Project scope objectives and workplan
The strategic goal of 200SMEchallenge project is to allow 7 innovation agencies to adopt innovation support initiatives for SMEs based on the tenets of innovation prizes. This will be done by making available a validated Innovation Challenge format supporting design-driven user-centric Open Innovation in SMEs, to be activated with small budgets and short time frames.
All guidance for Innovation Agencies willing to uptake as well as scale up the scheme will be encapsulated within Practical Guide for Innovation Agencies to adopt and scale up the scheme.
Besides that, the project aims at building capacity on policy tool experimentation within EU Innovation Agencies, including validation with RCT – Randomized Control Trial methodology. This will be done by delivering full guidelines on how to test and validate a new policy tool.
These contents will be encapsulated within Practical Guide for Innovation Agencies to adopt and scale up the scheme, Research plan for pilot scheme impact evaluation and Evaluation of scheme impact through RCT.
Specific objectives
1. Provide practical training in how to set up and deliver a novel prize-driven Open Innovation support scheme for SMEs to seven innovation agencies.
Beneficiary: Project partners innovation agencies
KPI: # Innovation agencies participating to a 2-day training workshop
Target: 7
2. Carry out the experimental execution of one prize-driven SME support initiative (Innovation Challenge) in seven EU countries.
Beneficiary: Project partners innovation agencies
KPI: # Innovation agencies experimenting the Innovation Challenge
Target: 7
3. Engaging two hundred SMEs in activities impacting on digital User Experience Design and overall innovation capacity.
Beneficiary: SMEs
KPI: # SMEs supported by the project as beneficiaries
Target: 200
4. Design and carry out an extensive RCT (Randomized Control Trial) study aiming at statistically validating the impact of the experimented Innovation Challenge as an innovative SME policy tool.
Beneficiary: EU policy makers at all levels
KPI: # New validated SME innovation support policy tools
Target: 1
5. Delivering a practical and actionable guide illustrating how to activate, manage and scale up SME innovation support schemes based on the tenets of Innovation Challenges – beyond the piloted domain.
Beneficiary: EU-wide innovation agencies
KPI: # Practical guides to set up prize-driven SME innovation support schemes
Target: 1