Services enhancing the innovation management capacity of smes in the enterprise europe network
Lack of innovation management is one of the most important barriers to create economic impact (competitiveness, growth and jobs) from innovation activities in SMEs. The objective of this project proposal is to address these problems by providing services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs.

Four partners in the Swedish Enterprise Europe Network (SweNet) took part in the 2014 pilot action IS/KAM where 25 Swedish SMEs were coached.  The target for this project is to deliver 105 7-day service packages to two SME target groups:

 1) SME beneficiaries of the SME Instrument in Horizon 2020 – to be supported by Key Account Managers (KAM), and 
 2) SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation – to be supported by innovation specialists (IS).

The specific objectives related to the first target group of 42 SMEs are to identify weaknesses in their innovation capacities, to identify suitable business coaches for them, and to accompany them through Phase 2 of the SME instrument project.

The specific objectives related for the second target group of 63 SMEs are to carry out diagnostic audits of selected SMEs, to set up action plans to address bottlenecks, and to implement the action plans. 

The partner IVF, Acreo, Centek and SP will cover all of Sweden (all three Nuts 1 regions). The coordinator, The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth will not be involved in any service activities. The tools to be used to assess the innovation management capacity will be IMP3rove and Innovation Health Check.