I-CON

It is a MENTOR PROGRAM professionally accomplished specifically for food companies (for the first time in Europe) providing them with an integrated cross-sectoral experts approach services (mechatronics; food safety, food quality and labelling; design), availability of transnational pool of experts coming from different EU regions and focus oriented mentor program to increase competences and skills in domain of COST EFFICIENCY and QUALITY ASSURANCE through technology process control improvements, food safety, quality and labelling management and food design

The document includes the analysis of several available crowd design platforms, and the selection of the most suitable one for the I-CON purpose following a criteria definition. Purpose of the platform is from one side bring designers and another side food producer, who are looking for good design.

Within Task 2, the tool is about the analysis of the collected existing advanced tools and techniques for the Identification of those able to support SMEs in the areas of mechatronics, food safety, quality and labelling, and food design.

The Deliverable D.T2.1.1 was about the analysis of the collected existing advanced tools and techniques supporting SMEs in the areas of mechatronics, food safety, quality and labelling, and food design.

The Tools aims at presenting European and global good practices that can help SMEs to extend their knowledge, competences, management and entrepreneur skills.

The tools aims at finding solutions for the collected regional needs provided by the Regional Partners of I-CON.

Aim of the Regional Good Practice case reports is to identify relevant technologies or techniques that can be used under sustainable principles where significant savings or quality improvements were made in regions of I-CON Partners.

I-CON partners developed this Handbook, which consists of good practice solutions coming from the area of food safety, quality and labelling, mechatronics and food packaging design as collection of possible solutions for supporting food industry development.
The case studies were identified based on the needs, challenges and barriers of the food industry, especially the SMEs in the Central European region covered by the I-CON project.

Mechatronic assessment tool-kit, is an exploratory questionnaire for Food Sector’s SMEs representatives, which will help I-CON facilitators to identify the gaps in the operation of the SMEs and in the same time provide possible solutions.

Food safety and quality assessment tool-kit, is an exploratory questionnaire for Food Sector’s SMEs representatives, , which will help I-CON facilitators to identify the gaps in the operation of the SMEs and in the same time provide possible solutions.

Food Packaging Design assessment tool-kit, is an exploratory questionnaire for Food Sector’s SMEs representatives, which will help I-CON facilitators to identify the gaps in some internal operational processes of Food sector SMEs developed in three relevant sections: 1. System of responsibilities, 2. Product sales, marketing and advertising 3. Packaging solutions.

Text I-CON Partners Developed the “I-CON Atlas Mapping Tool” (AMP), an online tool to provide users with all relevant information to leverage joint cooperation possibilities and to investigate food sector specific areas of mechatronics, food safety and geographic areas by selecting the data mapped from the menu.
AMT provides a visual depiction (geographic data) of joint possibilities (RIS 3 supporting measures) and solutions providers (technology, design and food safety) enabling regional SMEs to access the resources and opportunities necessary to meet their needs and reach the advancing knowledge.

The tool serves for the integration of collaborative learning tools dedicated to the management of innovation in three intersectoral cooperation fields: (1) mechatronics, (2) safety, (3) design. The guidelines is supporting an effective knowledge transfer through the definition and description of evaluation steps, SME requirements as well as barriers and opportunities for the collaboration

The Document provides a technical backgrounds and experiences done in project implementation presenting the sustainability potential of the mapping tool and the so-called modus operandi through which creators and subsequent facilitators, plan to identify, meet and satisfy the perceived users’ anticipations, expectations, needs and wishes

The Document provides a technical backgrounds and experiences done during project implementation presenting the sustainability of the strategy bases on I-CON project achievements, considering the pilot action results and transferability to other territories and stakeholders

The Policy recommendation report provide Recommendations to policy makers at regional level (RIS3) and recommendations at transnational level (Food DrinkEurope) to make KTT more accessible for agri-food SMEs and thus to make these (often) remote areas more competitive and attractive