of research and development agencies, enterprise agencies,
academic research centres and business consultancies. Together,
they have the combination of expertise in business, research and
technology required to help SMEs make the sometimes difficult step
towards participating in large European projects. Three of thepartners are based outside of the EU, adding to the inclusive
transnational character of NAoMITEC.
Each partner is undertaking a variety of technology audits of SMEs
in their region. This generates profiles of selected SMEs which are
posted on the NAoMITEC website, alongside a growing list of the
most relevant IPs and NoEs. This will enable the website to evolve
into a central resource, where SMEs and IPs and NoEs can iden-
tify one another and then approach the most appropriate NAoMITEC
project partners for further assistance.
All members of the proj-
ect team have a long
history in dissemi-
nating informa-
tion, contacting
research insti-
tutions and
indus t r ies ,
NAoMITEC
Micro- and nanotech-nologies are at the
heart of European innovation.
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Contact personPiero Bufalini
Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca Industriale
Viale Gorizia 25/C
00198 Rome
Italy
Tel: +39 0688 48831
Fax: +39 0685 52949
Project website
www.airi.it/NAOMITEC
Participants1 Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (IT)
2 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per lo Studio
dei Materiali Nanostrutturati Gruppo Tecnologico (IT)
3 Bureau for International Research and Technology
Cooperation (AUT)
4 Agence bruxelloise pour lentreprise (BE)
5 Eureco Oy (FI)
6 Chambre rgionale de commerce et dindustrie de
Bourgogne (FR)
7 Commissariat lnergie atomique (FR)
8 Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (EL)9 VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH (DE)
10 Iserd Matimop (IL)
11.Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish
Academy of Sciences (PL)
12 Euroresearch Rseau suisse dinnovation (CH)
13 Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology (CH)
14 SenterNovem/EG-Liaison (NL)
15 Beta Technology Ltd. (UK)
both large and SMEs, and in assisting them in their quest for innova-
tion. Many also have relevant experience and competence acquired
through their participation in the earlier Minatech project which was
funded by FP5. The primary objective of Minatech was the promotionof the use of micro- and nanotechnologies among European SMEs.
Looking forwardThe effects of a successful NAoMITEC project should serve to pro-
mote European competitiveness by helping to maximise the effec-
tiveness of the new initiatives in FP6. The project will increase the
contribution of SMEs to high-tech research and applications signif-
icantly, and promote the clustering of enterprises with similar aims
for co-operation both at national and transnational level. These end
results should yield a clear increase in transnational technology trans-
fer and a higher return for the EU funding involved.
The micro- and nanotechnology sector is characterised by rapid tech-nological innovation and a fast-changing business environment.
Companies come and go and merge very rapidly. NAoMITEC will
help in the difficult task of keeping track of this fast-moving field,
deepening the knowledge on the state of art. This will generate a
valuable knowledge base that will also help the partners to look
beyond FP6 and prepare for the fresh challenges of the future.
Project titleNAno and MIcro -TEC SMEs in Integrated Projects (IPs) and
Networks of Excellence (NoE) (NAoMITEC)
Contract number
CT-2004-508505
Duration30 months
Global project cost1 811 019
EC contribution1 381 654
ETI1
We work as talent scouts, discoveringthe great potential and skills in
European SMEs.
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The NATIBS project is helping newly created
biotechnology companies to become involved in Sixth
Framework Programme (FP6) research activities. These start-
up companies would find the complexity of the proposal process and
other administrative hurdles very challenging, and thus would be unlikely to
join FP6 research without significant assistance. They are being encouraged to
become involved in order to reap the benefits of access to the resulting innovations, and the
commercial advantages of being introduced to trans-European networks. The project is also identifying
best practices in project development and will disseminate these through a formal report.
The biotechnology industry is one of the fastest growing and most
exciting sectors of 21st century commerce. Biotechnology is avery challenging arena to be starting business in, with many com-
panies falling by the wayside or being swallowed up in waves of
consolidation. Young small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
usually have more pressing demands on their attention than the
opportunities offered by participating in FP6 research, but NATI-
BS can give a helping hand.
The FP6 instruments being targeted by NATIBS are the Integrated
Projects and Networks of Excellence, although the NATIBS consor-
tia can also be very useful as regards the traditional instruments.
The partners first task is to identify existing and planned projects
that would welcome and benefit from SME involvement. The part-
ners are achieving this by using their extensive networks of contacts,as well as appraising the forthcoming calls for proposals in order
to be ready to help suitable SMEs to join in.
Guiding lightsThe complementary aspect of the project is to identify good biotech-
nology SMEs that might be willing to become part of a new proj-
ect proposal, or to join an existing project. Most of the NATIBS part-
ners are organisations which exist to incubate innovative companies
by providing guidance and helping in the search for funding. In most
cases, the partners are publicly funded bodies, although sometimes
private finance from venture capitalists and other sources can be
involved. The project is being coordinated by the Essonne Chamber
of Commerce and Industry in France, using valuable general expe-
rience of the business environment in Europe. Most of the partners
have considerable experience in EU Framework Programmes,
making them ideal for giving guidance to novice companies.
