Corinna AMTINGResearch Executive Agency

Research for the benefit of SMEs

Research Executive Agency

SMEs in the

KADIGER EU DaysIstanbul

17. -18. June 2009

Presentation outline

0. What is REA? 1. Why are SMEs and R&D important?2. Funding for SMEs from the Seventh

Framework Programme (FP7)– SMEs in “Cooperation”– SMEs in “People”– SMEs in “Capacities”

Research for the benefit of SMEs Eurostars Eureka Joint Programme

3. Competitive and Innovation Programme4. Enterprise Europe Network5. Where to get support near you.

• To support parts of the other indirect actions of FP7– EC/2008/46 of 14 December 2007

• Located in Brussels• Total budget managed: € 6.5 billion• 2008 – 2017

• Lifetime of FP7 (to 2013), then a run down to 2017 of projects under management

• Reviewed every three years• Potential to extend after FP7

Important• All policy remains within the Commission• Legacy contract management will also remain

within the Commission (EA mandate only covers FP7)

3

Research Executive Agency (REA)

• The REA will directly implement some actions:– SME-specific actions (Capacities)– Marie Curie actions (People)– Security and Space actions (Cooperation, DG ENTR)

• The REA will provide horizontal services across all programmes:– Run the evaluation facility, proposal reception

services and support to proposal evaluation– Provide a central service for contracting and

paying evaluators– Provide services for the central participant

validation service and financial viability checking

– Run the central FP7 enquiry service

REA - Tasks

• Came into existence on 14 December 2007 • Very rapid expansion phase• 249 staff on 15 June 2009 (558 planned for

2013)– Staff profile: 75% contractual agents; 25%

temporary agents; maximum of 27 seconded from the Commission

• Settling into new building (in Place Rogier, Brussels)

• Staff working alongside RTD teams • Autonomy since 16 June 2009 - take over full

implementation of new calls and projects

5

REA – Current status

SMEs and R&D

Why should SMEs bother about R&D?

1. The facts:

Global challenges: Environment, Energy, Ageing, Security, Food supply,…

SMEs form 99% of all companies in Europe and are major contributors to growth an employment

SMEs have to respond increasingly to a strong competition in the internal market and globally

SMEs and R&D- Why R&D for SMEs?

2. Possible answers: SMEs should seize the opportunities offered by the

transition to a knowledge-based economy & society

The “global challenges” are opportunities for the SMEs, e.g. the “low-carbon economy” opens many new perspectives

R&D results should enable SMEs to develop new products, processes and services to enhance their competitiveness

3. Added value of the EU: Foster transnational R&D cooperations involving SMEs

Actions at EU level complement actions taken at national and regional level

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Basic SMEs70%

Technology adopting

enterprises

20%Leading

Technologyusers

<10% Technology pioneers

<3%

%

None or few R&D activities

Adapting existing technologies

low innovative SMEs

Developing or combining

existing technologies on

an innovative level

High Level researchactivities

R&D Topology of SME

Source: EURAB’s report on “SMEs and ERA”

Aim: SMEs and Research: creating knowledge for growth (turning knowledge into profit)

Target: research & technology-driven innovation

Means: FP7 provides financial support for trans-national research for and by SMEs wishing to innovate and improve their competitiveness, by enhancing their investment in research activities to acquire new knowledge for growth in Europe's knowledge based economy.

7th R&D Framework Programme and SME

DIFFERENT!!!

A grant for research, not a loan.

75% funding for SMEs in technological and development activities

SMEs in FP7

Budget allocation to SMEs in FP6 and FP7

€ million FP6 FP7 FP6annual

average

FP7annual

average

Increaseannual

average

SME specific measures 473 1.336 118 191 61%SME participation (15% target)

1.865 4.862 466 695 49%

Total 2.338 6.198 585 885 51%

SMEs and R&D - categories of SMEs

Question: what type of SME are you?

