Supporting SME Innovation
Innovation is the key for productivity and long-term growth. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are on average less innovative face larger barriers on capital and labour markets than large enterprises, but some of them can be or become highly innovative and can reach productivity levels above those of large companies. Supporting innovation in SMEs can foster inclusive growth. Companies which develop and use their internal strategic resources effectively (e.g. managerial and workforce skills, ICT, R&D, etc.), and collaborate with external partners in the innovation system, have better innovation performance.
Given the specific circumstances SMEs are currently facing, countries have put measures in place to support them. With a major focus on public health, a wide array of measures are being introduced to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses. Specifically, many governments are urgently deploying measures to support SMEs and the self-employed during this severely challenging time, with a strong focus on initiatives to sustain short-term liquidity. Such policies take various shapes. Some countries have focused on more general policies that have the potential to cushion the blow for the economy and for all businesses, such as support from Central Banks in lending by alleviating monetary conditions and enabling commercial banks to provide more loans to SMEs.
Authorities can support innovation in SMEs by fostering a sound business environment, helping them to fund, develop and use their internal strategic resources effectively, while building an innovation system including supporting services and that is effective in the commercialisation of research and inclusive of a large range of SMEs.
Small and medium-sized enterprises account for 99.8 percent of all businesses across Europe. In 2018, there were over 25 million SMEs in Europe (EU-28), of which 93 percent were micro-enterprises (with fewer than 10 employees). They are considered by the European Commission to be the drivers of economic growth and innovation, the ones that can quickly transform research results into marketable and competitive products. Therefore, SME funding is an important building block of the European SME policy.
News
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PUBLIC CALL: EUR 700,000 for partnerships in the field of technological innovation
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the InnoDIGI/EU4DigitalSME team will hold a hybrid event where Mr. Stefano Ellero, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, Eva Näher, ...
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Five Knowledge and Innovation Communities of the EIT are launching the New European Bauhaus Booster 2.0 today. On a mission to foster the New European Bauhaus transformation, EIT Digital...
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Five new projects approved under the 5th Extraordinary Call
Interreg ADRION Programme will fund five (5) new projects under the 5th Extraordinary Call for Proposals. Around MEUR 4,10 (3,1 ERDF and 0,97 IPA) will support their upcoming...
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Events
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Kick off event EU4DigitalSME - Call for proposal
The InnoDIGI/EU4DigitalSME team will hold a hybrid event where Mr. Stefano Ellero, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, Eva Näher, Director of Programs at GIZ and Snežana Tomašević , grant manager...
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The call to organise a policy session is now open until 1 February 2023. Read the guidelines to check your eligibility before applying. The 2023 Policy Conference will be under the theme of...
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The Balkans, as a tourism destination, have become an attractive and desired destination among international travellers. However, the level of sustainability in our region, on its path of transformation...
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Organisations
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Digital Serbia Initiative is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation with the strategic goal of developing a strong, globally competitive digital economy in Serbia. The initiative aims...
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Innovation Fund of Montenegro was established by the Government of Montenegro one year ago as national umbrella institution for implementation, funding and coordination of measures and innovation policies...
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Women in Tech® is an international organization with a double mission: to close the gender gap and to help women embrace technology. The organization focuses on 4 primary areas that are a call for...
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Calls
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EU4AGRI Public call - Intervention measure 2 (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
The goals of this call are to contribute to mitigating the negative disruption on the market of raw materials during 2022 on the agricultural and food sector in BiH caused as a result of the Covid-19 ...
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Within the framework of the EU4AGRI-Recovery and EU4BusinessRecovery projects financed by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany, on Monday, December 19, 2022, a public call for grants...
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Call to New European Bauhaus Booster 2.0
Sustainability, Aesthetics and Inclusion These are the three core principles of the New European Bauhaus. Are you a European startup or scaleup developing innovative solutions with deliberate consideration...
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Documents
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Advancing the entrepreneurial university: Lessons learned from 13 HEInnovate country reviews
Higher education institutions (HEIs) are more critical than ever to help societies respond to the complex challenges of our times. Recognising that these challenges require HEIs to adopt holistic innovations...
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Economic Conference Montenegro 2022 - Discussions about the Future
The publications represents a summary of the Economic Conference of Montenegro in 2022. The Conference on the Economy - Montenegro 2022 was organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro and held...
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The main aim of this chapter is to analyse the economic inclusion of women entrepreneurs through government support schemes in the time of COVID-19 pandemic in the Western Balkans. The chapter discusses...
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Links
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(Draft) Work programmes under Horizon Europe 2023-2024
Work programmes set out funding opportunities under Horizon Europe. One specific programme under Horizon Europe is implemented through the following: The main work programme Marie ...
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The private equity market in the Western Balkans is at a very early stage of development and there is currently limited investment opportunity. The main source of financial capital available for Small...
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The Innovation Radar is a European Commission initiative to identify high potential innovations and innovators in EU-funded research and innovation projects. Our goal is to allow every citizen, public...
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Projects
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NCP_WIDERA.NET Project is a 3 years Coordination and Support Action financed by the European Commission established with the aim to empower the network of National Contact Points (NCP) for WIDERA* under...
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CIRCULAR ECONOMY BALKAN BEACONS
About the CEBB project The project was started to establish centers (Beacons) that will trigger circular innovation and implementation in business and supply chain management. Beacons will...
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Cortex Academy - largest training program in ICT education in Montenegro
Cortex Academy is the largest training program in ICT education in Montenegro. Designed as a flagship project by ICT Cortex - ICT Cluster for Information Technologies, Innovation, Education, Design and...
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