The expertise held by many of the partners includes substantial knowl-
edge of which new biotechnology companies exist in their region
of operation, what they are doing, and which FP6 projects they might
be suited to. Attention is focused mainly on companies that are less
than three years old, are still reliant on outside sources of funding,
and are very busy with the problems of starting out on commercial
life in a very competitive sector.
Getting off to a good start in biotech
There are benefits available for SMEs inthe short, medium and long term.
It can be difficult persuading some of these SMEs of the advantages
of becoming involved in large collaborative research programmes.An important part of the work of the NATIBS partners is to explain
the long-term benefits, in terms of access to the results of research,
including patents; and the medium- and short-term benefits that
include fast incorporation into trans-European networks. The proj-
ect is encouraging and helping the SMEs to look outwards, to a wider
Europe, at a time in their commercial lives when there is a danger
they may become too preoccupied with the shorter-term demands
for survival. One factor making it easier to draw in SMEs from the
biotechnology sector is that most of these companies already have
a strong culture of research, although on a smaller scale than the
large IPs and NoEs.
Audits and assessmentsThe project is analysing 240 biotechnology SMEs across Europe,in the six countries where the partners are based, namely France,
Germany, Spain, Sweden, Estonia and Israel. During their work of
identifying and assessing suitable SMEs, the project partners are
conducting 170 technology audits for the companies, assessing
exactly what they do and what research programmes they might
be suited to.
The partners are also acquiring useful information about best prac-
tices in project and proposal development.
This knowledge will be used
to write a best practice
report in collabora-
tion with another
ETI project
(Talentscout)
which is
NATIBS
Lab bench medical science increasingly involvesbiotechnology. J.Grison/Rapho Photo
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Contact personMr Jrme BillChamber of Commerce and Industry of the Essonne2, cours Monseigneur Romro91004 EvryFranceTel: +33 1607 99147Fax: +33 1607 [email protected]
Project website
www.natibs.net
Participants1 Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Essonne (FR)2 Inno-TSD (FR)3 TBS-Technologiestiftung Innovationszentrum Berlin (DE)4 BBB Management GmbH Campus Berlin-Buch (DE)5 Parc Cientific de Barcelona (ES)6 Incubator Novum Research Park (SE)7 Tallinn Technology Park Development Foundation (EE)8 Biomedical Incubator Rad Ramot (IL)9 Genopole Evry-le de France (FR)
focusing on more mature biotechnology firms. This joint reportwill review the bigger picture in this area, involving a wider range
of companies than NATIBS could cover on its own. The lessonslearned will be available to promote good practice across Europe.The project website and a series of newsletters are also disseminat-ing guidance from the NATIBS partners more widely.
The great advantage for Europe as a whole in drawing start-upbiotechnology SMEs into FP6 is that it allows the ideas and expert-ise within very young companies to feed into wider Europeanresearch immediately. This happens long before it might occur if theSMEs were left to rely on their own initiative. In the large FP6 proj-ects that result, the SMEs can expect to be working with some long-established universities, commercial companies and other organisa-tions, creating a good blend of commercial youth and experience.
Project titleNew approaches and tools for incubated biotechs smes (natibs) toenhanced participation in the 6th FP (NATIBS)
Contract numberCT-2004-508583
Duration30 months
Global project cost 810 377
EC contribution 607 497
ETI1
We hope to integrate 40 SMEs into newor existing projects, including 12 into
Integrated Projects or Networks of
Excellence.
Biomolecules are at the heartof biotechnology.
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The PATENT project is a platform of professional
and high-added-value services for European SMEs in
the digital and cross-media sectors, helping them to tap into
new research opportunities. PATENT matches innovative SMEs with
suitable Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) projects. Expert consultants
assist the SMEs in all the phases of developing a research idea, tailoring it to the
Framework Programmes instruments, finding appropriate partners and helping their
involvement in high-quality proposals. The SMEs gain the technological and commercial opportunities
that come from participating in research programmes with partners they might otherwise never have
teamed up with.
Some of the most influential innovations of recent years have
involved multimedia and information communication technologies(ICT), greatly affecting everyday life. Many small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) in the digital and cross-media sector have thepotential to develop the innovations that will keep it at the forefrontof modern technology.
The PATENT project is helping small companies with innovative ideasbut limited resources to become partners in FP6 Integrated Projects(IPs) and Networks of Excellence (NoE). This is drawing suitableSMEs into wider networks and providing business opportunities theycould not have developed on their own.
The SME target group for the PATENT project includes content
owners and aggregators, hardware and software providers, net-work operators, broadcasters, telecommunication service providersand multimedia centres.
A broad spectrumThe research needs and opportunities in this field are very varied,and comprise new ways to use multimedia technology and ICT to gen-erate innovative processes for industry, the health sector, commerce,education and individuals. Examples of areas ripe for researchinclude new approaches to language-recog