I am doing R&D in my company

R&D-performing SME

I am a user of R&D results

Outsourcing SME

R&D-performing SME R&D Outsourcing SME

Cooperation Research for the benefit

of SMEs

FP7 - Opportunities for SMEs

FP7

Participation in Joint Programmes of Member States

Current SME participation in FP7

Over 6000 SMEs participated in FP7 in the first two years

Target of 15% SME participation: Cooperation Programme 12.3% funding rate so far achieved. (€1 billion allocated will continue to rise)

€6.2 billion in funding for SMEs in FP7

69% of SMEs < 49 employees

31% of SMEs 50-249 employees

FP7 2007-2013 ‘Cooperation’ budget

I. Cooperation

Budget (€ million,

current prices)

1. Health 6 100 2. Food, agriculture and biotechnology 1 935 3. Information and communication technologies 9 050 4. Nanotechnologies, materials and

production 3 475

5. Energy 2 350 6. Environment 1 890 7. Transport 4 160 8. Socio -economic research 623 9. Space 1 430

Total 32 413

* Not including non - nuclear activities of the Joint Research Centre: €1 751 million

*

10. Security 1 400

SMEs in “Cooperation”

Simplified financial and administrative procedures

Dedicated SME strategy under each Theme

Identification of areas of particular interest to SMEs in the individual work programmes

75% Research funding rate for SME participants

Target of 15 %

SMEs in “Cooperation”

Collaborative projects targeted to SMEs

“projects targeted to special groups such as SMEs”

Stimulate the participation of SMEs

Research-intensive SMEs should play a leading role in such projects

Requested EC contribution to participating SMEs must in all cases be substantial

SME funding across the themes

Health, ICT, NMP and Transport are the most attractive thematic areas for SMEs

3rd Progress report on SME participation

SMEs in FP7 “People”

Industry-academia partnerships and pathways (IAPP)

Between public and private research organisations based on a common research project and aim to increase the exchange of skills between the two sectors:

Staff secondment between academia and industry including SMEs

Temporary hosting of experienced researchers from outside partnership

10% financial contribution to small equipment related to SME participation

bottom-up approach, no thematic focus

“Capacities” – research for the benefit of SMEs

Research for SMEs: Low to medium technology SMEs with

little or no research capability Research intensive SMEs that need to

outsource research to complement their core research capability

Research for SME associations: SME associations representing their

members and their common technical problems

bottom-up approach, no thematic focus

Research for the benefit of SMEs

ObjectivesStrengthen the innovation capacities and competitiveness of SMEs, to develop new products and markets by outsourcing of research.

Clear exploitation potential with economic benefits for the SMEs (or for the SME members of the associations) involved.

219 projects have Grant Agreements to date.

Research for the benefit of SMEs

SMEsSME Associations

RTD-Performers

Investing in Research

Results & IPR

Other enterprises, End users

Special IPR-principle

The default regime leaves full ownership of all project results and IPR with those who pay, i.e. the SMEs or the SME Associations.

The consortium may however reach a different agreement in their own best interest, as long as the SMEs or SME associations are provided with all the rights needed for their use and dissemination of the results, and they do not pay the full costs of the RTDs.

Research for the benefit of SMEs

Research for the benefit of SMEs

Research for SMEs Research for SME associations

Duration 1-2 years 2-3 years

Number of partners 5-10 10-15

Total budget € 0.5 – 1.5 Million € 1.5 – 4 Million

Activities R&D, demonstration, management, other activities

R&D, demonstration, management, other activities

Capacities: New calls

• Call FP7-SME-2010-1 : Research for SMEs *• Publication: July / September 2009• Closing : 03 December 2009• Indicative budget: Modest increase on last call

110 M ۥ Pending decision making process of the

Commission

• Call FP7-SME-2008-2 : Research for SME Associations

• Publication: 03 September 2008• Closing: 18 December 2008• Indicative budget: 78.55 M €

Capacities – Research for the Benefit of SMEs

SME Beneficiaries in GA by country until 31/12/2008 – first two SME calls

Example

Project ULTRAVEG: funded under FP7 SME 2007-1 call

Aim: Development of a high power ultrasound system for the low-cost, fast, effective and quality drying of fruit and vegetables

5 SMEs from 4 countries and 3 RTD performers 24 months, EC contribution of EUR1,093,057 € Project coordinator: Hilal ÜNAL from GÖKSER.

Concrete results: The project is still ongoing, first deliverables produced

Important documents

Workprogramme "Research for the benefit of SMEs" Guides for applicants "Research for SMEs“ and

“Research for SME associations” Guide to Intellectual Property Rules for FP7 projects Rules for the submission of proposals

These documents and additional information about the open calls are available on the following webpage:

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.FP7OpenCallsPage

SME Techweb: //ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb

Research for the benefit of SMEs Workprogramme

1. Supporting SMEs outsourcing research activities- Research for SMEs- Research for SME associations

2. Developing and coordinating support to SMEs at national level

- Eurostars  Article 169 Initiative- ERA-NET projects CORNET and EraSME- NCP-network (TransCoSME)

3. Support measures- Coordination and Support Actions- Studies

Eurostars Joint Programme – Key Features (I)

