On 23 February, from 14:00 to 17:00 CET, the Policy Learning Platform is inviting to a new online workshop on improving innovation capacities for SMEs.
What will it be about?
Supporting the capacity of SMEs to engage in innovation process is one the priorities for enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs. There are several ways for policymakers to act towards this objective. They can mainly be categorised as follows:
- Direct financial support through dedicated programmes, including e.g. vouchers, grants for innovation and transformative projects or subsidised loans aiming at reducing the risk for significant investments.
- Providing support services, including training, on different aspects of innovation processes and innovation management such as intellectual property management, innovation methods, technology transfer…
- Creating supportive environments, aiming at promoting on a large scale a culture of innovation, developing networks and clusters leveraging the innovation capacity of their members, and facilitate the access to research and innovation infrastructures commonly not accessible to single businesses.
The workshop will focus on innovation-supportive infrastructures, which are increasingly being used to address the complexity of technology-based innovation processes induced by the convergence of new technologies, including digital technologies, and the fast-pace of innovation in general.
Those infrastructures take different forms and names: innovation hubs, innovation centres, living labs, etc. The aim of the workshop is to provide an overview of existing good practices, from the Interreg Europe community and beyond.
What is the event format?
The online workshop is organised over the course of an afternoon and is divided into four 45-to-60-minute sessions. Alongside our SME competitiveness thematic experts, Luc Schmerber and Mart Veliste, we have invited experts to share their experience with you.
For more information, check out the draft event’s agenda and do not forget to register!
Introduction and Opening Keynotes |14:00 – 14:40
Our experts will present the Policy Learning Platform and an inspiring key-note speaker will introduce the topic.
Thematic sessions |14:50 – 15:50
The second session will be organised around two interactive thematic sessions of 50 to 60-minute each on:
- Innovation hubs and centers in traditional sectors
- Innovation hubs and centers in high-tech industries
During each session, three inspiring speakers will present good practices from different Interreg Europe projects. A discussant will also comment on the presentations and there will be dedicated time for an open discussion in which we invite you all to take the floor.
Online Expert Helpdesk |17:00 – 18:00
Do you need advise on a specific regional challenge?
Our thematic experts will be available at the end of the workshop to advise you and answer any questions that you might have on our services, further examples of good practices, support for policymaking, and/or suggestions for future events.
Curious about this type of helpdesk? Lear more in this article and book a 10-minute individual meeting with our experts!
Photo credit: Design4Innovation
