We focus on the following programmes:

- FP7 2007-2013
- EUREKA
- Eurostars™



Opportunities for Research performing SMEs

- EUREKA
- Eurostars
- FP7 – Cooperation
- FP7 – People – Marie Curie – Industry-Academia Partnership and Pathways



Participation in EUREKA is possible in three ways:

- By setting up your consortium
- By joining an existing project
- By joining a Cluster



Eurostars For research performing SMEs



- The Eurostars Programme is a European Innovation programme.
- It is managed by EUREKA.
- Eurostars is a joint programme between EUREKA and the EU Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development
- It provides funding for market-oriented research and development with the active participation of specifically R&D –performing SMEs, in any area of technology.
- The programme is aimed specifically at a niche market of research and innovation-performing businesses.



Requirements:



- an SME fulfils the EU-adpted definition of an SME
- an SME is based in a country participating in Eurotars
- an SME invests 10% or more of their annual turnover in research

- The Eurostars Programme will specifically enable R&Dperforming SMEs to improve performance through its support of ’in-house’ research.
- The objective of the Eurostars Programme is to bring increased value to the economy, higher growth and more job opportunities by supporting the R&D-performing SME.
- Eurostars projects will be funded primarily through national research schemes.
- The amount of funding and costs eligible for funding will therefore vary between Eurostars member countries.



Eurostars –projects:



- Open for funding on a continuous basis with an average of two application submission deadlines each year.
- The next deadline for electronic submission of applications is 21 November 2007 at 17.00 CET.
- There is a one-stage application process for all projects.
- A Eurostars project is an international research and development project.
- It must involve at least two participants (legal entities) from two different Eurostars member countries.
- Duration of a project: 3 years.
- The main participant must be a research-performing SME from a Eurostars member country.
- At least 50% of the total project costs related to R&D activities should be carried out by the participating R&D-performing SME.
- The consortium should be well balanced.
- A Eurostars project should be market-driven.



FP7 Cooperation Programme

- SME are encouraged to participate in collaborative research projects within the thematic programmes.
- 15% SME participation, representing 5 bn € until 2013.
- Simpilified financial and administrative procedures
- 75% funding rate for SME
- Identificaton of areas and specific measures of particular interest to SME in the individual work programmes

Source: Dr. B. Reichert, SMEs, Research Directorate General

FP7 People Programme

- Industry-academia partnerships and pathways
- Support cooperation between academia and industry
- Encourage SME participation through Staff secondments between academia and industry
- Temporary hosting of experienced researchers form outside

Source: Dr. B. Reichert, Head of Unit, SMEs, Research Directorate General







FP7 Capacities programme - Funding scheme: Research for the benefit of SMEs



- For SMEs with no or little R&D capacity
- Bottom-up programme
- The projects may address any research topic across the entire field of science and technology
- Outsourcing scheme
- Customer-seller relationship
- The idea is to allow SMEs to furher develop their activities by buying knowledge from RTD performers, who sell their expertise and work.



Activities:



- RTD ; Research and Technological Development
- DEMO ; Demonstration activities
- OTHER ; Other activities, in particular dissemination and Training
- MANAG ; Management activities are a regular part of the project and provide an appropriate framework that brings together all project components and maintains regular communications with the Comission.



The consortium:



- SME participants – at least three independent SMEs, established in three different Member States or associated countries.
- RTD performers – at least two RTD performers which must be independent from any other participant and which can come from any country.
- Other enterprises and end-users may participate by making a particular contribution to the project. They must also be independent from any other participant.

Development of the innovation system of a firm

- Strategic Management

   *Forming a business model
   *Forming a strategy

- Project Management

- Development of the Knowledge system of a firm
- Training related to dissemination, or exploitation of the results of RTD projects