• Eurostars is a joint R&D programme between 26 EU Member States (*) and 5 States associated to FP7 (**)

• Target group: R&D performing SMEs• EUR 400 million public funding available

between 2008-2013: EUR 100 million from EC and EUR 300 million from participating countries

• EUREKA Secretariat acts as dedicated implementation structure

(*) Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

(**)Iceland, Israel, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

Developing and coordinating support to SMEs at national level

Eurostars Joint Programme – Key Features (II)

• Support for R&D-performing SMEs to:– conduct market-oriented R&D in any field – perform the core research and to exploit

the results– be in the driving seat– work in small, cross-border consortia (at

least two participants from two countries)– shorten time to market

• Easy access through the EUREKA network• Integration of national programmes:

– Single entry point for project applications– Common rules, central evaluation– Virtual Common pot

Eurostars Joint Programme - Calls for proposals

Call 1 - closing date 8 February 2008:• 215 project applications • About 90 projects will be funded• Contract negotiation in advanced stage

Call 2 – closing date 21 November 2008:• 317 project applications• Evaluation completed – Start of negotiations• About 85-90 projects considered for funding

Key facts on calls 1+2:• More than 65% of all applicants are R&D performing

SMEs• SMEs represent 74% of all participants

Based on information provided by the EUREKA Secretariat

Eurostars Joint Programme - Next call deadline

Practical information:

3rd call is closing on 24 September 2009

For more information: http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu

Support to SMEs at National level

ERA-NET Follow-up of FP6 ERA-NET projects: EraSME and

CORNET Increase integration, coverage and number/budget

of common calls. Turkey is a member of CORNET II project

Network of National Contact Points (NCPs) Identifying and sharing good practices, developing

common tools. Supporting less experienced NCPs to rapidly

acquire the know-how accumulated in other countries.

The Turkish NCP is the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey - TÜBITAK

Developing and coordinating support

ERA-NET actions

EraSME² networks national and regional programmes promoting cooperation between SMEs and Research Organisations from 16 countries Next call deadline: 30 September 2009 More information: http://www.era-sme.net

CORNET II networks national and regional programmes from 15 countries promoting collective research Next call deadline: October 2009 (TBC) More information: http://www.cornet-era.net The Turkish participant in CORNET is TÜBITAK

National Contact Points (NCPs) for FP7

The NCP network is the main provider of advice and individual assistance in all Member States and Associated States to FP7.

Since NCPs are appointed for each of the areas of FP7, when seeking support you should contact the NCP relevant to the area of interest.

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ncp_en.html

SME TechWeb

CIP I

What is CIP ? The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework

Programme (CIP) aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises.

With SMEs as its main target, the programme will:• support innovation activities (including eco-innovation);• provide better access to finance and deliver business

support• services in the regions;• encourage a better take-up and use of information and

communications technologies and help to develop the information society;

• promote the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency.

CIP II

Time frame: 2007-2013

Budget: € 3.621 million

Annual work programmes for each of the three specific programmes:

Entrepreneurship and Innovation ProgrammeICT Policy Support ProgrammeIntelligent Energy Europe

Enterprise Europe Network I

What is the Enterprise Europe Network?“The world's largest network connecting business to

Europe, helping companies to improve and innovate through partnership, information and expert advice.”

Objectives:• Support the creation and development of SMEs• Assist and inform SMEs on EU activities, opportunities and

funding• Feedback on views and problems of entrepreneurs

Values:• Customer-orientation, expertise and quality• Mutual trust, cooperation and networking• Multicultural• “One stop shop – No wrong door”

Enterprise Europe Network II

Services offered to SMEs

• Awareness raising & access to information

• Feedback platform• Best practices, innovative

ideas• Expand to new markets,

find cooperation partners• Technology and

knowledge transfer• Stimulate the capacity to

innovate• Support to research

funding

Enterprise Europe Network III

A growing active Network

• Started in 2008• Building on the experience & know how of the EICs and IRCs• Budget 2007-2013: €320 million• Under the supervision by DG Enterprise (European

Commission)• and managed by the Executive Agency for

Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI)• Offers support and advice to companies across Europe• 554 Network partners in 44 countries: more than 3,000

experts• serving SMEs

SME TechWeb: http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb

CORDIShttp://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-

support_en.html

EU SME Portal http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/

entrepreneurship/sme_policy.htm

NCP Turkeyhttp://www.fp7.org.tr

Competiveness and Innovation Programmehttp://ec.europa.eu/cip

Enterprise Europe Network http://www.enterprise-europe-

network.ec.europa.eu

Get support